Sydney Trip Photos

Spent a good portion of last night sorting through my copious amount of pictures from my trip to Sydney.  I had almost 1,000 photos to go through to choose the best ones for uploading.  Without further ado, I offer the final product:  3 albums of pictures from my 3 weeks in Sydney.  Hope you enjoy!

Travel Weary

Resting my weary bones at home in my apartment.  Left Sydney at 2 pm Wednesday, arrived in Gwangju at 2 pm Thursday after two flights, a two hour delay that became three (the plane had mechanical issues so they delayed our boarding), and a four hour bus ride from Incheon.  Coincidentally, I even ran into two of my coworkers who had just arrived from Kuala Lumpur as well.  Their travel story definitely took the cake.

I arrived in Gwangju just in time to hear the monthly air raid siren tests.  Traffic was at a standstill with no one allowed to proceed until the test concluded.  At this point, I wanted nothing more in that moment to get back to my apartment so I could shower off the grime of traveling and breathing in airplane air for hours.  I felt bad for my taxi driver for I'm sure I didn't look very appealing nor smell so after traveling for so long.  Luckily he was speedy and got me home to my apartment quick enough so I could enjoy not only the shower but bask in air conditioning.

My poor body must be confused going from summer to winter and back to summer in three weeks.  I'll put away my heavier jacket and long sleeves until crisper temperatures make their way to Korea, and pull out the flip-flops, shorts, and t-shirts for a little while longer.

Home sweet (apartment) home.  Back in Korea!

The End of a Trip and Returning Home

As much fun as it is to travel, nothing is better than returning to your home base after a trip.  After spending time in hostels, hotels, others' homes, or camping outside, coming back to your own place gives you the chance to kick back and relax without worrying about infringing on anyone else's space.  You don't have to worry about waking anyone up with your differing schedules, walking in on someone in the showers, or figuring out where to go and what to do next.  There is a certain comfort to coming back home after being away, no matter where your home may be.

I think about all the things I have on my to-do list once I return to my apartment in Korea, including cleaning, laundry, and uploading all the pictures from my time in Sydney--and while it may seem overwhelming, it actually comforts me to think about my normal routine.  I look forward to getting back to streets I'm familiar with, a kitchen in which I know where everything is located, my favorite coffee shop, spending time with friends, time for quiet hobbies, and so on.  Even though returning means that vacation is almost over and almost time to go back to school, I don't worry about that.  I've enjoyed my time away from my regular life to go and experience new things.  By the time I get the antsy travel bug again, it will be winter vacation and the perfect chance to check out more of Asia.  I've checked off a new continent and city on my bucket list, and look forward to my next opportunity to do so.

For most, Korea is a place that is traveled to en-route to other destinations in Asia.  But for me, right now, it's home.

Double rainbow over the Sydney Opera House

Yesterday was the first time it has rained since I arrived in Sydney.  About 3 pm it rained heavily, but afterwards skies cleared and gave me one of the most memorable photographic moments:  a double rainbow over the Sydney Opera House.  The rainbow arched high into the sky and ended in Sydney's Central Business District, and there was a faint second rainbow to its left.  Enjoy the magic!

Learning to Speak Aussie

Even within the English language, things get complicated. Does anyone still speak English the same as it was in its inception? Would Chaucer be rolling in his grave hearing the way that English has been twisted around and bastardized over the hundreds of years we've been using it? Words such as OMG and LOL permeate our texts, emails, and instant messages. They've even made it into the Oxford English Dictionary, which, in retrospect, doesn't seem like an honorable feat at all.

I know I'm guilty of using some English colloquialisms that I've picked up from living in the South. I have no excuse if I slip a “y'all” into a conversation with friends. Regarding the more professional aspects of my life (i.e. teaching), I try my hardest to use correct English. After all, how else will my students understand what they're learning?

The truth is, the English language will never be the same as our forefathers intended it upon its creation. When people started learning it and taking it to the four corners of the world, it meshed with the languages of other countries and became what we know it as today. We add our own regional flair to it, we add our own vocabulary to suit our needs, and sometimes, we just change the pronunciation of it all.

