We're off to a land downunder...

Arriving in Sydney with the usual mass of luggage and a weather uncharacteristically hot for the time of year we stagger to the bus and are crammed in for the short trip to our hostel. Picture an 18-30 holiday held in a huge converted 7storey building and you’ll get an idea of where we’re at. Fantastic old building right near the centre of the city, cool hip slick modern interior and loads of 16-22yr olds speaking at 200% volume as they try to impress all around with how cool and well travelled they really are. No, I’m being a bit harsh. The place is run like a very slick youth hostel, and to be fair is quiet at night and clean and professional in the day, the cellar bar puts on the sort of entertainment the aforementioned clientele would most appreciate, making it a cattle market just like any self respecting student union bar, but you’re in the city so if that isn’t your cup of tea you can always drink/eat elsewhere.

With two days in the city before we head off to the dropzone and a shopping list of must haves we head off to take it all in. Shopping successfully complete, we have time to take in the opera house (how small?) and Sydney harbour bridge before catching a ferry over to Manly and the beach. A bit of a surfers mecca, the place is littered with surf shops and the beach with apparently all the occupants of the hostel. A fantastic deli sandwich shop and a few gallons of water later we grab the ferry back and I’m satisfied that my whistle-stop stay in Sydney is complete.