I’ve been traveling solo for over 10 years. I’ve been to some truly amazing places but I also have lots more to see. (I have a longing to visit ever single country before I die- I think this is doable). 🙂
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I can now cross Australia off! I’ve been wanting to come here for years. It really is a bucket list destination for me, though it’s nowhere near a budget trip so I’ve had to wait a bit to go. And this trip will ultimately be quite short, but I know I’ll be back :). Lots of places to see here :).
This trip I’ll be exploring Sydney and the Northern Territory cities Alice Springs and Uluru. I’ve had a secret obsession since I was about 14 or 15, after watching and falling in love with the film The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert to venture into the outback! I kind of want to wear a fancy dress like they did, but I won’t this time ;). That movie is such a guilty pleasure!
But visiting the outback isn’t just about a film I love, I’ve also been fascinated by the Aboriginal people. They seem so beautiful to me and I’m so excited to see their sacred Ayres Rock!! 🙂
But before I venture out to the outback, I’m going to explore Sydney a bit. I lucked out and scored the last business class seat from LAX to SYD- sweet! No really, I was so happy to sleep! Especially since I probably won’t share that same fortune going home ;).
Landed in Sydney at around 9am, went through customs quite easily, except that my passport is apparently damaged and doesn’t work in the epassport machines… but oh well, the Australians are so nice! The immigration officer helping me was so lovely. He joked about needing to make sure I had a real passport and didn’t just buy one on the black market. 😉 About ten minutes later, I was on my way to Sydney.
Sydney has a great transportation system. I was literally in the city in about 15 minutes, which is amazing! Usually it takes close to an hour to get from an airport to the main part of town. And the transportation system is quite easy to navigate.
I dropped my things off at my hostel- a lovely place called Wake Up Sydney right near Central Station. It was actually really clean and lovely, however, it’s a party Hostel. And to be honest that isn’t really my thing. I love talking to travelers but I don’t need to go out on pub crawls and get smashed drunk (I have done this. Back in my 20s in Prague and Berlin). But I think I’ve experienced enough of that in my life ;).
Anyway I dropped my things off, met a lovely girl from Germany who’s staying in the bunk below mine and then I headed out to Bondi Beach.
I make it to Bondi in about 45 minutes. Really easy. One train and one bus. Pretty much everyone is going to the same place. Bondi is GORGEOUS. Seriously, Sydney does beaches right!
A dear friend of mine is from Australia so he recommended I eat at Icebergs in Bondi, and I’m going to recommend it as well! It’s not the cheapest place but the view over the sea is breathtaking! And my fish and chips were quite good :). You can swim there too for about 7 Australian dollars. Good deal!! 🙂 My meal was about 27 Australian dollars though, just FYI.
After lunch I start on the coastal walk. I’m determined to walk from Bondi to Coogee. Seemed easy enough. However I’m not going to lie, I didn’t realize how far it actually was! And it was quite warm. My sunscreen melted off about halfway through and I’m now a tomato- no really ;). But I will say it’s one of the most beautiful walks I’ve ever done! You climb around corner after corner of sheer breathtaking beauty! And the houses there! Oh my gawd. I think I need to retire there. Bronte was my favorite beach, but really they’re all lovely. You even walk through this massive graveyard which had beautiful graves! I started to take photos but then saw that this isn’t allowed- oops! I won’t ever post those photos ;).
But yes, the walk was beautiful!! I was originally going to walk there and walk back as I knew that way back (and I don’t have wifi unless a place offers it free- which Icebergs did by the way!), however as I kept going I was thinking this might not be the best idea. Thankfully, like I stated before, the transportation in Sydney is so easy to figure out and I boarded my 313 bus from Coogee beach back to Bondi Junction station. 🙂
It was late afternoon when I got back to Sydney so I decided to walk to Sydney Harbour and the Opera House. That was quite a surreal sight!! I’ve seen so many pictures of it but it is quite spectacular in person. I then, because I’m slightly crazy, walked all the way to Darling Harbour. That was a bit of a trek considering I’d done the coastal walk earlier. Probably wouldn’t recommend that ;). Definitely on separate days though!! Just maybe not all in the same day ;).
Sydney is a beautiful city. It reminds me a bit of San Diego though actually. But with cuter almost Victorian style houses.
After touring around a bit I went back to my hostel, enjoyed my cup of free flat white coffee and then went back to my room to rest. I met the two other girls in my room from Hong Kong, also both super lovely! I had a great room of girls. However they did invite me to the free drinking party that night but I was just too exhausted. They really wanted me to join, and actually if I wasn’t waking up early the next day to catch a flight they might have persuaded me. But I really didn’t want to get super drunk with a bunch of strangers. Maybe I’m getting old finally? Actually no, I’m just not a huge partier when I’m by myself ;). I like social drinking with my friends, but that’s about as wild as I get anymore ;). Sorry readers ;). Although I am just reminded of quite a crazy evening a friend and I had in Costa Rica two years ago, but again I wasn’t alone and was with one of my best friends. Also we didn’t get that drunk, just a bunch of crazy stuff kept happening to us. Aw I love that dear friend :). You should ask him or myself to tell you about it sometime ;).
So yes, anyway, I went to sleep. And now I’m on my flight going to Alice Springs :). So excited to see the outback! And I’m going to a kangaroo sanctuary this evening! Ahhhh!!! So excited! I LOVE KANGAROOS!!! 😀 My awesome brother wants me to smuggle one back for him, but I sadly don’t think I can do this ;).
Anyway Australia is most lovely and so far it’s a grand adventure worth taking… even if I am redder than a tomato right now and I may be spending a bit more money than I normally do on my solo adventure trips ;).
Love you all! Keep traveling :).
