McSilly's Adventures: Sydney and thoughts of living in a big city

Probably because I was coming from the jungles of Vanuatu, but one the first thing that struck me about Sydney was how “city” it is; as in skyscrapers, offices, lots of people running around (many of them literally running, plenty of joggers to be seen). I started exploring the center of the city, the CBD (Central Business District as they call here any center of any city, even if that center would have no business at all)

on a late afternoon, at that time when everybody leaves the office and start running home (or to the pub). Well, I found myself surrounded by these people, and even if I was just strolling around my pace automatically became faster, at the stage where I found myself hurrying without knowing where. Call it sense of belonging, maybe an atavistic sense of the clan, but I almost had no control over it, and to be honest, I almost missed the times when I was working and was part of this clan. The same sensation occurred to me in Singapore; again maybe because coming back from the jungles (that time it was Indonesia), but i really appreciated the skyline, and all the fruits of man's work and intelligence in these big cities. So am I destined to work in an office after all? Is it that the few months in various remote/tropical location still didn't manage to get the “city boy” out of me? Well I have a few more remote/tropical destinations that I'd like to see before I settle down somewhere anyway, so..I'll makes sure I do see them! Then time will tell..

The main highlights of my stay in Sydney can be summarised as follows:

The not-bad-at-all weather.. is this is winter, I can't imagine summer.. a note on this: all pubs would have gas heaters outdoors, in what would be considered a hot Irish summer night!

The fantastic views of the skyline, the Opera House and the Sydney Bridge, from basically any place facing water.. if you happen to be in Cockle's bay than you can combine the view with gorgeous food.

A new range of animals and birds just hanging around.. instead of sparrows you have white noisy cockatoos, instead of seagulls you have ibis..

Being upgraded for a ridiculous price to a fancy/classy/funky hotel, with on top of that an i-pod station, a 42” TV and Xbox in your room

The best part of Sydney though was meeting againg the folks from Ireland (or from the times in Ireland): Emanuela, which I managed to see 2 times in the last 4 years in Dub and met for a day out here in Syd; Suan, Gabh, Grainne, Colin; it was really like being back in Dub, where a quick drink after work would become a lot of drinks, followed by: you have to see this other pub, oh you have to see that other pub, oh let's go back to mine for just one more..