Catch Up

Here I am.....
My name is Annika. I’m 21 years old and from Germany. I’m studying International Tourism and Event Management in Bielefeld, Germany. 

!!Me!!

When I enrolled in my University course I knew that there would be a requirement to complete a three month internship abroad. When it came time to make a decision on which city I wanted to complete my placement it didn’t take me long to decide....SYDNEY!!

I always wanted to travel to Australia because of the beautiful countryside and more specifically I always wanted to see Sydney's Bondi Beach. When given the opportunity, I accepted an internship in the office of Sydney Internships.

I arrived in the middle of June '11 and now it’s almost August. The time is running out so fast.
When I first arrived I was living in a homestay with a family which was perfect to get settled. I stayed there for three weeks and then moved into an apartment at Bondi with a friend that I met over here.

In the initial week I needed to arrange a sim card and internet access. I ended up going to a Vodafone store and they helped me with both...too easy (no worries mate)!

Unfortunately I can’t travel throughout Australia after my internship because I will fly to the UK for a semester abroad which starts in September. On every available weekend I try to do as much sightseeing in Sydney and the surrounding area. I love it!

So you can catch up on what I’ve covered so far, I’ve put together a little summary:

Blue Mountains

I spent a nice day in the Blue Mountains with a few friends. We decided to use the discount with Colourful Trips through Sydney Internships. The Blue Mountains is a mountainous region about 100km from Sydney CBD. While I was up there I did a walk through the rainforest and took some great pictures. There are many breathtaking views in this beautiful area.

Three Sisters

Waterfall at the Blue Mountains

Featherdale National Park

On the same day as the Blue Mountains, I also visited the Featherdale Wildlife Park. It is located close to the Blue Mountains. I saw cute koalas, kangaroos, dingos, colorful birds and many other crazy critters....
We even patted a koala and fed a few kangaroos!!! This was on my ‘must do’ list for Australia.   

Sleepy Koala

Me feeding a Kangaroo

Palm Beach

We spotted dolphins

Beautiful Palm Beach

On a sunny Friday my friend and I caught a bus to beautiful Palm Beach. It is a small peninsula in the north of Sydney. We spent time on the beach and took a walking track to the lighthouse where we had an amazing view over the ocean. We also saw dolphins swimming with the surfers about 20 meters from the beach.
These are moments when you realise that you are on the other side of the world and not in Bielefeld, Germany.





Whale Watching

During the months of June/July there are many humpback whales in the ocean off the Sydney coast. So my friends and I booked a Whale Watching Cruise. Not only did we see whales but we also spotted dolphins which were jumping close to the boat. The trip was very funny because the boat was wildly bouncing and rocking on the water. It was a bit of a windy day.

Whales!!

Sydney City

In Sydney you can visit loads of nice places. Of course I saw the Opera House and Bridge which was my first highlight in Australia. Over the past month I’ve been going out at nights with friends. We regularly go out for dinner, drinks, and out to pubs & clubs. It’s easy to meet new people out at night in a relaxed atmosphere. All the people that I’ve met have been very nice and friendly and we’ve shared our experiences and adventures.

This weekend I’m looking forward to the Aroma Coffee Festival in the Rocks. I’m expecting to drink endless amounts of caffeine and not being able to sleep all Sunday (and possibly Monday) night.

Until then.......