Pass the Panadol...and make it a double!

I’ve been in Sydney for less then 72 hrs and already have sported 2 mighty hangovers.. it may be a long 6 weeks ahead if I keep going at this rate! Mind you I start work tomorrow after a 3 month sabbatical so my drinking hours will be considerably less!

For the first time in over 10 years of being a gypsy freelancer I’m not feeling the love of being away for work. I usually get excited about living away. There’s generally a novelty of having a temporary new home. Getting to know a new place and exploring. However I’ve done Sydney before - several times - and while I like it and all the pubs and restaurants is has to offer - I’m really homesick already. It may be because of the area I’m staying. Major bonus is the 5 min walk to the production office. Major bummer is that it is a not so charming 9-5 office hours area. A commercial area wasteland at night and weekends. With a few scattered 7-elevens and cafes that are only open for the office workers hours. Thankfully it’s next to a more charming suburb and ferry stop to get me out of here on the weekends! Mainly I’m missing my very comfortable home with wireless internet, cable TV, the world’s most adorable puppy and the live in lover who apparently digs me somewhat!

The drive from Brisbane was excellent - it only took approx 10 hours with 2 brief stops. I listened to the audiobook of Bill Brysons ‘In a Sunburned Country’ for most of the trip - the man is a genius and exceptionally funny!

Saturday I went for an epic walk around the North Shore to get some bearings - suss out local breakfast joints and try and get some decent exercise in. My gym membership is going to waste in Brisbane! A text from some friends here working on a film suggested meeting for ‘arvo bevvies on the water’. That’s where the trouble began! First it was just a few easy going beers on the harbour and then I had some other friends who are also in town on yet another film show up....

What I do remember is moving from bar to bar. Going for mexican food but taking a detour for Tapas instead. drinking a LOT of beer mixed with red wine at dinner. Playing some god awful pool but laughing hysterically while doing so. Making a new friend. Trying to explain to my American buddies why John Howard is a fuckwit. Eating amazing duck and then ordering another dish of it because it was that good. Running in the rainstorm - in heels. Hanging out at Blue until daylight hit the wee hours. Possibly drinking and laughing for 12 hours straight.

I was supposed to then have dinner with my very first live in boyfriend from a century ago who is a chef at one of Sydney’s finest establishments - however due to running in rainstorms and getting home in the daylight hours I had to take a rain check.. not much of a pun intended!

Not exactly looking forward to re-entering the workforce tomorrow.. I have become very accustomed to doing my own thing in my own time! Though I just need a bit more money then the zilch I’ve been earning for the past 12 weeks!