Melbourne to Adelaide

I waved a reluctant goodbye to Sydney last week. I've grown rather attached to that fantastic city. I love the lifestyle, the people, the opportunities, the positivity. It rather suits me. However, like the Littlest Hobo, I must keep moving on. Don't worry Sydders, it's only farewell. I'll be back soon.

Melbourne
I stepped off the plane in Melbourne and was engulfed by a wave of heat. It was 6pm but still over 40 degrees. I manged to arrive in Melbourne on its hottest night in 100 years! Luckily, I was staying with friends and had a great night's sleep. Others weren't so lucky and spent the night on the beach, cooling off in the sea.

The next day was hot and humid too, so Alice and I decided to cycle along the coastline and stop for a dip in the sea along the way. I was thoroughly enjoying it and encouraging Alice to venture on to the next bay and the next. It was then that my bike broke! I know next to nothing about bikes and Alice knows no more, so two blonde Essex girls fiddled around aimlessly with the chain getting rather grubby. That's when two dripping wet men in Speedos came to our rescue! Clearly it was a simple problem with the gear mechanism. I don't know why we didn't work that out ourselves! We set off again only for it to reoccur five minutes later. This time, no knights appeared. Eventually we flagged down an aged cyclist who declared the gears 'buggered'. It was a long walk home that hot, humid Tuesday.

The day progressed with more misadventures, one of which involved us calling an ambulance to the Botanic Gardens, but that's another story...

I really enjoyed Melbourne. It's got real character to it. There are quirky shops to browse, coffee shops with delectable cakes to enjoy and loads of arty touches everywhere. Turn a corner and you'll come across an unusual mosaic or interesting sculpture. It's really cosmopolitan, buzzing and quite European really (possibly because there are so many Brits, Irish and French backpackers there!)

The weather's unusual too. You really do experience four seasons in one day as Crowded House said. It went from a humid 43 to a grey 23 in a couple of days. Layers are definitely key to Melbourne dressing.

Great Ocean Road
Next came a three day tour from Melbourne to Adelaide. Wow! The Great Ocean Road is stunning. Luckily, the sun came out at all the right spots. The sight of the Twelve Apostles against a clear blue sky was breathtaking. Loch Ard Gorge was another marvel, as were the many other bays and rock formations along the way. I was also quite excited to visit Bells Beach as it features in Point Break. My fellow tourists didn't share my enthusiasm - only the bus driver and I were old enough to remember the iconic surf movie!!

Having had our fill of beaches and curious rocks, we moved inland to The Grampians. We hiked up mounts and admired huge expanses of rural landscapes (oh, and more rock formations). Sights like that remind me just how vast this country is. You see nothing but nature for miles and miles - no towns to blot the landscape. Talking of nature, I was chuffed to see koalas, kangaroos (white and grey), echidnas, possums, wallabies and emus (evil bastards according to my tour guide - poor Rod Hull RIP).

Adelaide
Now I'm in Adelaide. I'm not sure what to expect of this place as I've heard nothing positive about it at all. There are no must-see landmarks. It's the driest state in the driest continent. That said, it was raining when we arrived.

Fortunately, it's near enough the Barossa Valley for us not to stay dry for long. Bring on another winery tour.

As luck would have it, I've also coincided my visit with the Tour Down Under. I'm off to find Lance Armstrong and his lycra-clad mates!

More soon...

Life in Sydney

Life here in Sydney has been yet another totally different travelling experience. Unlike the challenges in Cambodia and Vietnam, it's just 'too easy'. It makes such a refreshing change!

A huge reason for this is down to my fab friends.
- I'm travelling/ living with Emma. It's just great to have a good mate to share the experience with.
- Mon has lent us her flat to mind while she's overseas. It's a fantastic pad in Rose Bay. It's a gorgeous location, just a 15 min ferry ride to the city passing the iconic landmarks, the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. It's a lovely commute.
- My good friends in Sydney have been really hospitable, inviting us to barbies, parties, nights out, boat trips and more. It's been so much fun.
- We've made new friends too and have enjoyed sharing different adventures and experiences with them as well. I love the Aussie way of inviting everyone to everything. It's so inclusive, unlike our typically restricting invitations.

New Year's Eve in Sydney
New Year's Eve was a particular highlight. I am not a fan of that night ordinarily. It always seems a hassle to arrange and an ultimate disappointment. Not so this year.

About 14 of us (plus about 150 others!) took a ferry to Shark Island, a nature reserve just off Rose Bay in Sydney harbour. We set up camp on the banks of the island in full view of the harbour. Emma and I looked out over the view of the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and the various boats partying up and down the water and we could not stop grinning. We all tucked into our picnic and BYO watching the spectacular fireworks, first at 9pm and then the all important ones at midnight. What a way to see in 2010!

So far 2010 has been pretty good. The weather's been a bit grey, but the sun has shone through from time to time. I went surfing in Manly. I managed to stand up, but I think I cracked a rib soon after! I've explored the Eastern beaches, from Coogee to Bondi. Although they can't quite compete with the sublime West Coast beaches, they sure beat Southend and Brighton! We stopped for a picnic in a cove near Tamarama which was just lovely. I've had delicious meals with friends old and new. Oh, and I got absolutely drenched crossing the Harbour Bridge as the heavens opened!

Sydney festival starts this weekend so that should be entertaining. I head off to Melbourne next week. How can it compete with Sydney? I'll let you know soon...