Hello from a very sunny and HOT Brisbane!
Well what a week it has been, i cant believe we are here already and that we only left Sydney 10 days ago! So we are now in Queensland, that means only one more state (western australia) and i have seen them all, how cool is that!
So travelling up the east coast is really fun! Its really busy, all the buses are full and you have to be really organised keeping on top of the game, but thankfully im quite good at that!! So, we left Sydney and took a short bus ride (2.5hrs ish) to Newcastle. We stayed in a really lovely hostel there (you can always rely on a good YHA!!) it was right on the beach, so we spent our one day there exploring in the morning and recovering on the beach in the afternoon!
From there we went to Coffs Harbour, it was a long day getting there, probably about 7 hours on the bus, but no air conditioning meant it was quite hot at times! I think any ice creams i had last week were sweated off on bus journeys, hehe!! Coffs was cool, a bit spread out though which made it difficult to explore, although theres not a lot to really see there, we walked along the harbour and the beach, although it was too windy to lay on the beach that day and not be covered in sand, any more than usual! We had two days here, which was probably just right. Although we are doing the east coast quite quickly (because my friend Jen who i am travelling with is going back to the UK) i still feel like we have had the right amount of time in each place, which is great! The highlight of Coffs is the Big Banana! Yes Banana! Coffs main export is bananas and to celebrate this, they have this big plastic banana on the highway! Yes, i know it all sounds very cheesy, but according to the banana goodie shop (dont worry i didnt indulge!!) over a million photos are taken off this banana a year! Theres a small theme park type thing there, but that was too energetic for us, so it was a banana smoothie and banana split (to share) and it was awesome!! So that was Coffs, all about the banana!
From there we have had this weekend just gone in Byron Bay. It has been my favourite place so far, but unfortunatly it rained all weekend and was cold too (22/23!!). It was a shame, because the beaches there are beautiful and the hostel had a really ncie pool as well. We had too console ourselves on Saturday night with a box of wine and dominos and it did do the trick, although im sure i have that seasonal defective disorder, two days without the sun and it was just so sad! It was a great place there though, also a couple of km walk away from the most easterly point of main land Australia, so we walked up there on Sunday afternoon, which was pleasant. I liked it here because it had a great hippy/surfer vibe. It is still clased as quite an 'alternative' place and i liked all the independent shops here.
Our next stop on Monday could not have been more different. Surfers Paradise and into Queensland. It was like going from Austin to Florida. High rise buildings, chain stores, theme parks and sunshine!!! We only had a night here, as its only really good for nightlife and then recovering the next day on the beach, which is exactly what we did!!
So no wonder, when we arrived in Brisbane last night at about 7pm i was shattered!! Its ok here, it doesnt have the greatest reputation around oz and i havent seen anything yet to change that. I prefer Adelaide i think, for cities on a smaller scale. We have just two days here, before we head to Noosa on the sunshine coast for a couple of nights and then on Sunday afternoon we arrive in Hervey Bay to enable us to depart to Fraser Island on Monday (australia day!!). Im really excited about Fraser Island, everyone you meet says it is a highlight and we are doing a 3 day/2 night self drive adventure! There will be 10 of us in our group and you are given a briefing the afternoon before and maps etc and then just go off and explore! It should be really good, and will be great to drive again, just got my fingers crossed i dont get us stuck in the sand!
Then its the Whitsundays after, it really is all go but its exciting, the fast pace is good, lets just hope we can keep it up! I'll let you know.....!!!!
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Sydney!
Monday morning, and as i admire the sydney skyline from the window with the sun shining, i know now why i love this city!
We leave this afternoon to head up the east coast by bus over the next month. Im excited to be moving on, we havent travelled like we are going to these next few weeks since New Zealand, seeing everything but not staying in one place for more than a couple of days. But im really sad to leave too. I have had a great weekend.
This week, has been busy visitng old haunts, for me the beginning of the week was spent on the beach, Bondi and then Manly, making the most of the gorgeous weather, and then on Weds we went on a trip to the Blue Mountains. Only an hours drive out of the city and it was spectacular, like going from London to home really, but this was definitly not Essex! A great place to escape the city and loads of walks too, you could easily spend long weekends there just chilling out!
On Friday before Nicky went home we went to see Madama Butterfly at the Sydney Opera House. It was wonderful. The performance, the venue, everything about it i just loved. It was a lot smaller inside than i expected and people dont lie when they say it truly is the best place for interval drinks in the world, stunning.
On Saturday we checked out the Sydney Festival. For the opening night they close down the city and bands play in the streets. It was completly rammed, too busy for the Cat Empire, but we did catch Santagold and then decided to cut our loses and see the fireworks from the balcony instead!! Sunday's have to be my favourite days here, because even though everyone has gotten up adn gone to work this morning there never is that Sunday feeling of dome and gloom! We went to Bondi (got to love it!) yesterday afternoon, caught some rays and then had a couple of glasses of wine and food with Becs and her friends. Its been great! Last Sunday i went with Becs to the Moonlight Cinema and saw Rock n Rolla. I really enjoyed the film, but the whole atmosphere was just lovely, very chilled, picnic, bean bags and film under the stars, are you getting an idea of why i love it here!??