Remember how I mentioned a responsibility of anyone who travels or lives in a foreign country was to learn at least a little bit of that country's language? The same applies even to English—the language I was speaking as soon as I learned to talk. A language that is as natural to me as breathing even has its hang-ups, as I would learn from living in England, and eventually upon visiting Sydney.

Australian and British English have words and tone that is all their own. It is said that the old British English of the colonists who settled America long ago is not the English spoken today in England. But interestingly enough, the English spoken in the Southern United States is linguistically closest to that of our British ancestors. Perhaps that explains why it is easiest for British and Southern-raised actors to imitate the accents of each others' regions. I'm not saying that it would be a perfect imitation, but it would be easier to attempt.

I must admit that while listening to Brits and Aussies talk is enjoyable, sometimes it's hard to translate what they're saying, given the accent and unique phrases they use. And I don't doubt that us Americans give our colonial ancestors a hard time with our “America speak.” (Who in the US hasn't been a little confused by a quick-speaking New Yorker or frustrated with the slower-speaking Mississippian?) Even Canadians and Americans have their linguistic differences, sometimes enough so to warrant teasing or jokes.

What have I learned since I arrived in Sydney? Well, at least a few phrases to try and make my stay here a little more comfortable at least.

The morning after my arrival I headed downstairs for breakfast (or brekkie) at the hostel's cafe. After perusing the menu, I ordered my meal but was clueless how to order a plain coffee with milk. I tried to explain to the girl behind the counter that all I wanted was a “plain coffee with milk,” but she had no idea what that was. She finally made me a coffee with milk, which I came to learn was called a “flat white.” Armed with this knowledge, I no longer had to worry when it came to ordering a morning jolt of caffeine. At coffee shops, I was in the know.

If I ordered a sandwich out at a cafe, I had to be careful to ask for crisps with it, rather than potato chips. Bangers and mash were sausages and potatoes, chips were French Fries. On my trip to the botanical gardens, I came across a sign warning people to keep an eye out for the flying foxes. I was intrigued until I looked up into the trees above. Flying foxes, as mysterious as it sounded, were bats! At the grocery store, I found prawns (shrimp), aubergines (eggplant), rocket (arugula lettuce), and muesli (granola). Reading cookbooks here have proved interesting, learning the alternative names for ingredients.

One of the apps I downloaded onto my iPhone prior to traveling has a built-in Australian sayings dictionary, but it isn't all-inclusive. Many of the words I listed above aren't even in it. Although I did find a text at the library recently concerning Australian English in its entirety. That shall be a reading project for another day, I think.

Learning Aussie has been a fun journey to say the least, and I'm certain it isn't over by far. I've still got a little over a week left in my trip to learn more. It's interesting how in a country that speaks your native language, sometimes you don't feel like a native speaker at all.

Taronga Zoo, or A Close Encounter with an Emu

On Monday I headed out on another ferry, this time over to Taronga Zoo on the north side of Sydney. It looks unassuming upon arrival, but once you take the Sky Safari up to the top of the zoo, you can see that there is more than meets the eye. The Sky Safari deposits you right at the zoo shop and main entrance. If you plan on going to the zoo, I recommend purchasing the Zoo Express Pass, which for 50.50 gets you a return ferry ticket, a ride on the Sky Safari, and a bus ride down to the bottom of the zoo once you're finished looking around. It will come in handy.

The zoo covers a pretty good size, with winding paths taking you through different exhibits. The focus is mainly on Australia's animals, which is nice because my previous zoo experiences have been a little lacking in this area. This meant I could see kangaroos, koalas, and wallabies up close, as well as Tasmanian devils, echidnas, and other unique Aussie animals. One of my favorite parts was an area called the “Australian walkabout,” where you can go into this fenced-in area that has small kangaroos, wallabies, and emus walking around freely. When I saw freely, I mean it, too. I was taking a picture of the wallabies and roos enjoying a snooze in the sun and had put my camera down to come face to face with an emu. He (she?) looked at me, I looked back, and I think we had a mutual understanding of some sort. I waited until the emu had walked away some before I took a picture, however. The experience itself was pretty awesome.

