Always look on the bright side of life

G'Day!

Last weekend was beautiful. Perfect weather for the beach. However, I spent it in bed. On Friday some friends and I went out for a night of fun and karaoke. Before we started the night someone suggested to have some Thai food. So we went to Chat Thai at Westfield Mall in the city. The service was great, the place was popular and the coconut milk brilliant. But the food was too hot for me.

simply beautiful

I started eating and suddenly my mouth was burning. If you like spicy food this is the place to go. If you are more like me and enjoy  milder food then think twice about it. I couldn't taste anything for two days. My stomach was upset so I stayed in bed on Saturday. Around midday I felt better and decided to go for a little walk. 

On Sunday I woke up early to be at the fish markets when they opened. When I was younger my Dad used to take my siblings and me to the fish market in Kiel and it was just a loud and crowded place of fishmongers screaming out their prices. The Sydney Fish Market is not like that at all.

Fish Market Hall

outside the market

 It is more like a small mall with a food court. But the fish and chips are excellent and absolutly fresh.

Next weekend we will visit The Hunter Valley to try some of Australia's wines. If you are interested to join me please sign up!

Until then...

Hiking and Movies

Hi!


I hope everyone found their way home last Monday. It was great to meet many of you at the intern meeting. I always enjoy listening to your experiences, tips and travel plans. After we finished dinner we walked down to the Opera House. The walk was as much fun as sitting at the Opera House and enjoying the night atmosphere. 

On Friday I didn't really know what to do as we planned a big trip for the weekend. I decided to walk to Maroubra Beach and from there the Coastal Walk to Coogee Beach. At Coogee Beach I visited one of my favourite places, Wylie's Baths (you need to understand that I am to afraid of the Sea). Wylie's Baths is located just 100 meters south of Coogee Beach. The entry fee is about $4.50. The 50 yard rock pool is a perfect and safe place for swimming or just hanging out. To get there take bus #372 or 373 or 374 from Central. 

That black bird ate my lunch

Saturday morning a friend of mine and I left for Gordon as we planned to visit a friend. I can't stop being amazed about Sydney. At Bondi Junction we got on a train to Town Hall and from there we took a train to Gordon (platform 4). 

Our friend picked us up at the train station (we would have been lost otherwise). After we arrived at his place we started our hike. The trail we decided to do was named "The Founders Way". It is believed that the first settler walked on this track.

I just love being out and exploring Sydney's National Parks. The trail led us cross a stone platform from where you could look over the endless scenery of the Ku-ring-gai-chase National Park. That is a view I cannot fully describe as you have to experience it yourself.

We came across huge hollowed out stones. Ancient remains.

After a steep hike down we had to cross a creek. Unfortunately there wasn't a bridge. We were lucky that the creek's level was not high so that we could cross using the rocks. 

We also met some nasty animals. If you go hiking in wet and humid places watch out for leeches. They seem to be everywhere. And the spiders seem to be bigger than the ones you find in the city.

After that exhausting hike we had a BBQ and got attacked by hundreds of mosquitoes. That's life in the Australian Bush!

On Sunday we took a train back to the city. Just in time for the Tropfest.

The Tropfest is the biggest short film festival in the world. Unfortunately it started raining heavily half way through and almost everyone left. But the winner was "Lemonade Stand".

Unitl then... 

Surf Weekend - March 2012

We have another surf trip booked and would love for you to join us!!


Date: 30th March - 1st April
Website: Surf Camp
How to book:
Step 1:  select 'Ultimate Surf Weekend - $345'
Step 2: select "March 2012 Friday, 30 Mar 2012"
Step 3: enter how many people you are booking for
Step 4: enter promotion code internsurf
*On the following page you will see that the price has reduced from $345 all the way down to $295

Please contact intern@sydneyinternships.com.au 
or
+61 2 9386 5441 if you have any queries. 
This trip will book out fast!!!

Trip Calendar - Updated

As some of you already noticed we had to made some changes on our Weekend Trip Calendar. Discount Codes stay the same.
Here are the new and correct dates!

Sunday 3rd March - Hunter Valley Wine Trip
Sunday 18th March - Blue Mountains
Friday 30th March - The Ultimate Surf Weekend
Sunday 1st April -  Jervis Bay


The weekend day trips will also be announced in the weekly newsletter and include all the necessary information. Sydney Internships participants enjoy the advantage of a 15% discount when using promo code sydintern15.


The trips give you a great opportunity to escape the busy city for a day and see some of the Australian beautiful countryside. I hope to meet many of you on our trips.

Ku-Ring-Gai-Chase National Park

Hi!

Last week I went for Chinese food. I have had Chinese food before but it was more a western style of Chinese cuisine. The restaurant we went to was located on Anzac Parade at Kensington and lucky me, my friend could actually read the menu which was all in Chinese. On Anzac Parade there are many authentic Chinese restaurants and Asian shops. It is close to the New South Wales University and the majority of the students are Asian. It was a delicious experience for a reasonable price.


On Saturday I started the day early by catching a train to Lindfield which is to the north of the Sydney City. It took me 40 minutes from Bondi Junction to Lindfield station. First thing that happened of course was that I got lost. I asked several people how to get to the entrance of the Two Creek Track but unfortunately nobody could tell me. After a while of looking lost, an older lady approached me and asked whether she could assist me at all. Thankfully she knew where I wanted to go even though she had never done the walk herself. From the station I followed Tyron Road  to the Lindfield Oval cricket field where the track started.

