Day 1:

Barely a week after returning from Charlotte, I had Brad dropped off at the airport on the morning of May 20th & I was wrapping up all my loose ends before I headed out on an evening flight that same day. I was bound for Sydney.

I was going to visit one of my best friends who has been working over there for the last several months. The plan was for me to grab a cab to her place in the suburb of Surry Hills. It is definitely an artistic community, and as I shared with her... at one point I felt like I should be in some form of hipster music video strolling passed stores of refurbished vintage furniture, and old records. ...but back to day one.

When I arrived at my friends home, she wasn't there. Shit. I wasn't sure what to do because I didn't want to leave and then have her arrive, but as I was sifting through my phone for options, I figured out that there was magical wi-fi throughout the city that I was able to sign up for right outside her home for like $10. I was finally was able to get a hold of her, and it turned out that she was still at work, but on her way to let me in.

When we got inside her small, modest home. I dropped my bags, changed and quickly freshened up so that we could go get some lunch. First, we made our way to the metro, where I loaded up a pass with travel funds & then made our way into the heart of the city, the Circular Quay stop, Sydney Harbour.

Lunch was in a food court type setting. There was just about every type of food you could imagine. I, as I usually do when traveling, was craving asian food. In particular, dumplings. I had never had them before, but a I could not shake a certain level of curiosity that had been plaguing me for months. Finally, it happened. Inside the Gateway Shopping Centre is Din Tai Fung. Din Tai Fung had magical dumplings to say the least. They were an explosion of flavor that have made my desire for dumplings stronger than ever before.

After lunch, we parted ways. I headed further into the city to find a cellular provider who could get me a SIM card for my phone. It ended up being a much cheaper option than paying for international service with my US provider. Once that task was complete, I headed back to Gateway to Four Frogs Creperie. If you know me by now, you know how much I love a tasty Nutella crepe. Four Frogs were pretty delish. Were they the best, no. ...but they held their own. I headed toward the end of the wharf as I snacked on my sweet treat. I took a seat by the water and watched the ferries pull in and out of the harbour. Then, I decided to make my way around to the other side. I followed the waters edge all the way to the Sydney Opera House, and then back into the amazing Botanical Gardens. I continued to follow the water quite a ways until I had the best view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. For $253 AUD you can climb the Sydney Bridge, but I decided not to climb it because walking up the side of a bridge in a line of people in matching jumpsuits, just doesn't appeal to me for the cost. I was able to take in some of Sydney's biggest sights all in my first day.

I was doing well at keeping the jet-lag at bay as I took my time wandering back into the city. I had agreed to meet my friend at her office before we commuted back to her place. It was a casual night in for dinner as she cooked up a quick meal for us to enjoy. We exchanged funny conversation before we headed to bed for the night.

Day 2:

The next morning, my friend headed into work early, and I slept in. I took my time getting ready, and didn't make it into the city until close to 11 AM. I stopped into Gateway to find a quick snack and decided on Top Juice. I figured a juice would be a good way to settle my system with all the travel I had been doing, and fill me up enough without ruining my appetite. It was perfect.

I wandered around for a little bit before heading to my friend's office so that we could meet for lunch. She ended up taking me down by King Street Wharf where we settled on a burger joint called Beer Deluxe. Here a beer with your lunch was basically mandatory. We downed our burgers, fries, and drank our beer before my friend escorted me along the wharf.

My thoughtful host walked me to the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, where I proceeded to spend a decent chunk of my afternoon alone. ...well, I wasn't really alone I was with the animals!

I spent a couple of hours here enjoying the various exhibits. Jellyfish... sharks... a manatee/dugong... rays, fish, etc... My favorite part though, was the penguin exhibit. I definitely spent the most time enjoying the funny little birds as they waddled around and attempted to interact with the visitors.

After that, I began making my way back toward's my friend's office, but made it a point to weave through the shopping district first. I was in and out of department stores and wandered through the malls. There were beautiful things to see, but the price points were outrageous, higher than home... So I walked away empty handed.

Once my friend and I were back together, we took the train back into Surry Hills, grabbed some warmer layers, and headed out to dinner. IIMM Thai was the choice. I grabbed the chicken fried rice for a big, but light, and warm meal. It was a great option while we exchange funny banter. I paid the tab at the counter before we headed down the block for gelato at Gelato Messina. The place was packed with the line was out the door, but the product was worth it. They had a series of unique flavors. Naturally, mine was chocolate based and super delicious...

