So long, farewell...
Loading Map
Randwick,
Australia
Friday, December 17, 2004
Today was my last full day in Sydney... and I don't want to leave! Of course I can't wait to see my friends and family, but I love this city. I can't believe my time here is over again! I kind of came here thinking this might be my last trip to the land down under, but I just can't accept that now. I'll be back.
Today was a beautiful, warm, sunny, late spring day, which made it real hard to believe I'll be in freezing cold NY tomorrow! I spent the day running around trying to fit all my favorite Sydney things into one day. After closing my bank account, I walked to Coogee Beach, bought a Magnum ice cream bar, and then continued walking all the way to Bondi Beach. The Coogee-Bondi Coastal Walk is probably my favorite thing to do in this beautiful city. Then I hopped on a very slow bus to the city and went to Paddy's Market in Chinatown to buy an extra bag (just like I had to do 4 years ago!), bringing the grand total of my checked luggage to 3. Fingers crossed they won't charge me the $100 fee for the extra bag at the airport. From there I got some sushi rolls, which I ate in Hyde Park, and then walked to Circular Quay where I got my traditional carrot cake and flat white. I headed to my final destination: my bench in the Botanic Gardens near the Opera House. As I anxiously approached it, I worried that it might be occupied. I actually considered explaining to the hypothetical occupants that it was my last day in Sydney, and I'd formed an attachment to this particular bench over the past 10 months, and could they please vacate it so I could enjoy one last bench-sit with my man Douglas Whitton. Then I realized just how weird that would sound. Thankfully, it was empty when I arrived. The area surrounding it had also become overgrown with flowery weeds so you could hardly even tell there's a bench there - I guess it's been a while since I've visited it.
After spending some quality time on my favorite bench in the whole world, I met up with my uni friend Daniela for some farewell drinks. I can't believe I'm really leaving Sydney!! I'm going to miss my bench, the Harbour, the laid-back Aussie lifestyle, the awesome people I've met, and most of all... Tim Tams (the four packets I'm smuggling into the States should last me a few weeks though)! I've had a great time getting to know this country better, and also trying scary foods with my Asian friends (such as the chicken feet I ate at Yum Cha the other day with my Taiwanese friend Archer, and the raw beef I had with my Japanese friend Marie). Like I said though, I'll be back. I think I'm addicted to Australia.
