On the Brink
Trip Start
Dec 09, 2006
1
6
Trip End
Jan 08, 2007
Sydney, Australia
Friday, January 5, 2007
Were now a couple of days from returning home to little old England and as much as i've had a wonderful experience, i am looking forward to going home.
We arrived in Sydney on New Years Eve after a good few days in Melbourne. The weather was much better and at last it felt like summer! It was a right pain having a lack of sun since Perth i can tell you!
The last few days consisted of watching England lose the 4th test and a trip to a town called Ballarat. In Ballarat we visited a place which was called Soverign Hill, now this place was set in 1865 when the first settlers in Australia found Gold for the first time, which began the history of Australia to this present day. Each worker was dressed in period costume and addressed you as they would in those days. Although when we went into the old style pub, 3 old fellas in the back were playing the Galway Shawl on the fiddle! It felt like every summer back in Kerry to tell you the truth not 1865!
Most of the time i couldn't stop thinking of Back to the Future III when Marty McFly goes back to the wild west. I was waiting for Biff to shout out at any minute! I ended up going back to school too, and attempted to write my name on this bit of paper with a dodgy looking fountain pen. The result was worse when i first went to school at 4!
On leaving there is a huge plaque hanging on the wall and i noticed something very familiar, the presient for 1975-1977 was none other than a D.M.O'Sullivan! Now not a lot of people will know my middle name is Michael but i felt a bit spooked when i saw this. The only time i see the name O'Sullivan is either in Kerry or when Ronnie is playing Snooker!
Prior to visiting Soverign Hill, we visited a wildlife park where i fed Kangaroos and i patted a Koala. It doesn't seem much, but it's wonderful to be able to see these animals in the flesh, let alone start feeding them. We also couldn't decide which one reminded us of Ian, as his favourite saying all trip has been "can't be arsed!", apart from Jim Royle or Homer Simpson i'll have to go for the Koala.
We arrived in Sydney on New Years Eve and after dropping our bags off in Lee's (we were staying there for 2 nights) we headed off to the Circular Quay where all the festivities were taking place. On arrival in the centre the first thing you see is the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, it truly is a sight, it was warm too which was welcome. In true Japanese style i took plenty of photos of these sights, which i think took my tally up to 350! Not bad considering i'm now nearly on 900! Yes there is a lot to see in Sydney!!
There were thousands already lining the streets(well plenty swigging cans on there backsides) and it was only 4pm! We headed off to the first bar where we progressed to have one major session, you couldn't fail to, everyone else was!
The street party in the Rocks area really had to been seen to be believed, true the warm weather helps and the late sunset too, but the atmosphere for the evening was something i won't forget. The fireworks were obviously sensational and right on cue my battery died on my phone! Oh well, i have the memories. Besides, i saw London's on Sky News the next morning and they looked similar!
On to New Years Day and with a few sore heads we headed into the city to do some sightseeing and have dinner. A recurring theme on this trip is heading to a bar and propping up 3 stalls for a "cheeky one!". Now depending on the time of this we usually head off quite late, very late in fact. We met 2 girls from New Zealand who were lovely and we had a right good craic, but as Ian pointed out the one girl had such a posh English accent we never believed she was a kiwi. Obviously trying to put it on for Moi ;)
Me and Ian arrived in to our 5 star hotel on the 2nd and my god what a hotel! The view was of the opera house! hahaha! Fantasic!
I've done some high-speed speedboating across the harbour this week, which was fantasic but i nearly broke me neck from an oncoming wave!
We've gone to the 3rd day of the cricket in what the lady called the tickets "restricted view seats", don't know how she worked that out, i was 4 rows from the front and could see Shane Warne's backside clearly!
Also we have visited Sydney's two main beaches, Manley beach and the world famous Bondi Beach. Now i will have to explain to people individually what the sights were like, i couldn't possibly say it on here!
We head off to the Blue Mountains for a 4WD adventure on Saturday then head home Sunday night for a lovely 22 hour flight. I'm getting myself a Swedish massage at our top banana hotel before i go. Hopefully it will help!
I will be in contact as per normal from Monday night English time, so i look forward to speaking then, although i'm not looking forward to the weather!
Ciao :)
