Sydney

(This was written on 18th June, just didn't get around to uploading it!)

Today I'm taking a train to the Blue Mountains just outside of Sydney for what I'm told are some pretty great photo ops.  But I've already been up to quite a bit since I arrived a week ago.

It makes me laugh when I see Aussie's walking around in hats, gloves and scarfs and it's nearly 20 degrees outside but I guess when you're used to 30+ temperatures most of the year it's not such a strange thing. One thing about the nice winter weather is that the beach is always beautiful and great for a day out. I've been to Manly beach and walked the 6km cliff trail from Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach. All the guide books tell you to do it the other way around but a friend of mine with local insider knowledge advised me to do it starting at Coogee with the reward being the immense crescent of Bondi, and boy was she right! - Thanks Joanne :). Both days were warm enough to sit on the beach and watch the surfers and many people were out in their bikinis sun bathing. It definitely makes me want to come back during the summer months where I'm sure there will be a completely different vibe.

I checked out the fish market the other day and was a little disappointed as I expected it to be hugh and packed with young guys throwing fish over peoples heads and and people bartering with one another for the best price but it was small and very tame, more a tourist attraction than anything else. The most disappointing part of all was the actual fish and chips, chips were frozen and the fish was over cooked. Maybe I've been spoiled growing up near Whitby who have some of the best f&c's in, what I now know to be, the world!

Now that I'm nearly half way through my trip I'm realising the all western cities are pretty much the same - a Maccy D's on every corner, nice skyline view and a tower where you can see the city from a birds point of view.  I'm starting to feel like I'm just joining the rat race and I'm itching to get to Asia to experience something different!  Just 12 more days in Oz then off to Malaysia :)