Life as a Sydneysider

After a few hours on the plane back to Sydney, we immediately hopped on a two-hour train out to Katoomba, the biggest town in the Blue Mountain region. The first time we were in Sydney, we really enjoyed hiking out in this area, so we decided to head back for another two nights. By the time our train rolled in and we found our hostel, it was already almost 11:00 pm, so that night we basically just checked in and hit the hay.

The next morning we woke up bright and early, eager for a great day of hiking. After a sparse ‘continental breakfast,’ we made a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up buns, cheese and granola bars to pack for lunch. Then we walked out to Echo Point, which is the most famous lookout point in the area, and the only spot that most ‘tour-bus’ tourists see. Not enough for us of course! Unfortunately, the morning started out a bit foggy so we weren’t really able to see the full effect of the panoramic view. The famous ‘Three Sisters’ rock formation was still visible, but hardly comparable to the ‘Three Sisters’ that we know back in Alberta! We started down the path, walking along a swinging bridge to get as close to the rocks as possible and then started on our track for the day. Almost right away, we started descending hundreds of stairs down into the valley; only making us aware of the equal amount of stairs we were going to have climb at the end to get back up… something to look forward to! The trail was pretty relaxed and took us past beautiful waterfalls and through rainforest settings. Five hours later as the hike was coming to an end, we heard a rustling in the bushes and were surprised to see two roadrunner birds pop out on the trail ahead of us! They lived up to their cartoon legacy and were very fast…no coyote sightings though. It was a wonderful day hike and we were definitely tired by the time we climbed those stairs and got back to our hostel.  A torrential downpour started up about ten minutes after getting in the door, so we spent the rest of the evening cozy inside with warm showers, dinner and reading. The next morning we checked out and left our backpacks in luggage storage so that we could get another day of hiking in. The sky was pretty clear when we left, but it didn’t take long for the clouds to set in. This time we took a more challenging trail down into the valley, which showed us a completely different landscape, more arid with big red boulders to climb over. Eventually we made it to the ‘Golden Staircase, which sure didn’t seem too ‘golden,’ when we had to climb 900 stairs in the pouring rain! Finally arriving at the top of the ridge, we consulted a map and were pretty disheartened to find we still had about 5 km to walk back to our hostel in the rain, without an umbrella. Luckily we had only been shuffling along for about 10 minutes when a car pulled up and asked us if we wanted a ride into town. Inside were two guys and a girl from Ireland, they were really nice and we had a good to chat with them. As I was getting out of the car and thanking them for the ride, one of the guys casually pointed out to me that I had two leeches attached to the back of my leg. Keith pulled on one as hard as he could and it took him a few tries to actually get them off. Great, another creature bite to add to the collection! Since the weather was so miserable, and there wasn’t too much else to see in Katoomba, we headed to the train station and jumped on the next train Sydney bound. Instead of staying way out on the outskirts like we did last time, this time we opted for the Kings Cross area, which is known for its great nightlife but somewhat seedy environment. The hostel we checked into more or less kept up with this stereotype, with a small, stuffy room and safety signage everywhere. One of the German girls in our room actually got bitten by bed bugs, but we didn’t; I guess she just picked the unlucky bed! That night, we decided to skip the cramped kitchen and go out for a nice dinner and headed toward Oxford Street. We ended up at a delicious Italian restaurant called Pizza Mario. It is the only pizzeria in Sydney to be given the seal of approval from the governing Naples body, which was established to ensure pizza makers aren’t corrupting the trade. After dinner, we walked the streets for a bit and found ourselves at a small ‘Bier Haus’ drinking a few Polish beers.

