Mars' Australian Travels

Hey guys, it's taken me a lot longer to get around to writing this than I thought it would, but here goes. I'll try and remember all that I've been up to since I arrived.

My flight was great, and I was very much relieved that the airline I had booked with were great. Long flights were filled with HEAPS of movies, food, the trivia games on the entertainment system, and catnaps. I didn't sleep much, but I had a massive selection of stuff to watch and do on the flight so that was good. It even had some Red Dwarf episodes on the go..... My stop over at Abu Dhabi was fine, but I was so tired I just wanted to get on the plane and go to sleep. Beautiful airport though, but because I didn't have any of their money I couldn't even buy a water. But It was fine. And I fell asleep before the plane even took off and got about an hour and a bit.

Arrived at the airport in Sydney on Sunday morning (21st Oct), and my pick-up was waiting for me, and a short trip in the ozintro van took me to the Surfside Hostel in Coogee beach. Since I arrived first thing in the morning I thought it would be better to not go straight to bed, so I checked in, dumped my stuff and jumed on a bus into Sydney Centre. Wandered around in a daze for a few hours, and then met a friend from the 'Deen (Dave Mac for those that know him) for a coffee, and it was good to see a familiar face after such a long journey. After that I just went back to the hostel, went to bed and slept through till the next morning. So on the monday I met the group I would be spending the week with for Oz intro, and moved into a dorm with them. And then later that day we went for a tour round the city, including a walk along the harbour to see the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, which just takes your breath away when it is in front of you! Then we went for a walk around the Botanical Gardens, where we hand fed cockatiels, and saw trees full of huge fruit bats. massivo!!. After that we went on an awesome Jet boat around the harbour, which went v.v. fast, did huge spins and was just all round mentalness. Don't think I stopped laughing the whole time.

That night me and a gir on the group called Michelle got in some cheap Passion Pop (think passion fruit flavoured lambrini) and we all just got good and drunk and chilled out. After waking up on Tuesday feeling more than a wee bit rough, we had a day of surfing ahead of us. This. was. awesome..... all I can say. The instructors were super hot, which was nice, (but let me tell you, I was not looking my best, while flopping ungracefully about on a surf board......) ah well, it was still great fun, and I managed to stand up for a few micro seconds a couple of times. But I'd go again tomorrow. Man, did I ache the next day though.

Wednesday it rained so our coastal walk and bbq was cancelled, so we all went ten pin bowling (my team THRASHED the others) and I actually bowled quite alright. but the night before had been a heavy one, and I was feeling rough, and a noisy, crashing bowling alley is not the best place to be with a banging headache. My own fault though. Can't remember what we did that night, not much I don't think, I was knacked and fell asleep by about 10.

Thursday was Blue Mountain Day, which was just amazing. Photos's are up at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhairi2222/ so you can check them out. No point in describing it as you really have to be there to see the views and do the guided walk. Was ace though.

Losing track of days here now, Fri, Sat, Sun we did a bunch of stuff, but I can't remember on which days. So we also had a Visit to Bondi Beach, a coastal walk from bondi to Coogee, a beach barbecue (hmmmm....hotdogs!!!) A pub crawl on a mental party bus, which wasn't really my thing. "bangin tunes man" and all that. But it was alright, just got drunk, and smoked cigs outside and then ended up in a fountain (that someone had put fairy liquid in so it had bubbled up hugely) blowing mounds of foam everywhere. One Aussie guy that I had spent most of the night outside smoking with, was full on just swimming in it, fully clothed, having a wash I think! He was a good laugh though, and I'm glad he gatecrashed the bus, as everyone else was just in a full on rave mode. Then on the sunday night we had a lovely dinner up the revoving Sydney tower restaurant. It was beautiful up there. And the food was pretty good too. Tried some Kangaroo (beautiful) and Octopus (also lovely) but they didn't have crocodile that night. I'll have to keep that for later.

Other than all the planned Oz intro stuff we just kind of hung around Coogee, chilling on the beach, eating too much food, going to the Coogee Bay Hotel for drinks and hanging in the room nattering.

So, after Ozintro ended on monday, me and Michelle decided to leave coogee together and head on into Wake up! Hostel in the Haymarket area of Sydney Centre. We've been trying to form a plan about what to do, and so far, we've booked a night bus to Melbourne.....that's the whole plan. Think we're going to leave on Friday night, get to melbourne Saturday morning, and then book into a hostel for maybe a week, and just start lookin for work.

Today, I'm back at the Ozintro office (as I get free internet access here) and have been chatting to our group leader Dan about some of the adventure trips we can book. So thinking of booking one up to Alice Springs with an open date (aim to go Early December) for a 10 day trip from Melbourne to Alice Springs. Get to rough it for a bit in the outback. then fly back to melbourne for crimbo. But trust me, my plans are changing about every.....hmmm... half hour? that's the plan right now, but don't hold me to it please.

So, that's been my 11 days since arriving here. Feels like I've been here ages already...... Missing everone back home like crazy. Been speaking to people here, and everyone agrees that their moods here go from high to low so much. One minute you never want to leave, and the next you just want to go home! I'm just going to see how things go. One day at a time. Roll on Melbourne!

First entry in my travel blog.

I'm sitting thinking about what to write, but It's odd because even though it's 2 weeks today till I leave for the other side of the world, it totally doesn't feel like I'm going anywhere. In the slightest...

I'm flying out on the 19th of October, with a brief stop over in Abu Dhabi (sp?). Which I read today is the richest city in the world! So I hope the airport is nice and luxurious for my brief stay there.
I'll arrive in Sydney on the 21st early morning, and have my aiport pick up organised to take me to the hostel I'm staying at, in Coogee beach, 15 mins from the city centre.

I've also decided to use a company Ozintro for my first week, and as well as my first weeks accommodation and activities, they have done all the little things I'd have needed to organise myself otherwise. Like my Tax file number (so I don't get robbed in tax off my pay) my medicare card, an Aus SIM card and phone number, and set up a bank account for me over there. I think this has been a very good move on my part, as doing stuff like that is not really my strong point. As well as doing all that, they book a first weeks activities, which I will do with my group of other travellers booked on for that week. I've been speaking to a few of them online, and everyone seems like they're all up for an adventure and a good laugh.

During the first week I've got a jet boat ride around Sydney Harbour, a trip to Sydney Aquarium ( I LOVE AQUARIUMS!) a day of learning to surf (that should be a laugh!), a day of snorkelling (can't wait! I loved snorkelling in tenerife! and I'll get to wear flippers again!) a beach barbecue, a pub crawl with free drinks, a nice meal up Sydney Tower, a trip around Sydney and city orientation, A trip to the Blue mountains for a day, and a coastal walk between Bondi beach and Coogee bay. Okay, so writing about all that stuff does make me SOOOOO excited.

All in all, I can't wait. I am nervous (very), but I honestly think this is the BEST thing that could be happening to me just now. I can't wait to get away from Aberdeen, and travel, like I have been wanting to do for as long as I can remember. I feel very, very lucky to have this opportunity, and I never would have if it hadn't been for my Grandma and Granda, and I wish they were here for me to tell them all about it.

Anyway, I have lots more wee jobs to be getting on with organising stuff, so I'm going to sign out for now. I also have to go help my wee sis with some housework, I have to repay her kind hospitality somehow!

Write again soon, most likely from Oz, but maybe before,

Adios,

Mars x x x x