Aussie Snaps

[Valenteenah.]

Hello All!

 

I have been a bit tardy with the reporting, but that’s only because I have so much to say and I didn’t know where to start!

 

Australia is a brilliant place! A gobsmackingly beautiful land with everything: be it gorgeous metropolitan cities, deserts, rainforests and the like. It’s not a place you can fully explore even if you’re there for years!

 

 

Places

 

• Melbourne

Albert Park Lake

 

My trip started in Melbourne, which was a mistake on my part because I should have started from Perth. We flew over Perth on my way in and although we were in Aussie airspace by then it was another five hours before we debunked at Melbourne Airport. Perth has been described to me as a sickeningly beautiful city but with the red soil and camels of Buuhoodle! Who can resist such a description? Not me…I was pretty gutted not to have seen it during my trip.

 

Anyway, back to Melbourne. Melbourne is a big, gorgeous and laid back city. When I first arrived the city felt eerily empty and lonely to me. There were hardly any people out and about. This was disturbing to a Londoner who was used to being crushed by people everywere. It wasn’t until I went to Brisbane that I realized Melbourne was pretty lively for an Australian city. *Smirk*

 

Due to this lack of people (3 million population), Melbourne is very spacious and there are loads of sights to see and things to do. There is the scenic Yarra River which cuts through the city, the Financial City including Federation Square (as seen the photos) and the charmingly old Flinders Street Station (oldest station in Melb apparently… Am I right? @ the Aussies), massive shopping centres in the suburbs, the Botanical Gardens which was near my flat, loads of restaurants and cafes, and long streets dotted with one boutique selling gorgeous shoes and bags after another boutique selling breathtaking clothes after another boutique selling natural, organic skin and bodycare products. Heaven. I did nothing but shop and eat for more days than I can count (probably why I’m more broke than I have ever been in my recent life! Still…can’t bring myself to regret splurging out).

 

The food was amazing. From Melbourne to Sydney to Brisbane, the variety, quality and taste of food was out of this world. I was eating nonstop from the moment I arrived to the moment I left, breakfast, lunch and diner….all consumed outside. It’s really a wonder that I’m not obese by now. I think the only thing that saved me was all the walking I did as I shopped till I dropped (as well as the usual sightseeing and taking photos).

 

*Takes a deep breathe*

 

Reliving it is making me feel lightheaded. God I want to be back there so much! *Sniff*

 

More recent photos of Melbourne

 

 

• Sydney

Sydney Harbour Bridge

 

Sydney…you’ve all seen the pictures; Sydney is highly populated (according to Aussie standards), highly polluted (I will admit it was a little more clogged up than Melbourne, but I would hardly refer to it as ‘highly polluted’. Having said so, it was the only place my hayfever started acting up in) and heartwrenchingly beautiful. It has a massive harbour and the water comes quite deep into the city. In fact, there was blue water everywhere I looked. Quite overwhelming really. I was there for three days and the temperature was high (for me. Not for the Aussies. 27 degrees Celsius is positively cool to them. Ha!).

 

I did all the touristy things; the Sydney Aquariam, the Sydney Tower, rode the monorail around town, ate at all the waterfront restaurants (fabulous seafood (yes, I’m now a fan of seafood. Really!)), rode the ferry around the city, went for a wild ride on a speedboat (picked up a neck injury from all the whiplash)…and a lot more besides. Sydney was an awful lot of fun. I was on the go from the crack of dawn (couldn’t really sleep what with all the flashing harbourside and skyscraper lights coming through my window) to midnight. I didn’t get the opportunity to check out Bondi Beach or any of the other Sydney beaches, but then again what do I need to see a load of nude or semi-nude people for, ey?

 

 

• Brisbane

Slumbering tiger at Dreamworld Theme Park, Gold Coast

 

Brisbane was big (and very hot). It was also very American in that there were highways and motorways and freeways everywhere! (Yes they use all three terms.) Although most Aussies seem to be overly-reliant on their vehicles, they seemed more so in Brisbane than anywhere else. The concept of pedestrianism doesn't exist in Brisbane and due to this, and the fact that I was visiting family, I couldn’t really do all the touristy stuff I was doing in Melb and Sydney. I took some photos of both Brisbane and the Gold Coast (another gorgeous destination an hour’s drive from Brisbane. Don’t you just love the name?) Skyline but they are not as clear and sharp as the rest because they were taken during the evening (my camera has crap night vision unfortunately).

 

Still Brisbane and the GC are as gorgeous as anywhere else I have seen. All of Australia is, I suppose. The Gold Coast actually resembles Dubai from the photos I have seen on SOL.

 

 

People

 

Aussies are quite friendly people. Helpful too. The Somali Aussies are even nicer and friendlier, at least from what I experienced. I was welcomed warmly and everybody I met was spectacularly sweet to me. The Aussie SOLers, of course, were the best of the bunch. They ferried me about, took me out, fed me (good people, those SOLers!), told me all about life down under, answered all my questions, offered to show me around and even gave me gifts! Honestly, where else could you get this kind of treatment (although I suspect they may have been trying to tip my hand into moving to Melbourne in the future rather than Sydney as I thinking, I’A)? Not only that but there must be something in the clear sparkling Aussie drinking water because they were all quite good looking as well. Not as pretty as I, mind, but close enough to give me a run for my money!.

 

Intuition, Legend, Rahima, Rokko, …I’ve fallen in love with these guys. Especially Intuition, what a lovely creature! I wanted to smuggle her out in my hand luggage (Yes Ng, I never meant to bring Rahima back for you. She belongs to another soul, see. Just didn't want to hurt your feelings)! Many thanks, guys.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Australia is a place everyone should experience. It’s a bit expensive but worth every penny and if you’re a Brit, the Sterling pound goes far. I enjoyed every single moment I was there but I didn’t get to see or do half the things I planned in the beginning. I wasn’t able to explore Melb and Sydney as much as I wanted to, wasn’t able to go to Tasmania, wasn’t able to see Perth or Uluru Rock for that matter (the big red rocky thing in the outback they always show in adverts and holiday programmes). Four weeks just isn’t long enough! The best thing to do is to go for a working holiday visa and stay 6 months or so, although I don’t believe you’ll be able to taste everything Australia has to offer in just 6 months. I’ll definitely go for something like that next time, I’A.

 

:cool:

[Che -Guevara]

Dam..I can't access flickr at work. Welcome back Val. I was hoping I was gonne see a tanned Val on top that big red rock with a NGONE looklike Aborigine by your side.

[Legend of Zu]

....

 

Goodness Gracious...I have fallen in love with my city all over again!!!

 

Well done Val...Good Review...Runtaan Kugu jeclahay...But I would like if you start a whole new topic about this...to emphasise of the importance of your review!!

In the meantime, I will talk to the Lasses and Lads to sponsor you to Aussie Land

 

Melburnians Rock!!!

 

Cheers

[Buuxo]

Thanks Vals for sharing, it seems like you had a ball. i and the other Perthainions here in SOL, are disappointed you didnt grace us with your presence.we would of gave melb a run for their money and showed you around our backyard.

 

...if you decide to come again, i will only take you as far as Rottnest Island, im not brave enough to go the outback.

 

great review, you just forgot to say to the other poor souls yet to see Austraklia " where the BLoody hell are you? "

[Zafir]

Val, Pictures of only places and not the people you are claiming to have met, we need prove you know.

[Pujah]

Nice snaps and helluva review ! Val do tell how much they bribed you to put in a good word for them

[Legend of Zu]

^^^^ Jeeloos nimada dhaaf...waan u qalannaa amaanta yar ee nalagu soo tuuray!

 

Cheers

[Pujah]

^^Nah! my special sources tell me she was bribed...I just need prove

 

you are right though I am jealous of her 5 weeks vacations

[Legend of Zu]

^^^ You are more than welcome to visit us...

