Wednesday was another relaxing day on the beach, and when 5 O'Clock rolled around it was time to start a Bush tucker walk around the grounds of the Hostel I'm currently in. Really good fun, only lasted for an hour or so, but an enthusiastic guide used the time well , and I now reckon I'm prepared to go live in the bush and live of the land... well, maybe not but it was very educational none the less!
Yesterday I think was the highlight of my time so far here, at 8:00 I was waiting for a minibus, and by 8:30 I was in an Ocean Kayak paddling out to a spot in the Pacific ocean to look for some Dolphins. It was quite a buzz to be way out at at sea, only to realise the massive swell that's coming your way is about to break and you've got to paddle through it, truly awesome stuff! We were out for a good 2 and a half hours and at one point it looked like we were going to have a Dolphin free day, but then about 20 meters ahead of us a baby popped up to say hello! It was only there for a minute or two but it was worth the hard paddle out!
Once we'd paddled back and enjoyed a few Tim-Tams with a nice cuppa, I went back to the hostel to clean up, then one of the girls from the morning's fun joined me on a long but worthwhile walk up to the Byron lighthouse that offered up amazing views across this rather beautiful bit of the world. Lots of photos were taken of course, and a new frend made into the bargain!
Well, that's it for now, it's time to get ready to jump on the bus and head up the coast!
Much Love, Adrian.
Hello again! It's been a little while so I though I should post a little update! As you can tell from the title I'm now in
The last few days in
I also checked out the aquarium at Manly... Oceanworld... which was erm, I think cheesy would be the best way to describe it. In fact the most interesting exhibit had nothing to do with marine life at all, a display of
Something I would recommend however is the rather beautiful walk from
Then early on Thursday morning, after a move from my Hostel in Manly to the YHA in
After some good tucker and a few well earned beers on the beach it was time to turn in before another few hours on the bus the next morning! Upon arriving in Byron and getting some food down us, it was straight to the Beach… and what a beach! Long sprawling almost-white sand, with nothing but a wrecked boat and the Pacific to spoil the view! Needles to say we’ve spent a fair while there over the last few days, don’t worry, most of me is still yet to tan! We did take time out yesterday to take in “Jim’s Alternative Tour” which was pretty cool, a tour to
Well, that just about brings me up to date I think. Hoping everyone at home is well and looking after yourselves.
Take care, and look out for another update soon!
Once I've had my fill of Byron I'll be heading up to Brisbane to sample Australia's 3rd biggest city, and I'll no doubt check out Australia Zoo whilst I'm there, I understand a Taxidermist has stuffed Steve Irvine in a Croc wrestling post for tourists to have a photo opportunity with, so I'll be sure to get a snap of me with the Croc hunter (Just for you Fi!). I'll then be moving up the coast via Fraser Island and the Whitsundays to check out the Great Barrier Reef, and finances pending, do a SCUBA course so I can check out that most alien of landscapes, the ocean, first hand. Once I've completed my East Coast run up to Cairns, I intent to fly across to Darwin and tour right down the middle to the continent to See what Australia is really about. Kakadu national park, Ularu, Alice Springs, Coober Pedy, Adelaide and Melbourne will all be on the trail with a few other places in between!
I think once that's all done it might be time to actually face the reality of needing to earn some cash, still hopefully there will be plenty of time left to check out Tasmania and a bit of Western Australia once the funds have built up a bit again! Until then with any luck there'll be plenty of stuff to do around wherever I end up settling... just hope it's cheap!
Take care everyone.
Me.
I think it's finally happened!
0 Comments Published by Adrian on Sunday, February 4, 2007 at 2:43 PM.
My first night of sleeping wasn't too bad, but I was awake at 7.30 in the morning and ready to jump out of bed and start seeing a bit of the Land of Upside Down! I was treated to a blind-folded (Well... sort of!) reveal of Manly beach which, despite being under a rather grey sky that started to rain just after the big reveal, was utterly beautiful. A golden arc of sand with the Pacific Ocean lapping at its shores... let's just say the grin was back! After a lovely breakfast at a cafe with a fantastic beach view, it was time to have a look at the city itself.
Now the journey into the city in itself was a joy, when jumping on a ferry that takes a relaxing 30 minutes to take you into the City is considered commuting, you know you're somewhere pretty special! The ferry journey was great if a little chilly, and as it turns the corner on the last leg of its journey, that spectacular vision of the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and the city skyline rising majestically above it comes into sight... dare I say this reveal was just as good, if not better than the night before! The afternoon was spent strolling round the city, sorting out an Oz SIM card for my mobile phone, and more importantly the essential Sunnies!
Have to say it's difficult to gauge the CBD on a single trip, in the same way I don't think the Centre of London really gives up its charms until you spend some time socialising and absorbing the vibe, I didn't get in instant "feel" of the mainly business focused part of Sydney, but I was taken to Darling Harbour, which was about the most relaxing "city centre" coffee I've indulged in for quite some time! I'm sure having access to the waterfront in your lunchbreak must be such a relief on those stressful days in the office! Jetlag started to kick in quickly and it was time to return to Manly for a chilled evening with a drink and some take-away!
The Jet lag continued for another day or so, slowly easing up, and letting a little bit of reality set in, I stress a little bit, as I'm still finding my feet even now! The next couple of days allowed for time relaxing in the beach, watching a ferry race on Australia day, and wandering through the Botanic gardens on the south shore of the harbour. Sadly one of the highlights of Australia day for me had nothing to do with the land down under, but a little car from Italy! As part of the celebrations they had dedicated some of the area of closed off roads to classic car clubs, and buried amongst them, found just by chance, was a collection of beautiful Fiat 500s, I swear if the wind had changed the grin would have been permanent!
Saturday was filled with more fun at the beach (I'm actually starting to get some colour... no not sunburn red!), and then a trip to the Sydney Opera house to see "Kaidan - A Japanese Ghost Story". This was a fantastic mixture of Dance and Taiko drumming, telling a ghost story based on Japanese Haiku, truly fantastic stuff, and on the off chance hat it tours I would recommend you go see it!
The next few days were a little more low-key, with lots of beach and cafe related goodness, and a couple of films (Wedding Crashers and Deja-Vu - Reviews to follow!!). Tuesday however was a lot of fun, around 5 hours of wandering around Taronga Zoo, getting my first exposure to Antipodean wildlife such a Kangaroos, Koalas, platypuses and much more beside. Its been a long time since I've enjoyed going to the zoo quite so much... mainly due to the presence of a little bundle of 19 month old joy that was just as entertaining as the animals!
And that just leaves today! This-morning I went into the City to do a few touristy bits like wandering through The Rocks, and area around the Harbour Bridge where Europeans first settled, and having a wander up to the Sydney Observatory for some more fantastic views of the Harbour... and a little education!
Phew... other than a bit of planning for the travelling I intend to do over the next couple of months that's about it! Not bad for my first few days... I just hoped the rest of my year is going to be just as packed!
Much love to everyone, and If you've got this far and haven’t fallen asleep... well done, and thank-you!
Adrian
