Just another three weeks before once again being on the road, with a trip to Sydney. Currently considering a number of roadtrip options for the new year. Xmas accommodation will be in the new Rocks YHA!

So back from celebrating a July Christmas in the Blue Mountains – its amazing how easy it was to get into the Christmas spirit, though alcohol and the cold weather helped!

Have just over a week left in Sydney before flying down to Melbourne to start a three week roadtrip to Darwin. More on that soon!

This evening i’m going to the Blue Mountains with a few friends. Until then i’m sat in the hostel lounge room with nothing to do! Everyone is at work and i’m checked out of my room and now looking after our luggage.

Oh. Its christmas eve! Tomorrow is christmas in July in the mountains.

Sydney Harbour is starting to look like its at war! The United States Navy is in town in the form of the aircraft carrier The USS Kitty Hawk and is currently birthed at Garden Island. The Australian naval ships that are usually there have been pushed out into the outer harbour which means there is a warship wherever you look!

Sydney Ferries are doing hourly cruises out to see the carrier and the Manly Ferry is going pretty close on its way to Manly too!

Despite a brief hiccup at immigration i’m back in Sydney. They took me aside for a little chat to make sure I wasn’t traveling back and forth across the Tasman to work here on a tourist visa. Me.. work.. ha! Like thats going to happen any time soon! Anyway, with the help of some very cheap duty free from the airport the first few days were spent very drunk and hungover after meeting up with old friends in Sydney.

Since then i’ve fallen back into my Sydney way of live, only without the trips to the beach. Too cold and waaaaaay to wet. Will it ever stop raining!? I’ve even done some tourist things like going up the Sydney Tower and catching an AFL game complete with crazy Collingwood supporters

A few of us also took a trip up to Newcaslte to view the stranded Bulk Carrier just off Nobbys Beach, the Pasha Bulker! – A casualty of the recent bad weather here!

I think i’m going to stay here for another few weeks before heading down to Adelaide to start a roadtrip up to Darwin. Hopefully heading up to the Blue Mountains to experience Yulefest there. It’s christmas! In July!!

The photos are now up to date on this site, the bug in the flickr importer was fixed. So check out all the latest photos in the Galllery or head on over to the flickr mirror.

So once again I found myself sat in an airport waiting for a flight. The going somewhere else is always good, the waiting… not so much. At least this time I have free wireless internet. Other airports could learn something from Wellington, especially Sydney where i’m going (again).

1.5 hours to go… hmm and argh!! Got three hours on a flying coffin after that!

Sydney tonight – woohoo

So its been almost two months since my last update – oops!

Most of that time since Port Stephens was spent back in Sydney. It’s an addictive city to live in and leaving is always hard. Staying there is all too easy! I did manage to escape for what was supposed to be two weeks on Magnetic Island to enjoy the sun and beaches, however after the first week a couple of friends mentioned they were going to drive the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne to Adelaide and I should go and join them, so I did!

Magentic Island was lovely and relaxing! Hot, clear blue skies and the stinger season had just ended so it was safe to go in the water in the many bays. I also mangaged to bump into a few people I knew there which was good.

The Great Ocean Road, by contrast, was cold! But a lot of fun and turned into a mad binge where chocloate and food in general was concerened. It was great to see the scenery again, and have the option of doing ‘whatever’ that a car gives.

After arriving in Adelaide and spendign a couple of days there it was back to Sydney (never a good move to go back somewhere you keep getting stuck) but only for a few days before flying back to where I am now – New Zealand!!

Yesterday was Australia Day here in… Australia! This is my third in Sydney, based on that they should really just give me residency.

Most of the day was spent messing around the harbour and Circular Quay watching the various events from ferry races to military fly pasts and live music near The Rocks. In the evening it was down to Darling Harbour to catch the fireworks and celebrate what it is to be Australian. Somewhat ironic given most the crowd were backpackers. Still it was a good evening and a good display as normal. Special mention to the random woman who pulled my backpack when I stood in front of her. That she was sat down! on a bench she could stand on seemed to escape her. Still it gave us comedy material to pass the boring bits of the evening