The zoo also had a number of shows and talks designed to put the different animals on display for patrons, as well as bring attention the zoo's wildlife conservation efforts. My companion Jetske and I caught the elephant show, where both large and small elephants showed off their skills, as well as a bird show that brought lots of laughs. The birds flew above and through the crowd, swooping down to take food from their trainers, and providing comic relief. There was a minor mishap when a bird flew too close and clipped his trainer. All you saw was a poof of feathers, and the poor bird lying rather stunned on the ground. Thankfully, both the bird and trainer were fine, and returned later to accept donations from throngs of eager children.

It took us about 6 hours to work through the whole zoo, including a break for lunch, and the animal shows. But the hike was worth it, as we thoroughly enjoyed our time there, and took some great pictures.  (To come later!)

Sydney's Aroma Festival at The Rocks

Sunday, July 31^st was Sydney's annual Aroma Festival, which was certainly aromatic. Crowds jostled for the best glimpses of the foodstuffs and wares on display. Purchasing said products meant waiting in a line over 10 deep in some cases, which was a little daunting if you were ravenous to begin with. Tents lining the streets of The Rocks near Sydney Harbor sold all kinds of food, coffee, tea, confectionery delights, and handmade items.

Prior to diving into the festival itself, I headed up to Harts' Pub with my tour guide and friend, Chris for an early lunch. Harts' Pub is known amongst Sydneysiders for its excellent beer and Cajun crocodile bites. I enjoyed a Wood and Stone, which is a pale ale, with a crocodile burger and jalapeno poppers. Now I love jalapenos and doubly so stuffing them with cheese, but these should have come with a warning label or something! They looked so unassuming, laid out on a plate with a creamy ranch dipping sauce, but they were really firebombs in disguise. Upon eating the first one, it was almost constant agony and a rush to get the other ones down before the beer or water ran out. Luckily the crocodile burger and fries were there to quell some of the burn.

After that painful experience, I knew no better fix than some ice cream. Milk helps to relieve any stomach pain I encounter with eating spicy food, and it has served me well eating Korean food the past 3 years. Two delicious flavors of gelato later (hazelnut and caramel), and I was feeling more like myself again. I could fully enjoy the Aroma Festival without worrying that my lunch was going to burn a hole through my stomach.

And enjoy I did. Lucky for me I wasn't hungry, or I probably wouldn't have resisted taste-testing all the foods laid out: wraps, steak sandwiches, popcorn, old-fashioned lemonade, chocolate-dipped strawberries, licorice, bratwurst, coffee, veggie kebabs, and chai tea, to name a few. I did stop to pick up some licorice for later, swapping flavors with Chris so we got to try four different ones each.

He headed home early, but I continued to linger, listening to musical performances and basking in the warm winter weather that Sydney has graciously extended to me during my visit here. When the sun started to head below the horizon and the festival began winding down, I decided to call it a day. My head was full of plentiful smells, sounds, and sights to take home with me.

Manly Ferry and Beach

From Circular Quay you can catch a bevy of ferries, including fast and regular ferries to Manly Beach on the northern side of Sydney. I found myself on an early Saturday morning ferry with my friend and tour guide, Chris (from Aussie on the Road), heading up to check out this well-recommended spot.

The ferry to Manly takes 30 minutes each way and costs 6.60 for a one-way ticket. As it leaves Circular Quay and heads out into deeper water, it offers riders a great chance to take unobstructed photos of the Opera House and Harbor Bridge. The top deck offers free WiFi to anyone who wants to upload that perfect photo to Instagram, update their Facebook status, or get that elusive boat badge on Foursquare.

