Student Bloggers

New Zealand-South America-Australia:

Once again it’s the weekend! So what do I do? Get up at 3 am for an early morning flight of course! Fortunately, this is my last super early flight of the entire trip. Back to Sydney today, once again on a foreign airline: LATAM, from South America. I enjoy flying on different airlines to get a taste of cultures around the world; for example, I got the chance to practice my Spanish on this flight. The beautiful white, coral and indigo-coloured Dreamliner has arrived from Santiago, Chile today and the gate lounge is packed with tired passengers having a rest before the final leg of their journey. As I sip my hot chocolate and people watch, I get the feeling that I am less tired than my fellow passengers even though I did not sleep much the night before. The full flight boards on time and nearly 300 passengers settle in for the 3+ hour ride across the Tasman.

This weekend holiday comes at a nice time: I have recently completed both of my big essays, and found out I scored a 29 out of 30 on my Philosophy test; the average score was 20. Normally I would not go to the same place twice when there are so many new destinations to explore, but Sydney is an exception. I really wanted to visit my friend Britt; we met when I was there in April and decided to spend this weekend together in the city!

Unfortunately, Sydney’s airport is congested upon arrival and we are stuck on the ground for 20 minutes before a gate becomes available; annoying at the time, but it happens. I declare a piece of uneaten fruit on my Australia immigration form, and the immigration officers run a dog around my luggage! They thank me for declaring and explain they were still in the process of training the dog. That is an interesting experience as I have never had a dog search my belongings before. I hit the ground running by going to explore the hip Darling Harbour district before and meeting up with Britt. 

Exploring the Unexplored:

One thing I love about travel is the unexpected. For example, once I get to Darling Harbour, I discover a Korean festival! I enjoy three Korean chicken skewers; which have both sweet and spicy flavour. After lunch I walk into the city centre and meet up with Britt, passing a stray cat along the way. We meet in a park and talk for a bit before going to our Airbnb in the Rushcutters Bay district. The two of us get along well and enjoy a memorable weekend together! Among other things, we watch the show American Vandal and explore Mrs. Macquarie’s chair in Sydney’s Botanic Gardens. We make dinner on Sunday night and relax, then after a mere two days, it is time to go back home. Even though my previous Australia holiday was much longer, I enjoyed this one more, to be honest. 

Australia-South America-New Zealand:

Waking up Monday morning I feel disappointed that the weekend is over so quickly but I have a weekend holiday to Queenstown in a mere 11 days. Britt and I part ways and I go to the airport to fly back to Auckland. This LATAM flight is not full which is nice. Our departure took us directly over Sydney, with the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and Bondi Beach visible down below! I kill 2.5 hours by watching Top Chef and snacking on the complimentary turkey sandwich and cake served for lunch. Arriving in Auckland provides views of the city, Rangitoto, and Waiheke Island! Soon enough I find myself at the Dutch Fries food truck for a snack, then back at my flat. My flatmates and I all lead busy lives, but we find ourselves all relaxing in our common room Monday night! Great weekend, now on to Queenstown which includes Milford Sound and Mt. Cook. Stay tuned!

Australian Music Scene:

Some classic songs have come out of Australia so I thought I would share my Australian song playlist. I have cover versions of both Friday On My Mind and Don’t Change, but I have listed the original artist below. Check them out!