Sydney Life
2nd October 2006
Well its been nearly two weeks since we posted last and we have spent most of that time catching up with friends…its been really good to see some familiar faces.
We have caught our first game of football at the Aussi Stadium. They call everything out here football except….well… football which they call soccer. Aussie Rules (AFL), Rugby League (NRL) and Rugby Union all fall under the umbrella of football. We went to see the preliminary final…yes we would call that the semi final…of the NRL between the Brisbane Broncos and the Canterbury Bulldogs. The game was a close played thing with the lead changing throughout but the Broncos left the field as the victors. The Broncos went on to win the League so at least we got to see the champions play.
The following day we caught up with Sparky, Louise and Clare and met Dan and his housemate Dave on the beach where we spent the day sunbathing, playing football and drinking wine/beer before endulging in our fitrst beach barbie since arriving in Oz. We left the beach; the girls a little worse for wear from too much wine (which we credit to the boys taking ages to fire up the barbie!!), with plans to reconvene later that night at a bar in Darling Harbour. Amazingly everyone made it out along with Annabel, our bone fide Aussie mate.
Thursday 28th saw Dan’s 30th birthday and a much anticipated curry on Oxford Street. In total there was about 10 or so of us who continued the night in the many bars along Oxford Street but only three of us left when it came to visiting Coogees famous 24 hour pie shop (Garlos) at 4.30 am the next morning!
Friday held a very tired visit to the newly opened Sydney Wildlife World situated on the harbour which was not a patch on our earlier visit to the aquarium but did introduce us to redbacks and funnel webs. The rest of the evening was spent wandering around the harbour taking in the music (there is a latin festival on at the moment) and the green opera house!
Dan’s birthday celebrations stretched to this weekend with Saturday spent at the races. We came away with three wins between us but unfortunately the winnings were never going to be much when the stakes were not! It did provide the perfect opportunity to get dressed up which after 4 months of wearing combats was very much welcomed. After the races finished the day continued back at the Coogee bay Palace with many other racegoers.
Yesterday we finally got around to completing the Coogee-Bondi-Coogee Coastal walk which we have meant to do since our arrival. The sun was shining so it was a perfect day to complete the 10km round trip along the coast visiting the various bays along the way (Coogee – Gordons Bay – Clovelly- Bronte-Tamarama- Bondi). Bondi beach was packed full of sun worshippers some sporting what the Aussies call ‘budgie smugglers’ and what we would recognise as ‘Speedos’.
Today has been a leisurely day spent on the beach relaxing and watching the world go by.
After accustomising ourselves with many of Sydneys bars we have signed up for a beach boot camp….three training sessions a week on the beach at 6am…..wish us luck!
Tags: Australia, Oz, Sydney
Chris and Charl
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