Archive for November, 2004

Mark and I made it through some very choppy seas to South Island today – went whale watching in Kiakora but after 3 hours on the boat and no whales we got our money back and headed to Christchurch for the night. Moving on to Queenstown tomorrow for some high action adventure!

Money about to run out…..

Sorry for the big post, I’ve been busy in Sydney!

Arrived in Sydney at 7AM on Sunday morning, first battle was to get through immigration – they tried to confiscate my kit-kats but decided at the last minute that it wasn’t worth parting me from my taste of home. Headed over to the hotel only to find I couldn’t check in until 2PM, having just spent the last 42 hours awake with only minor airplane snoozes I didn’t think I’d be up for much but found myself wandering round Darling Harbour, getting a guided tour of Sydney Harbour by my very own Paul “That’s not a knife!” Hogan who was pretending to be a water-taxi driver. Got dropped off by the southern end of the bridge in an area called “The Rocks”.. and it turns out that it does! Spent an hour stravaging through the local Sunday market, popped into a couple of pubs for some bottles of VB and then spent another couple of hours waking south back down to the Pensione Hotel. Made it back just after 3 to join the long queue to check-in. Ended up in a fairly nice room, turns out that the hotel has only been open 6 weeks so everything is supposed to be new but most stuff is just missing! Tried to get over the jet lag by staying up as long as possible so after a quick shower and a change of clothes I grabbed a Starbucks and then headed back north – ate the best kebab ever (Jim would be proud). Kebabs seems to be treated as health food over here and served with the best fruit smoothies, sorted! By the time I’d guzzled that I was falling asleep as I walked so headed back to the hotel, spent 20 minutes searching all the floors for the “guest lounge”… ended up on one corridor which had at one end “==> guestlounge” and “<==guestlounge" at the other but with no doors in between. Thought lack of sleep was making me hallucinate so tracked down the hotel staff who told me that they haven't built the extension for the guest lounge, not even the door yet! Went to bed at 6PM and slept for 14 hours Man its good to be on holiday!

Woke pretty late on Monday, grabbed some breakie at the local 7-eleven and then headed across Hyde Park (everything here is named after British and especially London landmarks) to check out the ANZAC war memorial. Its a bit surreal, all other war memorials I’ve seen are there to remember the fallen, this one simply tries to point out how pointless, futile and painful war can be (it also has a postcard sized bronze plaque hidden in the corner to remember the fallen). I like it! Grabbed a ticket for the Bondi Explorer and jumped on the guided tour to Bondi and beyond, didn’t bother getting off at the early stops but then jumped off at Watsons Bay for a walk, got completely lost and wandered around the cliff-tops for about an hour before finding myself on a tiny beach full of naked old men! Ran like the wind and emerged from the bush right at the bus-stop as the next bus pulled-in. Lucky escape me thinks. On to Bondi, I got there at about 2PM to find the beach deserted due to the howling wind and pouring rain, this is supposed to be their summer but it was as cold as a Spring day in St Andrews. Braved the beach in my shorts and even had a quick but cold paddle. Got a T-shirt for my troubles and grabbed another kebab and smoothie before jumping back on the bus to Coogee. Coogee was much more relaxed, had the beach to myself again but the folks in the shops were much more friendly. Still the longest conversation I had today went like this…. Random Bloke at Bus Stop: “Is this the stop for the Bondi Explorer?”, Me: “Yes, I think so… that’s what I’m waiting for!”, RB@BS: “Oh, you’re not from round here, are you?”, Me: “No, I’m from Scot…” by this time he’d legged it across the road. What do I smell or something? Headed back to the hotel and grabbed a burger before popping to the cinema to see Hero (again).

Full of fear this Tuesday morning, just before I left the UK I did something stupid – I booked myself into climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge… now people know I have reservations about heights, I know its stupid especially seeing as most of the things I’ve really enjoyed in life have been up high (flying, gliding, rock climbing etc) but I just think that my brain is sometimes far too sensible and tries to keep me alive sometimes a bit too much. Still I managed to drag my now knocking knees down to the bridge and enlisted in the 2PM climb. Ten of us in the group, half British, a quarter Aussie and a quarter Yank. The Brits instantly start bonding, the Aussies chat away to themselves in that weird accent where no-one knows what they’re saying and no-one speaks to the Americans! I get sandwiched between a lovely couple from Yorkshire (Lindsay who is really chatty and nice but says the most stupid things and Paul who again is really nice but really really really scared of heights) and in front of me I have a big American lady who ain’t got a clue what day it is never mind what’s going on around her. Great start! Its takes an hour to get all kitted up (they even give you hankies) and trained before they start guiding you up. Takes an hour to climb up and an hour to climb down, bit disappointed that you can’t take camera’s up (they use a metal detector to check) but they do give you a photo for free at the end (just as well cos its really expensive to do!). Some great views, some good banter (first proper conversation since Friday) and I coped pretty well with the 450 foot drop in the end. If ever you come to Sydney you HAVE to do this! By the time I made it back down I needed a pint so grabbed one last VB before heading in search of Harry’s Pies. There’s a famous pie-van in Sydney thats been running for years, many years and in a country as young as Oz that counts for a lot. Headed over and grabbed a Harry’s Potato Pie – a meat and pepper pie with an ice cream scoup of mashed potato on top and then covered in lots of ketchup – mana from heaven, this pie was made for me (and the seagulls who wouldn’t give me a moment peace to eat it). Walked back into town through the botanic garden and past the Opera House, pretty cool but amazingly small. Took the mono-rail home, yes that’s right I said mono-rail! Its just like the one out of the Simpsons, its tiny with no room for no-one, no passengers, only 10 tops and only goes round in one direction. The only people on it were me and an overly friendly couple from Vancouver who chatted to me for ages until I got scared by their familiarity and pegged it off and then walked down the road home… almost time for bed but thought I’d write all this stuff down before I forget, I might come back and add bits too if I remember something else.

So far I think I like Sydney, except that its full of amorous couples who make me miss all the folk back home and especially Sian. If I come here again, I’m definitely bringing someone or at least staying in a hostel rather than a hotel – much easier to meet people that way I think…

Off to Manly for the day tomorrow and then will do the last few bits of Sydney before heading off to Wellington – on a really late flight so won’t be at Marks until midnight! More news as it comes..

PS: Thanks to the gang at work who had a whip-round when I left I’ve now got a digital camera and taking loads of photos – I’ll try and get some up soon!

I’m leaving:

• My job -After 2 years, 2months, 2 weeks and 3 days its time to move on somewhere else. Not going far, similar job with another investment bank just round the corner.
• The country -Decided to treat myself to a holiday so I’m off to Syndey for 4 days, New Zealand for 2 weeks and then Melbourne for 3 days. Stopping off with people along the way but going on my own for a change. Spent ages last night packing, finding the passport and the tickets but looks like I’m ready to go. This time tomorrow I’ll be suffering from DVT in economy!

BYE!!!!

Nice and quiet weekend, work drinks on Friday, sleeping Saturday then went down to St Margarets to see Sian. Lie-in on Sunday and then went out for dinner with Matt, Stu and Charlie to catch up.

5 working days left before I leave DB, 5 days before I leave for Australia & New Zealand!!!

Was just bored at work and checking out the news, turns out some WW2 unexploded bonbs have gone missing from Barry Buddon – its an Army training site in Scotland that I used to go to for camps and blank-firing exercises as a army cadet… (wasn’t me!) shells missing from military base.