Both Day and Night Scenes

It’s hard to believe that I’ve already been in Sydney for a week but at the same time we have done so much that it feels like longer. After our city excursion on Monday, we decided to get some rest on Tuesday and stayed at the house while Georgie worked. But that night we got our first taste of the nightlife in Sydney. Lola and I went out with one of our old neighbors from Santa Barbara who is studying abroad here and living near Sydney in Bondi Beach. We went to a bar called Scruffy Murphy’s which you could tell was a tourist/American hotspot because there was a huge banner in front that read “Christmas in July,” playing off the differences in our seasons. The atmosphere was fun but it was surprisingly crowded for a Tuesday and we almost lost our coats. Luckily we found them because it was a super cold night and getting home involved a long walk through the city and a bus that was 20 minutes late.

The next morning even though we were tired from bad sleep on small couches, we headed out to talk a walk in Bondi Beach. The night before we could see that the water was across the street from the apartment but didn’t really realize how beautiful the view was. Stepping out of the building onto the sidewalk instantly energized us (and our big breakfasts at a beachside café helped too). The walk is a popular tourist attraction because it is a beautiful path that winds around the beaches small cliffs. The shoreline was unique because it looks more like canyon walls carved out by a river than a typical beach cliff.

After our peaceful little midday excursion, we headed back into the city to plan our trip away from Sydney. We headed into a travel agency and two hours later came out with a combination of four different packages and a lot less money. But no worries because we were careful to stay within our budget and also include almost everything we want to see. I don’t want to go into the details because I will write about it after I experience them, but look forward to rainforests, beaches, wildlife and of course—the great barrier reef!

Georgie had Thursday off so she guided us around the opera house, botanical gardens, and circular quay. We also walked over the harbor bridge (very similar to walking over the golden gate) and got to see some great views of the city.

Last night we got to experience what they refer to here as “uni parties.” Uni is what they call college and the party was at a bar on campus to kick-start the new semester. It was fun but sort of felt like a high school dance (except for the fact that they were selling alcohol). Overall we were glad we went and got to experience some college life, but probably won't go to any others. Tonight will be very different because we are going out for Georgie’s boyfriend’s birthday and it will be at a fancier club or bar in a “posh” part of the city. It will fit more with the Sydney experience because in general, everything seems to be more proper here. It may just be the city atmosphere in general, but everyone dresses up nicer day-to-day and even inexpensive stores and restaurants feel more formal than back home. It's fun to go along with while visiting but dressing up all the time would be tiring and expensive. Who knew I would miss California for its fashion?

It's time for me to get all washed and polished for my big night out in the city. I promise I will get some pictures up next time!