The next day was a stunningly beautiful sunny day, which we probably should have taken better advantage of in hindsight, by staying outdoors all day. After breakfast, we checked out the Paddy market near Chinatown and then headed into the nearby mall to get our Australian cellphones figured out. Exciting! Then it was back to our hostel for lunch, before getting into our swimsuits and making our way toward Bronte beach. This was one the beaches we walked past during our coastal walk the last time we were in Sydney, and I had really liked the look of it. We didn’t get there until 3:00 pm or so, and I wish we had gotten there sooner! The weather was just perfect and we stayed on the beach until it started to get dark. Later on, after a simple dinner, we ended the night at an Irish pub with a couple pints of Guiness. The next morning we checked out, left our bags in luggage storage and took the bus to Bondi Beach, trying to make up for lost hours of the previous day. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out as we planned since it was pretty cold and we lasted less than an hour, once it started raining. We walked up the boardwalk for a bit and grabbed a smoothie before heading back to Kings Cross. I picked up my backpack and moved a couple blocks away to my new hostel, where I would be staying on my own for the next week. After I dropped off my bags, we took the advice of the guy at the front desk and walked down through Woolloomooloo (yep, that’s 8 o’s!), passing Potts Point where all the navy ships are. This took us into the botanical gardens, where we sat to eat lunch and marvel at the thousands of bats in the trees! Since we had weekly transit passes, after walking back to the Opera House, we spontaneously decided to hop on a ferry to Manly and grab a bite to eat. We were only able to stay there less than an hour before heading back to the city and picking up Keith’s backpack from our hostel. Then it was off to the Greyhound bus station where he caught an 8:00 pm overnight bus for a 14 hour ride to Melbourne. I was staying in Sydney for the week on my own to spend time with some friends I had met on previous travels. After saying our goodbyes for the week, I ventured back to Kings Cross where I would spend my first night alone in a hostel! As soon as I got back into my room, I started chatting with two guys from California and Holland. They mentioned that everyone at the hostel was going out as a group that night, so I took a quick shower and then headed out to the backyard for some drinks. I met heaps of people, including several other Canadians. After drinking and talking for a couple hours, we all headed out to a bar called the Sugarmill, where we took advantage of the drink specials reserved for people staying at our hostel. There was quite an eclectic group of us including a US solider on leave from Afghanistan, two hilarious Irish guys, and two demolition engineers from New York. It was a really fun night dancing and getting to know these great people!

The next morning I managed to drag myself out of bed to go on a free walking tour of Sydney, similar to the tours I took in Europe. They took us to a lot of places I probably wouldn’t have seen on my own including the Rum Hospital, Hyde Park Barracks, Martin Place, Australia Place etc. I really enjoyed learning about the architecture and the history of the city, finding all the information on the convicts fascinating! After grabbing a quick lunch, I headed back to the hostel for a nap to rest up from the previous late night. Later on in the evening, I went out for pizza with a couple guys from my hostel. We also picked up some drinks and then came back to sit in the backyard with everyone.  Around 11 pm or so, we all headed out as a group again to World Bar, which is actually the same bar that I went to in Queenstown, NZ, where you can drink out of tea pots. Another really fun night! Wednesday was a beautiful day, so I decided to head to Bondi Beach with a guy and girl from Vancouver, who were travelling separately.  We had a really nice day relaxing on the sand, talking, reading and listening to music. The one dramatic moment came when we got absolutely swarmed by seagulls after abandoning our leftover fries beside our towel; that drew some attention to us! We headed back to the hostel to freshen up around 4:00 pm, and then I met up with my friend John, who I met while travelling in Prague. He is an Australian from Brisbane, but is currently living in London. He was back for a week or so visiting home before a work conference in Asia, so the timing worked out great for us meeting up. He has also worked in Sydney for a few years so he knew the city well and I was able to give an insider’s perspective! That night, he took me out to a nice Thai restaurant, which I had never tried before and really loved! Then we stopped in a pub to watch Australia vs. Canada in a cricket game on TV, while he tried to explain the rules to me. I think I might understand the game a little more…but still very unclear on all the different meanings of a ‘wicket’! Then we headed back to the same restaurant we had previously eaten at, to sit in the lounge and have a few delicious cocktails. Later in the night, he headed back to his hotel and I met up with my friends from the hostel at a nearby bar for yet another fun, late night out.

