on to sydney

i've arrived in sydney and this place is nuts, i can't wait to explore.

but basically i'm stuck in an apartment with a fantastic view, i have no keys so i can't leave and no one can remember the code to the wifi so i can't communicate.  i'm rapunzel, at the moment, without much hair.  at least i have a snickers bar.

how did this happen…

brisbane turned out to be a little more boring than i expected.  its nice and i like it, but all of the activities that i thought would be fun to do i found bigger and better and crazier versions in sydney so why bother?  i spent my last day exploring the surrounding suburbs which were quite pleasant.  i went to a power yoga class that kicked my ass.  i was the first to arrive so i sat on my mat and watched all the other women file in, about 20 in all and a couple men.  these women were all super fit and thin and were doing headstands to warm up.  i was just hoping i could still touch my toes.  in central america i was a yoga rockstar, i look great working out with overweight vacationers trying it for the first time.

i spent the afternoon (yesterday) researching places to find sea dragons and while they are plentiful, there are no hotels, hostels, anywhere to stay available.  my sea dragon dream is pretty much over, and i will never again go somewhere during peak season without making all of my arrangements months in advance.  

what better way to spend time after the death of a dream than to hit the pubs.  i scoped out some local places and tried the local beers.  interestingly enough, i have the opposite problem here than i did in central america.  i couldn't get the boys to leave me alone there and here i can't get anyone to talk to me.  i tried some small talk here and there and nothing.  at one point i was the only woman in a bar and i still couldn't get anyone to talk to me.  bizarre.

so i walked home and watched 'hot tub time machine', which i highly recommend to everyone except my mother.

i was glad to leave brisbane this morning, not only was the promise of bigger and better in sydney too much but i wasn't happy with my living situation.  i got a room through airb&b and it advertised a room in a nice house in a quiet suburb.  and that's exactly what it was.  but they neglected to mention that the entire house is rooms for rent and only one bathroom to share.  every other room had couples so there were quite a few people.  and i barely fit in my bed, they must have bought it in guatemala.  the other people were nice, there were 2 older couples, the aussie guy was great and full of information, the other 3 people weren't overly friendly.  there was a gay couple that was super fun but they left about 3 hours after i arrived.  and a young american couple who either sat in their room or sat watching tv and had no interest in interacting with anyone.  

the flight to sydney was great, i love flying on virgin australia.  i shamelessly stole the window seat and the boy that sat next to me, a carbon copy of ronald weasley, british and all, was too polite to ask for it.  turns out that he lived in sydney for a year and was happy to tell me everywhere i should go.  including how to get to my apartment by train (my host sent me an email with directions using trains, trams, a bus, then walking).  the train ride was quite nice, mostly underground until we got out to where the opera house is, from there i walked across a bridge, up a huge steep road, then got lost, because the buildings were so tall that my gps wouldn't work.  i asked every person i saw where cross street was located but no one knew.  finally a korean couple with a super high tech map program found it and i was only a street away.  i had been on the phone with the other woman who lives in this apartment and she didn't know any of the streets that i was walking past so all of the money i saved by walking a bit further instead of tram and bus was given to at&t.  probably would've been cheaper to take the hour taxi ride direct from the airport than to talk on my phone.  whatever.

not a great start with my second airb&b accommodation.  when i finally find the apartment building i'm let in by a woman who doesn't live there.  i was told by the owner that i would share the apartment with the other renter who would most likely be out of town the whole time i'm there.  instead, she had friends come to town for new years and they're all staying here too.  these friends include a very loud 3 year old who was running in and out of all the rooms, yelling, throwing things, and the father chasing him screaming his name over and over and 'stop it' and 'put that back', etc.  since the friends are in town they have my keys and i have no keys.  so now i'm sitting here by myself (the family went to the pool with my keys) unable to leave.  this is strike 2 for airb&b.  

before the family left i asked for the code to the wifi and they didn't have it.  the other roommate didn't remember it and she's trying to get in touch with the owner in new york to see if she remembers it.  that was 2 hours ago.  

eventually this will all get worked out and i'll be released from my prison and can get on with life.  snickers bar and kindle for a while, though.

update, 2 more hours have passed and no wifi.  i'm dead tired and trying to nap but there's a screaming 3 year old right outside my door (he's camped there and keeps having tantrums).  seriously thinking of walking to the park across the street and lying on a bench.

last update.  another hour.  i've been in my room because i know when i open my door they are going to ask me how my nap was and i can't think of anything to say that won't ruin their day.  i'm going to steal their keys and make a break for it.

update to the last update.  8 hours in sydney and no wifi.  but i finally met the other woman who lives here and she fed me beer and is super nice.  and she's unemployed for 2 weeks so i have an instant drinking buddy.  happy again.