I slept in a lay by last night. First and last time ever. It
was... loud. The lorries kept going past all night, and then it started raining
at 6am. I literally couldn’t bare the noise any longer. I got up and drove the
final 50km to the camper hire place. I had a chat with Matilda on the way and
she agreed that even though we’d probably never see each other again, we did
have some wonderful times and she will think about me every day, and I’ll look
at her picture every day. Shirley, the bitch, kept interrupting, but once I’d
told her that she was coming with me, she shut up.
Drove through Sydney to the camper hire place and gave away
the food I had left to a pair of German guys who were just embarking on a trip.
Exchanged the keys with the guy in the workshop and called a taxi.
The taxi rocked up probably 40 seconds later and the guy
lowered the window and called my name. He winked at me, which was probably the
clue right there not to get in the taxi, but I did anyway. He turned around and
asked me where we were going. I jumped in the front and everything I said to
him he kept saying “very good, yes, yes, very good” and drove off into the
city. He actually was a lovely lovely guy.
His name was Ben and came from Burma to Australia in 1984.
He had a really cute face and when he smiled his teeth (or lack of them) was
hilarious. We had a lovely chat and he asked me which part of my family was
from Asia.
Yeah, you didn’t read that wrong.
He thought I had Asian blood in me. I had it all to do not
to laugh hysterically in his face. I eventually palmed him off with the fact
that I had Spanish blood in me (which I have, about eight generations back) and
he seemed happier. He told me where to go to see all the “pretty rich ladies”
at a bar that he pointed out as we drove past and generally just pointed things
out to me.
I was staying at the Metro Hotel on Pitt Street which is one
of the four main roads that stretch North from the bridge and Opera House all
the way south to the airport. He dropped me off and knocked $10 off the fare,
gave me his card and said goodbye. It was midday and I was early for check in,
but naturally, I flirted with the guy behind the desk and he gave me my key
card.
Now the room...
It was massive. I booked it on Late Rooms and got a really
good deal. There is a queen sized bed, and a separate sitting area. The
bathroom is huge, with a walk in shower (it’s a wet room) and a Jacuzzi bath.
Strangely there is also a hi-fi in the bathroom... not sure what that’s about.
So the bed... omg... it’s so soft and big. And the towels... oh heaven. To
think I’ve been living in a van for three weeks when this was sitting here...
fabulous.
I unpacked and had a shower (and a poo, which I’d had to
hold for coming on 48 hours) and walked out into the streets.
Now, I’ll try and explain what happened next.
As I walked down the steps, I put my iPod on shuffle. The
selection was Whitney Houston – I wanna dance with somebody... the first ten
seconds played while I walked and stood in the pavement. I looked up and around
and decided to go right. As I took my first step, the music got going and I
walked through the street strutting to Whitney. I felt like I was in a film.
Sydney is lovely. It’s very cosmopolitan. The only other
city I’ve ever been in which feels the same is London, and everyone knows my
love of London. The streets were alive with people. Not uncomfortably so, but
it was lovely. I walked the half a mile or so and found myself walking under a
railway bridge and then found myself looking out onto the Sydney Opera House.
I really didn’t know what I felt when I saw it. It’s so
iconic and basically everyone in the first world has seen a picture of it. Up
close, it doesn’t look anything like it does in the pictures.
Well, obviously, it is the same building, but up close it
isn’t as white as it looks and while it’s huge, it’s slightly unstated and fits
into the background and surrounding city rather than standing out. The bridge
next to it is probably more impressive, I’m climbing it tomorrow as well!
So I thought I’d spoil myself and have a McDonald’s for
dinner. Mainly because I was so utterly starving, but also because I could
destroy a Big Mac.
So yeah, until tomorrow!
(Much better day today)
Also.... Big thumbs up to Adam and Chris. I’m so HAPPY!
WOOHOO!
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