Well I've been spoilt rotten the last fortnight- it's just been an endless round of freebies and favours! Observation: Sydney is as cosmopolitan as some British cities...yet there are stark differences in peoples attitudes when it comes to the treatment of their fellow men (or women...) For example;
Scenario 1: Waiting for my connecting bus. "Pre-pay only" vehicle approaches. Flustered and tired, I explain to bus driver that I'd happily pay for a ticket. "Pre-pay only" bus driver states. I bow my head and exit vehicle. "Where are you going?" shouts bus driver. "Newport?" I say hopefully. "Ah, jump on" replies bus driver. Woop! British version would probably go something like this; Girl gets on bus. Bus driver says "Pre- pay only". Girl explains she is only travelling to neighbouring suburb. Bus driver orders girl to get off bus.
Scenario 2: Struggling to get mascara off my fingers after applying "day-to-night" make-up whilst aboard the Manly ferry. Clearly an impossible feat to accomplish through scraping with nails alone (Rimmel- it's positively super-stay!) Kind Indian lady sat opposite offers me a baby wipe. I continue my journey with clean hands. British version: Girl on London tube applying mascara. Girl goes to rid her fingers of mascara. Girl is frowned at by fellow tube passengers for not having her own tissues and anti-bacterial gel with her... (hasn't girl heard of swine flu!)
Scenario 3: Power walking down my street, running late (as usual). Two retired gents in a landrover pull over offer me a lift down to the bus stop. I oblige. I arrive on time to work. British version: Girl walking to work. Car pulls over. Girl legs it and calls police. Girl arrives late to work after visiting police station and issuing a statement.
Scenario 4: Attempting to board bus and pay for my fare with a $10 note. Driver has no change. I get another free bus trip. Woop! British version: Girl gets on bus with a tenner note. Bus driver orders girl to get off bus.
Scenario 5: Paying for vegetarian dumplings at Japanese stall in the Rocks market. I issue a verbal disclaimer to market trader that I'm not, in fact, a vegetarian, but just prefer the taste. Market trader exclaims his joy and adds a variety of meaty treats, free of charge, to my plate. British version: Girl explains to waiter in Yo Sushi that she enjoys both vegetarian and meaty delicacies. Yo Sushi waiter explains that girl can choose from vegetarian and meaty delicacies, and pay for each dish according to the colour of the plate.
Scenario 6: Walking passed sweet shop in the Rocks Centre when kind sweet shop man hands me free, freshly cooked watermelon-flavoured goodies. British version: Girl gets arrested for "sampling" pick and mix before deciding to commit to purchase of pink shrimps (and for not using the scoop).
So in the least Tim Westwood (ie, dodgy dj) way, here's a big shout out to the good samaritans of Sydney- thanks for the lifts, sweets and dumplings; you know how to keep a Welsh bird happy...
In other news...
Random moment of the week; Being asked to have my picture taken with a Japanese customer in the surf store where I've recently started working- they wanted a picture with an "Aussie surfer chick". Ah, if only they knew that the closest I've ever come to surfing was almost drowning on a body board on Pendine sands...Still, being confused as Aussie is a refreshing change from Irish...
Tip of the week; When eating your sandwiches on Circular Quay, be sure to nibble in a covert fashion, hiding what you're doing from the glares of the opportunistic sea gulls. They WILL attack you. You WILL scream. It WILL be embarrassing.
Monday, 23 August 2010
Sunday, 8 August 2010
Week 5/6: Country over Cosmo? Never!
So this week I found the "adventurer within"- temporarily switching my stiletoes for hiking gear to trek into the Blue Mountains. Awake at 6am (first time since 1989), layered up to the extent that I resembled the lovechild of Michelle McManus and the Michelin Man, more sarnies than one person would ever need for one day packed- and I'm ready for my first non-city based Aussie experience.
