Hello Sydney!
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Anne
27 Maart 2014 | Australië, Sydney
Hi all!
Last Monday I left from Amsterdam with a heavy heart.. Leaving everything behind for four months didn't seem that smart all of the sudden. The first flight to Dubai was quite short (6.5 hours) in which I watched the movie Frozen and studied a bit. One of the stewardesses gave me a questionnaire about the service and I got a pen and a box with two chocolates in return! During the stopover at Dubai I was amazed by the size of the airport. I had to take a train from the arrival hall to the departure gates. The way to get there was so confusing that I started discussing it with an Australian guy, who was going to Adelaide. He told me it is very hard to get an internship at an Australian zoo, so I felt even more proud for being here. The long flight to Sydney was quite rough because of turbulence. Fortunately I had three seats to myself so I could lay down completely and get some sleep. I got easily through customs and I arrived at my host family Tuesday around midnight local time. I met my host Prue, but since it was very late I just freshened up and went to sleep.
After a rough night (probably jet lag-related) I woke up to birds singing really loud. I am staying in a very leafy suburb in North Sydney and there are many beautiful exotic birds, which make plenty of noise. What a wonderful way of waking up! I was feeling quite tired, but decided that I had to get up and get in the new rhythm. So, after unpacking my suitcase, I went to Chatswood. This is the next suburb next to mine and at least half the people are Asian! All the names of the shops and pamphlets are bilingual, so it seems like Chinatown (although there is a real Chinatown somewhere else in Sydney). I went to the bank, where a very nice Indian man helped me completing my bank account and he gave me a debit card. I could choose my own PIN, which was surprising to me. After lunch I walked to the shops of Artarmon, my suburb, and bought a Australian simcard. So now I can call and use the internet very easily. Afterwards I was so tired that I just stayed at home, helped with some cooking and went to sleep.
It had been raining since I arrived here, but since Wednesday evening it was pouring down. But a true Dutch woman doesn't let some rain stop her! So I bought a return ticket to the city centre and decided to play tourist. First up: the Opera House :) Even though I had bought an umbrella, my trousers were very wet near my shoes and I was glad I had arrived there. It looks really different from nearby, because the outside is not evenly white but build up from creamy coloured pieces. I booked a tour and had some lunch before it in one of the many restaurants inside. I ordered a babycino, which is a tiny cappuccino with lots of milk foam and chocolate powder on top.. Delicious! The guide was very enthusiastic and gave an interesting tour about the history and the current plays. The main concert hall was pretty impressive in size and interior design. In the end they tried to rip us off by offering an information booklet plus some pictures where you had been photoshopped into the music halls for $40. With some other people from the group we decided that it wasn't worth it.
Right next to the Opera House are the Royal Botanic Gardens. What a peaceful place! It's gigantic and there are lots of interesting plants, birds and sculptures. I walked around for quite a while and then passed Hyde Park (no, not the one in London) towards the Sydney Eye. This tower is over 300m high and after a pathetic 4D experience, you get to go up to the observational platform at 250m. Spectacular view, even though it was very cloudy. Here again they tried to sell exactly the same photo/info package for the same price ;) Sydney Eye is build on top of a very fancy 6 stories high shopping mall, which houses everything from Zara and Esprit to Chanel. Since my feet were starting to hurt I decided that it was enough for one day and went back home.
Tomorrow is another rainy day and I have a lot of literature to read before I start Monday at the zoo. If it clears up a bit I might go to the library where I'm a brand new member (for free!) to pick out some books or DVDs. Saturday I am invited to a Parrot Fest of which I don't have the exact details yet, but it includes dissecting a parrot..
You will hear all about it in the next blog :)
Until next time,
Anne
Last Monday I left from Amsterdam with a heavy heart.. Leaving everything behind for four months didn't seem that smart all of the sudden. The first flight to Dubai was quite short (6.5 hours) in which I watched the movie Frozen and studied a bit. One of the stewardesses gave me a questionnaire about the service and I got a pen and a box with two chocolates in return! During the stopover at Dubai I was amazed by the size of the airport. I had to take a train from the arrival hall to the departure gates. The way to get there was so confusing that I started discussing it with an Australian guy, who was going to Adelaide. He told me it is very hard to get an internship at an Australian zoo, so I felt even more proud for being here. The long flight to Sydney was quite rough because of turbulence. Fortunately I had three seats to myself so I could lay down completely and get some sleep. I got easily through customs and I arrived at my host family Tuesday around midnight local time. I met my host Prue, but since it was very late I just freshened up and went to sleep.
After a rough night (probably jet lag-related) I woke up to birds singing really loud. I am staying in a very leafy suburb in North Sydney and there are many beautiful exotic birds, which make plenty of noise. What a wonderful way of waking up! I was feeling quite tired, but decided that I had to get up and get in the new rhythm. So, after unpacking my suitcase, I went to Chatswood. This is the next suburb next to mine and at least half the people are Asian! All the names of the shops and pamphlets are bilingual, so it seems like Chinatown (although there is a real Chinatown somewhere else in Sydney). I went to the bank, where a very nice Indian man helped me completing my bank account and he gave me a debit card. I could choose my own PIN, which was surprising to me. After lunch I walked to the shops of Artarmon, my suburb, and bought a Australian simcard. So now I can call and use the internet very easily. Afterwards I was so tired that I just stayed at home, helped with some cooking and went to sleep.