 

Intuition is our head of welcoming committee all you have to do is write a letter to her.

 

She may tell you the rest of eligibility criteria...But I don't think there would be any issues for you...You sizzling enough!

 

Cheers

[Sharmarkee]

Who Says? Val says - the place is clean and has a character!

 

Gooood for you val, Dont you deserve that after a long working days,months and years?

 

it makes alot of sense visiting there to Detoxify!

[-Lily-]

Hey Val, your report sounds genuine (I must admit). I like what I'm hearing. Does this mean we have to start being very nice to the Aussies now? Bummer...was having such a good time Aussie-bashing.

 

Very nice pics.

[Intuition]

To the Poeple of SOL

 

I think its only fair that we mention something about our beloved English woman miss Val and how she did on the stakes of representing the United Kingdom during her stay in Australia. Hmmm, where oh where do I start. She was horrible! From the beginning of her trip where she tried to smuggle in some marijuana from china and we had to bail her out of jail on her first day in Australia to the end where she unwittingly tried to deceive authorities by smuggling out a koala for Ng ( the length this girl went for your gift mate!).

Only joking. Val darling we loved having you down here. For all the people that don’t know her on a personal level she was a delight to be around. If the rest of the English SOLers are anything like her I wouldn’t mind moving there lol. I have never met a Somali person as polite and kind as her (except for me of course hehe) and I honestly felt a sense of sadness when we said our good byes after our little farewell breakfast. I think you did justice to Australia in your description and we will be all awaiting your return, even if it to Sydney, with open arms. I’m glade you enjoyed yourself and our company. I think I can safely on behalf of all the Aussie Nomads down under it was a pleasure having you as our guest.

 

Although I have just one bone to pick with you young lady, did you just refer to me as a creature?

 

Puuja,

 

Cambaro darling, we don’t need to bribe anyone. Our intoxicating influence and effect left on Val about Australia is all from the heart mate. Come down here and we’ll prove it to ya.

 

Zafir,

 

Oh we all met. But we have all unanimously agreed that it is in every bodies best interest not to post the pictures taken of the reer Uustraaliya because as Val has mentioned we are all “quite good looking” and it would cause such a fitna.

 

Zu,

 

Don’t let me take all the credit; it would not have been much of a welcoming committee without you, Rokko and Rahima on hand.

 

Lily,

 

Yes that means you have to be exreamly nice to us. All the time. 24/7. No more Aussie bashing you hear?

 

 

Sophistafuncated aka Intuition.

[-Lily-]

Well yes Intuition, you got the backing of a die-hard-Londoner. That will do for me.

 

by the way, I was trying to figure out who was hiding behind the terribly long nick...your old dirac was easier to write!

[Intuition]

I got sick of Somali's mistaking it for institution.

Altho this isn't any better Me is already calling me Sophie hmm. But the hell with it I'm in need of a change. Everyone else has a new diric, I felt left out

[Valenteenah.]

Not being able to edit your posts after a certain amount of time sucks. SOL gave me a hard time last night, what on earth was going on? I couldn't post, then when I did I couldn't view it. Grr..

 

 

Although I have just one bone to pick with you young lady, did you just refer to me as a creature?

A completely benign and loving phrase of habit, Intui. Oh, and you're too kind, thanks! :cool:

 

 

LoL @ the rest of you. I'm glad you like the pics and review.

 

I'm a definite Aussie fan (you're not the only one who used to enjoy bashing them Lily!). I would love to live there, I tell ya.

 

A sponsorship would be much appreciated @ Zu.

 

As for pictures of people, I didn't take many @ Zii, however I do have a particularly fetching photo of a tanned Val stroking the belly of a rather large tiger @ Che.

 

Buuxo, next time am there, I will definitely visit Perth I'A. :cool:

 

Puuja, no money exchanged hands, just food.

 

Sharmarke, yup the place was so clean you could eat off the ground. Really.