Upon arriving at Manly Wharf, you can dine at one of their cafes, head right for more secluded private beaches, or walk straight to explore the local shops. This whole area has a very small-town feel, which made me think of walking around the older parts of downtown Sanford at home. Past the shops and restaurants is Manly Beach, teeming with sunbathers, surfers, swimmers, and people out enjoying the nice weather. You can take a walking path all around this beach area, stopping at several destinations and totaling anywhere from a quick 30 minute trip to longer treks lasting 4 hours. It was suggested that I walk down to Shelly Beach to check it out, so onward I went. About 20 minutes of walking down the beach path along the breaks got me to Shelly Beach. In the aquamarine waters, children waded with their parents, and a small group of three were learning how to dive with an instructor. The atmosphere here was not hurried; instead, it was very calm, laid-back, and relaxed, a far cry from what I've been doing in Korea. It was a welcome relief.

As the sun started setting, I headed back to the shopping area to grab a milkshake, enjoy some live music, and watch impatient seagulls try to steal fish and chips from people's baskets. Any piece of food thrown to them was fought over in an almost-death match.

I waited long enough to catch the 4:45 ferry back to Circular Quay, perfectly timed to get sunset pictures over the Harbor. People jostled for position at the front of the boat, all aiming to get the best shot of the Opera House and Harbor Bridge framed by golden sun. I was lucky to get off several good shots before relinquishing my spot to another. I followed that up with dinner and some night shots of the sparkling bridge and harbor before heading home.

Darling Harbor

On the other side of Sydney's Central Business District lies Darling Harbor, home to Sydney Aquarium and Wildlife World, as well as the National Maritime Museum. There are also a plethora of shops, cafes, and seating to enjoy good weather and spectacular views. Nearby is the Sydney Convention Center, the Chinese Garden of Friendship, Chinatown, and Paddy's Markets. I spent a good few hours here just looking around, people watching, and exploring the shops.

This weekend played host to a large Boat Show, which meant the marina and the Convention Center were filled with all sizes and types of boats for public viewing. I snapped a few shots of the impressive private yachts that were moored there, and I wasn't the only one who admired the expensive watercraft. Many guys stood around it with jaws to the ground, perhaps wishing they were so lucky to own a boat like that.

Inside the shopping area I found a little place selling candies and treats from England. Many of these treats I hadn't seen since I lived in England years ago, so going inside was like taking a trip down memory lane. It made it hard to choose just one or two items, but I finally settled on a package of Rolos and some Chocolate Peppermint Nibs. A little further down I found a nice Sydney t-shirt at a shop sale, and even picked up a Sydney travel mug from Starbucks to add to my collection. I lingered at Starbucks while the sun sank lower in the sky, enjoying a free signature hot chocolate and date scone. (The joy of visiting a country that has tea time!) Once I sensed the time was right, I headed up to the Pyrmont Bridge above Darling Harbor to get some great sunset and night shots over the water.

Sydney's Royal Botanical Gardens, Opera House, and Aboriginal History

It took two days for me to walk through the entirety of Sydney's Royal Botanical Gardens, because they are vast, sprawling, and filled with tons of flora and fauna to look at and photograph. In order to see it all, I wanted to carefully go through all the areas, hence taking more than one day. But the time spent was not in vain, as I reaped hundreds of photographs from this garden and the surrounding area alone.

There are two major endpoints for a hike through this park: Macquarie's Point and the Sydney Harbor. From Macquaries's Point on the far right of the garden, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the Sydney Opera House paired with the Harbor Bridge. At sunset, this view is amazing. Words can't describe it, but a picture can.

The left end of the garden takes you past the Government House and up to the Opera House. At first you catch glimpses of its' recognizable shape peeking through the tops of trees. My first glimpse had my heart racing in anticipation. I made my way down the path next to Farm Cove, and there, at the end of the path, was the Opera House.

My camera was working overtime as I snapped shot after shot, trying to get the best photograph from this moment to take home with me. I even whipped out my iPhone to get a few artsy shots with Hipstamatic. I couldn't believe I was standing next to a building so magnificent, and so unique-looking. Until I came to Sydney, I never thought that I would have the chance to see this up-close, and that it would only exist on TV or in magazines.

I even got to touch the Opera House, and took a picture of it to document the moment. Tourists from Australia, as well as other countries around the world, swirled around me taking photos and murmuring in shared awe. Languages floated around my head: English, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, German, French, all commenting on the beauty of the Opera House and how enjoyable that moment was.

