The Beautiful Blue Mountains and Familiar Faces of Family

The Corleys (my cousins and aunt and uncle) just happened to be coming to Sydney for Drew's graduation trip conveniently just a week after I arrived here myself.  It was great to see a familiar face in this big city.  I couldn't get in contact with them but I knew which hotel they were at and as I was randomly strolling through the city having no idea where I was, I passed there hotel and was able to go in and see them.  The next day we went to the Blue Mountains which is about an hour away and we had an amazing tour guide who told us the history of the city, of the mountains, and about any random questions we asked her.  It was really fabulous and the sites to see were absolutely splendid.  I took almost 200 pictures the whole day so I'll definitely be showing you all just how amazing the mountains were.  We saw some really tall waterfalls and walked through the rain forest after riding the steepest railway in the world at 52 degrees incline.  We road a sky rail that had a glass bottom and which passed through the mountains and valleys giving a direct view to the rain forest.  We saw some of the brightest colored birds imaginable right out in the wild.  We also went to a field and saw kangaroos in the wild.  From here, we went to an animal farm/zoo where kangaroos, emus, peacocks, birds, etc. were just roaming around with us out in the open.  We got to feed them right out of our hands.  We saw a tasmanian devil being fed and you could hear the cracking of the rabbit's bones that he was eating.  It was possibly one of the most disturbing sounds as he easily tore through bone and as I was thinking what would happen if a human fell in there.  It was a ten hour adventure but definitely worthwhile and who better to spend the day with than family. 

Learning the City

     So I've been here for a few days now and I am really really enjoying myself. I'm finally finding my way around the city without a map which is really handy and I look less like a crazy tourist. And, with 7-11 being on every corner and right next to my hostel, I found $1 (small) and $2 (large) coffee.  What could be better? This is a crazy deal because most coffees are $4 for just plain coffee.  Since learning this secret, which isn't really a secret since it's advertised (Aussies spell things with an 's' instead of a 'z' which makes spell check change all my words) all over the place, I have gotten it every day and it truly brightens my life.  The weather is still crappy and rainy but it should be clearing up over the next days. I have had to learn how to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius which is definitely something new. I haven't even started school but my clearly education has begun.  And last night for the first time since I have arrived, I slept for 8 hours straight!  It is because I listened to wise counsel and decided to push through the urge to nap all day long.  I also set up my phone in Sydney today so I'll be able to call you all very shortly.  Another two interesting things: 1) a homeless women asked me where I was from and so I said, "US, have you been there?" and she said and I quote, "hell no, every time a plane goes into the American skies, it comes crashing down" so I said kindly but curtly, "yeah.....that's not the case, the last time that really happened was 9-11 and it wasn't even our fault," strange people I tell ya!  2) every time I say I'm from America people say, "you don't look American."  I don't even understand?? What do American's look like?  I feel like I look like a typical American but apparently no one else thinks so.  But back to my time here.....

     I'm really liking Sydney a ton, maybe even more than I imagined.  I love big cities.  First of all, you can get anywhere and everything within a 30-40 minute walk.  Today I walked down to the Sydney Opera House which is also right next to the Royal Botanic Gardens.  These Gardens are absolutely beautiful with all kinds of trees (picture above and to the right) and birds I've never seen before.  The birds will come within a foot of you and just sit there so close to people, kind of like the squirrels at UVa- ssqquuuuuiiiirrreellll, ssqquuuuuiiiirrreelllll, ssqquuuuuiiiirrreelllll okay see you later- that was for you Sally.  Actually, Sydney reminds me of UVa in a lot of ways which is very difficult to imagine.  Obviously Sydney is a city and Charlottesville is more of a town but there are quite a few similarities.  First off, EVERYONE here runs, at all times of day, just like crazy UVa runners.  Second off, I love working for UTS because I love the smell of exhaust.  Sydney smells like exhaust at ALL times and it just comforts my being.  Third, the squirrels I just mentioned.  Fourth, the gardens at UVa are so pretty and I always felt like I could get away from life and just hang out in one of the gardens for a day and life would be better.  Which leads me to what I did today.  I just sat on a bench which looked out to the harbour and the sun bounced off the water and the metal of the Sydney Opera House and it was just spectacular.  I was there for 8 hours just reading on a park bench.  I took some pictures exactly where I was sitting
(picture on left) and I think this is going to be my new hang out spot.
I also got some gelato which seems to be insanely popular here and I realized why it is so, because it is SO amazing.  I tried guava today, but I'm sure I'll go through all the flavors by the end of my stay.  Sydney strangely already feels like home, even though I've been here for 4 days and even though I have no home but a hostel.  I do miss everyone back at home of course and I will be calling you all soon to catch up and will be able to skype july 9th when I move into my new apartment!  I do have a few favors to ask of you all 757ers: 1) eat Three Amigos in my honor, 2) eat Rita's in my honor, 3) be Chuck and Blair honest, 4) watch The O.C. for me, 5) drink slurpees everyday, 6) bake a cake in my honor.  With those, I'm sure it will feel like I'm right back in the 757.