Afterward, We headed back home so that we could just unwind at the house. We spent a while talking before we headed to bed.

Day 3:

The next morning I woke up, got dressed, and we headed down the street to a small cafe called Reuben Hills. I ordered the avocado toast, which is the best avocado toast I have had thus far! Once we finished up, I grabbed an Uber to Bondi Beach.

I spent an entire day alone in the area just wandering along the coast and photographing the sea. I started at Bondi Beach and made my way all the way south to Shark Point right next to Clovelly Beach. I took the Coastal Walk which will take you all the way to Coogee Beach if you are up for it or if you have the time. It's a very scenic walk which leads you through Waverley Cemetery which sits on the coastline. While I was at Bondi, I grabbed lunch at the restaurant at Hotel Bondi, and enjoyed an order of chicken parmi and fries as well as the quiet patio with an ocean view. It was so delicious & pleasant!

As my free time was coming to a close, I was able to sit on the beach and watch the sun set over the ocean and watched the surfers catch the last few lit up waves before I had to get back into Surry Hills. I had the house key, and had to get back so we both could get in the house.

When I got back, we took time to relax before we got wrapped up to go back out. We were having dinner with my bestie's Aussie boyfriend and Jamaican was on the menu. Rosie Campbell's is where they were taking me, and I will say that I never thought Jamaican food would be a thing for me... but the pulled jerk chicken sliders were one of the best things that I have ever eaten. After some sweet live music & filling myself up on tiny sliders, we headed back to Gelato Messina so that I could get my second helping of gelato like every girl needs. We took a seat and gabbed for a little bit and got to know each other a little better before we went our separate ways for the night.

Day 4:

We were in agreement on a zoo day, so my friend and I woke up a little bit earlier than usual. I ran out to pick up breakfast from Reuben Hills again before we headed out. We took the train to the ferry and on to Taronga Zoo. It sat just off of the edge of the water, and we took the cable car up to the top. We bought our tickets, made our entry, and were in our element. We both are major animal lovers and were dying as we watched the platypuses, were entertained by the seals, and fell in love with the meerkats. The zoo is a pretty good size with a beautiful collection of animals, some of which I had never seen anywhere else. It is gorgeous zoo that was set up well and, because of its location, in certain areas you can take in beautiful views of Sydney Harbour and the downtown area. Not to mention, The View restaurant serves delicious lunches.

...I never did get to see the koalas.

After a great day with the critters, we took the ferry back to the city, and then took the train back to Surry Hills. We had a short walk back to the house, where we whipped up a quick dinner & just spent time hanging out chatting. It was nice to just relax and enjoy each others' company without having to worry about going anywhere or paying for anything. It was just a comfortable night in.

Day 5:

The next morning, I rushed around town in search of the Aussie version of Ibuprofen & picked up our breakfast at Kawa Cafe. We were excited for another adventure. We took the train to the ferry again & headed to Manly Beach. She was insistent on bringing me here because she thought the beach was better than Bondi, and the town was a little bit quieter. It was a cute area to wander for the day. We popped into Jellyfish for lunch, where I grabbed a tasty pulled pork sandwich! It was nowhere near American BBQ level, but it was still good enough to mention. ...and the curly fries were BOMB! We wandered slowly, popping in and out of a few shops, and made a stop for gelato just outside the ferry station.

When we got back to the city, we picked up wine & Pellegrino for a girls night out, at Phamish, a Vietnamese Cafe in Darlinghurst. I got the privilege of meeting my friend's group of ex-pat friends. Here I was, an ex-pat wife at a table with a bunch of women from all around the world and who have lived all over the world. It was a really great experience, but a little overwhelming. These girls were ready to party, go dancing, live their crazy lives to the fullest. Me, I was ready for bed.

Day 6:

Our plan... Head south to Kiama to visit the blowhole. The uncertainty was whether or not we would have a third party that morning. Sure enough, we all met up at Paramount Coffee Project for breakfast, and then very quickly made our way back to the train station. The three of us girls rushed as quickly as possible, reloaded our train cards, boarded and took nearly a two hour train ride south. We were in awe of the idea of seeing a blowhole in real life, but the added possibility of seeing whales had us in pure excitement.

