Photographs: 20th February - 27th February

Click read more to see pictures from this week in Manly...

27th February to 6th March 2015

Chilled Week in Manly 

Friday night we went for a fabulous meal at Manly Thai Gourment (highly recommend) with Clara - BYOB, order and share situation, best Thai Red Curry I've ever put in my mouth. We then met for drinks with Tom at Donny's where things get fuzzy. But from what I can remember great live music, Aussies are obsessed with serving drinks in Mason jars, Clara took a liking to some crystal glasses (Negronis) so... well she took them and ordered $70 bottle of wine. Good night!

Now, I have not been on a bike for 6 years, but surely it's like riding a bike? Wrong. Wrong when the Balgowlah hills are involved. There's something demoralising about putting all your effort into a huge hill, to only get to the top see it's all downhill, with another huge hill once you reach the bottom. This went on for about 2 hours, all fun and games. Euan was extremely patient and the destination was a lovely quiet harbour beach by the Spit bridge (which joins Manly to Sydney city). We also stopped off to see Aboriginal carvings on the Manly Scenic Walk. I would highly recommend hiring a bike in Manly, even if you haven't cycled for 6 years. It's a perfect way to see views you wouldn't otherwise see, it's good exercise and the sense of achievement at the end is nice. 

However I wouldn't recommend the route we did. I would head out to North Point through the Sydney National Park. The only reason we didn't do this is because we walked it the previous week. If you are an advanced cyclist then there is also a route to Manly Lagoon with an off road track. Maybe, we will try that next... We hired from Manly Bike Hire by the Wharf which was reasonably priced and good condition bikes. http://www.manlybiketours.com.au

    

Other favourites from this week: I have decided that drinking cold pale ale at dusk on rocks with sea spray hitting your feet is one of my all time best things to do and Euan bought goggles to look at fishes in the marine conservation area just off Shelley beach. 

Lovely chilled week, next week is a little bit more adventurous. 

20th February - 27th February 2015

Moving to Manly

This week we found our very own Australian home in Manly, NSW. Our shared flat is right on The Corso (high street). To our left is a 2 minute walk to Manly beach and in the other direction 5 minutes away are the harbour beaches.  We're planning on making this our home for 3-6months (undecided). It's such a beautiful place to be with the beaches, national parks and plenty of bars and restaurants. Euan has found a part-time job (after 3 job offers) at a posh restaurant, Hugo's, overlooking the harbour and I am yet to find one - still, fingers crossed...

Getting Political

Our dear friend Clara is currently running as the local candidate for the Green Party in Manly. So we are ready with oversized Green Party badges in support. Clara's launch party was a great success - drinking red wine, talking Greens and meeting ex-pats. All of this looking down over the stunning Manly beach from Queenscliff. Lovely evening, topped off with cocktails at Hemingway's in celebration.

A few days later Clara has her first Forum in Dee Why. Clara sat on a panel with local council season pros and really did hold her own. Her comments on single bag use, misuse of cutting down trees and fracking were on point and well articulated. Go Greens!

North Point

During an afternoon exploring we stumbled upon a path leading up to the cliffs from Shelley beach. We ran out of time, but decided to visit the path later in the week. I'm so pleased that we did, such a beautiful walk! The path took you through the Sydney National Park, through twisted paths along the cliffs, under canopies of trees and past old WW2 gun stations. Half-way through the walk what felt like the middle of nowhere was a WW2 Memorial for the fallen, this was particularly interesting as neither Euan, nor I knew anything about Australia's involvement in the war. At the end of the walk is an outstanding view of the city and on the opposite side the vast expanse of the South Pacific Ocean. Nice. This walk was our first face to face encounters with the HUGE spiders, in particular Orb Spider's. We came across one web with 16(!!!) all the size of my hand. At one point we got a little lost, well the path seemed to stop and there was a hairy patch where we both kept head butting webs. No thank you! 

&gingerblossom

Photographs: Sydney 10th - 20th February 2015

Here's a mix of my favourite snaps from my first week of travelling, click read more to see the photographs...

Australian Working Holiday Visa For Dummies (UK)

Before heading to Australia on your next adventure you must decide what sort of visa you need. I would recommend the Holiday Working Visa, because if you run out of money this gives you options, it's a great way to meet new people and you can only have a chance to get this visa once in your life - so GO for it!