Eventually I found the entrance which was hidden behind a cricket field. The track started and immediately to an unsuspected turn along some tennis courts followed by some stairs which were on the left hand side. These lead down to the main track and after that it was simple to find my way around.

the entrance

Two Creek Track starts of in the Garigal National Park

trees as far as your eyes reach

The Two Creek Track is part of the Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park. The environment is very different from the other National Parks which I've visited because of the unique tree species. It is very similar to a rain forest. There were also many streams which were an ugly brown colour due to the recent rain.

first glimpse at the creek

nasty brown colour

The streams are known to be a perfect breeding ground for sharks. Swimming is certainly not recommended.

Some nice pictures I made on the way: 

Palm Garden

Opposite the Two Creek Track is Davidson Park, a popular picnic area. Davidson Park with its nicely cut and trimmed gardens is surrounded by "untouched" bushland which is quite wild.

Davidson Park

Davidson Park

Initially I planned to extend the hike but when I reached Roseville Bridge I figured there was no way to cross the bridge without walking on the road. The road had six lanes in total and a speed limit of one hundred, so I 'upset the apple cart' and walked to Roseville train station.

By the time I opened my door it was raining 'cats and dogs'. A good thing I did not go further.  


If you want to see more pictures of the trips, check out flickr our new picture platform.


Until then...

Dolphin Watching Cruise

Hi!

The sunny weather this weekend made people leave their couch and go to the beach. On Saturday morning I left the house for Double Bay. I walked from Double Bay to Rose Bay as I thought it would take me right along the coastline. The walk took me away from the coast. I passed quite a few nice places such as the exclusive suburb of Point Piper & the quaint Woollahra Library on New South Head Rd, which I fell in love with. If there is a chance of rain this weekend I will spend the afternoon in the library enjoying the view down to Double Bay.

Point Piper

Point Piper

If there is a chance of rain this weekend I will spend the afternoon in the library enjoying the view down to Double Bay. From Double Bay I continued to Rose Bay where I had lunch.I then continued my walk all the way to Watson's Bay. 

By the time I arrived at Watson's Bay it was amazingly hot and I didn't bring anything to go swimming because as I left the house in the morning it was still cloudy and windy. My walk took me six hours in total to get from my place to Watson's Bay and back to Bondi Junction via Old South Head Rd.

On Sunday some Interns and I went on a dolphin watching mission to Port Stephens. We caught a cruise and went out in the port.

Port Stephens

Port Stephens Headland

Port Stephens

Unfortunately we did not see any dolphins because the heavy rains had made the waters very murky and the dolphins had left the port. Dolphins have a hard time seeing in murky water which makes it difficult to feed and stay safe. Sharks on the other hand have bad eyesight but they hunt with their nose. For sharks it is easier to hunt under those water conditions as they can smell the dolphins.
It was sad we didn't see any dolphins (or sharks) but we had lots of fun hanging in the net and being pulled through the water.

After we came back from the cruise we drove to Anna Bay and Stockton Beach. Anna Bay reminded me of a desert. Sand dunes as far as your eye can see and believe it or not there was also a little waterhole. A real African feeling. Just missing the giraffes, lions, zebras,... 

What you did find, were camels!

To sum it up a fun day out with friends, which I can only recommend and maybe you will have more luck than we did with the dolphins.


Until then...

Long Weekend

Hi!
Welcome back. I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend. First, let me remind you that we had to made some corrections to the Weekend Trip Calendar. Port Stephens will be this weekend and Jervis Bay at the begining of April. I know that it is all short notice but I hope to see many of you on the Port Stephens trip.

Australia Day was great. In the morning I went to Bondi Beach to see the Thong Challenge. I woke up pretty early and caught a bus to the beach. By the time I arrived at Bondi Beach it was already crowded. People didn't seem to mind the weather. 

 
I, however, did and left to meet a friend at Bondi Junction Mall to grab something to eat and head for Darling Harbour as the rain cleared in the afternoon. It was quite packed but we found a good spot. First they had a parade of the oldest sailing ships and then the police demonstrated what they could do. 


I also went to the Chinese Garden of Friendship. It is a very peaceful and beautiful place in the middle of the city. The Chinese Garden of Friendship is located within the Darling Harbour Entertainment Area. Entry fee is approx. $6.

The day I decided to go there they were filming for a cooking show. There were a lot of people wearing aprons and it smelt very good. If I were asked to describe  the Chinese Garden in one word it would be "Oasis".

 

 

After I left the Chinese Garden I walked on the Foreshore walk all the way to Circular Quay through the Botanic Gardens to Boy Charlton Pool. The  scenery on the walk from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay reminds me of a disused port.

As you enter the Rocks there is a red car crushed by a stone. On the foreshore side there are beautiful refurbished buildings on former piers reaching out to the water.  

From Circular Quay I continued to walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens. Last time I went to the Royal Botanic Gardens it was spring and everything was blooming. Still some flowers were blooming but most of the plants were green. 

 
I did the rainforest walk which I was afraid to do initially as I thought that the animals were scary & poisonous.

First you walk on concrete ground before you take a turn and enter the rainforest.

Then I walked passed Mrs Macquaries Chair to Boy Charlton Pool where I went for a swim.

Sunday night some friends and I went to Town Hall to watch the Chinese Twilight Parade. Somehow we thought that the parade would start at 7 pm and not at 8 pm. We were a bit early but we found a great spot. There was also a light show at the Town Hall. I tried to take pictures but my camera does not work well at night. 

Until then...