The next day, I slept in a bit and took my time getting going in the morning. Around noon, I got picked up by my friend Justin, who I actually met on my first Europe trip back in 2007. He is born and raised in Sydney. It had been a few years since we had seen each other, so great to see him again and talk about old memories. We drove to Darling Harbour and he took me to a patio bar, where his cousin was bartending. Apparently this was a place that Oprah dined at when she was visiting Australia… look at me go! It was a beautiful and sunny day, with a nice view overlooking the harbour. After a couple hours of catching up, he dropped me back off at my hostel and I had another little nap before heading out to meet John again. We had a few beers on the patio at his hotel, where we were visited by about ten cockatoos! Then we took a cab to Circular Quay to go to Café Sydney for dinner. This was hands down, the more amazing restaurant I have ever been to. Not only was the food and service impeccable, but the view was incredible! He had reserved a table right against the glass on the patio with a clear view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. We ended up staying there for five hours, taking in as much of the wonderful atmosphere as possible!

Friday afternoon, John and I headed to Freshwater beach, stopping for a quick lunch of burgers and milkshakes beforehand. When we first arrived, we actually had the beach to ourselves for about five minutes, but then a huge group of kids arrived for their gym class. Can you imagine having your gym class on the beach! We swam in the ocean for a bit but the waves were pretty strong. After the beach, we headed back into town and I went to my hostel to freshen up and relax for a bit. Later on in the evening, we took a cab over the Harbour Bridge to an area called Kirribilli. This was the area that John lived in when he was in Sydney, and said its one of the best kept secrets of the city because of the incredible view you have looking back on Sydney Harbour at night! Well there you go, the secrets out to all of you reading this blog! We went to another Thai restaurant, but this one was BYO so we picked up a few beers before-hand as well. After dinner, we walked down to the water and he showed me that incredible view looking back on the city, so beautiful. Definitely the benefit of seeing the city with someone who has lived there and knows the good spots! The next morning was a pretty lazy and relaxing after quite a few busy days and late nights. I met back up with John in the afternoon and we went for a late pizza lunch in the neighborhood. That night, he took me to watch my first ever rugby game! This sport was a little easier to get into than cricket and I really enjoyed it! The rest of the local fans were not too enthused to watch their favoured home team get crushed by the opponent, the Cheetahs from South Africa. The next day I met up with the Vancouver girl from my hostel and we checked out the Sydney Museum together. It had a lot of interesting history on the first fleet of convicts to arrive in Australia, the most influential people of early Sydney’s history and Australian Aboriginal people’s history. Before John left that afternoon for his work conference in Hong Kong, we walked through ‘The Rocks’ area, across the Harbour bridge and along the water.  It was so great to spend time with him and I really appreciated how much thought he put into showing me around Sydney! I will definitely have to return the favour to anyone who comes to Canada! That evening, I picked up backpack from left luggage and headed to the Greyhound bus station to get on that same 8:00 pm, 12 hour bus to Melbourne.

My overall impression of Sydney was soo much better the second time around! I’m sure the deathly heat and bug bites didn’t help the first time, and it was so great seeing the city from a local’s perspective. I really enjoyed the time I spent on my own and all the new people I met, but of course I missed Keith and was excited to meet back up with him in Melbourne!

Rafting off Waterfalls, Jumping out of Planes … You Know, the Usual

Wow, where has the time gone? I can’t believe it has been three weeks since I have posted a blog entry, so much has happened! I even had most of this next entry already drafted before leaving it sitting untouched for so long; but we have just been so flat-out (aussie slang for ‘busy’)! I hope this delay has only increased your curiosity level, enjoy reading about our last week in New Zealand!

