30th December 2011
Well Hello World!!!
We are back in business and back online and on the internet!!! Wooo!!!
How are you all? I hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas!!! I cant wait to hear all the news!!!
Our Christmas was very different! We are currently based in Lane Cove- north shore of Sydney. We are staying with a 70yr old lady called Elwyn- she is a true and true Australian battle-axe- thats the only way I can put her but awfully nice and not one bit shy giving her opinion not matter how out there it is or racist!!! The apartment is old, and in a bushy style area, it is quiet yet is near everything. It is a 3 bed and we have our own bathroom and fridge and cupboard. Out the back in a small park area and Elywns pet possum and baby. She regularly feeds both and also the wild parrots- there are parrots everywhere!!!! – both animal types are tame enough. We have decided that we will extend our stay here with her until Feb 8th- giving us time to get to know Sydney better and look for and get jobs.
We arrived in Sydney early on Wed 21st to be greeted by Elwyns daughter Nicole- she is a happy hippy and hates the “big man corporation” but is lovely and asks the strangest questions about Ireland!? She showed us the apartment and told us where the nearest supermarket was and then was gone. For the first three days we had the whole apartment to ourselves – which was bliss!! We got to do all our washing done and relaxed for the evening- clean clothes are sooooo good J We were shattered from all the driving. Fair play to Mick, he did the majority of it and I helped where I could. However had we known what it was going to be like... we may not have done it. But the experience in itself was worth it as not many Australians have done that trip!!!
Thursday 22nd.... it was dull and raining. The weather has changed dramatically from west to east as we travelled over so much so we have questioned going back to Perth.... to the sun!!!! It’s a lot cooler in Sydney and also more green but the weather seems to pick up in the afternoons and im glad to say that the freckles are coming along nicely now. We ventured out and around Sydney for a drive on Thursday and headed for Bondi Beach- complete a utter let down and to make matters worse... my camera died so we will have to go back for photos... sure one just has too!! Our apartment complex has tennis courts, an outdoor pool, indoor pool, hottub and sauna so we had other things to be occupied with that evening.
Friday 23rd – to say it rained... well if it didn’t rain, it poured for most of the morning. The sun came out at lunch time and we decided to take the bull by the horns and got ourselves on a bus from Lance cove to the city. We arrived at the Queen Victoria Building and did some window shopping. Ventured over to the Sydney Town hall and the made our way down to Darling Harbour where we decided to go to the Aquarium. It was awesome! Sharks and every fish imaginable- it was fantastic. When we arrived home we finally got to meet our land lady and spent until late into the evening talking with her. As it happens she is an ex- Marketing Manager... in fmcg... I kid you not... so she has and knows all the contacts in the business on the Sydney side. So watch this space. She is currently freelancing for Woolworths.
Christmas eve morning was a complete wash out- thunder and lightening and floods to beat the band!!! Again the sun came out around lunch time and we headed to the shops to get a few bits for the Christmas Lunch. Elwyn had asked us to join her and her daughter, her daughters partner Jarrod and their son Marlon for Christmas day lunch – it was to be a cold platter... so we couldn’t really say no and we wanted to see what an Ozzie Christmas was like. Elwyn was not afraid to put us to work once we arrived back with the shopping, we had to help ready the food for the next day while having a few drinks and listening to Christmas carols in the background. To say it was strange is possibly the biggest understatement. There was no Christmas eve sessions – there was food preparation to do!!!
Christmas day was sunny and hot. A surprise to my family- I got dressed and put on makeup for once instead of wearing my usual bed hair and pjs. The guests arrived around 1pm and lunch was served just after 2pm. We ate outside in the sun and all the food was cold but lovely. I wore my santa hat and we drank champagne and sparkling wine! Unfortunately we didn’t feel Christmassy at all as it was all so strange. Jarrod works in TV and film as a special effects person. Marlon is 13 and got a puppy for Christmas called Ginger- we were all very taken with her. Everyone was lovely and we both had a good time! After lunch everyone expect Elywn went for a walk down to the water front in Lane cove – and when we came back the guests left. Elwyn had told us that the next day we were going to head for Palm beach and that she would show us around the North of Sydney .... there was no discussion and Mick was driving! We had to be up early so we made a swift getaway to our room to ring our families and for an early night. Any kind of horse racing we had wanted to go too... was out the window!!
Stephens Day started at 8am.... I told you we had a very different Christmas... we drove around everywhere!!! We headed to Manly beach- a fabulous beach close to the apartment and then headed up to Palm Beach- where the shoot Home and Away- had a coffee by the beach and then a picnic. We arrived home around 4pm and were fit for nothing. Haha but we got a good feel for the area a bit more so that was a bonus. We watched a dvd for the night.
Tuesday 27th- we did two big things- I joined a gym and we found our spot for New Years Eve. A place called Mort Bay Park in Balmain thanks to the lovely Mary Joyce. We have gotten chairs, eskies (cooler boxes) food and drinks and the plan is to be there super early and possibly sleep in the car that night id needed. We cant see the opera house but we have a fantastic view of the Harbour bridge.
Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th- we haven’t been up to much except figuring out ways to get to Mort Bay Park, trying to sort out a driving licence for me (which I now do not need it seems in New South Wales- the Irish one is fine- but I still need an id card of some sort), trying to buy an internet usb so that we can get back on the net full time and skype and email whenever we want. Going to the gym and reading the newspapers and looking for jobs.... all while trying to get a tan... in my case... trying to not get burnt.
Today- Friday 30th we have been busy sorting out the internet- yay we got it and I also have my NSW ID card- the photo on it is dreadful but at least now I don’t have to carry around my passport. We ventured into the city today and went to Circular Key to see the Harbour Bridge up close and also to the Opera House. Along the way we bumped into Tommy Walsh and his gf and Brian Smith and Michelle Grogan.... small world I tell ya!!! Brian and Michelle only landed today in Oz- they have been in Thialand for the past few weeks and loved it. After a chat and number swapping we headed to the Botanic gardens where we took the choo-choo express- a little toy train around the gardens. It was fun!!! Our real plan had been to get on one of those hop on/hop off buses but time ran away with us. We will save it for another day!!! So tomorrow is the big 2012 celebrations!!! Wooo!! We are playing to be in our park super early- around 10am if possible which is hard for us at present as getting up early is not nice!! We will have to get used to it once we get working.
And that my lovelies is all the news I have for you!! I want to hear about all your christmas’s and steves nights and all the fun and craic had!!!
The plan for the weekend it to enjoy the new years celebrations and start Monday morning on a job hunt. Then the real fun begins!!! I look forward to hearing from you all!!
Much love Karen
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