Sydney

Christmas Dessert
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"And so this is Christmas, I hope you have fun". It certainly doesn't feel like Christmas here in Sydney but so far we sure have had fun. After arriving from Canberra we met up with Dan & Marc (our two English counter-parts we travelled down the east coast with) in our hostel we're all booked into until we leave Australia. Initially, when we arrived Marc was actually in hospital getting his hand checked out after hurting it doing his Accelerated Free-form Sky diving course. That's right - he's enjoys jumping out of planes - nuts! :o) Over the next few days we partied hard. Real hard. Like everyone else it would appear in Sydney. There's tonnes of English and Irish here! Says it all really :o)

Christmas Day
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Christmas Eve was enjoyed taking in a boat cruise around Sydney harbour. From 7-11pm we coasted around the waters with free food and drink. Afterwards we had free entry into a few clubs, having a great laugh, getting home way too late.

Christmas and New Years in Sydney - Goodbye to Oz..

Christmas day was pretty surreal. We had lunch at noon in Wake-Up hostel which was pretty depressing - the food itself was nice but it just wasn't anything like home (or felt like Christmas). We ventured down to Bondi Beach and checked out what was going on. Alot of Irish people in GAA jerseys! :o) Afterwards we went to a bar called The Gaff, on Oxford Street, for our Christmas "dinner". Terrible food! But after having a few pints (the first one going down like lead poison after the night before) we started having alot of fun, chatting to groups of people. The place closed at 10pm which was good timing to hit an internet cafe and talk to our families at home. An enjoyable experience but man I wish I was eating my traditional Christmas dinner and Pavalova :o)

Christmas Day
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Over the next few days we didn't do much but still enjoyed sometime on Bondi beach enjoying the weather (which has improved) and all of us doing a day-trip to Palm Beach (or Summer Bay as all of us Home & Away fans know it by). A really enjoyable day followed by another night out. That's not to say we haven't managed to stay in 1 or 2 nights. The cinema was our saving grace those times :o)

The moment we were all waiting for. Bondi Beach, New Years Eve, Basement Jaxx and Bob Sinclair. It doesn't get any better and what a night!! We (myself, Kev, Matt, Marc, Dan, Barbara, Dave, Ann-Marie, Trudi) had so much fun. The gig itself felt like it only lasted 2 hours, so I suppose that tells you as well how much of a good time we had. The only disappointment was it finished at 3am - and the time to catch a taxi. Yes, we hit the Cross to keep partying. Myself, Marc & Barbara dancing and drinking in Vegas lounge getting home at 9am. Soo tired the next day but your meant to feel wrecked right?? :o)

Christmas Day
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Trudi & her friends were in the Beach Road Hotel in Bondi, New Years Day, so we arrived there around 5ish and joined them for a drink. Judge Jules was playing in Coogee and remarkably we were thinking of going, leaving Beach Road on a mission around 10ish. A quick food-stop in a pizza restaurant however meant sensibility and tiredness kicked in. We left Marc to join Barbara there, Ann-Marie & Matt in two minds to go, and myself and Kev heading back towards the hostel - thankful the next day we made the right decision. All the boozing and late nights have catched up with alot of us with sore throats and a cold in the pipeline if we're not careful.

Christmas Day
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For our last night in Oz, we had a very sensible quiet one in Dave's apartment, getting a take-away and watching the tv. After saying goodbye to everyone including Matt (unable to speak with emotion :o) we went back to the hostel to chat to Marc & Barbara. Kev won an Oz Experience voucher Christmas Day in Wake Up and generously gave it to Barbara, who in return bought him a bottle of Southern Comfort and presented it to him. My eyes watered when Kev opened it and soon it was being passed around the 4 of us. What are we doing!?! We're all soo wrecked and tired but incredibly 10 minutes later the bottle is gone and we're in Sidebar with jugs of cocktails.

Christmas Day
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Myself and Kev were the first ones to leave the next morning. After 4 hours sleep (continuously interrupted by a major snorer in our dorm) we arose making our way to Sydney's International airport. Our time in Oz is over. We've been here just under 3 months, have seen alot of the country, and have had a great time. We've met some great people, now friends, who we hope to see again one day soon. It's safe to say we've all partied our asses off, spending a fortune, but no regrets. Australia is a great country and there are many things to see and do. Definitely worth it! Who knows we might be back one day :o)