Another reason is that the beaches are just so close, and there are so many to choose from!! I love Manly and the ferry ride is always fun, its great to watch the surfers there and has a good holiday feel to it. Bondi i just think is brilliant! and then Coogee i would probably go to for some more chilled out vibes!
The city is all so close together, but the suburbs are clearly defined. I love the Rocks, very historical, up by the bridge and has loads of quaint pubs and is good for a sunday walk, followed by a trip to the opera bar (last sunday!!) I also really like Paddington. Becs and I went there on Saturday afternoon for a browse around the shops and markets, some cool side streets there and always good for a wonder!
Everytime i have walked past the opera house over the bridge, i have had to pinch myself! This is one place where i have never taken the views for granted! And although I will be sad to go, we have been here a month now, its great to know the city will always be here and i can always come back! So, bring on the east coast!!!!
We leave this afternoon to head up the east coast by bus over the next month. Im excited to be moving on, we havent travelled like we are going to these next few weeks since New Zealand, seeing everything but not staying in one place for more than a couple of days. But im really sad to leave too. I have had a great weekend.
This week, has been busy visitng old haunts, for me the beginning of the week was spent on the beach, Bondi and then Manly, making the most of the gorgeous weather, and then on Weds we went on a trip to the Blue Mountains. Only an hours drive out of the city and it was spectacular, like going from London to home really, but this was definitly not Essex! A great place to escape the city and loads of walks too, you could easily spend long weekends there just chilling out!
On Friday before Nicky went home we went to see Madama Butterfly at the Sydney Opera House. It was wonderful. The performance, the venue, everything about it i just loved. It was a lot smaller inside than i expected and people dont lie when they say it truly is the best place for interval drinks in the world, stunning.
On Saturday we checked out the Sydney Festival. For the opening night they close down the city and bands play in the streets. It was completly rammed, too busy for the Cat Empire, but we did catch Santagold and then decided to cut our loses and see the fireworks from the balcony instead!! Sunday's have to be my favourite days here, because even though everyone has gotten up adn gone to work this morning there never is that Sunday feeling of dome and gloom! We went to Bondi (got to love it!) yesterday afternoon, caught some rays and then had a couple of glasses of wine and food with Becs and her friends. Its been great! Last Sunday i went with Becs to the Moonlight Cinema and saw Rock n Rolla. I really enjoyed the film, but the whole atmosphere was just lovely, very chilled, picnic, bean bags and film under the stars, are you getting an idea of why i love it here!??
Another reason is that the beaches are just so close, and there are so many to choose from!! I love Manly and the ferry ride is always fun, its great to watch the surfers there and has a good holiday feel to it. Bondi i just think is brilliant! and then Coogee i would probably go to for some more chilled out vibes!
The city is all so close together, but the suburbs are clearly defined. I love the Rocks, very historical, up by the bridge and has loads of quaint pubs and is good for a sunday walk, followed by a trip to the opera bar (last sunday!!) I also really like Paddington. Becs and I went there on Saturday afternoon for a browse around the shops and markets, some cool side streets there and always good for a wonder!
Everytime i have walked past the opera house over the bridge, i have had to pinch myself! This is one place where i have never taken the views for granted! And although I will be sad to go, we have been here a month now, its great to know the city will always be here and i can always come back! So, bring on the east coast!!!!
Saturday, 10 January 2009
Sydney in Pictures!
New Years Day on Bondi!
Opera House for Madama Butterfly (brilliant!!)
Introducing Scouting for Girls to the world!!
Boxing Day!
Christmas BBQ on the beach!!
Boxing Day!
Christmas BBQ on the beach!!
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Happy New Year from Sydney!
Happy New Year!!
Well, I cant believe it has been soo long since i have lost blogged, where have these past couple of weeks gone! I cant believe that i have been in Sydney for nearly a month either, i love it here though, its amazing!!!
We have had a great time and done so much, im not even sure where to start! The week before Christmas we spent on the beach at Manly. Its a great surfing town which you can reach by ferry in 30 mins from Sydney. You also get a great view of the harbour from the ferry. It also helped that summer is now definitly here and we could chill on the beach most days. After our Uluru tour it was a welcomed chilled out week, topped off with an essential trip to the hairdressers!! I think the hairdresser was quite disgusted at the mop that was my hair and i couldnt quite believe it when she asked 'and how do you stylye your hair!!!"
Christmas week we were back in the city and staying in the main backpacker area just by china town. In line with a traditional Eley Christmas Eve we went to the cinema and saw Four Holidays and then went out for a couple of drinks before i headed to Midnight Mass.
