Australia So Far...3 Month Sydney Synopsis

Left UK Sep 30th- Arrived Oct 2nd 2014...up until Dec 2014

Well, well, WELL, I LOVE SYDNEY. And so let me begin...

My (verging on 12 week) Auz adventure so far can be accurately described as an undulating mix of excitement, serenity, mindfulness, restlessness, happiness, bliss, confusion and frustration. The first three abstract nouns listed have been the most potent followed by number five. The others have filtered in and out of the membrane of my current life. This beginning chapter can be described as the adjustment period- I definitely anticipated it, but theory and practice are two different phenomena. Looking back I would have told myself be EVEN more prepared for a) constant mobility, and living in a condensed, micro state b) to hate people on irrational scales and moments and switch back to loving their company very shortly after (I REALLY crave my own company and space to which you can’t easily attain here living in hamster-like accommodation), c) to lose money, proportionally faster than your forward thinking expectations suggested and d) be prepared for change-A LOT. By change I mean not just in your location, circumstances, and the people around you, but also in yourself, your wants, your emotions, your ‘inner’ being. It’s a very fun ride, illuminating and clarifying in terms of getting to grips with who you are more instantly, in more extreme conditions, but also very confusing to take a hold of sometimes. A friend told me a VERY valuable piece of advice before I went, to which I couldn’t grasp until later into the trip, as I thought mostly it would be fun and games with only minor dents of ‘down’ time:

‘When you’re feeling down, and you will, just remember you’re in Australia,’ and yes how lucky I am to be in this situation! You are still an all-thinking, all-feeling human being, you are still able to be put in situations of stress, and imminent, unforeseeable change is rife, so I guess naturally, your emotions get jiggled around all over the place, never properly fixating, making you sometimes feel like a hormonal, extremely erratic, crazy and volatile individual. One day I call home utterly elated and feel on top of the world. Nothing can match the liberating feeling of current circumstances, the newness of every moment, the options, the scale and appreciation of surroundings, and the weather. A week later I am glum because I spent too much money at Coles Supermarket just to survive, accommodation is extortionate and over-exposure to alcohol in your social life takes its toll on your general mood. But I ride it out I find it fascinating reflecting on what’s going on in my head and throughout my body as everyday passes, new things happen and new things come to light.

I wouldn’t go as far as slap-you-in-the-face enlightenment, but rather a progressive, subconscious and organic journey between you, Australia and more importantly the people that you encounter. It can happen everywhere I suppose but the conditions in which this happens comes from the allowance of an extended time amount, an undefined and ‘living in the present’ sensation you are experiencing. I think that’s the best way to do it here- with no plan at all! Saying that with no plan there needs to be an understanding that there will be risks and issues that could dampen the highs, but again I think they’re all positive, character building practices. :)

On a personal conclusion I can definitely sense some maturity in quick decision-making, my ability to deal with various conflicting agendas at once and how NOT to let trivial things affect me like I used to. Now I feel generally more able to handle a variety of situations thrust upon me- very quickly- and reaching noticeably lower emotional peaks as say perhaps 6 months ago. YAY PB!

So far the best things have been my starting hostel- Blue Parrot- which created an unconventional, settled, family vibe for several weeks, a grounding in the Sydney suburbs and territory for exploring but not being in the busy, thick-of-it CBD. I only get my WHV once, I picked a time when I had no responsibilities left to maintain, studies were OVER and it was the most opportune time to take myself away alone and do everything for just ME. Secondly, the change of city to such a massive, exciting capital with pretty much everything you need in one place was awesome. Yes it’s Westernised, yes it’s expensive but so what! It’s not the UK, and it was definitely a great place for me to start in terms of understanding the work market, grasping the lifestyle and costs here, and interacting with a range of people from the globe. I upped my French language skills and met some cool Germans! THE COFFEE is to die for, it’s so much of ‘a scene’ here compared to the UK, that to get a barista job, you have to have skills or pre-training or buy a course before applying for a skilled café job. It’s very well respected and latte art is spectacularly viewed. Coffee shops are rife, each with their own personalities, and I LOVE IT after studying the dynamics of coffee shops for my latest masters dissertation.

Being in sun is great- obviously- but I find it refreshing and comforting encountering the cooler, greyer days of Sydney’s spring due to the routine of Brighton weather. I never like being exhausted by the climate, which is a great thing about here (so far!). You still have energy here, you feel great waking up and not drained by heat. It hit 34 degrees at one point so my tan was utterly nourished at Bondi beach, but a day later you experience still greyness, with a comfortable, lower temperature backdrop. In December extreme thunder storms ensued and it was different and electric! A thing to note is how laid back the Aussie working life is. Just like England hits snow, civilisation crumbles and so here when there is rain, outdoor work is over, manual labourers are asked to leave and they pretty much don't want to function with a downpour.

