Well, I would like to start by giving a BIG thank you to my Dad for being the best person ever. He recently flew out here to visit me in Perth and took me on some amazing adventures. He was also able to catch up with an old school friend and his wife who have relocated themselves to the beautiful west coast of Australia. When Dad first arrived, he hired a car to drive out to Murdoch University Village where we were reunited!
Our first order of business was to pick up a bike I bought from Gumtree. (What an amazing guy?? He flew all the way to Australia to help me buy a bike!) Once we had the bike stuffed in the back of the rental car, we made our way to the friend's home. They were great hosts and provided us with some amazing home-made pizzas. That evening I went out into Fremantle for some live music and a couple of drinks to celebrate Natalie's 21st birthday!!! Of course.. it was Easter weekend so I went out in blue bunny ears...
The first few days of the study break were jammed, with fun activities. The second day brought a scuba diving trip off the coast of Rottnest Island with Blue Destiny. We saw one of the biggest Manta Rays I have ever seen! 😳 The third day brought a flight over to Rottnest Island in a 4 person plane courtesy of my Marketing Professor! Another amazing treat. We enjoyed a quick flight over the coast to the island where we stopped for some coffee and chips.
That evening Dad met the boyfriend, Harry, and we went to Little Creatures Brewery and rode the Fremantle Wheel! Overall, it was a fantastic day. The next day was our last in Perth so we rented bikes with the family friends and did a ride around Elizabeth Quay and Swan River. By the way... I love the new bike! 😍 On our final evening, we went out for dinner with a couple of my new Australian friends. We were up early the next morning for our flight to Sydney!
Sydney was amazing. We stayed in the cutest little Airbnb which was conveniently located in Surry Hills and near a lovely little park. Our host was amazing, although we never met him he provided everything we needed from clean bedding, towels, body wash, and a whole list of recommendations. On our first day in the city, we walked around the area and found our way down to the Sydney Opera house. We enjoyed an early dinner and walked our way back to the apartment. One of my favorite things about Airbnb is the ability to cook your own meals when traveling! We picked up some groceries and made ourselves a breakfast the following morning.
We spent our second day in Sydney exploring the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. There were definitely some interesting exhibits but overall very fun. We wandered around The Rocks Markets and killed some time before catching a ballet at the Sydney Opera House. The Australian Ballet's production of Faster was very eye-catching. It was not the typical type of ballet you would usually expect to see but different in a very enjoyable way. Before we went into the Opera house and celebrated with champagne, we sat outside and enjoyed some Japanese food (and chips). We met a lovely couple sitting next to us who happened to live in Sydney and were just having a drink after a long day of work.
On our third day, we went for a day trip to the Taronga Zoo Sydney. Although we got a little lost due to lack of signage, we eventually saw all the cute and not so cuddly animals. When we arrived back at the harbor we took another visit to the Rocks Markets where I managed to buy a few souvenirs. To finish off our last evening, we went to The Golden Age Cinema and Bar. WOW! Nothing but good reviews for this place. This novelty cinema located in Surry Hills offered a showing of "Back To The Future." They offered specialty popcorn mixes including salt and vinegar as well as chocolate mint. You can take your popcorn and cocktails and into the cinema to enjoy them. The staff were very pleasant and welcoming for the first time there. I would definitely recommend it. We finished off the evening with a fantastic meal at The Boyz Eatery. THIS MEAL WAS A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. Again, another great recommendation. Our final morning in Sydney brought brunch at Cook & Archies. This little cafe was located 5 feet away from our Airbnb which meant we were the first ones at the door. After another lovely meal, we walked around the park nearby before calling a cab to the airport.
The end of the study break was more bitter than sweet. I had to say goodbye to my Dad for another two months as I headed back on my flight to Perth. I also found a mountain of work waiting for me when I arrived back at school. However, as I write this I am currently on another exciting adventure so stay tuned for more!
Love you all xoxo
p.s. My new friend Tim wanted to be in my blog so here he is. 🚶🏽👋🏼
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