​Kelsey's Travel Blog!​
I travel not to escape life, but to be sure that life will not escape me! Come join me!
Sydney, Australia
G’Day from Sydney, Australia!!
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Right now, I am sitting in Hyde Park in the heart of Sydney, right next to the St. Mary’s Cathedral, the sun is shinning, there are people reading, sun bathing, and having picnics on the grass; life is good!
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​I arrived in Sydney yesterday evening from Auckland and I made my way to the Elephant Backpackers Hostel in the Woolloomooloo (yes it is a real place) district on the western side of Sydney. The moment that I got off of the train that took me in from the airport, I knew I was in love; the tall buildings, the city parks, the harbor, the people bustling around, the coffee shops, the air, everything was perfect! I’m already regretting my decision to only spend a week in Australia, especially after I came across 3 awesome Aussie guys staying at the hostel from Melbourne. What I learned from them was, if you want to come to Australia, DON’T JUST GO TO SYDNEY. These guys, Ben, Jackson, and Loki, talked up Melbourne and Victoria so much so that I actually tried to think of a way to delay my flight to the Middle East. Unfortunately, that isn’t really possible, but you bet your bottoms I’m already making plans to come back. (Anyone want to come with?? I’m thinking road trip around the country!)
I AM trying to be sure that I make the most out of me 6 days here though. There are so many things to do here in Sydney, and six days clearly is not enough time. Today, I woke up and went straight out to George Street, the main street that runs though Sydney and up to the Sydney Harbor. Yes, the Sydney Harbor is as beautiful as you think it is! As approached the Wharf from George Street, I saw the Sydney Bridge, which, according to my neighbor on my flight from Auckland, you can actually climb the Sydney Bridge in a guided tour, for a hefty fee, of course.
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I made my way towards the iconic Sydney Opera House and mossied along the pier amongst the other tourists, who, like myself, were trying to get the best picture of the magnificent building. Probably the worst thing about traveling on your own is that it is really hard to take pictures of yourself with other things, but you can never go wrong with striking up a conversation with a fellow tourist and get them to take your picture.
Later in the afternoon, I decided to put away my map and just get lost in the city. This is honestly the best way to see a city. After living in Philadelphia, it is actually not too hard to orient myself in a city, yet the side street cafés and the shops are always better (not to mention cheaper) than the ones on the main street. I wandered along into what clearly was the financial district of the city for a "cuppa" (slang for a cup of coffee), then made my way to a square lined with blankets and pillows and enjoyed my sandwich with the 9-5 workers also on their lunch break. I found my way back to the park, soaked up some sun, read my book, and just really enjoyed this style of life: no plans, no stress, just me and the open road.
It’s very interesting to be traveling on my own. Since my friendship with the Aussies was short lived as they made their way towards Cannes, I had to me my own source of entertainment. It’s not as difficult as everyone might think it would be. I get to set my own schedule, see the things I want to see, and I’m not stuck going to boring museums or art galleries.
