Where do I start? The busyness? The beautiful girls? Perhaps the nature of Australians VS New Zealanders? How about the fashion, the public transportation, or the beaches?
As easy as it was to describe Auckland, It is equally as hard to describe Sydney. But, If I had only one word to use, it would be bold.
The people of Sydney are bold. This is their home and if you want to be here, fine, but they sure as hell are not going to give you a medal.
This is a big city with an exquisite bus and rail system. For about a buck or two a day, you can get around just fine. There are still cars, but you could actually survive without one (unlike California). When you say where you are from, you aren’t the demi god that you were in New Zealand. “California, Sweet (big deal, We’ve got just as much sun and beaches, Jerk)”
But don’t let me convince you that Australians are anything but nice, they are just bold. Though they consume a lot of our culture, they have their own pop stars and their own trendy music. When walking, they don’t wait for the green light, they just go.
They are so bold with their fashions, I begin to wonder if we brought back the skinny jeans or if it was them. And the Women! Not cute, not scandalously dressed, and not just hiding under a bunch of makeup. Sydney has more authentic beautiful women than anywhere else I’ve ever been. That doesn’t mean that everyone is beautiful, but it does mean that a diamond will walk by about every 4 minutes.
How about the bars? We went to the ones that had the best music. Maybe a little too good. In Sydney, about half of the bars are gay. In fact, in about a week they are going to have a huge gay parade. I even saw a gay chemist (pharmacist) store. This is a very diverse city (as many metropolitan cities are) and grunge and punk rock is still very big here in terms of clothing.
I got a red eye for a few days that I thought was infected or pink eye, so I went to the pharmacist who diagnosed me as not infected on the spot and suggested a new type of eye drops. $6 and 5 minutes later I had a solution. If I was in the states it would have been insurance, co pays, three hours, and then the prescription that would probably cost a few hundred including the doctor.
Do I like it? Ummmm, Yes and no. It has a little bit of an LA feel (which I hate). I guess I’m just pissed there are no kangaroos in the streets.
The weather here is crazy. You will be sweating in the sun one moment and then it will be raining huge drops without a cloud in sight.
I am hanging out with my old roommate Pat while in Sydney. He is getting his masters (also his last name) at San Diego State and is doing a Semester here. He is staying at a host family. They are two late thirty’s professors who are equally as charming as funny and shocking. They live in an outstanding 2 bedroom apartment in downtown Sydney that would easily be featured in home magazines.
I am getting on a grey hound bus soon to head up the east coast and of course, the professors want me to stay much longer in Sydney (it’s an Australian thing to competitively think that where you are is the best place to be).