So where to begin? I'll start with the plane ride.
This is my 6th time flying to Australia believe it or not so I'm used to it. It's a total myth that it takes 20 hours to fly here (why does everyone say that?). It's only actually about 13 AND it leaves at 11pm so if you take a sleeping pill, you're golden. I don't understand why they throw a meal at you at around 12:30am (I picked at my lasagna but downed my glass of red) and half way through Water for Elephants my melatonin kicked in and I was out. This was the first time I brought a neck pillow and that was largely the reason why I slept so well. I woke up a few times but before I knew it, it was time for them to throw the most disgusting pancakes that I've ever tasted at us (as much as I love their frequent flier program, United sucks) and we were about to land.
It still didn't feel real that I was back in Australia for the 6th time. For those of you who don't know, I spent half of my junior year in college at the Australian National University in Canberra in 1998. I then went back to visit friends a couple of years later. After losing my first job in the film business, I then moved to Sydney on a work visa in 2001 and lived at the beach with another American that I met online. That year was probably one of the most life changing years of my life and really solidified my love of this country. I had so much fun working odd jobs with my roommate and traveling around visiting old friends, entertaining visitors, and discovering new parts of the country. I missed Australia so much that I decided to go back for my Masters at the University of Sydney in 2003 but first came back with my mom to check out the university on dirt cheap tickets that I got working as a travel agent for a year (one of my many careers).
So that brings us to the present, 2011. I'll be here from mid August until the end of September and was lucky enough to time it around my friend Lisa's wedding in the Blue Mountains (I just got asked to be a bridesmaid too and am so excited).
So yes, I got off the plane and quickly passed through immigration and customs (this ain't no Sao Paulo...the whole thing took me about 30 minutes). I got my bags and got a cab and was off to my apartment. The cab driver and I started talking and about 10 minutes into the ride he asked me to marry him or his son. His son works for IBM so I think I'll go for him. We pulled up to my apartment in Pyrmont, the Oaks Goldsborough, and my first impressions were good. Big building, clean lobby, nice looking guests. I didn't think I would be able to check in since it was only 7am but I was tired and was dying to shower. I was told that my room would not be ready until 2pm and was a little annoyed because I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do for the next 7 hours. The girl who checked me in seemed so confused by everything I asked (where can I store my bags, can I have a shower, etc). The best thing was when I asked for water she said, we don't have any and told me I could go into the bathroom and use my hands to scoop up water (she even mimicked what this would look like).
I was about to lose it but instead told her I'd go shower. She helped me with my luggage (I had 4 bags) and we walked through the gym into the women's sauna which also had a large changing room and showers. I asked her if I could leave my bags there while I went to go get coffee and some water. She said, "I wouldn't. They could get stolen". Thinking it was highly unlikely that someone who would have had to use a card key to get into the gym would want to steal my luggage, I said "Um, ok" and then left as soon as she disappeared and got coffee, juice, and a toasted cheese, tomato, and ham sandwich which I inhaled back in the changing room while I showered. There is nothing better than showering after traveling long distance on a disgusting airplane.
Fresh and clean, I stored my bags and set off to a) find my office and b) get re-acquainted with the city. It is really strange living right outside of Darling Harbour which is so touristy (kind of like a nicer Fisherman's Wharf) and overpriced. There's an Aquarium, an IMAX theater, some new wildlife sanctuary which is supposedly $55 and other things I didn't want to see or do. When I first walked out of my apartment I walked in the wrong direction and was stumbling around with a map when a truck with a father and his like, 16 year old daughter, pulled up to me asking for directions to the Exhibition Centre. I told them I was new in town and just as lost as they were but they just stared at me strangely. I walked up to them with a map but they didn't seem to understand how I could not know where the Centre was and kept asking me if they were going in the right direction, if it was behind us, in front of us, etc. I don't know if my accent was confusing them or they were just strange but I walked away so confused. I set off in the right direction this time but walked the extra super long and confusing way through Darling Harbour, dodging tourists, to my office (I later found out there is a more direct way that takes about 10 minutes). I tried to get in but my badge wasn't opening the front doors so I figured I'd just wait until Monday to check it out.
Leaving my office, I crossed the street to Star City Casino (yes, my office is next to a Casino) and then past a Cole's grocery store. It had been so long since I was in a Cole's and I have this unusual fascination with foreign grocery stores so I went in to stare at food products, plus I have a kitchen in my apartment so wanted to scope it out so I could come back and grocery shop later. I was so excited to see many of the same snacks that I loved so much when I was living here (Hello, sweet chili and sour cream gourmet potato chips!). I took some pictures (yes, of the food) and then set on my way to explore some of the city.
I walked back through the Harbour and down the water not really knowing where it would take me. That's one of the great things about Australia. It's such a relatively safe country and unlike my last stint in Brazil, I know that even if I get lost, some friendly Aussie will help me find my way (plus there are signs everywhere for tourists). Before I knew it, I could spot the Harbour Bridge in the distance and got the biggest smile on my face. Now it really felt like I was back in Sydney. I kept walking for about 20 more minutes and ended up at the Rocks, the oldest part of the city and home to a great weekend market. I was so excited by my unexpected discovery and was flooded with memories of my many visits with friends and family who came out when I was living down here. The Rocks is also right next to the famous Opera House so I walked a bit in that direction, took some photos, and then decided to head back to the apartment to see if I would be able to check in. I was too lazy to walk back so I hopped on a ferry back to Darling Harbour and got some Indian food for lunch and then crossed the street back to the Oaks.
