Well I am currently sitting at the airport on my way back from a weekend in Sydney and a conference in Newcastle and what a trip it has been.
To start with I got to go through security with my shoes on and a full water bottle! Small victory I know. I had never really thought about how different countries would have different ways of going about security. I know that things were very different in Indonesia, but somehow I expected Australia to be the same. It’s not. People looked at me like I was crazy for having my liquids out in a plastic bag.
Another fun fact, in Australia, airlines feed you! Nothing elaborate mind you, but at least a muffin or a sandwich depending on the time of day. They do not however seem to have sodas, you are stuck with tea and coffee.
Each time I travel in Australia I am struck by the level of hospitality I encounter. People I have never even met picking me up from the airport and from the platform of the train, letting me stay in there homes, feeding me and the like. While for the most part I like this expected level of hospitality, I can actually find it extremely overwhelming at times. One of my hosts in particular on this trip made me feel this way. I think it makes me feel like I am being chaperoned, and I find that off putting.
That being said, my weekend in Sydney was incredible. My host there was the perfect balance of hospitable, but I also had the chance to do some exploring on my own. Sydney is a lovely city, lots to explore and do. The opera house is incredibly majestic sitting out on a point, and it’s tiled. The Royal Botanic Gardens are massive. There is a nice bled of new and old buildings, and some beautiful and massive shopping centers. I got to ride trains and ferry’s and spend lots of time on foot. It had a similar feel as Chicago to me, but I love Chicago, so I was a fan.
There are so many things I miss about living in or closer to the city, the food being one. I got some amazing Greek food, Thai food and Starbucks while there; a nice blend of familiar and variety. I love that there is always something to do in the city; whether you want a museum, markets to wander through, a ballet to attend or just a new place to walk with a street musician to listen to.
I don’t miss the buzz and the noise though. When I first got off the train in downtown Sydney, I can only say I was overwhelmed. I was also overwhelmed when I ended up on the wrong train out of Sydney and experienced a 6-hour delay. In Sydney there were people everywhere, and people all seem so inconsiderate, very concerned for their own needs and not looking out for others. The city can be such a lonely place. I hope someday to move closer to a city, but I think as much as I enjoyed my trip, I was most glad to leave the concrete jungle.
I think that I have started the journey to become a bit of an Aussie. I found that especially when traveling people didn’t ask me where I was from after they heard my accent, and lots of people asked me for directions. Or perhaps my accent just seems less out of place in the city. I did have to laugh at the fact that I bought a green and gold Australia sweatshirt and had so many people ask what sport I represented Australia in. My response of course, was tourism. It just made me chuckle that a $20 sweatshirt had people convinced I was awesome enough to compete at national level athletics!
Well that’s all for now. More later.
