Arriving in Australia

I landed in Sydney with no worries and was out of the airport, walking over the bridge heading towards Nicole's place, a girl I'd met while at Kiwi Burn in New Zealand. It was a bit of a long and frequently off track walk, while asking for directions at a gas station a local guy came over and offered me a ride, saving me much walking and confusion.

I knocked on the door of my new friend's suburban home, no one home except a barking dog. I stashed my bag and headed towards the little town, halfway there realizing that I'd been knocking on the wrong numbered house. I turned around and got my bag and went to the right house, knocked and met Javier, Nicole's boyfriend who was frustratingly on the phone attempting to get the internet to work.

Soon Nicole walked in and we caught up on things. I went to the bank next to turn my New Zealand dollars in Australian dollars, after feeling like I'd been robbed, I hopped on the train into Sydney city. I wandered about, seeing the big Opera house and wandering the streets a bit getting a feel for things.

I hopped the train back and grabbed some pasta and wine, having a meal with another guy from Melbourne who was staying the night at Nicole's place.

The next day I headed back into the city to explore a bit more. I checked out the library, then wandered to a hotel brewery bar Nicole had mentioned, sipping a beer and relaxing a bit. I wandered up to the botanical gardens next, there were cockatoos in one area walking and flying about, jumping on people shoulders as they snapped off pictures. This all looped back around to the Opera house where I took a seat and enjoyed the scene for a while before heading back towards Nicole's.

I noticed a Casino between the train station and Nicole's house, I stopped in to check it out. I put some money in the roulette machine to give my typical system a go, but the machine was slow so I left as soon as I'd won a dollar.

It was an easy going night and a simple entry into the country all together. The next morning I'd start hitchhiking up towards my friend Mandie's place in Mullumbimby, I was excited to take to the road and see how I'd go in a new country.

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