Well, I can safely say that the first week of March 2011 will be one of the most exciting weeks of our entire trip. We encountered so many new experiences, and said goodbye to a big chunk of cash in the process. On March 1^st, we spent our last few hours in Wellington at NZ’s excellent national Te Papa museum, which offers free admission. We saw the largest squid to ever be caught, realized that the information and history on earthquakes was now out-dated due to Christchurch and learned that NZ is home to thousands of refugees. Our first and only museum in New Zealand and we gave it two thumbs up! From there we drove five hours to Taupo, arriving later in the evening and only spending one night. We took part in a delicious chilli dinner at our hostel and talked for hours with a British couple and Canadian girl we met, who gave us a lot of helpful tips about Australia. Since we had already spent time in Taupo earlier in our trip, the only reason we stopped there again was to go skydiving the next morning. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate with us. That was a little disappointing, but you just can’t control those things! After checking out, we booked some activities at the information site, and then drove two hours to Waitomo; which is famous for its glow-worm caves. As opposed to just walking through the caves and then taking a short boat ride, we opted for the more adventurous ‘black water rafting’ option. This involved us selecting a rubber inner tube and donning full wetsuits, booties and a lighted hard hat. Then we piled into a bus which took us down to the mouth of the caves. From here, we switched on our lights and clambered through the caves in water that was knee deep in some places. It was a brand new experience for both of us, and definitely exceeded our expectations. Every once in a while when the water got deep enough, we would jump in our inner tubes and float for a bit through these incredible underground caves. The roof was pretty tight at times and at other times the chambers seemed to open up beyond what we could even see. At one point we all had to walk up to the edge of a small waterfall, face backwards with our inner tubes underneath us and then take a leap of faith off the edge into the water below. After all of the climbing, jumping and splashing, the highlight definitely came when we all lined up behind one another in single file, holding on to each other’s’ feet in a chain, floating down a narrow passage. Everyone turned off their headlamps and we looked up to see thousands of glow-worms twinkling above us in the darkness. It was so relaxing and peaceful. At the end of that part, our guide broke the serenity by saying, ‘do you realize you have come from all around the world to sit in a dark wet cave and look at fungus gnats with glowing bums?’ I think I will just stick with the ‘glow-worm image,’ thanks! :) The tour ended with a hot shower, free hot soup and delicious bagels; can’t beat that! Once we finished up, it was another two hour drive to Rotorua, where we checked into our hostel late and had an easy, relaxing night.

The next day was a memorable one for sure! At 8:00 am, we were ready and waiting for the shuttle bus to take us down to the mighty Kaituna River for some white water rafting! Not only is this river known for its Grade V status, but is most famous for its 7 METRE waterfall! Roughly equivalent to two stories high! After getting suited up in yet another wetsuit and helmet and carrying our raft down to the water, we tumbled in along with two guides and three other girls. We went over a few small waterfalls first, before pulling over on the side so the guide could flip a silver fern leaf (NZ’s national symbol) to determine our fate at the big waterfall. If it landed green in the water, our raft wouldn’t flip, but silver side up, not so lucky! Turned out we got a little taste of both, it started silver and then flipped back over to green. With that in mind, we held on tight and over the waterfall we went! What an unreal feeling!! Although we came very close, we didn’t end up flipping, but another raft did! The whole experience seemed to go by really fast, but was definitely worth it. After some lunch back at the hostel, we walked through town for a bit and then were on to the Kairau Thermal Park; the only free option among the available parks. It was cool to check out the bubbling mud and steam, smell that lovely sulphur and even dip our feet in one of the hot springs. Then back to the hostel for a little relaxing before getting all dolled up for our night out at the Tamaki Maori Village. I was so excited to learn more about the Maori culture, and this evening definitely didn’t disappoint! As we arrived, Maori performers ran out of the trees just as they would if we were foreigners arriving on their shores. They were dressed very authentically and performed a challenge and then ceremonial peace offering. Then we walked through the model village, checking out the various displays and interactions. Next was the performance, which was my favourite part. There was a lot of singing, dancing and of course the famous Hakka! The performers were so into it, it was actually a little scary at times! I really enjoyed it. Last but not least, we sat down to enjoy a delicious ‘hangi’ meal (traditional Maori meal which is cooked in the ground), and took full advantage of all of the meat and potatoes available! Conversation at the table was great as well, with a few Australians and another Canadian couple sitting with us. After getting back to our hostel later on that night, we ventured out looking for a fun place to go out, but the whole town seemed pretty dead.

