Day 39: Trouble Focusing — Matt Goes Exploring

Today's post is going to be somewhat short so I apologize for that ahead of that time. The trip is starting to come to a close, which means I'm running out of time and running out of money. Also I've neglected planning out my time in New Zealand, so it's all kinda rushed at the moment.

I stayed up late thinking of a plan for myself, trying to figure out what dates work best as well as what I want to do while I'm there. When I woke up in the morning, my dad had emailed me with an even better plan.

There was a slight issue in which I was going to try to go to the Great Barrier Reef, but it did not work out. I think a big part of the problem was that I underestimated how big Australia is. When I think of Australia I just think of it as one country, but it's the biggest country I'm visiting on this trip. To get to the Great Barrier Reef would be a three hour plane ride, which would include lodging for a day or two, and ultimately proved to be too much hassle. On the bright side, I know this is not the last time I'm going to be in Australia, so next time I'll have to go straight to the reef. Next time I can do just Australia for a week rather than the whole world in two months, so it should be easier.

So plans are falling into place, just in the nick of time, since tomorrow is my last full day here in Sydney. In so many ways this trip flew by, and also it feels like I've been out in the world forever. As much as it is going to be a relief to get home, I know that as soon as I get on that plane from New Zealand, I will miss it.

So I managed to lengthen today's post just by talking about the future, sometimes things just work out that way.

So I woke up with the plan to go to the zoo. Specifically the Taronga Zoo. According to a pamphlet I found in the lobby I could hold Koalas and feed Kangaroos. So of course I was interested. I also found out that the my hostel offers discounted tickets, and I was able to get forty percent off the ticket to the zoo.

The first thing I did today though was shave. It was getting out of hand, maybe not from an outsider's perspective, since I can't really grow a beard, but I had had enough. Through the magical world of budget travel I don't have any shaving cream, but I do have some shampoo. So I kinda have shaving cream. Here's a before and after shot with the opera house:

Post-shave. Looking like a baby. I can't win.

I started walking. I knew where the zoo was, and I knew how to get over the bridge already since I went across yesterday. Once over the bridge I looked up the rest of the directions. I was still an hour and a half from the zoo. I decided to go for it anyway, but my phone was nice enough to warn me that the zoo closes at 4:30pm today, and I was going to make it at about 4:00.

It wouldn't be a stay in a city if my plans weren't foiled at least once.

I sat by the harbor for a while, I wouldn't make it to the zoo until tomorrow, so there wasn't much else to do. This side of the bridge didn't even have many attractions (according to the poster of top sights to see in Sydney in the hostel lobby).

After watching the boats dock and take off, I returned over the bridge, once again catching the sunset. I bought a sandwich at the wharf and took it up to a park overlooking the opera house. I ate while I watched the sun set into the harbor. I may have missed the zoo today, but this was pretty nice.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some AirBnB's / hostels to look for in New Zealand, and probably book a flight too. Tomorrow will (hopefully) have some good pictures of me with some animals.

Thanks for reading and here's to tomorrow.