First day in Sydney

Walking off the plane, I am feeling good. 

Spoiler alert, the universe was about to throw a stick in the spokes of my plans. 

You know what will give you a really sinking feeling? watching everyone at the baggage claim find their bag. while you stand alone realizing that all the gear you need for your camping plans across the world did not make it across the world with you. A really optimistic worker was nice enough to radio down and check all the possible hiding places of my bag to no avail.

The bag never made it out of LA. 

So to recap.

I was just about to rent a car and drive to the mountain I wanted to climb. Now have no tent, boots, or any of the other outdoorsy shit I might have needed for that endeavor. I have been on planes for something like 19 hours with a 2plus hour layover in LA so I smell like that of a fresh budding rose, with no clothes to change into. Oh joy. 

This whole ordeal was a problem and I hate that it happened, but I am a pretty optimistic traveler. The only thing I knew to do was to find a backpackers hostel and wait. Also possible buy some cheap clothes somewhere.

Luckily there is no lack of backpacker hostels around Sydney but they are located a little ways away in kings cross area of Sydney. I ended up taking a taxi to one of the first hostels that showed up in my search online and I swear I can’t make up this name. The Jolly swagman backpacker hostel. And while the name is a little ridiculous , from what I can tell they run a pretty good operation around here. It’s too early to check in because it was still the am by the time I got there. But they gave me some cool places to go, directions to somewhere I could buy clothes, and where I could spend part of my day and enjoy at least a cool part of Sydney. I didn’t really leave the area of the hostel for a little while just because I was hungry. 

I let my irritation with being without the gear I needed get to me for a short time and then i was off. 

It’s amazing how morale can change with something as simple as a good meal. 

Managed to find a shirt and get a clean shower at the hostel and then was off again. Mind you I still smell iffy, but not quite as bad. I figured getting a clean shirt and a shower was better than buying an entire wardrobe. I took the train to a junction and then a bus to Bondi beach. While kings cross area is more tourist and international which comes across feeling like a big city, Bondi beach feels more like a local beach community. Just walking around the area you will see many locals and travelers alike enjoying all that Bondi beach has to offer. Just off the beach is a large boardwalk with beautiful artwork/graffiti. The waters of the beach are inhabited with swimmers, kayakers, and surfers. As the boardwalk circles around to the north, the sand beach gives way to rock outcroppings with paths cut through. As you travel down the rocks there are smaller tide pools with snails and few anemone. Spear fisherman can be seen both entering and exiting the water with daily catches from the edge of the rocks. Further down the rocks I came upon a man who was cutting open sea urchins he had harvested and he was nice enough to talk to me and give me a piece.. it was absolutely delicious. 

I spent the remainder of my afternoon just wandering around Bondi talking to people. I got a recommendation on where to eat and a place to watch the sunset just above the beach so I did just that. By the time I had eaten and the sun had gone down, I was absolutely exhausted. I just have to say that the public transit here is incredible. Made it back to my hostel in no time and after another shower, I was out cold. At like 7:15pm.. I don’t know what I am gonna end up doing with the remainder of my time here in Australia, but I am glad I stayed in Sydney and found such beautiful and interesting things to do while I’m here. I think I may just bounce around this city until I fly out in a couple days. Keeps the stress low and also gives me more time to explore this vibrant place.