Riding Solo

2/25/2012

Today, we left the house around 8:15. Took train to Circular Quay. Met up with group at Warf 3. Took Ferry to Manly Beach. Very touristy. Lots of shops. Sat on the beach for a while. Went into one shop that was going out of business. So I bought  the standard souvenirs: Q-tips, tainless steel water bottle, nail polish…the usual.

After that, decided I wanted to head back so I took the ferry back to Circular Quay, and caught the train back all by myself. I thought I was so clever because I figured out that I could take the train with limited stops, go one stop beyond where I wanted to go, then get back on another train going the opposite direction to get where I needed to be. I didn’t realize that the train going the other direction would take 22 minutes to get there.

So I sat on the platform for a good while (probably enough time to have walked to the shopping center I was trying to get to). But I had my iPod and I didn’t feel like walking so I waited. Once the train came I took it one stop and got off and walked to the shopping center.

When I say shopping center, I really mean mall, but my hose brother Braedon doesn’t like it when Americans call it a mall so I’m conforming and calling it a shopping center as to not upset him. He’s got all sorts of attitude. But he's great.

At the shopping center I was able to get a sim card for my phone to have a local number. Once I got all that figured out, I went to target, bought come cotton balls (as travelers do) and proceeded to walk back home. By this point it was pretty hot outside and I will go ahead and admit that I had gotten pretty burnt at the beach (even though I put sunscreen on 3 or more times!)

After I had had a shower and cleaned up a bit, I went in the house to hang out with the family. I watched some T.V. with Braedon and Kieran (my other host brother who I had not met yet and was starting to think didn’t actually exist). It was fun just sitting and hanging out with them, seeing what shows they watched (mostly American) and hearing their snarky quips.

Braedon and I helped set up for dinner. We moved a patio table out onto the lawn and set up chairs. Just before eating the other 3 girl arrived home from their day’s adventures. We ate chicken kabobs, some specialty sausages (with tomatoes and various herbs in it), potatoes and salad. It was delicious! After dinner we helped clean up everything, then went inside to watched a few Australian shows with Braedon.

We watched a show called Kath & Kim (I’m pretty sure there is an American version of it). Then we switched to watching Summer Heights High. I had seen so many clips of this show but had never been able to see full episodes! (If you haven’t heard of this show, just youtube ‘Mr. G’s Drama Class’. That is a good sample of the ridiculousness that is this show). We watched a few episodes, shared in witty banter amongst ourselves and eventually I was so beat I had to go to bed.