Sydney 11/11/07
I flew from Adelaide to Sydney today. Yesterday and this morning I was freaking out, I ran out of time and the house was still a complete mess and a million things weren't done, but it'll be ok.
I started crying before we even got in the car.
I made him pinky swear everything would be ok while I was away.
The flight wasn't too bad. I tried to read but just couldn't focus on anything. I haven't seen my Mom or Amy in three years. I haven't been apart from Corgie for this long in three years.
Looking at the clouds out the airplane window will always be one of my favourite things.
I took a taxi from Sydney Airport to the hotel, Hotel Ibis World Square on Pitt Street. The taxi driver was pretty nice, and of course he'd been to Toronto, everyone in Australia has either been to Toronto or has a relative there.
Dropped off my bags and got ready to set out. Next time I'll definitely have to remember sunscreen.
Now, I had no clue where I was really, other than in the middle of Sydney. I rang Corgie before I left, he said I should go downhill and that will take me to the harbour.
So outside the hotel I went left, which was downhill. The whole area was China Town, people were everywhere.
In my usual pathetic habbit I found a McDonalds. While people were in the line up one of the staff was going around taking orders on a PDA type thing. After she took my order she gave me a yellow sticker. The store runs ridiculously fast this way.
I made a pigeon friend there.
Then I just kept walking. I had all day to get back to the hotel and I could always ask for directions if (when) I got lost, or grab a cab.
I followed the masses of tourists to the Darling Harbour area.
There were these little trains that were weaving in between the tourists. One was blue, taking people to the Aquarium, the other was a Lindor Chocolate gold train.
I didn't go in to any of the big attractions (Chinese Botanical Gardens, Aquarium, Navy War Museum, etc) because I wanted to find the Sydney Harbour Bridge first, I thought I could always go back. I didn't get a chance but will definitely go see the Chinese Botanical Gardens and Aquarium if I ever get the chance.
I walked around Darling Harbour and just kept following the masses.
The monorail seemed to pass by every few minutes.
I just kept wandering and somehow lost the masses of tourists. I found signs to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and tried to follow those. My impeccable sense of direction wound me up completely lost in the industrial area where there wasn't any tourists at all, but instead a few too many old scary men.
I walked for what seemed like forever and finally finally saw the bridge up ahead, all was not lost.
I always thought the Sydney Harbour Bridge was just a bridge, and well it still is, it's just a big one.
The weather was perfect, there were all sizes of boats criss-crossing in the harbour.
And not to far away was the absolutely massive Sydney Opera House.
Corgie and I have to remember to get patches or stickers of Canadian and Australian flags. I was asked so many times for directions and all I could say was 'Sorry, I'm lost here too.'
I took photos of two tourists for them. I should have asked them to take one of me, oops.
A few last photos of the bridge and it was gone. You can't tell from these scaled down pictures, but there were people climbing the bridge, they looked so tiny.
Eventually I found my way back to the hotel. I worked out that if I had turned right instead of left (and gone uphill instead of listening to Corgie) I would have gone straight to the main tourist area near the Opera House.
My feet are still killing me but it was worth it. I just wanted to have a look around and I did.
I leave Sydney tommorow morning for Vancouver, then straight on to Toronto.
I miss him so much already...
And my puppies too...