After I exhausted my camera at the Opera House, I headed up to check out Circular Quay for a little bit before grabbing some dinner and heading back to my hostel. The next day would involve seeing the rest of the Botanical Gardens.

So my next mission was to check out Macquarie's Point and see the other half of the gardens. This included the Tropical Garden, the Herb Garden, the Oriental Garden, the Fern Garden, and the Garden Shop. On the way I learned a little about the founding of the Botanical Gardens, as well as some history of the Aborigines and their role in the early settling of Sydney.

The history of how the Aborigines and European settlers encountered and interacted with each other mirrors that of how Europeans interacted with Native Americans and Africans. Unaccustomed to diseases brought by the Europeans, smallpox killed almost all of the Aborigines who lived in what is now the Botanical Garden area. The children of Aborigines were taken from their families and forced to live with English families as house servants, in hopes that eventually interracial marriages would breed out the Aboriginal bloodline. The exhibit in the garden went on to explain how the Aborigines fought against these changes as hard as they could, and were eventually granted the ability to vote like others in Australia. As recently as the last century, they were voted to be included in the census. I left the exhibit feeling both unsettled about what had happened, but also possessing the desire to learn more about what transpired in Aboriginal history.

I soldiered on to Marquarie's Point in the nice sunny weather and was rewarded at the end of the path with great photo opportunities. With the winter sun shining down on the harbor and illuminating the water, it cast both the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge in a great view. I took my photos, then purchased some iced tea and salt-and-vinegar crisps (potato chips) to snack on beneath a shady tree nearby. Everything came together that afternoon for a wonderful relaxing experience: the weather, the view, the food, and the atmosphere.

Sydney has offered me a lot of great photographs since I arrived, and my computer's folders are proof: over 700 pictures have been taken this week alone. I am happy that I will have more than enough good ones to choose from when I go to print them and give them as gifts.

Achieving a dream, part 2

I've been touring around in Sydney for 4 days now, walking everywhere and taking in the sights, sounds, and smells. The area my hostel is in is close to Sydney's Central Business District, as well as the Royal Botanical Gardens, Circular Quay, and the Sydney Opera House. Not a bad location after all; everything is within walking distance thus far.

The first day I spent walking around Hyde Park and the surrounding area. There is a giant cathedral, St. Mary's, on the outskirts of the park. This cathedral is gorgeous, and serves as a nice backdrop to people relaxing in the park.



In the center of Hyde Park is a giant fountain with ornate statues. This is a central meeting point for people walking through this area, and also the focus of many tourists' photos, including mine.



Nearby this fountain is a small cafe offering drinks and food for patrons to enjoy with their view of nature. I stopped to check out a group of gentlemen playing chess at a giant chessboard in the park.

At the other end of the park from here is the ANZAC Memorial and the Australian Museum. The ANZAC Memorial pays tribute to all Australians and New Zealanders who fought in the wars as a part of the Army Corps.

After I had explored the park area thoroughly enough, I ventured into the business district. Here you can find dozens of stores, both high-end and general. Scattered amongst these are restaurants and cafes with smells almost tempting enough to wander inside. Starbucks has a presence here, as well as McDonalds, Subway, and KFC. There is even a Tom and Tom's, which made me immensely happy to see.



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Fulfilling a dream, part 1

A dream of mine has been to travel to Australia and see the sights of Sydney. I never thought that I would actually get the chance to do so, however. But as I sit here on a plane headed towards Malaysia, that dream is inching closer to completion.

Tomorrow morning I'll be boarding the second leg of my trip, an 8-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney. When I land tomorrow evening, I will have left behind the heat and humidity of summer in Korea for the milder winter temps of southeastern Australia. With the extended forecast heralding temperatures in the 60s (around 10 Celsius for the metric system users) for the duration of my trip, I surely can't complain.

Not only that, I'll be able to see first-hand sights I've only witnessed in others' pictures or on TV. I'll be able to take my own pictures to take home with me, as well as have some truly unique adventures. High on my list are the Sydney Opera House, as well as playing with koalas and kangaroos. But who knows what else awaits me? Stay tuned for more details!

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