From an airplane window, the weaving neighborhood streets resemble the intricate pathways of a brain. The winding, branching routes that mirror the complex network of neural connections remind me of different systems, as big as the Earth and as small as a neuron in a brain. From the high balcony of the apartment, I can see the same two tiny televisions in the same two houses down below every night, glowing like distant beacons, always on until past midnight. Even from this distance, it makes me think of my family, one of our favorite things to do watching a movie, my elderly dog who recently got a new sweater that says “favorite child” fast asleep. The televisions in the family homes are a quiet reminder that we’re connected in some way, even if it’s just through the hum of the night. I know the time difference means they’d just be getting into work, and I think about my familiar life at home, how just over winter break there was a sense of stillness that settled in the corners of the day in peaceful solitude. I notice that same peaceful solitude in the beaches and parks here. For a city, Sydney is pretty calming.
On Tuesday Ariana and I went to Coogee for our day off class. It was a lot hotter than we expected and we could only go for a few hours before it got way too hot. By mid-afternoon, we escaped the scorching sun and decided to take a leisurely browse around the mall, that is conveniently a hop skip and a jump away from the apartment! My brother told me that there would be gigantic malls in Singapore, but the one right here is enough for me to get lost (it’s happened once already tbh).
On Tuesday we found a place that did a really yummy pasta and wine night that was delish, and we decided to make it a weekly tradition while we’re here! It is a really artful place that matches my pinterest feed to a tee, plus the meal was like $13 USD. There is nothing better than pasta and wine. Absolutely nothing.
Another great place to eat if you are looking for a good brunch is Alma Cafe, which is close to UTS. I usually get food and hang out with my friend Emily on days when I have two classes and a break in between, because she lives right near school! We’ve been here twice and I have a feeling it will also be a common occurrence.
Me and my roommates (plus Jackson) went to Paddington Market on Saturday, where many of us got nice jewelry and books. We were all a little tired from the week, so it was a nice Saturday afternoon activity. Spending so much time outside in the heat and having long classes are catching up to me a little I fear. Saturday night we tried a very business casual style rooftop bar complete with a pool, which felt very sophisticated of us, before we headed home to get ready for a big day on Sunday.
On Sunday, we took the ferry out to Manly Beach, which was definitely one of my favorite beaches here. I loved that there were very little cars there, so you could walk on the cobble stone paths without risking getting flattened by a car or a bus. It seemed like there were a lot more locals and people surfing as well, but a few of us walked down to the other end of the beach where we found our own place that was much more empty and relaxing. Walking along the beach the full way from end to end had to have been at least a mile or two, and it was definitely my favorite part of the weekend. As the day ended, we somehow found the last table at one of the very crowded restaurant bars (ferry ride is free on Sundays so it was crowded), before heading back on the ferry at sunset. Although I miss home and my friends at Bucknell, I feel like every day is vacation here, which is pretty hard to beat.