When we arrived, we all needed a snack and to use a bathroom. We stopped in at a small cafe for drinks and cakes, and began taking in the delightfully warm sun. It was warmer than we anticipated, but nothing short of pleasant. Along the way to the coastline, we became distracted with a small farmers market full of all sorts of handcrafted items. As we continued on we found a small black sandy bay where we sat on the sand and enjoyed the warmth and the view of others around us. I was obsessed with taking photos once again. Finally, we were back on track and began an incredibly leisurely walk along the coast line in search of the blowhole.

We found our way over to what we thought was the blowhole, which was tucked in a little ways. We waited a short time, and it spit out a small spray of water, and we decided it wasn't good enough. So we extended our wait time, and it paid off (sort of). Finally, we got to see a decent spray. We all hoped for bigger, but we didn't want to spend the bulk of our day waiting on a blow hole, so we continued on our way. (Turns out, this wasn't even the right blowhole.) We passed by the lighthouse, and wandered back along the coast line in towards town. Along the way, we found the most beautiful small bay where the water was crystal clear, and the colors you could see were of the most beautiful shades of blue, yellow and orange. It was a perfect spot. You wanted to dive in to the chilly water just to see what was in it! I can’t shake the idea that Kiama would be a great spot for a romantic night away from the city. It's absolutely stunning.

When we got back into town, along the street, we stopped into a small shop for sandwiches to take on the train with us. The train ride back was far more mellow. We were disappointed about not seeing any whales, but as it turned out... whale season was a couple months away.

When we got back into Sydney, we went our separate ways. My friend & I arrived back at her house and had a little time to unwind before we went out once again! This time, we were heading to her co-worker's house for another girls night.

When we got there, it was just a small group of girls gathered around the coffee table that was littered with assorted cheeses, meats, crackers, veggies and more. It was great. We were entertained by the funny cat running all over the place, and his constant attempts to steal the food. We were there for several hours. It was one of my favorite nights. It was one full of laughter and joy, and it was a great way to meet new people.

Day 7:

It was my last day in Sydney, and I was pretty worn down. I was ready to get home. It had been a crazy month & I was ready for some time to myself. ...I had to pull myself together.

We headed to breakfast with the intent to meet up with my friend's boyfriend again. We all met up at Rogue Cafe. Honestly, I don't remember what I got... and if it isn't memorable is it worth sharing??? Probably not...

After breakfast, we ended up spending a good chunk of our day with my friend's friend again in the botanical gardens. We walked and explored and enjoyed the warm weather with the cool breeze once again before we headed back to the house. Later on, I decided to stay at a hotel that night since I had to be up early and my friend had to be in to work early. So, I packed up my bags and left them by the front door while we headed out for the evening. The one thing I was wanting before I left were the dumplings from Din Tai Fung just one more time. So we headed back out on the train to circular quay. We weren't just going for dumplings, we were going for VIVID, the electric light show that covers the harbour.

We ate our Chinese food, and then headed for crepes. I had to have my nutella crepe again from Four Frogs Creperie, and it was the perfect night for it. It was chilly as rain was delicately falling that the hot sweet treat was perfect to warm my core. While we waited for my friend's friend to show up... (yep! she was meeting us again! lol) We wandered into the tourist gift shop, and were amazed at all the funny things that were in there for crazy prices.

Finally, the three of us were reunited, and more crepes were in order... So we waited, and finally, we were free to head off on our adventure with snacks in hand. We began wandering through the lit up buildings, and through the light exhibits. It was fantastic! We wandered from one end of the harbor to the other, taking it all in in enjoyment.

The time did finally come for us to head back home. We said our final goodbyes once again to my friend's friend, and were off. When we got back to the house, I promptly ordered my Uber to Meriton Suites Mascot Central, my hotel. We said goodbye to each other knowing it would only be a month or so until we saw each other again; and after that, I was off in a flash.

When I got to the hotel, I checked in & made my way to my room. My room was far better than expected. It wasn't just a room. It was a full suite. I could finally spread out in this immaculate place.

Day 8:

I was up early, and debated taking an Uber or the train. I wasn't in the mood to deal with the cold, so an Uber it was... Sadly, the Uber ended up taking quite a bit longer than the train would have because my driver took me to the domestic terminal instead of international, and there was a heap ton of traffic as well. But it wall worked out. I made my flight without any issue, and found my way back home to Phoenix thru LAX.

ISSUE 41: Sydney, Australia 2017