Spending time in Sydney

the aussies call vacation holiday. i think that accurately describes what i am doing. i am not really vacationing bc that would imply that i have a job. so i am on holiday. on holiday from the east coast of the states. virginia if they ask. and when they do they nod like they know where that is and they don't. just like i do when they tell me where they are from. people here are really nice and like to offer suggestions of where to go and what to do.

what's weird to me about this city is how small all the cars are. there are NO suvs and suburbans and trucks and gas guzzling monsters. penny laughed when i told her this bc she said these cars were large compared to europe.

i took the wrong bus into the city and ended up darling harbor (i knew where that was) so i decided to take the ferry over to circular quay (key) to go to the zoo. it forced me to wait and relax and listen to the orchestra playing at the maritime museum (a couple from melbourne noticed that i probably needed more of this in my life after talking to them for 10 min - i recommended the pylon tour over the bridge climb). i LOVE the ferries. i even took more of them just to enjoy the ride. don't ask me where i went bc i didn't really get off, but i enjoyed more scenic views and cool salty breezes.

the taronga zoo is pretty neat to me - an american - bc i got to see some australian wildlife. i saw roos (yum!) and wallabies and echidnas (cool!!!) and platypus! i even saw a koala baby. and other ones that weren't as exciting. there was a stand with furs and taxidermied animals - i was checking out the platy and the echidna and the lady said "you know they are not mammals." i immediately replied, 'nope they are monotremes." she was surprised i knew. and you know what else they have there - a LEOPARD seal. they really are mean looking buggers - even when they are sleeping. it was so funny to me bc they were all excited to see a BEAR. hmph. commonplace in the US.

an exciting evening for me - i fell asleep watching some hilarious aussie comedy. my body has NO idea what time it is. (that is why i woke up at 6am this morning) then i woke up and went to dike night at the local pub with penny. penny is the girl i am couchsurfing with and she is awesome. i really enjoy spending time with her and talking to her, we laugh a lot - i am sad that i do not get to meet her girlfriend megan who is currently in japan on holiday. and her flatmate gab is also really nice and helpful - explaining the ins and outs of the electric tea kettle and offering suggestions of where i need to go. we went to go meet up with the girls that pen plays australian football with. i don't quite understand this game - but there is a national final on this weekend i have been told to watch. it's not soccer and it is not american football and not rugby- to me it sounds kind of a mix of all of them with no padding. i think i need to see a game. i also am hearing a lot about rugby - the cup is coming soon and i know the all blacks of new zealand - EVERYWHERE when walking around auckland - please get me every item of clothing. penny says that really the only people in aussie who are excited about rugby are sydney people. apparently the US has a team and we are not awful - but not that good either. i didn't even know we had one.

today i am off to brisbane - or brisvegas as it has been referred to. it's quite a bit warmer there and maybe i will get to the beach. i think there is way more for me to see in sydney, but i will try to get back in time in november to see a bit more - and to visit with penny, megan, gab, and matilda the rabbit.