Campus

I went to campus for the first time on Sunday. I had been hoping to ask about my enrollment and where my faculty was, but absolutely everything was closed, even the library. I had been hoping to explore the library a little bit because I only have one book here (the wonderful Jack Maggs) and I get panicky when I think I might run out of things to read. That's all right. There are two bookstores nearby, not including the one in the mall, and if I am willing to splurge I can find other literature.

Victoria Park

Lodge at Victoria Park

The campus being closed down was not a huge loss, as I got to take photos of the lawn, the buildings, and nearby Victoria Park. Victoria Park is attached to the university campus, and leaving my residence building it is the first thing you see when you walk down to the crosswalk (crosswalks do exist here! They even have push button signals like we do at home!). It is a beautiful big grassy space with avenues of ancient gnarled Australian trees, a large pond with ducks and a bridge over it, a fenced area with an Olympic-sized swimming pool, picturesque stone lodges, and many paved trails. Every time I go through I see lots of people lolling on the grass, talking, eating, jogging or cycling.

The front of the University of Sydney

University Grounds

Inside the Quadrangle-lawns

More lawns

The flag

Stained glass windows in the Great Hall

Then I came to the university itself. My geesh, it is wonderful. When I describe it, I have to keep saying the word "gorgeous" over and over. Because that's what it is. The buildings are made of sandstone and built in an imposing Victorian style. They have carvings and gargoyles and stained glass windows like a cathedral. Inside the main arch are two bronze war memorials. It's like being at Oxford. The lawns are lined by shady trees, there are fountains and sculptures, and the architecture is amazing. I am so glad I am attending! It's such a beautiful campus that I wish I'd spent my undergrad here too!

Unidentified bird

Cockatoo in the Park

Australian ibises

A White Ibis up close

And to encourage my interest in birdwatching, there are some amazing exotic birds both in the park and on-campus. White and yellow cockatoos screeching and performing acrobatics in the trees, all kinds of ducks, small birds that look like finches, these grounded black and white birds that are Australian White Ibises and look like ancient Egyptian paintings, and I think I even saw a swan!

It's amazing here! I think I'm going to enjoy my studies...

A Tour of My Room

Because I haven't posted many photos of it yet, here is a short tour of my room.

Beside the door, my dining chair and table

My wardrobe and staircase leading to the loft

Kitchenette

"Salon-style" bathroom doors. At first I thought it was a closet. No lock.

My bathroom

The shower

My favorite part of the flat is the living room, with my armchair, TV, big windows and desk.

The loft portion. Note the large Beam intersecting the room. It is at shoulder-level, so I have to duck around it a lot.

The air conditioner in the loft

My bed with matching bedclothes. I am may need another blanket soon, since the quilt is very lightweight.

So, now you know where I live! I keep thinking that the empty side of the loft would make a great yoga studio, but then I realize that I don't know yoga.

First Day in Sydney

My first full day in Sydney, it poured rain all day long. The water was coming down in curtains that made it hard to see, then it would subside to a drizzle, then curtains again. I saw on the news last night that the city was actually hit by a superstorm that day. Many homes were damaged by the wind and rain. Also, in the middle of the night I woke up to thunder and lightning.

My view of the street on the first day

Bilbo stands against the rain

I had planned to walk to the university campus, but I decided to stay in until the weather improved. I set up my internet connection using a company called Big Air. The process was actually quite easy. What a relief to have a reliable means of communication again! I have never been so happy to have Facebook. It keeps me feeling connected to everyone even when I'm far away.

While I waited, I took some photos of my room and made my next shopping list. I went out and bought groceries and my bedding and towels the night before, but I keep realizing that there are more things I need to get. Setting up an apartment seems to require a lot of shopping. I've been buying stuff that I never would have thought about at home. Toilet paper and laundry detergent and cleaning rags amongst other things.


The rain eased up around noon, and I headed out to buy stuff and maybe try to set up an Australian bank account. There's a giant mall across the street with everything you can think of in it, and the Kmart and I have become fast friends. When I got there, however, I found out that the banks are closed on weekends, so I did more household shopping for myself. The stores were a zoo of students preparing for school. It was very busy and uncomfortable. People seem to walk in front of you or block you into aisles a lot, and no one apologizes to each other. One or two people said "excuse me." Is this a cultural difference in retail behavior between Australia and Canada, or was it just the rush of last-minute shopping in a big city? Anyway, I brought back saucepans, an electric kettle, utensils, dish towels, cleaning products, a microwave-safe container, a tea mug, a veggie peeler, a can opener and a frying pan. I should be set up to cook now.

Around four I talked with my family on the phone for a long time. It was wonderful to hear from them. It makes me feel less lonely. Afterwards I had supper and watched some Australian TV, including a rugby match between Leeds and Melbourne teams. I went out and explored the residence building a bit, locating the laundry rooms, rooftop, garbage room, gym, and mailroom.

The rooftop barbecue area. The AstroTurf  is swimming in water.

An unusual bird

An amazing sight! While I was wading around on the rooftop in inch-deep water, I heard some unusual bird calls. I looked, and there were two black birds ducking and swooping around the roof area. Their calls were human-like. I took a few photos, and when I looked it up later I found out they were Indian Mynah birds! I've never seen a Mynah bird outside a pet shop. Apparently they were introduced to Australia once and now they scavenge around cities. I will probably become a birdwatcher here, since Australian birds are so cool and different from the ones I know.

