Weekend in Sydney





After two interviews for door to door sales jobs and an unsuccessful door to door restaurant job search of my own I decided to try my luck on a farm.  The Fruit Shack is a working hostel located in Leeton, a small town of some 6,000 in New South Wales.  Michael, both the owner of the hostel and a farmer, helps backpackers find work.  Michael grows oranges and grapes and was bringing on lots of workers for the upcoming grape harvest.  After exchanging a few phone calls I booked my ticket for Monday from Sydney to Leeton.

Leeton is a town of 6,700 people in southern New South Wales, between
Griffith and Wagga Wagga, 579 kms (360 miles) from Sydney

The weekend before I left Sydney I went out on the town for the first time.  Even though I'd been in Sydney for just over a week already I was more concerned with finding work than finding the best nightlife.  With a simple beer running near $10 and coctails even more at happening spots, going out can really break the bank (especially if you want to try a club, which can run you $30 or more for entry).  Since I had booked a spot at the Fruit Shack I decided to have some fun before leaving the city life behind.

On Thursday I went to a club downtown called Ivy with a group from my hostel.  Ivy is in the CBD (Central Business District), within a huge complex.  Actually I think it is all considered one club, with several stories, lots of dancefloors and various DJs playing at once.  On Thursdays Ivy has free entry, a great deal considering it will usually cost you $40 on a weekend!  But free entry also draws big crowds; to fight my way through the throng of people from one side of the dance floor to the bathroom on the opposite side took me 10 minutes.  It was too packed to even dance.  After staying all of 30 minutes I headed back to Kings Cross with a Dutch backpacker to meet up with his friends.

Maybe Ivy would have been better to visit on Friday or Saturday, when
the price of admission steers a few people away.  But
then again, you also have to pay to get in!

Kings Cross, home to many hostels (including mine), is a odd mix of sophisticated urbanites and sketchy drunks.  Trendy cafes sit within sight of strip clubs.  This is probably because the yuppie Potts Point area borders Kings Cross, which is much less refined.  Overall nothing seemed dangerous about it; at night you will see the occasional prostitute and beggar, however.

Interestingly trendy cafes in Potts Point are only a
few blocks from Kings Cross station
There are dozens of hostels within walking distance of Kings Cross
Train station, which is a short ride from the Sydney CBD
The area is a bit sketchy at night, but it's almost always busy
and didn't seem dangerous.

Back in Kings Cross we went out to a smaller club which was more to my taste.  Not exactly a hole in the wall but not nearly as fancy as Ivy.  The night wasn't too eventful - dancing with fellow backpackers, a few $9 rum and cokes (cheap compared to many clubs in Sydney), and kebab to finish it off (you can get kebab nearly anywhere these days! Fast becoming the universal late night post drinking food).

On Friday evening I had drinks with fellow travelers at my hostel.  I though we might go out, but before I knew it it was 4 am and we were still hanging out at the hostel.  Oh well, it was a fun night nonetheless.  Saturday was a trip to the Sydney Museum and a night off, and Sunday was a mild night - a few drinks with my new Canadian roomies - because my train to Leeton was leaving at 7:30 am.

The Funk House hostel, where I spent a week in Sydney
The staircase was cool, and each room door had a unique painting...

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