Birthday Boy

Ed's birthday was last week. For his birthday he was granted a birthday week. So we started off last Saturday going to a market and then to a Spanish chocolate cafe (he loves chocolate). On Monday he (and sort of I) received a gift of food from a lady named Mary at my work. She is Lebanese and made us the most delicious garlic spread and hummous. On his birthday we had a candle light dinner in our back garden followed by cake. We finished off the week going to an art show and dinner at Yoshinoya (a Japanese restaurant) that he ate at when he lived in Hong Kong.

The other pictures are of paintings he has been working on for the last few weeks. Our bedroom walls needed some decoration.

Good Weekend

This weekend was a good one, finally. Friday we went out for some karaoke at one of the local pubs. Saturday we introduced Noemie to Yum Cha (so delicious) then headed to Surry Hills festival. Each weekend there is some sort of festival going on in Sydney. It is quite fun. Sunday Ed and I went hiking in the Blue Mountains. Nice to get some fresh air.

I would also like to mention how at my jobs I am frequently retracing my steps. In a city so large and with so many businesses I have had a few odd coincidences happen. I started off working for Sunday Life, part of the Sydney Morning Herald. The guy that sat next to me, James, was the photo editor. The following week I was working for a company called Photolibrary that sells images. I was on reception so the phone rang one day and the person said "This is James from the SMH". I said "James it's Sarah!" and we had a bit of a chat. For the job at Photolibrary I sent out invoices. Now that I am working for the Finance Dept for News Limited (another newspaper company) I had to file invoices, and I filed one of the invoices that I actually folded up and sent out. It is amazing that I am able to leave little traces of me all around the city.

Sydneysider

A view from Fairfax, my first job when I arrived. It's Darling Harbour



Here are a few of where we live, Newtown.

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This is our street.

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This is my house. 113 Australia St, Newtown.

A Year Ago

Exactly a year ago today I arrived in Sydney. I have been neglecting this blog for a while because my friends are on facebook, but I couldn't pass up the chance to post on my one year anniversary in Sydney. (well with a little break)

I can't believe how different my attitude was a year ago. I was fresh from one of the best experiences in my life, Japan (and it was truly that after reading all of my blog entries today) and excited to embark on the next. This go around I am a little less enthusiastic. I have come to a strange city to be reunited with a very special someone only to find that I am starting an average life here. I have an apartment, a terribly boring job and very few friends halfway across the world. No fun trips to the Whitsundays to snorkle, no fun trips to Magnetic Island to see koalas. No plans to do any of this in the next 4 months. Camp was such a great experience that it made me want to stay in the US for a bit longer, rather than go down under.

But here I am, adjusting to becoming a temporary Sydneysider. If nothing else I will look at this as a saving period for the next adventure to come. Will it be Vanuatu?Nepal? India? I have already started looking up flights, though no money to fund them.

I can't complain about everything though. It is great to be around Ed, I like the area that I am living in, I have a nice new flatmate who is doing her best to ease my loneliness and Sydney is a decent city. I am looking forward to more money in my savings account so perhaps I can go to the Hunter Valley for a wine tour, and off to the Blue Mountains for a day hike.