Surfing Lesson at Manly!

As a member of the Unimates Club, there are trips and activities that are planned every weekend, especially for international and study abroad students. One weekend event was a surf lesson at Manly Surf School. The Unimates Club organizes these trips so there are usually group discounts. For a two hour surf lesson it cost $31; the regular cost for this lesson would have been $99! So a $68 savings is awesome!

On the day of the surfing event we met at Circular Quay Wharf to catch the ferry to Manly. The return ferry ticket cost $6.60 with concession. When you ride the ferry I highly recommend sitting out on the deck because the views of the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge are amazing!

Manly is a beautiful beach that is a special surfing reserve. The beach is long and wide and there are a lot of surfers (naturally). We walked to the Manly Surf School and got rash guards and soft foam boards. We were given a welcome and then we separated into smaller groups where we learned about the waves, the winds, and the rips. Then the instructors had us all run into the water and said we could not come back until our hair was wet! The water was so nice and refreshing!

When we went back to the shore we learned how to lay on the boards so we could catch a wave and how to stand up. I loved the Australian accents of the instructors! After our quick information session, we were taken to the water where we had to put our new skills to the test. I had help from the instructors and was able to catch a few waves and ride them in to shore boogie-board style. There was one point where I stood up for about 2 seconds, but I was still super proud of myself!

I am so happy I had the opportunity to experience the Australian surf! It was so much fun and I would definitely like to try and perfect my standing up skills in the water. If you have the chance, I definitely suggest giving surfing in Australia a go!

A Chocolate Love Story

Max Brenner Chocolate Bar is a wonderful place to visit for its fun and comforting chocolate atmosphere. Inside, there are big vats of chocolate being mixed as well as colorful wall murals and quotes about how “chocolate exists in people’s minds and hearts.” If you are a fan of chocolate, Max Brenner is definitely a place worth visiting. When I was looking at the menu I was overwhelmed by all of the options. They have pretty much anything you can think of with chocolate!

I opted to try the Coconut Hot Chocolate, which came in the famous, “Hug Mug” perfectly form fitting to your hands when you cup a hot drink. Max Brenner is a little bit pricey, but it is definitely worthy of a splurge now and then. Some of the menu items I want to try are the Tutti-Frutti Belgian Waffles with warm chocolate drizzle, strawberries, bananas, and ice cream, the Choc-Banana Pizza, or a “Chocolate Shot” that comes complete with gummy bears. So many delectable options for yourself or to share! Max Brenner also has coffee if you would like to enjoy a nice cup of joe, instead of indulging in the chocolate madness. I definitely recommend a visit to Max Brenner to “watch, smell, taste and feel Max’s chocolate love story.”

Magazine Contest!

During Welcome Week I entered a contest hosted by the University of Sydney Union’s magazine called the “Bull.” I had to send an email with my name, email, phone number and favorite animal for a chance to win two tickets to see Hall Pass. I entered the contest just for kicks and then about two weeks later I got an email saying that I was a winner! I was so excited because I have never won a random contest like this before! When I used the passes at Hoyts Cinema at the Broadway Shopping Centre, I thought it was interesting that you have to have assigned seats when you pick up your tickets. I guess this is a good way to avoid having to go to a theater hours beforehand to get a decent seat! I also discovered that movie tickets in Sydney cost $18! So the free tickets saved me $36! Thank you University of Sydney Union! :)

LUNA PARK..."Just For Fun"

It was a beautiful sunny day in Sydney and I wanted to go somewhere new, I had heard about Luna Park and wanted to go experience the fun and see the memorable “Face” entrance in person. Luna Park was established in 1935 and hosts over one million visitors each year! I took a ferry to Luna Park (a return ticket cost $5.20) and as I got closer and closer to the entrance I was so excited! Luna Park has a carnival atmosphere, complete with bright colors, arcades, people on stilts and a Coney Island.


Entrance to the park is free, instead you pay per ride or you can buy a ride pass. I really wanted to go on the ferris wheel, so I splurged $10 on a single ride pass. The views on the ferris wheel were truly remarkable, especially on such a wonderful day! If you go to Luna Park, the ferris wheel is a must!


If you want more information about Luna Park or ride pass prices, visit their website!

Where the Wild Things Are: Sydney Wildlife World

The Unlimited Adventure Pass that I bought on my first day in Sydney at the Aquarium can be used to visit the Sydney Wildlife World! I decided to finally go explore the Wildlife World because I was yearning to see koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, and wombats!

The Wildlife World is located in Darling Harbour, right next to the Sydney Aquarium. It was so much fun! I was like a little kid seeing all of the animals for the first time…completely in awe of nature and that these unique, cuddly, prehistoric and/or wacky creatures actually exist!

The best way to depict my adventure at the Wildlife World is through pictures...

This boxing kangaroo LEGO model is constructed from 40,000 LEGO bricks!

This snake reminded me of Kaa from The Jungle Book...

"One's company, two's a crowd, and three's a party"
-Andy Warhol

I was not sure he was real, until his claws moved...

Koalas sleep 20 hours a day! I think he was the only one awake...but he posed for my picture!

Now there's a roo, mate

Cassowary: The World's Most Dangerous Bird...According to the Guinness Book of World Records.

I highly recommend a visit to the Sydney Wildlife World!

Looking to make a few extra bucks while you are in Sydney?

Before I left for Sydney I went to talk to my bank about what the best way to go about banking in Sydney would be. Personally, I have an account at Bank of America and they told me that Westpac bank in Sydney is affiliated with BofA and I would not be charged for withdrawals using my debit card at a Westpac ATM. However, if I went to any other ATM or paid at a store using my debit card I would be charged outrageous fees! I highly suggest you talk to your bank in the States before you study abroad! Also, I would get some foreign currency to take with you! A couple other things you have to be aware of are the currency exchange rates and international transaction fees. These can really add up!

I keep an eye on the currency exchange rates by having the daily exchange rates emailed to me from the Universal Currency Converter. Subscribe to have the daily foreign currency exchange rates emailed to you! It is so easy!

*A quick tip…
Whenever I see that the US Dollar gets more Australian Dollars per US unit, I withdrawal money from my account. One time I made $6! This may not seem like a lot, but it is technically like free money! Go ahead and treat yourself to some ice coffee. :)

More Things To Do And See At Circular Quay!

When you walk around Circular Quay there are often Aboriginals playing the Didgeridoo. This is very interesting to see and to hear, they are very friendly and encourage tourists to come and take pictures or ask questions.



Along the outskirts of Circular Quay is The Rocks, which is a historic part of Sydney that has a lot of shops and restaurants. I went into a lot of the souvenir shops just to look at all of the wonderful and brightly colored boomerangs and Didgeridoos for sale. (Some are extremely expensive! I saw a Didgeridoo for over $300!) However, it is fun to see all of the Aboriginal designs; each one is unique!

Just across the street from the wharf is the Customs House, which features an amazing scale-model of Sydney in the ground floor. The Customs House also hosts a library and has information about exhibits. The building has beautiful architecture and is a work of art in itself! I definitely recommend a visit to The Rocks and the Customs House if you are at Circular Quay (I mean, what do you have to lose? It's free!) You can learn about Australia's heritage, see historic buildings, and experience the culture all in one visit to Circular Quay. It is amazing!