After 7 weeks in Sydney including plentiful beach days in Bondi, Manly, Coogee, road tripping to the Blue Mountains, riding the fastest, steepest backward-travelling train up a mountain, walking Suburban Sydney, countless Surry Hills coffee shop consumption work days, walking the Sydney bridge and seeing North Sydney (very empty in comparison), shopping for treats in the huge shopping areas and gems in quirky Newtown, exploring The Rocks, the CBD, Darling Harbour, a Halloween club boat cruise, meeting Scotty T from Geordie Shore, constant runs at sunsets, staying in 4 different living situations (2 hostels, 2 flats), the tall central Sydney Tower, and numerous nights out in clubs all over, I thought it was time to move on for a bit. The freedom of being by myself again and discovering new lifestyles in other places was so attractive, whilst the 29% cheaper cost of Melbournian living (Guardian Sourced) was a big decision driver after my savings have been pounded…frivolous Alix. I booked a flight a week before boarding for only 65$ (without the baggage) and a hostel between St Kilda beach and the central city domain, leaving what lies ahead nice and open. Catch the sequel post soon and see myinstagram for photos on the reg.

(ps. I came back to Sydney, explained in the Melbourne post)

SYDNEY PART 2:

This next period for me was extremely fruitful, orbiting primarily around on settling into a lifestyle from now on. After my trip, some direction-nudging experiences, and job seeking for several weeks, it was all worth the wait and energy- as soon as I returned from Melbs everything slotted into place. With 2 jobs and new offer working in advertising (OMG I'M ECSTATIC), looks like I'm taking up city life for a while, leaving the travelling part 'til the end part of my visa. Or just seeing how life pans out, as per...

SYDNEY TOP TIPS:

1. GET an OPAL card as soon as you arrive- it’s like London’s oyster, and saves you a buck or five on journeys that include bus, train, ferry. ALSO on Sundays all travel anywhere is $2.50...WIN.

2. Look for deals at the hostels you book, such as FREE WIFI, free airport transfer (can save you like $13-$20 on shuttle buses and train journeys to and fro) and sometimes free food?!

2b. If you ever plan to come to Auz nearing the holidays/festive periods, be sure to either pre-book hostels in advance (way way way in advance) or get a flat before the big dates kick in. Accommodation gets UBER expensive and it's not fun i.e. $100 a night at Christmas say? SO: Gumtree, flatmates.com will be your best friends.

3. Shop in COLES over WOOLWORTHS as they are generally cheaper and have a bigger selection. Look for fruit and veg deals within supermarkets to keep your 5-a-day going and don’t just resort to a white bread and noodles diet, because it WILL run you down- avocados, apples, oranges, blueberries and late night sales on daily produce are the most frequent discounts from my experience.

4. Choose where you want to live wisely and consider the commute to and from work- it can take it out of you if you have long shifts excluding travel time and TRANSPORT ISN’T CHEAP. Walk more and feel better and save yourself hassle. Get a flat AFTER you have a job.

5. Buy your alcohol BEFORE 10pm in the bottle shops and remember to hit the clubs BEFORE 1.30AM as Sydney has its own lock-city laws.

6. Flies are RELENTLESS EVERYWHERE in Auz, so be prepared to be p*issed off by them. They keep coming back even though you have brushed them off 384394 times. ALSO wear shed loads of bug repellent in Bondi evenings as you WILL get sucked to death. My biggest bite inflamed to the size of a small pancake.

7. On a personal tangent the peanut butter and fruit out here is TO DIE FOR. Pretty much any range you buy you will be satisfied with- they top UK produce any day, 'soz not soz.'

8. CliffDive on a Friday, Oxford street is pretty ace. Cool bar/intimate dancefloor club, with dance music, remixes, electro, hip hop beats. The Winery (bar/dining) in Surry Hills is great for a more grown-up, silky scene costing a bit more mullah, but it's a nice change from all the usual cheapo, stinky backpacker nights. Go with the gals, don't wear converse (for once) and absorb a tasteful atmosphere. Ampersand on Crown, Surry Hills houses my favourite coffee and is my top cafe hang out (aside from my awfully humble and satisfying work place of course- Infinity Sourdough Bakery), followed by Toast on Reservoir Street.

In no particular date order, here are some of my favourite moments that capture my Aussie city life so far across my 2-3 months. Also see my insta. Enjoy!

MANLY BEACH: