Our Greyhound Adventure Begins!

The lights of Sydney came alive as night fell over the city creating a sprawling skyline as far as we could see. We made our way down the bridge in the dark under torch light whilst being told about the 16 deaths that incurred over the 8 year building period. Once the climb was over we got our normal clothes on and met up with Georgia, her boyfriend and some of her friends for late night pancakes at Pancakes on The Rocks (although Laura and I were the only two not to have pancakes!) and drinks in Bar 100 after. In the taxi home we encountered an Australian RBT when our taxi was pulled over for having his fog lights on. We finally made it home and off to bed ready to visit Palm Beach (the set for Home and Away) the next day.

We got up, chilled and head off to Palm Beach with Georgia and Ed meeting up with the same people we met the night before for fish n' chips and an afternoon chilling on the beach. We got back to Cassie's, being lazy we ordered a chinese, and a good one it was! 

The next day we woke up and went to Koala Park as Laura's old favourite Skippy Park has closed down. We wondered round the park seeing all the native animals of Australia including the Little Penguins we have seen through out our trip so far, the amazingly friendly Dingos before having a close encounter and photo session with a cuddly Koala. We fed some Kangaroos, luckily only the small ones as the ones in the enclosure next to the petting one had Kangaroos way bigger than us! We had a conversation with some Cockatoos and tried to catch a glimpse of the nocturnal Wombats and Echidnas. We head in to the centre of Sydney to validate our Greyhound tickets, booked our bus and spent the afternoon chilling at Cassie's. In the evening we went for an incredible meal with the Campbell family at The Pantry, a restaurant in a prime position virtual on Manly Beach. Laura had a yummy rocket and cured ham salad followed by a creamy delicious gnocchi and pumpkin dish and Charlie had perfect calamari followed by a meaty angus beef burger. We returned back to the house, packed our bags, sad to be leaving the amazing hospitality that the Campbell's had welcomed us with in their beautiful home, but it was time to move on our adventure and head up the coast to our next destination, Coffs Harbour.

After a hideous ten hour coach journey, we finally reached Coffs Harbour and found our transfer bus to Aussitel Hostel. We were given a quick tour of the local area before checking in. We wondered around town and then returned back to the hostel for a $3 sausage sizzle which was actually surprisingly nice and very filling! Whilst eating we met some fellow english called Neil and Emma. We chatted for a while swapping travelling stories and tips before heading to bed. The next day we woke up to a beautiful sunny day, thats a fair few in a row now unlike New Zealand, and went canoeing up stream with Neil, Emma and Floris (from the Netherlands) spying some excellent birdlife and taking in the scenery. We then had some lunch and played some volleyball in the Hostel pool before wandering down to the harbour pier, which was recommended to jump off. Neil and Charlie jumped off but the girls weren't so keen. After hanging around contemplating jumping again a man suddenly shouted dolphin, at first we no idea what he said but following where he was pointing we saw it, at least two if not three were in the bay swimming around catching fish, we ran for our cameras taking a few shots then we both ran down the steps in to the sea to try and swim with them but they were too far out. Eventually we got out as they seemed to have disappeared. We walked further up the pier looking for them and spotted a couple of turtles surfacing for air then heading back in to the depths, thinking this was a real treat! Just as we were about to head back to the hostel the dolphins reappeared, this time Emma and Laura jumped in hoping for a chance to get close to them. After a while the dolphin got within metres of them whilst Charlie was snapping away with his camera, lucky enough to get a shot of the dolphin with its head just out the water with a fish in its mouth! Just after this the dolphin swam under Laura and Emma before disappearing due to a large number of people swimming by. So they got out and we were just about to head off when another one appeared and Laura just couldn't resist going in one last time to catch some amazing video! We finally headed back to the Hostel to have some pizza and now we are chilling and writing this! It has been an amazing day and all we have spent is $3 each for the pizza!