The next morning we left Rotorua and drove another long five hours or so up to the Bay of Islands, where we stayed in Pahia. It was a beautiful drive in and nice to be back near a beach! We stayed at a good hostel and ended up having the dorm room to ourselves the first night. That night we just cooked some dinner, played cards and then went for a walk along the water and through the town, checking it all out. The next morning we woke up ready for some beach time, only to look out the window and find it pouring rain. To keep busy in the morning and try to use our time effectively, I gave Keith a haircut, just like I did back in Greece. By the afternoon, the rain had let up a little bit but still wasn’t stopping. Not wanting to completely waste the day indoors, we decided to brave the rain and go for a 10 km hike to the Haruru Falls. The pathway crossed through a mangrove section and was considered ‘kiwi territory,’ but unfortunately we didn’t spot any of the shy, nocturnal birds. By the end, we were pretty soaked, but it was still a nice walk. Back at our hostel we met our new roommates, two 19 year old girls from England. After we had some dinner, we taught them some Canadian drinking games and then we all went out to the biggest bar in town; it was a really fun night.
By the next day, the weather had improved a little but still wasn’t great. We made a spontaneous decision in the morning to drive north up to Cape Reinga for the day. It was quite a bit of driving, but definitely worth seeing. In 10 days, we had been from the southernmost point all the way to the northernmost point of New Zealand. Pretty amazing! We stopped for lunch at the entrance to the 90 mile beach, which you can drive your car on, but it’s pretty risky. It was neat to see a speed limit driving sign on a beach. From there, we made it to the lighthouse which signifies the final point. The best part of the day was definitely stopping at the giant sand dunes, where we played around for hours. We were intending to go sand boarding, but realized a little too late that we were supposed to rent them before arriving at the dunes…will just have to do it another time! We had so much fun running around and jumping in the sand, we could have stayed there all day! That night we met our next two new roommates, who ended up being from Calgary! What a small world! They were just starting out their trip, and we ended up giving them our tent because we didn’t need it anymore; nice to pass it on!

March 7, 2011 – a day to go down in history! It was pretty amazing to wake up, open my eyes and have my first thought be, “I’m going to jump out of an airplane today! AHH!” Less than 12 hours earlier, Keith and I had said to each other that if we woke up the next day and the weather was nice, we were going to go skydiving. I never thought I could do it, but it is something I have always wanted to do. With a sunny day outside, we headed to the information site and booked it for noon. It was strange to do normal things in the meantime, like have breakfast, shower and checkout. We were so nervous and excited! When it was time, we got picked up by the shuttle bus and headed to the small airport. Since the three other girls in the bus were so nervous on the ride up, I found myself taking the role of being ‘the confident one,’ which actually ended up helping me as well. After signing all of the waivers, we listened to a quick safety briefing and learned the ‘four things we must remember or else we would die’ (how the instructor put it). Keith and I were up first, so we got into our jump suits and harnesses and met the guys we would be jumping with. I found myself with a Hungarian named Gabor, who didn’t speak much English, but ended up being a really funny guy. Since I had decided to pay more for a DVD video and pictures, another jumper came up with us and had the sole responsibility of recording my experience. We had a lot of fun with him getting some good material for the video. Before we knew it, we were climbing into a tiny Cessna plane and heading down the runway. Excluding the pilot, there were five of us sitting on the floor and it was pretty squished. I thought the flight itself would be the hardest, most nerve racking part, but I was surprised to find how genuinely excited I was! Keith even admits he was more nervous than I was; something that really surprised us both! The flight took about 20 minutes, and the view was absolutely gorgeous, I don’t think we could have picked a nicer place than the Bay of Islands. Before we knew it, the pilot was giving us the 5 minute, 3 minute and finally the 1 minute warning. At that point, the door slid open (and by door, I mean the entire side of the plane) and Keith was sliding toward the edge. It was pretty unbelievable to watch him fall out of a plane and then know that I was next. We inched our way over, until my instructor was sitting on the edge and I was dangling out into the air at 16,000 ft (the highest point you can jump from in NZ). We rocked back and forth once and then tumbled into the air, I will never be able to describe what that felt like, like nothing I had ever experienced before. Once we got straightened out, I finally got my head around the fact that I was skydiving, it was INCREDIBLE! The camera jumper was in front of me, it was really neat to interact with someone else in the air. I remember thinking that my mouth felt so dry from screaming and smiling and I could feel the wind whipping at my ankles. I was also surprised that I didn’t feel like I was falling, but more that I was suspended, and had high pressure wind pushing up on me from underneath. After just over 70 seconds of free fall at 200 km/h, we successfully pulled the parachute and then glided down for the next five minutes or so, taking in the beautiful scenery and the fact that I just survived skydiving! As we got closer to the ground, I could see Keith safely below and before I knew it, I was standing on solid ground again. After landing, I was so high on adrenaline, I just could not stop smiling and jumping around, saying how incredible it was. And I got it all on video! We got changed and then took a look at the pictures and DVD while talking non-stop about the experience. Eventually we got dropped off back into town around 3:30 pm and immediately went back to our hostel, so I could use the last minutes on our phone card to call my parents. Thankfully I managed to get a hold of them both together, and was able to say, “Mom, I just went skydiving,” words every mother wants to hear. It was so funny to hear their surprised responses and they were relieved that I hadn’t told them ahead of time. As if this day wasn’t exciting enough already, we then headed down to the wharf to board ‘The Rock’ for a 22 hour cruise, which is a hostel on a boat and our overnight accommodation. Another major NZ highlight, and highly recommended! There were only 24 passengers, and an incredible staff that learned everyone’s names. After being shown to our tiny 6 bed dorms, the evening started off with a paintball shooting competition off the back of the boat, with everyone trying to hit a rubber duck bobbing along behind a rope. Being the sharp shooter that I am, I ended up winning the women’s competition and got a free beer out of it! Keith made it to the finals, but eventually fell short. Then as the sun was setting, we were all given a fishing rod and did some fishing; we caught one and then released it again. After a while, it was dinner time and we sat down to a delicious BBQ buffet and more drinks, meeting some great people from all around the world. The boat was anchored down in a bay, and once it was pitch black, we went out night kayaking in small groups. The starry sky was stunning and when we ran our hands through the water, it looked like it was sparkling because of the glowing phosphorous algae. Once we got away from the boat, everything was just so quiet, dark and peaceful and we just lay back in our kayaks looking up at the stars. Back on the boat, we had a few more drinks and sat around a fire while a couple people played the guitar. One absolutely amazing day from sky to sea!

