Sydney - Blogabond

Sydney 22-5-10
We’re on the road to Sydney, we left on Thursday afternoon, and we’re in line to get there Sat afternoon. On our way we stopped at Byron Bay, a big tourist area in EA. Jana and I spent the night in the van and Chris went to a hostel for the night. Jana and I were awakened by a park ranger at six a.m. apparently there was a big sign at the entrance to Byron that says NO CAMPING anywhere. That morning we walked up to a lighthouse in which we were at the most easterly point of Aussie. Jana and I went to a coffee shop and had our five dollar cappuccinos, if there is one thing I am spending good money on, it’s coffee, and after a restless sleep in a van, that coffee was worth it.
Unfortunately, I have been experiencing allergies to anything and everything in Australia Since the day I got here, I have had almost completely plugged sinuses, itchy everything: ears, throat, and eyes. At night, I get really wheezy and can’t breathe, so essentially, it’s like plugging my nose and breathing through a straw, kind of a bummer. I’ve seen a chemist (pharmacist) and spent about eighty dollars trying to remedy my allergies, which has mostly consisted of drugs that make me tired all the time, the good news is, I think the worst part is over and I’m getting back to normal.
After Byron, we proceeded south and stopped at Coff’s Harbor and South West Rocks, and then we drove to Crescent Head and stayed there for the night at the beach (where we weren’t supposed to camp). Jana and I jumped into the ocean in the morning to bathe, which was really nice. It is currently their winter, so the only people out swimming are the surfers in wet suits. The water was quite warm it is about at warm as the ocean ever gets in the summer in Vancouver. They are used to the really hot summers here, so they think it’s crazy to swim in the ocean during their winter season.
Sydney is cool it’s a big city, lots of people and cool shops and places to eat. I have acclimated to this winter season and I now think that 10 degrees celsius is really cold, the thing I appreciate about Minnesota winters is that we are prepared for it, we have heating everywhere, you’re never cold when you’re inside. Right now, we’re staying in a really old house, our friend Dave is house sitting for a couple who have a home right outside downtown Sydney and its teeny tiny, built in the 1890’s. You can tell that it was built before there was electricity, the kitchen is a 6 foot by 6 foot square, and the refrigerator sits in the adjacent room. This house is very poorly heated, so I am inside with a toque and my jacket on at all times, we are hearing that it is even colder in Melbourne, yikes! The van that we’re travelling in/sleeping in doesn’t have heat either. By the time I get back, I’ll consider my bedroom a five star hotel! I’ve been looking for jobs back in Vancouver for the summer, so I don’t know where I’ll be when I get back, when I left for Aussie, I had full plans set out for the summer, which have completely changed, I’m excited about being with family and friends in BC for the summer, and I’m hopeful that I’ll get some kind of work, I’m sure it will all work out just fine. I’ll post pics as soon as I can.

written by

Clara Douglas on May 23, 2010 from Sydney, Australia

from the travel blog: Australian Adventure

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very nice city

written by Castles on May 24, 2010

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