Thursday, October 30, 2008

Sydney - First impressions

Sydney - first impressions.

My plane landed in Sydney airport at 4pm - bang on time after a boring 4 hour flight. The first thing that struck me was the bloody rain! Yes it was raining in Sydney. Obviously all this crap about Australia being in the middle of its worst drought in living memory was all before Ray Finn, supreme weather maker, arrived!

I phoned up the hostel I had booked - which has a free shuttle service from the airport only to be told that you have to stay for 3 or more nights to get the free shuttle. I naturally had only booked 2! So I ended up paying for a shuttle bus into town and eventually arrived at my hostel.

By the time I got there it was well after 6pm so all I really wanted to do was get some food, a couple of beers and an early night. I was shown to my really hot and humid 8 bed mixed dorm. After 2 weeks in Perth of having to sleep in top bunks it was at least refreshing to claim a bottom bunk. (I did however hit my head a real cracker this morning getting up!).

Then I went and asked reception where I could get cheap food and a beer near by. They gave me a card that allowed you to have a free meal at a nightclub near by - as long as you bought a drink. I thought. Well if I HAVE to buy a drink to get the meal then I suppose I had better force one into me.

The beer cost $5 for a schooner (just over half a pint) and for that I got a free breast of chicken covered in some sort of Italian sauce and some chips - a real bargain. The only down side was I was subjected to some very cheesy 80's music videos - Billy Idol doing 'White Wedding' and even worse Sheena Easton doing 'Morning Train'. Still I did find out what the nightclub has on for over the Halloween period and on Thu (tonight) its Foam party night - welcome to Sydney!

Lost / Broken things:
My hairclippers! left in SA I think. I will have to buy some new ones before I start looking like a spiny anteater!

Things I have learnt

It might seem a cool idea at the time but NEVER go out drinking in shorts and sandels because sooner or later you will need to break the seal in some very dubious toilets.

When trying to figure out how to use a squeezy sachet of ketchup always try to point the opening at your sausage roll and not at your trousers.

Aussi staff that work with the public must have to dry up a puddle with their wit as part of their interview.eg Rotts Nest Island Ferry stewart when talking about sick bags.
'There are instructions at the bottom of the bag (barf here perhaps?) but if you don't have time just open the bag, stick your head in and heave for your life'

Aussi ads rely heavily on toilet humour - which is great!

If you are able to change your seat number when checking into your flight - don't! That way you will not notice that you have moved seats from beside a sexy brunette to sitting beside an old Aussi couple.

Glossary update:

Crack the shits: Aussi term - Slightly annoyed. Not happy

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