It had been raining since I arrived here, but since Wednesday evening it was pouring down. But a true Dutch woman doesn't let some rain stop her! So I bought a return ticket to the city centre and decided to play tourist. First up: the Opera House :) Even though I had bought an umbrella, my trousers were very wet near my shoes and I was glad I had arrived there. It looks really different from nearby, because the outside is not evenly white but build up from creamy coloured pieces. I booked a tour and had some lunch before it in one of the many restaurants inside. I ordered a babycino, which is a tiny cappuccino with lots of milk foam and chocolate powder on top.. Delicious! The guide was very enthusiastic and gave an interesting tour about the history and the current plays. The main concert hall was pretty impressive in size and interior design. In the end they tried to rip us off by offering an information booklet plus some pictures where you had been photoshopped into the music halls for $40. With some other people from the group we decided that it wasn't worth it.
Right next to the Opera House are the Royal Botanic Gardens. What a peaceful place! It's gigantic and there are lots of interesting plants, birds and sculptures. I walked around for quite a while and then passed Hyde Park (no, not the one in London) towards the Sydney Eye. This tower is over 300m high and after a pathetic 4D experience, you get to go up to the observational platform at 250m. Spectacular view, even though it was very cloudy. Here again they tried to sell exactly the same photo/info package for the same price ;) Sydney Eye is build on top of a very fancy 6 stories high shopping mall, which houses everything from Zara and Esprit to Chanel. Since my feet were starting to hurt I decided that it was enough for one day and went back home.
Tomorrow is another rainy day and I have a lot of literature to read before I start Monday at the zoo. If it clears up a bit I might go to the library where I'm a brand new member (for free!) to pick out some books or DVDs. Saturday I am invited to a Parrot Fest of which I don't have the exact details yet, but it includes dissecting a parrot..
You will hear all about it in the next blog :)
Until next time,
Anne
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28 Maart 2014 - 06:59
Annemiek Stens:
Hee! Leuk om je verhalen bij te houden, en mooi dat de reis goed is gegaan :-) We zitten op relatief best dicht bij elkaar! Als je nog wilde plannen krijgt en een tripje naar Nieuw Zeeland wil doen, je kan altijd bij mij slapen in Auckland :-) Succes verder en hopelijk stopt het regenen snel! -
28 Maart 2014 - 08:04
Anne Van Den Oever:
Hey! Ik hou jouw blog ook bij, leuk om de overeenkomsten te zien :) Ik heb misschien op het eind nog 1 week over en ik ben er nog niet helemaal uit of ik dan naar Tasmanië ga of Nieuw-Zeeland, dus het kan zomaar zijn dat je aanbod aanneem! Jij ook succes en veel plezier! -
28 Maart 2014 - 14:11
Mandy Steehouwer:
Leuk, leuk! Het is zo ie zo al mega vet dat jij daar stage gaat lopen, of er nou veel of weinig mensen naar toe gaan! Was dit ook een introductie aan je uiltje? :P Dan gaat hij vast ook nog veel op de foto! Jammer van de regen trouwens, maar volgens mij heb je desondanks wel al veel bijzondere dingen gezien. Heeeeel veel plezier nog en spreken elkaar snel (via WA)!!!! -
29 Maart 2014 - 17:48
Cindy:
Wat een leuk verslag om te lezen. Ik snap dat het afscheid even lastig was. 4 maanden is ook gewoon lang maar het is een prachtige ervaring voor je! Je bent in ieder geval rete positief begonnen zeg! Simkaart, bankaccount, bieb lidmaatschap en veel toerist spelen en dat nog wel door de regen! Blijf je wel je Nederlandse nummer voor whatsapp houden of mogen we op je Australische nummer gaan spammen? Ik hoop dat je maandag een prachtig en niet zo chaotisch begin zult hebben bij de dierentuin. Geniet nog even van het weekend. Ik ben heel benieuwd trouwens wat dat 'parrot fest' heeft ingehouden. Bij een feestje denk ik niet meteen aan ontleden maar.... ok. (Rare biologen ;) ) Heel veel plezier en ik ben benieuwd naar je volgende verslag! :D Dikke knuffel! -
29 Maart 2014 - 23:15
Anne Van Den Oever:
Je kan gewoon door blijven appen in hetzelfde gesprek, op een of andere manier heeft hij dat aan mijn nieuwe nummer verbonden :) Haha, Fest is niet echt een feestje, maar meer een 'rare' bijeenkomst ;) Uiteindelijk zijn alle papegaaien heel gebleven wegens tijdgebrek, maar ik zal het allemaal uitleggen in mijn volgende verslag! Liefs! -
02 Juni 2014 - 22:01
Inge:
A bit late but still time for a short respons ;) I might even be crazy and respond to every single one of your journals haha... I'm OCD like that :')
Frozen is AWESOME. Really. Just AWESOME. :D
Brittish stuff in Australia? You're kidding me right ;)
Do you think you're going to attend a (dancing) show a the Opera House? I think that would be really something! Don't know about the prices though, might be really expensive...
Also I was wondering... Have you been eating your daily vegemite now you're almost a real Australian? I know what marmite smells like... My dad sometimes eats the stuff :X Bleh!
And... Whatsap? You're saying this NOW XD We should have a group conversation! I'm much better at keeping up with a chat overthere than with all the e-mails and stuff! <3
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