Travel Blog: Day 126

Let’s start this post with a little anecdote: On my flight to Sydney I ordered a beer on the plane as I always do if it’s not before lunch time J The steward gave me the beer and at the same moment told me that this was six dollars. That took me by surprise since beer on all of my other flights on this trip (all companies belonging to the “one world” alliance) was for free. Not wanting to lose my face I gave him a 20 dollar bill. He said he was going to give me my change later. Luckily, a few minutes later a stewardess came by and handed me my 20 back, saying it was OK. I don’t know if my world renowned charm made the difference or if they just didn’t have any change. Anyway – this gave me a taste of what lay ahead of me when it comes to prices in Australia.

My time in Sydney I spent walking around the city (taking tons of pictures of the two main icons: the opera house and the harbor bridge) and on both Manly Beach and Bondi Beach. I also explored the night life in Kings Cross – an area famous for its backpacker hostels and strip joints – and spent evenings drinking wine in Hyde Park.

During my days in Sydney I learned a few things about Australia (incomplete list)

• Australia’s mainland was attacked in World War II by Japanese bombers
• Australia is trying to host the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022
• Burger King is called “Hungry Jack’s” because there already was some take-away place called “Burger King” before the “real one“ opened its first restaurant

The next stop for me was Surfer’s Paradise on the Gold Coast. Now, I don’t know why this place is called Surfer’s Paradise. In my imagination of paradise there are no high rise buildings casting their shadows onto the beach. Also in ‘my’ paradise there would not nearly be as much rain. To be fair though, the weather there isn’t always as bad as I experienced it. I did get a few hours in the sun and had my first cautious attempts on a body board…you might call it surfing for dummies.

I still had a great time in Surfer’s…but this has nothing to do with the settings…and definitely not with the weather.

OK, so now I am in Brisbane where I walked around the city again and spent some time at the city beach in the South Bank Parklands. I also used the day to organize a tour to Fraser Island. Tomorrow morning I will board a 5-hour bus at 7 in the morning that takes me to Rainbow Beach. There I will meet my 8 fellow travelers that will accompany me on a 3day/2nights tour to Fraser Island. Since there are no paved roads on the island the only means of transportation is by four wheel drive vehicles. Should be fun!

I haven’t written any postcards in a while. If anybody has not received one so far, just give me your address and I will send you one. Remember: I will not bring home any presents or souvenirs whatsoever. So those postcards are all you can get. Go for it!

And last but not least here is my updated book list. Can’t imagine that this would be interesting for any of you but I always wanted to start a list for my own and this seems to be at least a start.

• "Book of the Dead" by Patricia Cornwell
• "Blutzoll" by Elisabeth Egholm
• "The Broken Window" by Jeffery Deaver
• "Tomorrow, When the War Began" by John Marsden
• "Hollowpoint" by Robert Reuland
• "A Deadly Indifference" by Marshall Jevons
• "Frameshift" by Robert J. Swayer
• "Op-Center" by Tom Clancy