When I got back my room was finally ready and I was excited to find out that while I wasn't going to get a harbour view room ( yes, Google friends, I know I should put this on go/firstworldproblems) I was going to be on the penthouse floor. I was so relieved when I walked in to my apartment to see a really nice, white, clean apartment with a view (I thought I was going to be looking at a brick wall or a parking lot, according to many of the reviews I read on Travel Adviser). I unpacked and went to the grocery store where I bought before mentioned chips, some dips, cheese, crackers, Cadburry drinking chocolate, a kiwi, and a couple of other things that won't make any meals but felt very Aussie (I did stop myself from buying frozen meat pies, instead deciding to wait until I can get one at Harry's Cafe de Wheels, my favorite pie shop). My hair straightener wasn't working for some reason (every other appliance is working fine with the converter) so I bought the tiniest little travel straightener that straightens like 10 hairs at a time and then was about to fall over with tiredness. The sun was also beginning to set (it's still winter here so the sun sets around 5pm) and I was trying so hard to keep my eyes open but after eating some of my delicious snacks my eyes started to close during Australia's Top Model so I went to bed.
I woke up nice and refreshed at 7am. It always feels so amazing to sleep lying down after sleeping sitting up on a plane. I talked to my mom online (it's 7 hours ahead but the day before in California so 7am my time on Sunday was 2pm on Saturday), then went to the gym for a nice long workout (the gym here is really nice and also has a lap pool, hot tub, and separate saunas for men and women). After showering I then headed off to Chinatown and Paddy's Markets, a huge bazaar type thing with hundreds of stalls selling everything from tacky souvineers to trashy lingerie to fresh fruit and vegetables. My old roommate and I used to go around singing their horrible commercial jingle "Brothers, Sisters, Mums and Daddies. You haven't been to market 'til you've been to Paddy's!" (get annoyed for yourself here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZBZINGxUBQ).
I took pictures of some of the strange fruit like avocados the size of a large grapefruits. I then walked around trying to find some good Asian food for lunch. That is one thing I love about the culinary scene in Sydney, the abundance of delicious Chinese, Thai, Singaporean, Indonesian, Malay, Indian, restaurants. I found the Sussex Centre food court where I used to love eating seafood laksa (a coconut based soup with noodles and scallops and other seafood) but decided instead to try something out of the little Lonely Planet guidebook I bought at the airport. I found Chinatown Noodles and sat down to a delicious meal of whole wheat noodles, ground pork, cucumbers, and chilis (it looked kind of like an Asian spaghetti bolognaise). Stuffed to the gills, I walked into a Chinese dessert shop and stared at all of the different sweet and savory buns and lotus cakes. I decided to get some to snack on later and happily went on my way.
I walked back through Darling Harbour and contemplated going to the Chinese Garden of Friendship but decided to go back for a meditation or yoga class some other time. I wasn't feeling like sitting and being zen when there was too much of the city I still wanted to rediscover. I walked into an Information Center and got some brochures on places I wanted to maybe check out during my week of vacation, my last week in Australia, when a friend will hopefully be visiting. I went back to my apartment, freshened up, then set off again. Before I knew it I was in the center of the Central Business District (aka CBD). I had completely forgotten how close Darling Harbour is to everything. I walked up to Town Hall and through the Queen Victoria Building (kind of like an indoor Rodeo Drive). I thought about taking the train to Newtown to see my alma matter, the University of Sydney, but didn't want to wait 30 minutes for the next train so I kept walking and before I knew it, I was passing by the Mint where I used to waitress the lunch shift when I was living here in 2001. I walked past the old Sydney Hospital and rubbed the boar statue's nose for good luck (a Sydney myth), and then crossed the street to the Botanical Gardens.
I found the restaurant where I used to work for a catering company and was flooded with memories of my old friends that I met while working late night events and weddings. I remembered sneaking delicious canapes into our mouths when our bosses weren't looking and getting to take home half drunk bottles of wine. I remembered Ashley and I getting yelled at by our boss for talking during a shift when we were really just trying to organize the toast. I remembered our debaucherous holiday party. I remembered walking home at 2am trying not to step on the thousands of cockroaches in the dark (Sydney is full of cockroaches). So many great memories...
Tearing up a bit, I bought an over priced drink at the cafe and went on my way. Suddenly, I remembered to look up into the trees to check out the flying foxes, a type of fruit bat that call the Gardens home (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaoYg7HYqVc and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRXBZX7pZ68). I was shocked by the hundreds of furry creatures with black wings hanging upside down from all of the trees. I walked through the park smiling at everyone that passed feeling so lucky to be back in a place that brought me so much happiness so many years ago. I was soon at the edge of the gardens and followed the path down the water until suddenly the Opera House appeared gleaming in the distance. I sat down and ate my buns and drank my Lemon Lime & Bitters looking at the harbour and thinking about how strange and amazing life is. I never thought I'd be back in Sydney settled in a career all "growns up". See a bit of my time at the Opera House here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry-FJRJWAuQ.
I took the ferry home, bought a bottle of Aussie wine and am now getting ready for my first day of work tomorrow. I hope the kids like me. ;)
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