Autumn Shade

As most people reading this will presumably be enjoying some improving weather, things are of course moving in the opposite direction here. The leaves are falling, the temperatures have started to force jumper wearing on a regular basis and pretty soon I'll probably be in the mood to go Christmas shopping.

Though after around 6½ months, I finally had somewhere to put my things and call home. I've now settled into a routine of cooking, grocery shopping and cleaning my clothes myself. The routine has also come at a cost of being what seems like a million times less active (in terms of sight seeing/venturing into the great unknown). However I've had my time taken up by job hunting. A little more effort than I first figured it might be, I have now secured my first work (not in a chicken factory this time!). I was offered the position yesterday, though in my spare mornings/afternoons I've also managed to cover most of Sydneys Central Business District and a little further afield too:

The Sydney skyline is just about dominated by the SkyTower. This construction has various tourist attractions including a bar which rotates giving 360 views of the city. However, for some reason it closes at 4.30, so when we arrived at 4.20 we decided not to bother. As consolation, we found another tower (maybe 40metres shorter) that has its own spinning bar. The views as the sun set were quite amazing, and of course - for 2 beers to literally make the room spin, the value for money was great too.

The great thing about living so close to the beach, is the options the coast gives you for some great Sunday morning walks. We live at one end of the infamous Bondi to Coogee walk. The other direction gives a shorter walk toward South Coogee, though this is more fun as you have to cross boulders with the waves beside you threatening to soak your clothes right through.

In Coogee itself, I'm spoiled for choice with 2 great pubs, a small supermarket and a videoshop (not to mention more eateries than I care to mention). Five-O's has become a tri-weekly institution offering a 300g Steak and Mash for $5 (about 2.30 Stirling) - it's surprisingly good too. Of course there is the beach, coastal walks, natural baths and rugby/cricket oval but what Coogee specialises in - is hills. I'm not joking - for anyone who has selected "hill-walk" on the tread-mill in the gym - and wandered where on earth would be so hilly; it's Coogee. Never mind buns of steel, my buns have already surpassed that and are headed for the diamond level of toughness.

I've also made trips to the Botanical gardens, had tea and scones by the Opera house, visited the NSW Library, holding the World Press Photographic exhibiton.

I was getting close to tearing my hair out after so much time floating the world free; suddenly constrained to the system of job hunting and being firmly routed to the same residence. So I decided to take a trip to Sydneys humble beginnings - now the second Central Business District; Paramatta. Flea and I took the RiverCat and headed up stream and inland for an hour. My Lonely Planet described the main sites and gave a heads up on what to expect. We saw one of the first European residences still standing, and the old parliament building (not much bigger than a medium sized house) dating back through all of Australias short history. The most fun was an Aboriginal pathway however. 800metres of riverside decorated with Abo artwork which actually tells a story as you walk it (It would seem that the Mods made it on their Vespas here too). After a walk through the park, I had a stroll around the shops before catching the train back into Sydney Central.