Surry Hills Is BAE

SURRY HILLS IS BAE.

On May 15th I finished my Fashion Communications degree at Northumbria University. Three days later and I was on a flight to Sydney, Australia with a heart beat as fast as Usain Bolt. I was s*** scared because I had no idea what my plans were once I got there or what was waiting on me, but naturally, incredibly excited at the same time. 35 hours later - after a ridiculous amount of delays and cancellations - and I was staring out the window of the double decker train taking me into the CBD. On a serious note though, why don't we have double decker trains in the UK? Life changing.

Taken from the Sydney Tower Eye before our SKYWALK

I checked into Bounce Hostel just opposite Central Station in Surry Hills at 10am and the rest is history. I've been here for about five weeks now and i've had such an amazing time. The people you meet when you're in a hostel on your own are all in the same position as you, so they're immediately welcoming and want you to enjoy yourself. Of course it also helps when you're being forced goon down your throat - an Aussie vintage wine from 2015. It's really as great as it sounds *insert sarcasm* - and there's an event on every night at a local backpacking bar. I had a bucket list of things that I wanted to do once I got here, and i've ticked off a good few of them now, but there's still a few little ones on the list before I move back the UK. Here's what i've been getting upto so far!

Winter beach days at Bondi

@blacksmithsurryhills 

Breakfast burger and beer battered chips at @blacksmithsurryhills

Sydney Tower Eye

My dream house near Coogee Beach - Ocean Street.

@jasminedownling mural at Bondi Beach

Sunset at Coogee Beach - the end point of the eastern beaches coastal walk

@reubenhills - great food and even better looking waiters..

Vivid Sydney Light Festival

Chur Burger Surry Hills

The Notorious B.I.G - Chur Burger - The best thing i've ever put in my mouth

On the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly

My new best friend!

Sunday BBQ on the terrace with the CBD in the background

Lixie Chocolatier - Left here sick but satisfied

Bondi Icebergs

Group selfie with Kane the Koala at Featherdale Wildlife Park

SKYWALK at Sydney Tower Eye

The sunset from our terrace at Bounce

As sad as it sounds, the highlight so far has to be getting my photograph with a kangaroo - this was something I wanted to do for a while before I got to Australia, so I was over the moon when we got to feed them! I've loved finding new and exciting little coffee shops and eateries around Surry Hills, too. Instagram has been amazing for this, so long as you know what you're looking for. It's gotten to the point now that I'll see what a place looks like on Instagram before I decide whether or not it's worth the visit!

The plan when I came out here was to stick out my 12 month working holiday visa and work in Visual Merchandising. Although I've had a few interviews for jobs within this field, the restrictions on a 417 WHV mean that I can only work with any company for a max of six months and unfortunately this industry isn't a short term thing. As much as I love Surry Hills, there's something about it that stops me from feeling content. Especially when I can't work in my chosen field, so the plan now is to move somewhere in the UK and go from there so that I can establish my career. Saying that, the friends I've made out here will be with me for life - this I have no doubt of - so I may come back out and meet them in Melbourne or somewhere up the East Coast to spend Christmas with them.

Sometimes you have a certain plan for yourself and it doesn't work out quite the way you thought it would, but it doesn't mean you've failed. It just means you've tried plan A and now it's time for plan B. Or C, D or E. My gran always tells me that when one door closes, another opens. And it could be an even better opportunity, challenge, experience or person behind it. You just need to be open to change and embrace whatever life throws at you and not let it turn you into a pessimist.

I still have two weeks left with everyone in Sydney, so there will definitely be another post around then with some more photographs of what i've done - the aquarium, zoo, Boathouse Balmoral and the Blue Mountains will be on there so I can't wait to show you!

Photo's were all taken by myself on an iPhone 5C.