Sydney

I would have tons of sweet pictures to post from Sydney if I hadn't lost my camera during the trip. I think I'll be buying a new one at the Duty Free on the way to New Zealand... whoops, my bad. The trip was really fun, I spent way too much money shopping and eating out and didn't do any school work.

Day 1:

We arrived at 8AM (after catching a 6:30AM flight) and met our friend from Duke, Max, who is studying at the University of Sydney. We dropped our bags in the apartment where we were crashing and went to Darling Harbor, which is a really nice harbor in the Central Business District that a lot of boats sail in and out of. We visited the aquarium where I fell in love with some penguins. There was also a really cool shark tunnel and a seal tunnel where you walk under a glass tunnel and the animals swim over you and you can see everything. After we left the aquarium we walked over to Curcular Quay where the Opera House is and ate lunch at a waterside restaurant. Then we went to the Gallery of Modern Art in Sydney and spent awhile just wondering and seeing all of the artwork, which at times was very disturbing. There were two exhibits in particular that Lindsay and I analyzed for at least a half hour each and left highly unsettled. The one we analyzed most intensely was by an artist who included photographs of himself with a superimposed vagina and female mask on in his paintings (yet Lindsay and I concluded that the paintings were actually about World War II... strange, yes?). After the museum we went back and met Max's new friends from Sydney and went out for Thai food. We went to a place called "The Argyle" at night, which was in an area called "The Rocks."

Day 2:

Max and Katelyn had a sailing race all day, so Lindsay, Mollie, Laura, and I were on our own. Of course we all went to get our hair done in the gay area of the city. I got my bangs retrimmed and got gloss because my hair was very dry (or just becaue it was part of the package I bought), Mollie did the same, and Laura and Lindsay got highlights. Then we wandered around Sydney with our new hair and shopped. We wen't to the China Town of Sydney and went to a place called "Paddy's Market" with a lot of cheesy knick-knacks. We finally got back to the main shopping district where we finished our day at completely normal department stores with English-speaking citizens. We saw the Westminster Abbey Choir at the Opera House that night, which was really cool, even to someone who has zero affinity for Church music. The organ player was amazing and I have never heard men with such high voices. Afterwards, we went to the Opera House Bar and then met our other friends from Duke (Tad, Josh, and Alex) who were also in Sydney. We all headed over to a Beer Gardens place called Lowenbrau where I managed to steal like 8 steins but lose my camera. Barring the loss of my digital camera, I think that was one of the highlights of the trip and I'm jealous that Max got to spend forever in Germany. Then we went to a place called "Pancakes on the Rocks" and feasted over some of the most delicious pancakes I have ever eaten in my life. Did I mention that I'm like 20 pounds heavier than when I left?

Day 3:

Mollie left in the morning to go back to Brisbane and do work. The rest of us went to Coogee beach where we met up with all of the Duke kids again and did a hike from Coogee Beach to Bondai. It's about a two hour trek along the cliffs overlooking the ocean and it's one of those touristy things that everyone does. It was really fun and we got sushi in Bondai at the end, so it was totally worth it. We got back late in the afternoon, so we just packed up and left for the airport to head back to Brisbane.

Now I'm here procrastinating more about the fact that I haven't done a lick of stuyding and exams are in a week and a half. Cross your fingers and hope that I'll pass!