March 2, 2005

G'Day from down under!

Sydney, Sydney, Sydney...Same old Sydney. Things here have been difficult for me these days. I thought I had everything all set up and ready to go and the second I had it all in cement, it all liquefied and went down the toilet. Nothing has truly been easy here, per say, for a number of different reasons.

First of all, to top off the more serious issues, I have been fighting off an awful sore throat and cough for about a week now. I went to the chemist this morning (which is like a pharmacist) and asked him what he thinks I should do. He gave me some antiseptic throat gargle and sent me on my way. He also told me I should go to the doctor in the next couple of days if I don't feel better. I pray I don't have to resort to that.

Secondly, the place I thought I had set up to live in for the duration of my stay here in Sydney crumbled right before my eyes. The guy that owns the lodge was tossing me around between rooms, charging me higher prices than the quotes that he originally gave me, and just being a total jerk. He put on quite a good front to get me in there, let me fall in love with the place, with my room and then, BAM! I am sure he does it to everyone just to see if he can get extra money out of them. Well, not this time! I am moving out next week and resorting back to nomad mode.

Next week I will be going to Camden, which is a little country town about an hour outside of Sydney, for about three nights to relax and be with an actually FAMILY...a familiar family...something that I miss dearly. I will be visiting a friend named David, a connection through Tyson (my favorite bartender EVER at maingate), and his wife and baby boy. They just got a new pool and spa put in so, trust me, there WILL be relaxation! It will be a nice little getaway until I have to come back to work at the end of the week.

The following week, on my days off, I was thinking about heading up to the Blue Mountains for a few days to do some abseiling (retracting off the face of a mountain all the way down from the top while connected to a sturdy rope) and possibly canyoning. Just another getaway to look forward to and to recharge my spirits.

I can't wait to start traveling again! I think that is one thing that I really need to get out and do. Once I finish working, which should be before the end of this month, I am going to take off and head toward the center. I fly out of Sydney and head north to Darwin on March 29th where I will begin my three week journey down the center to Adelaide. I will hit Kakadu National Park, which is supposed to be absolutely amazing. Alice Springs and Ayres Rock are also on my list. Ayres Rock is the BIG BIG red/purple/ orange rock (it changes colors with the light) all by itself that you see in all of those pictures from the dessert of Australia. In between there and Adelaide is apparently where you see the TRUE Australian Outback so I am really looking forward to that as well.

Once I arrive in Adelaide I will stay there for about 3-4 days, drink a TON of wine-VERY good wine area-and then hop on a plane to Melbourne. This is the most exciting part of the story. This is where my lovely parents will be joining me and moving on WITH me for a little over a week. Together we will do Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, Tasmania, and then we'll head back up to good old Sydney. Since I pretty much know this city like the back of my hand these days, it will be fun to take them to all of the neat places I have seen...especially those nice and expensive restaurants that I have only been lucky enough to walk by and be tempted by the exquisite menu. It will be nice to have a REAL bed and a REAL towel and REAL food for a change. I couldn't be more excited.

So, all in all, knowing that I have all of these wonderful things to look forward to is keeping me going. Although my spirits are down at the moment, I know that soon enough they will be right back up there in the sky and not even gravity will be able to pull them back down. I can't wait to be writing those updates that I usually write where I can't find enough synonyms for the word amazing. Don't worry, they are coming...trust me.

Some of you have been asking me for an address where you can send things and I have made arrangements with the local post office so that I can receive things there. I know some of you would love to surprise me, but please let me know if you have at least sent something because if it sits there for over a month, they will get rid of in and I won't be able to get it.

Lauren Coker

c/o Post Office

50-58 Macleay Street

Potts Point

NSW 2011

Australia

If you write it just like that, line by line, you should be fine. Also, if you could just add a phrase somewhere pretty obvious on the package that reads "PLEASE HOLD FOR ONE MONTH" that would ensure that they keep it while I am out of town and can pick it up when I get back if I am out of town. Ask your post office how long it will take and let me know that as well. I wish it were easier but since I will be back in nomad mode in less than a week, that's the best I can do.

These are the days where I am missing people more and more and thinking of family and friends back home. I hope all of you in the northeast are coping with the snow okay...I hear it's been coming down pretty steady! Make a snowman and send me a picture! I will build a sand castle and do the same!

Ciao.

Lauren P. Coker