Sydney, Australia!

Plane ride was uneventful. I slept a little on the place, but not too much. ARrived in Sydney shortly after 6:00AM.

Got through immigration without any problems, called the Funkhouse Hostel (where we reserved for three nights) to arrange pickup from the airport. A mini-bus picked us (and 4 others) up and took us to the hostel.

We checked into a 2-bed dorm room for $22/night/person, way more than SE Asia. We showered, got a hold of Anna (whom we met and dived with in Koh Tao), she came over to our hostel and she took us on a quick walking tour of downtown Sydney, the harbour area, shopping areas (mom, you'd LOVE it here) and the Sydney Opera House. The Sydney Opera House is WAY impressive!!! It's way more impressive in real life than it is in pictures! I was amazed by it. I'll have to take in a show at it while I'm here.

We got back to the hostel about 2:30, I tried to sleep for a while, because we're supposed to party with Anna this evening, she is supposed to come to our hostel at 7:30. While I kind of tried to sleep, Court dyed (sp?) her hair, a light brown. And it turned green, according to her, but I just see brown.

There's an IGA right next to the hostel, so Court and I went shopping and bought a few groceries and made supper, which consisted of sliced meat on bread with mayonaisse.

We waited for Anna, and we waited and we waited, and she never showed. About 9:00, Court, myself and Ashley (guy from England) and Andrew (New Zealand) wandered around looking for a pub/bar, and ended up at the Green Park Hotel, had a drink played some pool, then went home about 11:00.

The area that our hostel is in is called Kings Cross. It's definately the red-light district area of Sydney, lots and lots of strip joints and sex shows and adult stores all around the hostel. It's certainly not a run-down area of town, though, it's very nice area, tree-lined streets, and you have your usual variety of stores, McDonalds, BK, 7-11, IGA, etc.

It's so nice to actually not eat out!!! We have an IGA right here, there's cooking facilities in the hostel, with 2 huge fridges for the guests to keep their food, so Court and I will not be eating out much from now on.