48 Hour Sydney

Thankfully our GPS guide Kate was able to guide us down the Pacific Highway all the way to Sydney. Without her, we may very well have died in the outback.

Throughout the 11ish hour drive from Gold Coast to Sydney a one Patty experienced driving on the left hand side of the road for the very first time. Many thanks for including the Oh Jesus handle in cars. Here in Oz, their roads appear more like airport landing strips with heaps of reflection, which only makes it difficult to see. Nonetheless, we pulled off in a lovely truck stop to camp out the night in our rented Hyundai i20.

Upon our arrival in Sydney, I was able to take the toll tunnel UNDER THE BLOODY HARBOUR across town. Just knowing I was in a gal dang tunnel under the bloody water was enough to make me wanna tinkle. Of course, driving in a city of approximately 4.5 million people, on the left side of the road, was enough to make me wanna tinkle as well.

Thankfully we found our amazing hostel. The Jackaroo hostel is a highly rated Australian hostel located in Kings Cross. For myself, I highly recommend it. There are only 60 stairs to climb to the top floor (where my room was located) from street level. One catch: no lift.  Oh yeah, and the kitchen/laundry area was located two levels BELOW street level. Awful lots of stairs, mate. However, the building had character, was perfectly cleaned daily and had the most amazing bath ensuites!

Kings Cross is a classy suburb (note: sarcasm is used when expressing classy here.) The place is littered with 24-hour strip clubs, homeless folk and plenty of pubs! Quite the cultural experience, really.

Funny enough, but Kate was also the tour guide for our ‘I’m Free’ walking tour of Sydney. Of course we were able to catch Town Hall, the Queen Victoria building,  Quay Circle, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and the Rocks neighborhood. Thanks Kate for sharing all the dirty lil secrets of Sydney! (Side note: that American girl from South Carolina had the absolute loudest voice ever. This is now my stereotype of all South Carolina folk.) [J/K, I’m really not that mean, but really just cuz we are outside doesn’t mean stadium announcer voice needs to be on.]

Anchor: 1788

Sydney road sign

Aboriginal Street Artist in Sydney

Sydney monorail

Here's a factoid: this is the location of Sydney's first hospital built by Rum. As Sydney was a penal colony, Britain didn't want to fund a hospital. So, the clever mayor of Sydney went to the Rum companies to fund a hospital. In return these companies received a monopoly on rum imports.  They built the cheapest hospital ever and thus a few years later it had to be rebuilt. This is that rebuilt hospital.

Outside the main entrance of the hospital is a gift from Italy. Rub the swines nostrils for good luck; rub the swines genitals for good luck in bed:

The following picture really has nothing to do with anything, but here's what our skeleton looks like on a horse's skeleton:

Sooo after the tour completed, Kate recommended the most fabulous restaurant for our Kangaroo and Emu pizza from the Australian. Absolutely fantastic eating, mate. From that we mucked about town from this museum and that museum, to that park and this park. Eventually we ended in the Botanical Gardens to watch the sunset against Sydney Opera House. I would say this is a top 5 must do before you croak. If you won’t be making it, I’ll let you view some of the photos I snapped:

As always with love:

Sydney sky art

This is already our last night in Sydney too. Tomorrow we embark on our first ever cruise. (Will this be a Love Boat repeat?!) 

:D

G'Day Mate

Getting On with Australia

Well everyone, I did what 50,000+ New Zealand Kiwi's do each year: cross the ditch to Oz (in normal English that means I bought a plane ticket to cross the Tasman Sea for Australia). Australia is colloquially known as Oz as the shortened abbreviation for Australia is Aus or Aussie and, well, that sounds like you're saying Oz. So, everyone, welcome to Oz! 

"If I had my way, if I was lucky enough, if I could be on the brink my entire life - that great sense of expectation and excitement without the disappointment - that would be the perfect state"

~ Cate Blanchett (Australian actress)

My first impression: Australians speak up to their stereotype, mate. Kinda ridiculous.

Literally, the customs agent, bio-security agent, shuttle driver, and taxi drive all gave introductions that began with 'G'day mate'. That's 4 folks in the first 12 hours (pretty much the entire amount of people I talked with the first 12 hours too). It has yet to cease.

Firstly, for those who forget where in the world I am, here's some help:

And for those who never paid any attention in World Geography class, here's a few interesting facts:

1.  Australia became a Federation from Britain in 1901 and today remains a member of the Commonwealth of Nations
2. In 1902, Australia became the second country in the world to give women the right to vote (if you remember, New Zealand was the first). America did this in 1920.
3. Beer drinking is at an all time low with only 4.23 litres per person being consumed.
4. It's compulsory to vote. The fine starts at $20 and only goes up from there.
5. Australia is just a touch smaller, geographically, than the 48 contiguous states. Population is  at 22.3 million (2013).

Getting on with being Australian, mate

No, G'day is not a requirement. Since we are in tourist country Gold Coast, Australia my still thick American accent is surprisingly recognizable (thank goodness nobody has called me Canadian as yet).  Of course I have come with an agenda: meet Patty and his gurlfriend.

Dec 2009 throwback![Patty in the green]

Look at that cute girlfriend he picked up while out and about

Sorry, but it was great seeing my mate after nearly 2ish years! Now that the introductions are over, let's get on with touring this Orlando-like tourist center. Our itinerary included:

1. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
2. Q1 Tower
3. Gold Coast 'eye'
4. Skywalk - walk over, and on, a rainforest!
5. beaches, beaches and even more sunny and golden beaches

6. 
   

   Screw the Sanctuary. This place is terrifying!

   I squeezed that snake a touch to hard so the keeper had to take it from me while yelling "not too hard". It was just really, really, really terrifying!
   

   

   Q1 is the tallest residential tower in the world.

   
   

   
   

   

   This could be your view @Q1

Gold Coast 'eye'

Rainforest!

Finger me haha!

Looking down at the Rainforest

Pat and Nari walking about the cantilever.

Giant Strangler Fig

Note: These trees grow from the air down. Birds eat fig seeds and then poop out the seeds on the branch of a host tree. Nutrients are then absorbed via the air and the seed grows down to Earth over a few hundred years.

Well now that's about all for introductory Oz right at this moment. No worries, plenty of  adventures to come!

For now, here is a picture of the Gold Coast skyline for your viewing pleasure:

All the best mate,
:D