Aquarium, Coastal Walk, etc.

Coogee Beach
Coastal Walk Group

Running path along Bondi

Bondi Beach

QVB Building

Tuesday we went to the group interview for the promotions job. It was really laid back and all of us got the job. I think they were just checking that we were capable of showing up to something on time and weren’t horribly disfigured. The only thing is, they don’t send out the email with the shifts in it until Friday. Then you have all weekend to sign up and don’t find out what you’re doing until Monday. So that will give us about 5 days to work and that’s IF we get a shift every day. Oh well!

After the interview, we realized it was Cinco de Mayo so we decided to go to the Mexican restaurant below our building. Yes, we have a Mexican restaurant below our building. It’s actually pretty decent…not the worst Mexican food I’ve ever had, but they have no idea what queso is and they had no idea what we were talking about when we mentioned Cinco de Mayo. We had to explain it to Scott and Lucy too but that was a little more understandable.

The next day we went for a swim in the ocean. We’d been over to the beach a bunch of times but hadn’t been in the water yet. Scott is afraid of the water so I had to hold his hand while we walked in. Katy got yelled at by one of the lifeguards for not swimming between the flags (where it’s safe to swim). I made sure I was always in the flag zone because I’m scared of getting sucked out into the ocean.

Later that afternoon Katy and I went to the Sydney Aquarium at Darling Harbour. I think it’s supposed to be one of the best in the world or something. Maybe I’m just making that up, I don’t really know. But they had a really awesome shark tank that had a tunnel you could walk through where they swim over you and you can see all their teeth. We stayed there a couple hours and then walked through the Queen Victoria Building. It’s just a bunch of shops but the architecture inside is really pretty.

Thursday we ran our usual route in the morning and then laid out at the beach most of the afternoon. Lazy day. That night, a bunch of us were sitting around talking and Ross from Ireland was asking me what proms in America are like. They have something similar in Ireland but I guess it’s not really the same, so he suggested that we have a house prom. Everyone LOVED the idea so we’re having it next Friday. We’re going to pull names out of a hat to choose dates, but since it’s not even and there is an extra boy, Scott got moved over to the girls’ side, haha. Everyone has to get dressed up, as much as possible anyway, and take a picture with their date…but you don’t have to stay with them the whole night. Katy and I are on the prom committee because everyone thinks we automatically know everything about proms because we’re American.

Yesterday Katy and I, Lucy, Scott and a few of the Irish boys did the coastal walk from Bondi to Coogee (another beach). It’s about 5k one way and you pass about 3 or 4 other beaches along the way. When we got to Coogee, Katy, Lucy and the Irish boys found a spot and went snorkeling. Scott and I were cold so we just watched and took pictures for them. We took the bus back to Bondi because it was getting late and everyone was hungry. We stopped at the store on the way home and got food to have a barbeque by the beach. I think everyone is really tired of staying home all the time so we’ve been trying to get out and do more, even if it’s just going across the street. A couple more people joined us and we cooked stuff on the grill and had a few beers, it was really fun.

Today I just laid around…too much fun last night.

Interesting People

All of my wishes came true. The new house managers came and cleaned the ENTIRE house. It's like a new place. They cleaned the carpets, both bathrooms, the kitchen and fixed a bunch of little stuff around the building. It still smells a little bit like old beer and boys but not nearly as bad. I guess if I were going to be here for a year, I would have done the same thing. And I think they're going to be a lot better about enforcing the cleaning schedule, etc. The property managers fixed the Internet the other day too!

On Friday the weather finally cleared up enough for us to go to the beach. It was a little bit cool but the sun was out and warmed things up. Everyone here acts like it's freezing outside and it's only been in the low 70s, MAYBE the high 60s. Katy and I have been wearing dresses or jeans and a tank top and our friends always say, are you cold?? I can't believe you're not cold! And it's extra weird because we're from Texas and they're all from cold places like England or Scotland. Shouldn't WE be the cold ones??

It actually did turn out to be cold that night so Katy and I bundled up and went out to a bar down the street with a bunch of people from the house. The bar was featuring house music that night and since we hang out with almost all Europeans, they love their techno. Katy has done a really good job of being polite and tolerating it, but I can tell she hates it so much, haha.

Saturday Nina from Germany and Scott from Scotland invited us to "Caesar Saturday." It's not a real thing, they just go down to the Bondi Hotel restaurant on Saturdays and eat Caesar salads. So we went with them, and Nina's friend Reuben was there as well. He used to live in the house but left to go travel up the east coast and just got back. Nice guy but a little bit of a tool. He talked about himself a lot and was one of those people who always has the BEST time. Even if you did the exact same thing, he had a better time. He kept telling us how crazy the house used to be and how everyone used to party on the roof and sometimes there would be over 100 people up there. And we're like, yeah, we know, we live there right now and it's about the same. "No, no, it was just like, I don't even know man, so crazy." Ok, you win, it was crazier when you lived here. It reminded me of that episode of The Office when Ryan comes back from New York and is telling Jim about living in the city and Jim is like, "yeah, I've been to New York, I love it." And then Ryan keeps saying stuff like "yeah but you don't really know until you actually wake up there and feel the energy of the city. You just don't even know"...hahaha. He was a nice guy overall, but WOW.

Reuben has a car so he drove us into the city to get ice cream...even though there's a really good ice cream place right down the street. It was mostly just to get a change of scenery. We met up with his French friend and he kept saying "ehh, Reu-ban, blah blah blah" in his French accent. I waited and waited but he never asked him if he was for scuba.

Yesterday we went over to Dave and Lynette's for a yummy breakfast. Then they took us over to Manly Beach because we hadn't been there yet. It's so nice to have them as tour guides! And the weather cleared up and it turned out to be a beautiful day. Later that day, Katy and I went over to Darling Harbour because there was a festival going on in honor of its 21st Anniversary. There was food and performances and a really great fireworks show at the end of the night. Fun and free!

This morning we went for a run on the beach and then over to the giant shopping center in Bondi Junction to buy clothes for our promotions interview tomorrow. We have to wear black pants and a black button shirt...blah. I hate shopping for stuff that I have to buy or I'm not excited about. Scott is coming to the interview with us because they said we could bring friends. I think it will be end up being more like an orientation. Hopefully I can make a little money before Katy's family comes.

Hmm, I never know what to say at the end of my blogs. I feel like a need some sort of catchphrase. Suggestions welcome.