Auzzie-land
Traveling in Australia is very easy and so was the transition. Same language, similar culture. The biggest shock was the prices, especially after traveling through India and SEA. Everything just seems so expensive.
We landed in Sydney and were greeted by Matt and Marisol, friends we met back in Thailand. They were so nice to drive us around town and show us some of the major sites, including their favorite beach and the Olympic Complex.
Olympic Stadium, Sydney
After a couple of days of relaxing in Sydney we took off to Melbourne. I really loved this city. We stayed with a friend and former co-worker, Yuri. This guy knows how to party! The first night we went to the famous Queen Victoria night market and then out to a bar. The next night we started at one drinking-hole called Bimbo's before heading over to Crown Casino. I wasn't allowed into the night-club since I was eating flip-flops (the downside of having a limited wardrobe). Instead we sat in a bar where we drank two bottles of champagne. Then it was off to another disco to dance the night away. The evening ended around 5:30am with a night-cap back at Yuri's place.
Strange baby at Bimbo Bar
Yuri and champain
We did manage to do some site-seeing too. We rode the free tourist bus around town to see the Docklands, Shrine of Remembrance and the Botanical Gardens. An interesting museum is the Australian Center for the Moving Image, a fascinating gallery dedicated to film, TV and digital media. I re-lived my childhood by playing the original Nintendo!
Melbourne skyline
Melbourne is a city worth exploring. Just walk around the various neighborhoods, taking in all the sites and easy going culture.
Shrine of Remembrance