Sydney

Sydney is a wonderful city. So clean and inviting. The people here seem relaxed and not as uptight as other people in large cities of the world. I have been lucky enough to have a great tour guide in Kat and her buddies, so I have seen some unique areas of Sydney. My first full day I went to Taronga zoo which was fairly nice and had great views of the Harbour. The following day I did a coastal walk from Bondi Beach to Coogee Bay, which is where I am staying right now. We have spent lots of time with Kat's boyfriend (yep, Kat has a proper boyfriend) and his mates. They are kind enough to let us stay with them, and we are kind enough to force them to become more "cultured" by taking them to the Australian Museum. Last night Kat and I had a nice Japanese meal with her friend Nat and her boyfriend's Japanese mother and aunt. Newtown in also a lovely area with lots of vintage shops and an indie/alternative vibe. I think perhaps we will have a Thai curry there tonight, which you find all over the city. No more Ohio versions of curry.

A few days ago I was hopping on the train when I saw that everyone around me was extremely dressed up. Girls had on floral print dresses and hats with feathers, boys had on nice suits. I was informed that they were all going to the races. So that was my unique cultural tidbit for the day. So needless to say, I am having a lovely time here. We are off to Cairns tomorrow to snorkle the Great Barrier Reef.