I have visions of "Challenge Annika" as we descend into the Grand Canyon, setting off on a four hour trek, that is apparently classed as a "hard" walk (I know, what was I thinking right? And there was me imagining a "nature trail" style stroll, like the kind you get in Pembrey Country Park...) A river crossing, a crawl through a cove, and a short motivational humming of the Rocky theme tune whilst climbing many, many steps later, we reached Evans Lookout. Spectacular. Especially when accompanied by a cheese and pickle sandwich. Observation; a country walk in Wales is a timid stroll compared to an exhilarating Aussie bush trek.
Upon our return to the car, realising it was only 1.30pm (most productive morning ever!) we decided to take a trip to Katoomba. Now I already felt very Bear Grylls having faced the perils of the rainforest during the morning, but as we boarded the vertical railway to take us down the mountain and the theme tune from Indiana Jones started playing (honest!), I became Hannah Davies, "danger seeker"... (ie. Kate Adie crossed with Ellen MacArthur and Angelina Jolie as Tomb Raider).
It wasn't long until I was back in my more familiar habitat however- the Hollywood blockbuster (where I would star as a female Crocodile Dundee) would have to wait. A night out in Manly was in store with a couple friends from Wales. We found ourselves in Sugar Lounge, a lovely little bar on the seafront; drank wine, met a Frenchman whose idea of flirtation was winking numerous times (didn't know whether he was attempting to catch my attention or was merely nervous twitching), and danced to a live band playing Stevie Wonder classics. Aside from my friend managing to tumble, legs akimbo, into the band- landing in a heap at the feet of the lead singer, it was a pretty great night. Conclusion; stiletoes and dancing can be traded in for walking boots and bush adventures ONCE a month only- as awesome as the views are, one can only muster a certain amount of motivation from chanting "buns-of-steel" repeatedely whilst hiking up a mountain. Wiggling to "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" whilst sipping a glass of Chardonnay however, is a purely pleasureable experience (minus the twitchy Frenchman of course...)
Quote of the week; "Don't you find possums really camp- you know, how they just mince across the power lines". According to my Welsh friend, who has recently arrived in Sydney, the possum is the more homosexual of the nocturnal Australian creatures...
I have visions of "Challenge Annika" as we descend into the Grand Canyon, setting off on a four hour trek, that is apparently classed as a "hard" walk (I know, what was I thinking right? And there was me imagining a "nature trail" style stroll, like the kind you get in Pembrey Country Park...) A river crossing, a crawl through a cove, and a short motivational humming of the Rocky theme tune whilst climbing many, many steps later, we reached Evans Lookout. Spectacular. Especially when accompanied by a cheese and pickle sandwich. Observation; a country walk in Wales is a timid stroll compared to an exhilarating Aussie bush trek.
Upon our return to the car, realising it was only 1.30pm (most productive morning ever!) we decided to take a trip to Katoomba. Now I already felt very Bear Grylls having faced the perils of the rainforest during the morning, but as we boarded the vertical railway to take us down the mountain and the theme tune from Indiana Jones started playing (honest!), I became Hannah Davies, "danger seeker"... (ie. Kate Adie crossed with Ellen MacArthur and Angelina Jolie as Tomb Raider).
It wasn't long until I was back in my more familiar habitat however- the Hollywood blockbuster (where I would star as a female Crocodile Dundee) would have to wait. A night out in Manly was in store with a couple friends from Wales. We found ourselves in Sugar Lounge, a lovely little bar on the seafront; drank wine, met a Frenchman whose idea of flirtation was winking numerous times (didn't know whether he was attempting to catch my attention or was merely nervous twitching), and danced to a live band playing Stevie Wonder classics. Aside from my friend managing to tumble, legs akimbo, into the band- landing in a heap at the feet of the lead singer, it was a pretty great night. Conclusion; stiletoes and dancing can be traded in for walking boots and bush adventures ONCE a month only- as awesome as the views are, one can only muster a certain amount of motivation from chanting "buns-of-steel" repeatedely whilst hiking up a mountain. Wiggling to "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" whilst sipping a glass of Chardonnay however, is a purely pleasureable experience (minus the twitchy Frenchman of course...)
Quote of the week; "Don't you find possums really camp- you know, how they just mince across the power lines". According to my Welsh friend, who has recently arrived in Sydney, the possum is the more homosexual of the nocturnal Australian creatures...
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