up up and away

So we have finally waved farewell to Sydney. It was a hard wrench after four months of fun and frolics... but it was time.

We had a crazy time of partying away our last few days and of intentions to do all the things we'd never found time for.

After work on Friday we went for a few drinks with Noah, Andrew and the new temps Kirsten and Rich at Pier 26 at Darling Harbour.

Then it was back to Manly and the hostel where everyone was gearing up for a party in the courtyard. Dani grabbed my camera and ran around taking snaps of everyone as they downed the goon.

On Saturday we had planned to go to Watsons Bay and watch the sun set but it was a cloudy and grey day so Dani, Danielle and I grabbed coffees in Candys, a great little book-lined, game-filled coffee shop, and quizzed each other with Australian Trivial Pursuit. Who knew it was easier than the UK version?! Then we wandered along Manly beach at dusk playing stupid word association games and giggling like school girls.

That evening was another awesome night out. The hostel were holding a man auction - a pretty horrendouse idea which involved girls 'bidding' for the man by offering to down a certain number of glasses of goon. The highest number won and the girl and the guy then drank that many glasses and were tied to the boy. Whoever stayed tied the longest to their girl won a few free nights accommodation.

It was as hideous as it sounds but all in good fun and there were many matey bondings in the end. Danielle and I ended up bidding jointly for a cute German guy who was one of the last to go (there were far fewer girls than guys) and Karim turned out to be a real laugh.

It was hilarious as he tried to contain his modesty going to the toilet... we ended up winning for him.

Then it was off to the Steyne one last evening for a bit of boogie-time.

Sunday was a huge write-off. I ended up talking to two crazy crazy amazing Canadian girls - Jackie and Tessa - who were fab, fun and drinking at 11am. Yes dad, I know my poor liver will come back to haunt me - but I actually drank very little all day -just topped up the night before every so often...

It was a very entertaining day - just sat around laughing and entertaining these lovely gals who I apparently reminded them of a girl back home they knew and loved.

On Monday, Dani, Danielle and I attempted to meet at 5.30am for a sunrise walk to Spit. Hilariously, this consisted of about 30 texts between Dani and myself saying "Shall we go? I will if you want to...", me trying to raise Danielle from the dead and once she was finally up, Dani realising she couldn't leave the house as she had no keys. After all this dillydallying, D and I decided to go and watch sunrise on the beach anyway. It was a bit too cloudy but pleasant enough...

It brightened up in the afternoon for a short walk around the lake reserve with Dani (I'd never made it there before - pathetic) before another evening of fun...

This involved a huge party in room 17 (the room we first started to party in when we got to Manly) with everyone in a happy, fun mood. It also consisted of someone thinking it would be a good idea to tie a bag of goon to the ceiling fan (don't ask) and people chasing said bag around...




Many people had thought it was Danielle and my last night so on Tuesday they were in for a bit of a shock when they realised we were, in fact, leaving on Wednesday and that there was supposed to be another night of celebratory leaving...

We packed a bit and chatted to people we were leaving behind and then I went on a 'date' with Tessa (the Canadian) oh and Jackie, Walsey, Matt, and Tyler to my favourite Thai place at the wharf. We sat on the steps eating our yummy food and then Dani and Taz joined me when the others left and we watched the sun set.

It was then an unwilling night of partying again - me drinking my Hunter Valley sparkling wine - unwilling because I had partied enough for a lifetime by this point.




But it was great fun and, after a beachside walk with Russ and Danielle, mostly consisted of me passing around my journal for people to write drunken farewell notes (a lot of "to Michelle.."'s and "I'm too drunk to say anything meaningful.."'s) before inevitably moving to room 17.

The next morning was a bit of a blur as we made our final packing arrangements, hauled our stuff to storage by 10am and then met some of our closest friends for brunch - Klara and Emilie the Swedes we lived with, Dani, Russ, Paul and Michelle. We sat on the grass by the beach and tried not to be sad. Dani handed me a lovely painting she crafted for me. It was a stunning day - Manly at its best with a breeze coming off the ocean but the sky scorchingly blue above. It was fitting end to our stay there.

There was a hairy moment when we were almost denied our $600 bond back off bad lads Max and MJ but a swift call to their dad sorted that out.

It was hard to hug everyone goodbye but we had to rush off for the ferry and luckily we left it til the last minute and I hardly had time to kiss Dani farwell at the gate. It was only on the ferry when we chucked down our backpacks, daypacks, handbags, bottles of water... that I truly realised I was leaving. It was over.

On the bus, we sat and read our notes from our friends - some funny, some heartfelt, some brief, the odd crude and rude ones.

But we were on an adventure. It started to rain as we left to head south - to sunnier skies....

(to be continued....)