Gearing up for New Years Eve!
Trip Start
Nov 11, 2007
1
15
26
Trip End
Feb 11, 2007
Sydney,
Australia
Saturday, December 29, 2007
I hope you've all recovered nicely from your christmas celebrations and don't feel too drained! I didn't want to leave it too long before posting again so thought I'd get you up to date with the last couple of days.
As I said on thursday we were planning on going out for a cheap meal which we did. Found the place that's not far from our hostel called the Strawberry Hills Pub and I had chicken, mash potato and gravy! Woo mash and gravy! I was very excited about that one. The meal was nice and for $5.90 it was a bargain. The evening was still stretching out in front of us and we didn't have any plans....until I got a phone call from the facbook crew we had met on christmas eve, asking if us girls wanted to go out for some drinks with them. At which point we agreed. They twisted our arms, what can I say!! I had about an hour to shower, wash, dry and straighten my hair and be ready before we had to meet them at their hostel. Jack you'd be proud of how quickly I got ready babe!
We headed to their hostel first to meet them and have a few drinks that we took with us. After that we went for a drink at Side Bar, the place we had ended up on christmas eve. It was packed once again but this time instead of R'n'B, there was a live band playing and we stook around long enough to have a drink and sing along. We had to leave there because we were meeting some more of the girls at a pub called The Three Wise Monkeys. I didn't know until we got there (which took ages cos George Street is so long) that the place had 3 floors; ground floor was a pub, 2nd played music but still had all the lights on and seating areas for drinking and chilling and 3rd was the club part. Pretty cool place and after buying a drink, we went up to the 3rd floor where a live band was also playing and got down the front to have a boogie. They played some really good songs by Oasis, U2, Blink 182 etc., It was great to hear some live music that we like. After we managed to dance our feet off and the band finished their set after many encores, we started on the long trek back at which point we collapsed into bed, not drunk but happy and slept like logs.
On Friday (yesterday) Jen's parents arrived, so she got up to go and meet them in Manly which is where they are staying. We had decided to go back down to the harbour near the Opera House and look round the Royal Botanical Gardens which start right next to the Opera House and run right round to Mrs Macquaries point. Jen had said she wasn't fussed about seeing the gardens so we didn't feel like we were leaving her out of something she wanted to do. It was stupidly hot to be trekking all the way through the city down George St. It takes about an hour from our hostel to get there, all the way through the busiest shopping area in the city centre, so we jostled with crowds of shoppers who were searching for bargains in the post christmas sales. When we got down there we walked into the gardens and laid on the grass for a while, taking in the view over Sydney Harbour and reading our books in the gorgeous sunshine. A little train kept going past us full of people and we decided to check it out. It only cost $5 for a student to get a ride through the gardens with the driver pointing out all the main parts so we decided to hop on and get a ride through so we didn't have to walk. It took 25 minutes to take us through the gardens and we saw the Governer's House, the first greenhouse ever built in Australia, beautiful ponds with fountains, chinese gardens and herb gardens, basically everything you could possibly wish to find in a garden. Plus with the added extra of the flying foxes that live in the trees. Apparently there are around 8000 in the area and they were all pretty restless because it was so hot. Some trees were teeming with them. We also got to see Mrs Macquaries Chair. Mrs Macquarie was the wife of a Governer, hence the Governer's House being in the gardens, and the headland at the opposite side of the botanical gardens is named after her. In fact a lot of things have the Macquarie name given to them. The chair is carved out of the sanstone cliff and is a great lookout point where you can take amazing photos which get the Opera house and Harbour Bridge in the same shot. The ride came to an end back where we started at Bennelong Point where the Opera House is situated. We then decided it was time to start the long walk back.
O my god was it long. In the heat and with so many other people around it felt like an age before we finally made it back. We made a detour into the supermarket on the way back and I brought some fresh salmon. Yum! I had a gorgeous 'proper' tea last night with salmon, potato and veg it was amazing!!! We spent the evening watching the christmas movie that was on - Home Alone. It was a real blast from the past as it's ages since I've seen that film.
Today me and mel went over to the olympic sized swimming pool in Alfred Park just over the road from our hostel. We were plagued by ants, the pool was pretty cold but very refreshing and the sun was beating down. I've had a lovely day which was topped off when Jen came back with her parents and sister and they brought me my christmas present from home! Thanks Mum and Dad. I got some christmas cards, chocolate, Pajamas and some money that I will probably use tonight as we're off out again with the facebook lot.
I'm having a lovely time in Sydney, but I am looking forward to Melbourne because we're meeting up with Pete! My adopted big brother and one of Jack's uni mates. He's been out here since February so I can't wait to see him, I'm so excited.
I am still missing home and miss Jack so much. Mum, dad and nic I miss u loads too and can't wait to see u at the airport. I'm over halfway now so not that long till I see you all - that includes everyone else too. Millhouse lot I expect to see you all for drinks on the monday I get home!!! Don't get me wrong I am having such a great time out here, but it really does make you appreciate what you've got at home. I've got a fantastic boyfriend who I love more than I can ever describe, a brilliant family who have supported me and the decisions I've made, especially over the past few years, great friends who mean the world to me and made uni all the more special and my friends at home who will always have a chair next to me to share a drink and good times! Here's to you guys! Cheers!!
Have an absolutely fantastic New Year!
Lots of Love Smiffy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
