Staying in carriages # 302 a 4 share female carriage facing platform zero and # 307 an 8 share female carriage facing platform #1 where the twice daily Sydney to Melbourne XPT departs. (roll up the blinds in your carriage and wave through your window to passengers and train staff on this XPT service and they will wave back!) Yes there really is a platform zero!
It happened just as I was about to leave for work on Thursday morning and this family member was already making me run late for work so I just grabbed my prepacked wheelie bag in another room which was for my cancelled trip to Melbourne this weekend ( Neon Run was postponed until next March & just as well as there was trackwork to Melbourne all weekend with trains being replaced by coach services. (12 hours on a coach - no way!) and left.
So after work on Thursday I spend my first night in the city - it is late night shopping but I was too tired to shop, I purchase a few essentials then basically went straight to bed once I check in.
Friday morning I had to go to work so woke up at 5am had a shower dressed and left at 7am to go downstairs to Lunburger for some breakfast. 7.30 am caught a train from Central Station to Gordon to connect with a bus. Friday night after work I am a bit more adventurous now that I have settled in - I was determined to go to the Friday Night Chinatown Markets between 4 pm and 11 pm on every Friday. I don't get to go to these markets very often. Feeling a little hungry I am unsure what to purchase to eat but finally settle on 9 assorted steamed dumplings from the East Ocean market stall. Prawn and spinach and chicken (har gao sil mai). I scoffed them down @ $15 . I thought one was suppose to be vegetarian but it contained prawn in it. Chicken ones were ok but not my favourite. I prefer the green stuff. I wanted some more food and did consider Mamak's satay chicken skewers with chilli sauce but decided against it in the end. Had a quick look at Morning Glory for a cute bag but they were a little on the over priced side. A quick walk down the newer section of Chinatown across the road where CYL's headquarters are located, a quick listen to some Chinese fusion music, took some photos then a walk back to the YHA. Sleep.
Saturday morning I extended my stay another 2 nights when I rang the locksmiths on Friday and found out they could come until Monday. I had to check out & change rooms from a 4 share female carriage to an 8 share female carriage. I checked out but could store my luggage free of charge for the day until I checked in again. First stop for the day Louie Georges Beginner Dance class but first breakfast and some planning for my next 2 trips down to Melbourne again. Walked down to Market City for some breakfast before heading by bus to my dance class. We danced to one of J Lo's songs. Poor Louie was having a bad day, he thought he had forgotten his ipod with his music on it so rang to see if he had lect it at the studio he was last at then found it then he could not find his car keys after class so emptied his backpack - found and like every Saturday he was on the run again to teach his next class somewhere else.
After class I was going to the beach therefore did not have a shower but instead ended up walking to Broadway Shopping Centre for a proper lunch of small chips chimi mayo and a barramundi spicy burrito from Gomez.
After a quick shop where I looked for a matching linen top or shirt for my new white linen pants. After looking at countless ones, I chose and purchased a white linen shirt with little pink flamingos on it from Just Jeans and a set of 3 $1 pink and gold chokers to match. Another quick shop at Woolworths for some fruit and vegetables and other essentials at Central Park Mall it was back to the YHA.
Saturday night I went for a night walk from 6 pm to about 9 pm around Market City Shopping Centre and ended up all the way up Oxford Street stopping along the way at a convenient shop because my roommate wanted some bottled water, Aldi in Oxford Square because my roommate wanted some rasberries, The Columbian because my roommate needed a second toliet stop, The Chevuel Theatre in Paddington because my roommate needed a third toilet stop, The Reservoir in Paddington because my roommate wanted to phone her kids using the free wifi available, The Barracks on Oxford Street because my roommate wanted a smoke, Bondi Wash because I wanted to see the shop, Chubby Cheekys because that was my roomates favourite place to eat ( not tonight we just looked at the menu in the window), Romeos IGA because my roommate was hungry and wanted a huge packet of chips and knew the security guard there. She would not stop at any of the Thai cafes and restaurants around World Square - which I found fascinating full of street foods on display because one of them made her feel sick from the smell. Basically it was all about her not me - I just dragged along. Even when we got back to the YHA and I wanted to sleep she came knocking on my door looking for me but was told by another roommate of mine that I was probably sleeping and to come back tomorrow.
Sunday morning woke up and it was a beautiful day - this time I did go to the beach - more like disappear so my ex- roommate could not find me!
Off I went after a breakfast of 2 cheese ham tomato and spinach croissants with an egg to Bondi Junction by train. First stop to retrieve my black duffle bag full of prepacked clothes which I need as I had no clean clothes left. Then off to my chosen beach Bronte by bus # 379 ( this used to be the 378 bus). Heaps of people when I arrived at Bronte Beach but nothing like the queues to get to Bondi Beach. Why had I never visited this beach when I spent my entire life in the Eastern Suburbs? It is spectacular! My work colleague said I would love the baths here and she was absolutely right. Why should I pay $7 entry to swim in a dirty salt water pool at The Icebergs at Bondi Beach when I can swim in crystal clear salt water pools here at Bronte Beach?! It has shower toliets and change rooms like The Icebergs but the water is deeper and clean - no dirty floaty bits here!
Sunday night Laundry wash and dry then pack and sleep. Check out as late as possible on Monday morning then home to deal with the lockout situation and meet the locksmith at 1 pm before other things to be done. Hopefully a solution to my problem. If not it will be back at the YHA for the rest of the week until next Monday when I return back to Sydney.
Monday morning final pack shower recharge phone and breakfast of a spinach strudel seeded turkey pesto roll from Lunburger and a Nudie carrot orange and ginger juice from the convenience store both located downstairs and honey oats with non lactose yoghart rasberries and blueberries. Trying to check out at very last minute ie 10.50 am. done.
Work @ Balmain tomorrow before heading down to Melbourne again on Friday after work.
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