Sydney: The Final Part

The thought of condensing my five days in Sydney into one blog post sent me into an anxiety-filled state so I went for the more manageable route of doing three parts. I hope you all were able to bear with me! As always, the best is saved for last and it just so happens my favorite day was our last day there!

When I was younger, my mom would beg and plead with me to wear a dress or fix my hair to take advantage of the curls I was cursed (ahem *blessed) with; but growing up with brothers and almost all boys on the block left me in a state of dirt, skinned knees and the furthest thing a mom wants her only daughter to be like. (I know you love me just the way I am Mom!) I think it's that childhood that gave way to me being a competitive and persistent individual when my reputation is on the line, I have to prove myself, or if there's a prize. The Amazing Race of Sydney proved to me no different for me.

The group split into teams of four--some stronger than others--and we were on our own with just: an unlimited public transport card for the day, the knowledge we had of the city from the past five days, and faith that we can recall all the information/facts/tricks we were given by our orientation leader from all the tours and talks.

Clue 1: "Prince Harry 'Wheely' likes to stop here for a midnight snack or a PEA. Come to this loo to complete your first clue."

This one was easy but getting there was another story. All the groups departed in separate directions and luckily my group was going the right way! We had to recall the route we took just three days prior to get to this little shack that we devoured our meat pies at. Through the park, over the bridge, down the stairs and past the boat harbour. My group arrived first to get our first challenge: one I was ready to take on a little too confidently. 

A makeshift table was set up with a loaf of bread, butter and vegemite. I was told by many that I had to try this Australian food spread just once--it's a staple here. I sat down ready to go and too confident to use the butter as a diffusion of the vegemite taste--badddd idea. Before I even had the whole first bite in my mouth, my taste buds were screaming. The best I can compare it to is dirt mixed with soy sauce and shoe polish. Half way through, I became coherent again and spread about half the tub of butter onto my bread to finish off the job. The worst of this? I had no water bottle to wash the taste out of my mouth for some time. But it doesn't matter because I'm still haunted to this day. 

Before the tragedy of biting into it. 

Adding that butter.

 We completed it and were given the next clue. 

Clue 2: "Find a PLACE that SUITS you to get your face on AUSTRALIAN BREAKFAST TV. You may see a WOMAN IN RED as you head to this task." 

This one called for us to go all the way back near where we were before and head to the CBD (Central Business District). We weaved through a garden that debatably cost us some time but we came out on the other end and spotted Christian waving his arms across the street. Running toward him, we spotted a red paper instead of blue.

Road Block: "Bank (punny because there's a lot of banks around) on your photography skills."

The four of us had to run around and take pictures in front of three bank signs, which aren't as conspicuously marked like the States' ones. The locals, being the friendly people they are, obviously were willing to take our pictures but they were convinced we wanted multiple of the picture in different angles. And there's no telling them "no, that's okay." So we had to sit for a couple pictures of the same sign! 

Just one of the banks.

Clue 3 was lost in our frantic runs to and fro things. 

We hopped on the train and took it to Bondi Junction in search of a pizza place that we needed to ask an Arthur for our next task. Our clue had slice as the clue and so we walked (ran) up and down streets trying to find this place, possibly called "____ Slice." Thankfully one of my group members looked up at just the right moment to see a sign that read: "Arthur's Pizza." We bolted and went to go inside for our clue when a man we had never seen before said "wait, wait, you're looking for me!" We bypassed any road blocks and challenges and were given our next clue immediately. 

Clue 4: "Travel down the indigenous trail, a SWIFT move to a square, your next task awaits you where the gays play the rainbow flags and your genders may sway."

We were stumped until finally a local overheard us discussing transportation options and helped us when we gave her the clue. It's called Taylor Square and it's known as the long strip of places where nightclubs, drag shows, and awesome places are, and a lot of gays and lesbians congregate under the rainbow flags. We bussed it the twenty minute ride and spotted Christian on the corner of a busy intersection. All four of us continued to bolt near him and we were given our next task of someone having to dress up in drag and sing a song. My friend Pauline immediately volunteered and we put on quite a show for all to see. 

Clue 5: "You may well of painted the town red, but you'd need to be pretty as a PICTURE to get attention here."

The Art Gallery of New South Wales was our next destination. This time, we took side streets and angled ones, trudged up steep hills and pushed through the pain of having some blisters (sorry Natalie!). We met another TEAN representative who had a game of cricket set up which required someone to knock off the stick on the top of other sticks. I laughed at my ignorant way of describing the game so hopefully within the next couple weeks I'll be able to rephrase that! Down went the stick and we were given our final clue.

Clue 6: "Make sure you SING for your supper at this HOUSE with a view. So, SAIL on over to the house on the SANDSTONE cliff made of CLOUD. Climb some stairs and we'll be waiting."

Here we come Opera House! It was petal to the metal and I wasn't giving up until I was out of breath and feeling like I did everything I could have. We rounded the bend to the view of the Opera House stairs and the end was near. As my team ran closer, we saw three guys sitting up there already and so our hearts sank a little lower in defeat but we still finished it, and what a surprise we had! The boys had actually taken a taxi! to the finish line and so since that was against the rules, they were automatically given a penalty and we were declared the winners! Had they not taken the taxi, we would have been in a dead heat with them for first place but I guess we will never know what it would have come down to! 

Everyone who completed the Race was given lunch at the Opera House Cafe with waterfront views of the Harbour Bridge. Us, being the winners, are given a gift certificate to eat anywhere of our choice here on the Gold Coast for dinner! I'll take it! 

We took a ferry back and got to have the full view of everything from the other side.

After the forty minutes back to dry land, we trekked back to our hotel and immediately got ready for the Harbour Cruise dinner. I had to shake my tomboy look and actually look presentable so Australians didn't label me as a scum American! We arrived early for the cruise ship, which didn't leave until 7:30pm, so we hit up the bar right by the Harbour called Bungalow 8. Music, friends and laughs were all I needed--and that's what I got.

My roommate, Kristen! Finally a good one ;) (Hey George!)

The cruise was beyond amazing. We had a private room in the front of the ship so we saw all the views and got a private deck then to go outside and enjoy it even more. It was rainy and cold but that didn't stop any of us from getting the once-in-a-lifetime views and appreciating everything we have.

Probably my favorite picture to date. 

I wish I could post all 350 pictures I've taken from this trip but I'm sure none of you have the time to scroll down that much page, and these pictures just don't do it justice. Before I left, I had people left and right telling me that the things I will see can never be reciprocated into pictures. I would nod my head and agree but knew I was going to try my hardest to capture these moments (with the help of your camera, Dad!). And I thought I was going to succeed. But flipping through these, or the beach pictures, or even the architectural monuments makes me feel like a failure to that goal. I can't; I won't ever be able to capture these in lenses. My eyes are capturing every color and angle and light these magnificent places have to offer and I just want all of you to see all those things, too. But I've relented in my goal. That particular view above is the product of about 27 takes. While I won't settle until I get an acceptable shot, I won't sit here and critique that the lights are a little blurry in the right or that it cut off a little bit of the Opera House (okay, well I just did but you know what I mean). This experience is forever embedded in my mind. These sights and sounds and people are forever embedded in my life. I'm living. Like actually living. And I don't know that I've ever been able to say that in the confines of Chicago or St. Louis or Dayton. This is the life people dream about, what I've dreamed about, and it's finally mine.

The best orientation leader! Hey Christian!

The girls I roomed with in Sydney