Here is a brief summary of our travelling stories from Christmas Eve on!
Dec 24th Christmas Eve! - Myself and Anne-Marie (yes Jonesie a personal mention!) hit St. Kilda beach to get some Christmas eve rays...very surreal to be listening to Christmas Tunes on the beach but not complaining all the same! A couple of hours later we hit La Roche for lunch (a lovely eatery near us fulla Oirish people ;) )
As per usual I let the side down when we were walking in and the particularly good looking waiter said to me "Where would you like to sit" - no one else in the group heard what he said...I looked around and said
"Up against the wall would be nice thanks!)"....at which point all the girls burst out laughing and the poor waiter went red with mortification. Oh well! We got the glad rags on later and hit PJ O Briens for a few Irish Coffees before Mass. (Note Mammy - I went to mass). You couldnt feel homesick in there - the place was crawling with Irish people and their families over visiting for the festive season. Organised Monica had our Mass Itinerary set out. Cathedral at 11. I thought it strange that Midnight Mass was at 11 - but went along with it! Course we landed in late - but managed to fit in 40 minutes of the vigil service (reminded me of Home Alone....tom tom song choir!) and then 12 mass. So Mammy - I made two masses for Christmas - are you proud out?! We had a faller at the last fence - that may or may not have fallen asleep just before communion but it was a long day! Off home and all ready for Santa!
December 25th - Christmas Day....my 1st ever Christmas away from home and from my family. But Anne-Marie, Marie, Monica, Leona and Marian more than made up for it! We had a fav day! We did secret santa - but everyone got pressies for everyone...so we kinda cheated. I got a LOT of pink stuff. What can I say- then know me better than I know myself! Well Chuffed. Turkey on - all the trimmings be prepped. We had our big Christmas dinner in the hottest of conditions. Amazing though. Just after dinner the heavens opened, thunderstorms and hailstones the size of golf balls! So what better time than to hit the bunks for an after dinner nap! This was followed by eating everything in sight and having more than a few sociables. Just like home! Great day for my first Christmas Down Under!
December 26th - St Stephens Day. A big tradition in Melbourne is to hit the Cricket in the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) on Boxing Day. And following that tradition we did just that - filling the Ice Box with yummy food and smuggled in alcohol. We did what I was advised by the locals .... got our hands on syringes (from a un-named pair that we live with who happen to have them in their workplace!)..and syringed fruit with alcohol. A lot of preparation and fun - and made the fruit very interesting! I learned a rule or two about cricket (and thats a rule or two more than I ever knew!) and we had a savage day! Followed by an even better last night in Melbourne with all the girls from our apartment and Kieran and Noelle!
December 27th - Sore heads all round - I hit the Sea Baths and Gym for my last wash as its now known! Then we had our last dinner with the girls and we packed up all our stuff ( I have an insane amount of luggage at this point..sorry Jetstar!) and we headed for the airport! Anne-Marie, Marie and Myself all flew to Sydney for New Years...we were sad leaving girls behind, but little did we know two of them surprised us and joined us two days later!! We arrived a Lisas apartment in Sydney - where she was the hostess with the mostess! I got to sleep in a double bed. Just thought that should get a mention - cos thats a serious luxury for me - where bunks are the norm now!
December 28th - Beach Day! We hit Coogee Beach, wowee. Sydney has amazing beaches. Fabulous day soaking up the rays and getting over the Christmas partying! Took it very easy in Sydney that night and we just hit the cinema. We went to "We bought a zoo" - super cute movie, may have cried! Also got my present from my Mammy - lots of lovely photos, a kilo of Galaxy Chocolate and Cool Water Perfume.....she knows me too well!!
December 29th - Bridget arrives! Anne-Maries Sister arrived to join in the New Years Celebrations all the way from Scarriff City in Clare! we had a seriously touristy day, we took in the Harbour Bridge, Darling Harbour and the Opera House as well as a few other places. Sydney is a really cool city - You could never get bored in that city - so much to see and do! Apparently Thursdays are a big night in the "cock and bull" pub in Bondi Junction, so we decided we couldnt be rude and we should go along with our lovely new flatmates! Cock and Bull - directly comaparable to Coppers any night of the week. They probably would have accepted my coppers card ;) I have never,ever seen so many GAA jerseys in one place outside of croker. Insane altogether. Great night though - and again couldnt in any way feel homesick!
December 30th - Nikki arrives! Nikki has come over to visit me for a few weeks - just in time for NYE celebrations! We hit Bondi Beach during the day to check out the Bondi Rescue crew (meant nothing to me!) but I knew girls would enjoy it. Nikki arrived in really late and we had a super early night again - suffering
from previous night and also prepping for the big night to come!
December 31st - New Years Eve! Met Nikki early and myself, Anne-Marie and Bridget went picnic shopping. Bought enough food to feed an army and 20 litres of goon. That would be 20 litres of wine that comes in a box and worked out at 2 dolla a litre!! Nice too! Monica and Marian joined us from Melbourne and scoped us out an amazing elevated park overlooking the harbour bridge. We got to the park at about 3pm and cracked open the goon (that comes in a tin foil bag -with a tap....very clever invention!). 9 hours later we were all very happy to be in Sydney. Marian nearly took a child out when she fell on top of a tent. Child was fine tho ;) We rang in the New Year watching the fireworks on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was a fabulous way to start 2012!
January 1st 2012....Up at 9am...all off to Cock and Bull to ring in the Irish New Year. No joke...I could hardly stomach a drink, and most definitely couldnt face 2 dolla wine. But we had a toast to all our lovely friends and family at home at 11am our time - which was midnight for you lot at home!
we hit Bondi then - where Nikki "gracefully" (not gracefully at all) stalked the Bondi Rescue crew for the whole day. Keep an eye out for the New Years Bondi Rescue special - which I think I might be on. And yes I may have been holding in my stomach to the point that I nearly fainted! But jaysis its hard work standing
next to bronzed, toned ozzies!
January 2nd 2012 - We had a farewell picnic in the botanic gardens with Monica and Marian followed by a trip to Manly. Manly is a beach town outside Syndey (very hamptons-esque for all you ex J1-ers). Really pretty place and the more I see of Sydney the more I like it! Lovely way to spend our last day in Sydney!
January 3rd - Lisa, Nikki and Myself set off to Fiji for two weeks! We flew Air Pacific which is Fiji's International Airline, I convinced myself the crew were on happy pills. They were so nice...but no - alas - every single Fijian we have met today have just been so so lovely. We have just arrived in Nadi, which is the big island and are staying here the night.
We are off on a 12 day trip around 6 Fijian Islands. The wheelie is in big big trouble. I have to wheel it through sand, then into water and onto a boat. The boats dont dock - they just kinda wait for you and you paddle out. Oh my lord. I shall let you all know how that goes!!
I wont have internet coverage nor phone coverage -so wish me luck and hope you enjoyed the NY BLOG!!!
Lots of Love from the happiest of places (Fiji!),
Sarah-Jayne x
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