A 4am start meant that I don’t even recall leaving New Zealand for the last time. The only part of the flight I can recall is the bump when the plane hit the tarmac at Sydney Airport. As my plane taxi ‘down the runway I looked out and marvelled at not only a clear blue sky but planes parked up from Singapore Airlines, Philippine Air and British Airways. Never had I been so happy to see aeroplanes. One thing New Zealand does give you is a sense of isolation from the rest of the world and the sight of all these aeroplanes meant that this space boy was back on earth.
It’s became quite apparent that 99.9% of the people who read my blog have never met me so a brief history lesson is required. Almost four years ago now I made my first ever solo backpacking trip to Australia on a working holiday visa. Five months of that year were spent in Sydney. I utterly loved my time there and for a long time mourned my departure and had often thought of going back to live there full time.
I had such a wonderful two days in Sydney. It really showed its best side to me and reminded why I loved it so much. The hot winter sun certainly helped and I loved taking a trip down memory lane with a stroll down King Street into the ever funky Glebe, down past China Town and onto the madness that is circular quay. Stopping for a rest at the Sydney Opera House outdoor bar, I sat there for a good hour enjoying a few cold beers and soaking it all up. Words cannot describe how happy I was to be back in Sydney at that point.

A walk round the botanical gardens and a few last tacky shots of me in front of the Opera House topped off what was a perfect afternoon, good good, great weather, seeing an old friend and one of my favourite bands the eels even had the courtesy to be happening to be playing in town that night. It was a day that was almost too good to be true
I spent the next day mauling around my old neighbourhood of Newtown. People used to tell me when I lived there that it was Sydney’s version of Camden but I have since lived in Camden and the last time I checked Newtown was not full of McDonalds, Starbucks and crappy chain bars full of pretentious middle class kids dressing like whomever flavour of the month was. Camden has nothing on Newtown. I also managed to spend more on clothes in two hours there than I did in my entire time in New Zealand. Which was zero and it wasn’t because I was on a budget either.
I was sad to leave Sydney yet again but I am confident I will be back one day and that I won’t be leaving. As sad as I was to leave my friends my friends in Wellington I am also glad I waited to leaving NZ to come to Sydney and not just a weekend away as the direct comparisons would have made for a depressing journey back.
Sun, fashion, music and the feeling that I have not fallen off the edge of the world. How I have missed this.
See you soon Sydney.
Tags: Backpacking Sydney, Botanical Gardens, eels., Newtown, Sydney Opera House



