During my research there wasn't any simplified information on this topic - so here is a breakdown if you are confused.

Working Holiday Visa

• costs between £230 - £250 (depending on exchange rate at the time of purchase)
• you must be between the ages of 18-30 to apply
• lasts for 12 months
• you can only work for 1 company maximum 6 months
• you can study for a maximum 4 months
• if you want to extend your working holiday visa to a second year, you must complete 3 months (5 day working week) of agricultural, mining or construction work 
• you can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want during the 12 months
• you don't have to show paperwork to enter the country, because the visa is linked to your passport

N.B. if you are planning to do any hospitality work that requires serving alcohol you will have to complete an RSA course, these can cost up to $120 (about £65). It's a 6 hour course that you can complete in a day. The RSA course teaches you about Australian liquor rules and regulations.

www.immi.gov.au - head to this website to get it all set up with online payment, you will receive confirmation by email only. For me, my application was confirmed in one day. However, it can take longer if you have lived outside of the UK for more than 3 months previously.

I hope this clears things up for those of you (like me) that have no idea about visas.

&gingerblossom

10th February - 20th February 2015

12 hours in Abu Dhabi

After the loudest, longest, lumpiest flight of my life, we arrived in the desert in Abu Dhabi. We were met at the airport by the lovely Rowena, Tariq and Abla, and taken on a whirlwind tour of one Emirate in the UAE. We had a look around the stunning Mosque, had Lebanese food by the river, stepped foot in the Emirates Palace and taken miles into the air to a viewing tour restaurant that spun! Not so good for my vertigo. Abla was a joy to be around, giggling non-stop and after just a week of walking her favourite game is running at you, arms in the air and of course giggling finding the whole fiasco hilarious. 

Next stop, Sydney

Sydney is cool. It's hot, by the ocean and full of things to look at and do. A few of my highlights in the city include:

The Botanical Gardens - wish I knew more about plants and flowers, but nevertheless it was pretty to look at!

The Chinese Friendship Garden - I met up with the friend Zoe (who is also travelling around) and we cemented our friendship here. We found a bird that we were slightly concerned had it's feet glued to a rock, this worry soon passed as the ambient wind whistled through the Chinese willow trees.

Secret Cocktail Bars - in an attempt to find Euan a job we went searching for cocktail bars and came across a new trend/old idea. These cocktail bars have no signage and no shop fronts. The only way you know from the street that there is a bar, is a bouncer in an inconspicuous doorway. They make you wait a while, then you can make your way through the storage room, up some stairs and you are welcomed at the door and seated in this tiny 'Anne Frank' style hidden bar. This isn't a new idea of course, it's much the same as a speakeasy. Only these days there is no danger of having a drink.

Bondi to Bronte coastal walk - Bondi will forever remind me of the heartache of cracking my iPad screen, but apart from that it's a pretty cool place. It's a little touristy and windy (perfect for surfing) but the fun part is the coastal walk to Bronte. The cliff faces are carved so beautifully and Euan was pleased to find 'keep fit' stations to do pull ups, crunches and other ... things at intervals along the walk.

Taronga Zoo - ORANGOUTANGS AND KOALAS that is all. 

We enjoyed the city very much, however a lovely little friend of ours, Clara WR took us to a place we liked even more. A special little place called Manly. Oh Manly, you pretty thing. More on that

later. 

&gingerblossom

Dipping my toe into the water

This week I spent my hard earned cash on something I never thought I would... plane tickets to Sydney, Australia. 

Just pause there for a second. Not in a million years would my family or friends expect this of me. It was hugely unexpected and I have one person to thank for taking me out of my comfort zone, my lovely boyfriend Euan.

It all started in a little cafe in the Brighton, North Laines 3 months ago. Both adrift after graduating from university we have struggled to place ourselves with a career path or further education. We dabbled with the idea of taking a Masters and moving to London, but nothing seemed to click. In that little cafe Euan blurted out over tuna sandwiches and chai tea - we could just buy plane tickets to Australia and see what happens there. A little speechless, with a little sparkle in our eyes we grinned at each other. It clicked.

So there it is - 2 economy tickets bought to travel in 10 months time and now the saving saving saving begins.

Expect tales of planning, tribulations and adventures.

gingerblossom