And so my time begins...kinda

     So I've been here for 2 days now but internet is $4 an hour so it's hard for me to pay that much when it hurts my soul it is so expensive.  Everything here is expensive.  Breakfast at any restaurant is normally $10-12, lunch/dinner $15-18.  When I arrived, I felt dizzy from the flight and so I stopped at 7-11, which is convieniently right next to my hostel and also has slurpees- yayyyyyy, and I got a small bag of chips and a mini bottled drink and paid $7.  I have yet to eat out because spending that much money is painful knowing I can get all those things for half the price in America.

     My hostel is really, really awesome.  It's right in downtown Sydney and is located on the main street, Pitt St., which runs for forever and can take you pretty much anywhere.  The first day I was actually awake in Sydney, being yesterday as I slept pretty much the whole first day, I went to the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge.  Because I have to use a random computer I don't have the pictures uploaded yet, but I swear I will get to that soon.  As the title of this entry states, my time here has only kind of begun because I literally sleep all day long and stay up all night long.  It is so hard with the 14 hour time difference. My hostel also has at least one, sometimes two, activities everyday for anyone in the hostel, all free of charge.  We had a BBQ down at the beach which I will be living right next to (picture down below), and although it was raining, it was really awesome to see the beach again.   Last night we went out to two bars and I must say it was quite an experience.  For those who like strange and uncomfortable stories that I can't write on a blog, feel free to ask for the details.  Let's just say that bars like these don't have events/themes like the bars in American.  At the bar we were given free crocodile burgers but I did not partake.  However, since I only have few chances to try such meats, I am considering being non-vegetarian for about 3 minutes while I try kangaroo, crocodile, and emu.  I've meet some really cool people at the hostel too so my time has been enjoyable. 

     Today I visited the University of New South Wales which is where I will be studying.  You cannot really set up housing before you arrive so today I made my way down there and was able to find two options for housing about a five minute walk to the beach (picture to the left) and my university.  It is pretty expensive being about $280/week, yes I did say week, but then again you must remember that I am in the city and so it would be like living in New York.  Speaking of America, I've already been made fun of for saying "dangggg" a lot and "that's awesome."  One girl even said "that's awesome" on the phone with one of her friends only to have a horrified look on her face afterward.  I was also asked if my life was like The Hills; wow, reallly???  Well since I've already been charged $2 just for writing this blog, I shall end my saga entry and continue later.  Hope you are all enjoying the updates and I shall be able to skype as soon as I can use my own computer.

The Start of an Adventure

Hello all,
     I am currently packing up all my belongings to travel to Sydney, Australia.  Trust me when I say that keeping my luggage to under 100 pounds is VERY hard.  I leave for the airport in about 2 hours and will be flying out around 2:40 this afternoon.  I will arrive in Sydney on June 20th at 6:25 am.  I will never get a chance to live June 19, 2010.  Weird, huh? I will be in Sydney til December 17th studying at the University of New South Wales.
     I won't have internet very readily available in the hostel until I find permanent housing, but I plan on using this blog as a way that you all can see what I've been up to and document my journey.  I do have a skype account and would love to be able to keep in touch with you guys.  My skype name is Anyagirl10 so please add me so we can chat.  Keep in mind that I am 14 hours ahead of you so it might make it difficult to skype. 
     Please keep me in your prayers as I travel alone and to a completely new continent without knowing anyone.  I will keep you updated on my time in Sydney and I look forward to hearing all that is going on back home.    Thanks to everyone who made my last time in the US amazing.