Quality Suites Southern Cross Sydney

Arrived in Cairns and then took the bus to Port Douglas for our 3 day stay. We spent one day snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef and one day touring the Daintree and Port Tribulation. We spent the last day in Cairns which is "touristy" but still worth a trip for the restaurants and shopping. The flight back to Sydney is close to 3 hours so it's a manageable hop and well worth the time.

... Phillip Island for the day. Went to the working farm there, fed some animals, Kelly milked a cow and I milked their bull, though the milk tasted funny! After that we went to a Koala sanctuary, then it was the main event, at dusk we plotted up and watched the penguins come out of the sea and head inland, very cool. The following day we went to NGV Australia then went to the State Library and saw Ned Kelly's armour, pretty cool. In the evening we met up with Kate our mate from our ...

... had some beers named "Fat Yak", "Pigs Fly" and "Bee Sting". No doubt I'll give them a go later in my trip.

I ended up the night at the Sydney Observatory and saw Jupiter & it's 4 moons, our moon and several stars through their 2 telescopes. The observatory hill is a great part to take in the Sydney sights/skyline at night as it is the highest land point in all of Sydney. On my way there I walked into the ...

... out the computer and advises me that I can carry on to Delhi, but that my check in will be sent in the flight the next day and i would need to collect it at the airport. Meanwhile Sujatha and Pratulya have already proceeded to the aircraft without much hopes of me joining them. Give them a pleasant surprise just before the doors are locked and our luck seems to be holding on as I find my seat just next to them!!! I believe it must be the courtsey of the Cathay folks at Sydney

... about4 diff**ent grapes - so he simply called it BOEFT and labelled it accordingly - It stands for "Bit of Ev**y ****ing Thing". French people are cringing all ov** the world. We leave in a state of complete m**riment. I completely won ov** by Susan the 80/90 year old who insists she must drink more wat** by knocking back the white port with aplomb and still manages to hoist h**self unaided up the steps of the bus. Last stop - before lunch - is Tintilla ...

I think I'm taking the bad weather with me! Arrived in Sydney to find it grey and cloudy with showers all day - I thought it was supposed to be hot and sunny here!?!? Checked into the hostel (really great!) and went to explore with one of the girls I met on the bus. Headed for the Opera House and had to pinch myself - I am literally on the other side of the world standing in front of the Sydney Opera House ...

... the brown coating which has been pollished off, and chicken nuggets are made out of the bits of the chicken they can't sell as anything else lest people recognise the body parts.)

For my part, I managed to cook some vegetables and some salt and pepper squid which I found preprepared in woolworths. Today, to beat the kitchen rush, I decided to have dinner at 5pm. I planned this well, as it turned out, as when ...

... it. It's a place where you feel very safe walking through the streets at night (on way home from train station for example). Sarah's theory on the reason it is such a safe place is that it is a real community, made up of the so called "misfits of
society "- artists, goths, and it's the gay capital of Sydney... people that have been shunned in other areas, and so here they stick up for each other. In a word it's fabulous.

My first adventure in Sydney ...

... I’m just used to larger culture gaps in my foreign travels, but there was a void that couldn’t be filled with outdoor adventures, wild nights or cool accents. Don’t get me wrong…I had a great time, and if you want an adventure Australia is for you, but if you really want to get out of your comfort zone culturally this may not be the ideal place. Will I be back…absolutely! I just have many other points on the globe to check off first! :-)