Waking up the next morning on a boat in the middle of the Bay of Islands was pretty incredible. At the sound of the breakfast bell, we were downstairs to start the beautiful sunny day. First up was some snorkelling, which would have been great but only a few minutes into the water, I felt something graze my arm. At first I thought it was just seaweed or something, but when I put my mask into the water, I saw that I was surrounded by about 20 purple jelly fish. Over the next 15 minutes or so in the water, I got stung so many times and back in the boat, I looked down to see my arm pretty swollen in some places. These jellyfish aren’t dangerous at all, but the stings really hurt and of course my body just overreacts to anything like that! That was an unfortunate incident, but shortly after we stopped near a beautiful beach which we kayaked up to. It was truly paradise. We played around in the water with a volleyball , spent some time on the sand and hiked up to an incredible look out. It was a great afternoon. In our last few hours on the boat, we spotted some dolphins and penguins in the water, watched a fish be gutted (that was a first for me) and even ate sea urchin eggs! Before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye, which was actually kind of sad. Even though it had been less than 24 hours, everyone got along so well. It was an incredible time! We basically headed out right away after that and drove three hours to Auckland where we checked into our hostel. We had a nice relaxing night after the craziness of the past few days, and enjoyed long showers, free internet and watched a movie. The next day in Auckland wasn’t too eventful after returning our rental car in the morning. That little car treated us well, and we miss him for sure! We lazed around the hostel, just reading and relaxing before Keith skyped with his Mom. Then we walked around in the sunshine, did a bit of shopping and grabbed lunch. Back to the hostel for 4:30 pm to skype with my family, which was also great. Then we had a quick dinner and went to a movie. Our final day in NZ, we got some laundry done in the morning, checked out and then just walked around downtown a bit more before taking a taxi to the airport. Our flight was a little delayed, but we boarded the plane around 5 pm and we were off to Sydney!
New Zealand was INCREDIBLE. It completely exceeded our expectations in every way, and truly became one of my top three favourite countries in the world! We will be back one day for sure :)