I also did my all-important room inspection with the forms the staff had given me. Much of the room's wear and tear is already recorded, so the staff won't think I did it. I did add notes to a few places. When that was done, I headed out to explore the neighborhood. It was still drizzling, but it felt great to be outside. There are lots of little cafes and pubs nearby, but all of them are too expensive for my budget. I did find a beautiful big bookstore with an upstairs level, and right next door is a used bookstore with a cafe in the back. I wanted to buy an old bird identification guide there, but it was $14 and I didn't want to spend the money. Moving on, I saw a sign reading "Just's Art Exhibit Opening" leading to an open doorway and a flight of steps. I wandered in and saw that it was indeed an art exhibit put on by some kind of church youth group. The art was secular and very good. I stayed to look, then left again.

After these adventures I headed back to the residence and hit the hay. I think I actually may be jet-lagged, because I fell asleep before I'd turned the lights out.

Moving Into UniLodge

Hello friends and family!

After a long series of airplane trips, I made it to Sydney, Australia. The last flight through Air New Zealand was great. They were quick and efficient, the seating was comfortable (something that was definitely missing from the overnight flight) and the food was amazing! We had salmon, mashed potatoes and peas for lunch with a macaroni salad and creamy cookie ice cream for dessert. They gave the passengers water as well as their complimentary drinks, they provided headsets, pillows and blankets for free, and before landing they even gave us hard candy to help our ears deal with the pressure changes. Kudos to them!

Lord of the Rings is a huge draw in New Zealand, and the airport has created this section of Moria-like Dwarven columns complete with epic choral music for Middle-earth fans.

Bilbo finally arrives at Auckland Airport

Morning at Auckland Airport.

I arrived at the airport and lined up for customs. We were told to be very careful about bringing in food or animal products, and any airplane food had to be left behind. Australia is very concerned about invasive species, and we even had to declare any soil on our shoes. When it was my turn, I declared the pasta, instant noodles and tea I'd brought. I mentioned the chocolate too, but apparently that doesn't count.

Our baggage came right away and we passed into the bright and pretty Arrivals section of the airport, which looks like it's worth exploring. I should have looked for a pay phone, but I was feeling sweaty and tired and I desperately wanted to get to my lodging, so I went past that section and went outside to find the taxi queue. 

Taxi area at Sydney International Airport

The balmy air hit me like a wave outside. The temperature was 26 degrees and it was very humid. A taxi driver helped me load up my stuff and we set off at an incredible pace through the highways and heavy traffic in Sydney. On the way I chatted with the driver a bit, and he told me that Sydney is becoming a very expensive place because of all the immigration and new development. We saw many condos being built. It reminded me of Vancouver, except not as neat-looking. There were quite a few empty warehouses and businesses covered with graffiti and soot, then there were incredible strips of green with beautiful trees and new buildings. They seem to exist side-by-side.

The driver pointed out the University of Sydney campus, which is just across the street from UniLodge and probably only a few minutes walk through absolutely beautiful parkland with palm trees and shady lawns. I saw a lot of students relaxing on the grass and I asked about poisonous spiders. There are some apparently, and also ants. I will have to be careful when I sit there.

We got to the residence and Google Earth does not do it justice. It is older, but the ground floor is gorgeous black glass and it reminds me of a hotel. The lobby is huge and again is very like a hotel, with armchairs, coffee tables and several elevators near the reception desk. Everything is well-kept. The staff at the desk were helpful and gave me the forms I needed as well as answering my initial questions. They accepted my bank cheque for the first two weeks' rent (hurray!) and gave me a trolley to bring my stuff to my room, which is in the far corner of the fourth floor.

Wardrobe and staircase in my room

My kitchenette after shopping

My room is empty of personal effects of course, but it is very nice with the same spiral staircase I saw in the online picture, a kitchenette that is larger than I first thought and a tiny living room with tall windows and a flat-screen TV. I also have a wardrobe, a small table and chair and a small armchair. The bathroom has doors like a closet and is covered with industrial tile, but it has a low-flush toilet and a shower curtain.

My bedroom is nice and roomy, with a low ceiling. There is a giant beam running along the length of the room overhead so you have to duck to get around it. I have put my alarm clock on it. There is no furniture except for the bed, and the weirdest thing is, the bed is on wheels and rolls around a lot when you get into it. I have to try not to move too much, or else my bed will go shooting across the room. It has potential as a ride, I think. 

The Beam across my bedroom

Next comes the hassle. I was told that phone cards were available in the shopping mall across the street. I went and bought one, only to be unable to use it in my room. I went downstairs and asked for help. I tried again. I went downstairs and bought a different card from a shop the counter staff indicated. It didn't work and I had to go back to the counter staff. After several more trips I was exasperated and worried that Mom would be freaking out because I hadn't phoned. Finally however one of the reception staff came with me to my room and helped me figure out the card. She seems very nice, and I am incredibly grateful to her for actually taking the time to help me.

Sydney seems like a beautiful city. There are lots of big trees everywhere, some of which are gum trees, and the buildings are really big. There are many old townhouses painted in bright colors sporting Victorian-era wrought iron. From my windows, I can see a new apartment building, a tree-lined avenue, an old stone bank and some tall buildings with businesses in them. There is also a red brick building that looks like a church which has a rooftop garden on it.

Anyway, I went shopping that night and bought all the stuff for my bed from Kmart (saving about $40 by not buying it from the residence), plus some towels, dish soap and food. It took a long time to make up my bed, so I ended up having my granola for supper late while watching Star Trek Voyager. (I have yet to find an Australian program on the TV.) Then I went to bed listening to all the noisy activity of a big city on Friday night. Good thing I have earplugs!