Christmas day we spent on Coogee beach, and it was fabulous! Although it was overcast in the morning it was still warm and by early afternoon we were frying, fantastic! The beach was rammed and there was a great atmosphere! Everybody sported something festive and we took a picnic and had a bbq on the beach, christmas crackers and all!! We like to think our mothers would be proud of our feast that day and we even topped that on New Years Eve which we did not think was possible, lol!! Christmas on the beach was everything i had always imagined it would be! Just completly chilled and moving at my own pace! It has to be the first Christmas that i didnt watch one thing on tv and spent the majority of it outside, i think we finally dragged ourselves off the beach at abou 7pm, fantastic!
After Christmas we had the luxury of a hotel for the week over New Years. It was great to stay on a different side of the city and the location turned out really well, even though we booked it with no idea of Sydney! It was also a great location for me as my cousin lives just around the corner from the hotel and so we had the luxury of using her oven to cook our NYE feast, thanks Becs!!! We stayed at Rushcutters Bay this week and decided to stake out a spot and watch the fireworks from this side of town and i am so pleased we did! It was a military organisation that required a lot planning (i loved it!!) but boy it was worth every second! Nicky got THE spot at 9.30am whilst me and jen sorted out the picnic and then joined her later in the morning and we sat there all day and waited. It was roasting!!! And too hot to do anything apart from lay!! But that was fine and when the sun finally went down early in the evening we enjoyed our feast and mini bar, there was a fantastic sunset over the city and then the fireworks started! They have a set here at 9pm for the familys and then the midnight ones as well! The theme this year was Creation and it was just spectacular! We were also really lucky (although it was planned!) that we were right in front of a firework barge as well, so you really did not know where to look at times! It was just a great evening, the atmosphere was fab and i cant imagine a nye anywhere else now!!!
There is loads more to update you on, but i think i will do that in a seperate blog, so its not information overload! We leave Sydney on Monday, but this weekend the Sydney festival starts and so we are staying with Becs for the weekend. There is no time for new years blues in this city, the part is just getting started!!!
Well, I cant believe it has been soo long since i have lost blogged, where have these past couple of weeks gone! I cant believe that i have been in Sydney for nearly a month either, i love it here though, its amazing!!!
We have had a great time and done so much, im not even sure where to start! The week before Christmas we spent on the beach at Manly. Its a great surfing town which you can reach by ferry in 30 mins from Sydney. You also get a great view of the harbour from the ferry. It also helped that summer is now definitly here and we could chill on the beach most days. After our Uluru tour it was a welcomed chilled out week, topped off with an essential trip to the hairdressers!! I think the hairdresser was quite disgusted at the mop that was my hair and i couldnt quite believe it when she asked 'and how do you stylye your hair!!!"
Christmas week we were back in the city and staying in the main backpacker area just by china town. In line with a traditional Eley Christmas Eve we went to the cinema and saw Four Holidays and then went out for a couple of drinks before i headed to Midnight Mass.
Christmas day we spent on Coogee beach, and it was fabulous! Although it was overcast in the morning it was still warm and by early afternoon we were frying, fantastic! The beach was rammed and there was a great atmosphere! Everybody sported something festive and we took a picnic and had a bbq on the beach, christmas crackers and all!! We like to think our mothers would be proud of our feast that day and we even topped that on New Years Eve which we did not think was possible, lol!! Christmas on the beach was everything i had always imagined it would be! Just completly chilled and moving at my own pace! It has to be the first Christmas that i didnt watch one thing on tv and spent the majority of it outside, i think we finally dragged ourselves off the beach at abou 7pm, fantastic!
After Christmas we had the luxury of a hotel for the week over New Years. It was great to stay on a different side of the city and the location turned out really well, even though we booked it with no idea of Sydney! It was also a great location for me as my cousin lives just around the corner from the hotel and so we had the luxury of using her oven to cook our NYE feast, thanks Becs!!! We stayed at Rushcutters Bay this week and decided to stake out a spot and watch the fireworks from this side of town and i am so pleased we did! It was a military organisation that required a lot planning (i loved it!!) but boy it was worth every second! Nicky got THE spot at 9.30am whilst me and jen sorted out the picnic and then joined her later in the morning and we sat there all day and waited. It was roasting!!! And too hot to do anything apart from lay!! But that was fine and when the sun finally went down early in the evening we enjoyed our feast and mini bar, there was a fantastic sunset over the city and then the fireworks started! They have a set here at 9pm for the familys and then the midnight ones as well! The theme this year was Creation and it was just spectacular! We were also really lucky (although it was planned!) that we were right in front of a firework barge as well, so you really did not know where to look at times! It was just a great evening, the atmosphere was fab and i cant imagine a nye anywhere else now!!!
There is loads more to update you on, but i think i will do that in a seperate blog, so its not information overload! We leave Sydney on Monday, but this weekend the Sydney festival starts and so we are staying with Becs for the weekend. There is no time for new years blues in this city, the part is just getting started!!!
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