Cameron Highlands to Sydney Day Two

 I tossed the eye mask when I was in the airport. It was clearly made for Asian faces. My head is too big and my nose is too pointy to wear the thing. I tossed it on at one point and it felt like a wrestler was pressing his thumbs into my eyes. Not pleasant. After trying to sleep without one, I’m seconded guessing my choice. I hate sleeping on planes and I hate waking up on planes. Become conscious, do not move. At least I managed to finish my book.

We land and I breeze through immigration and customs. Annoyingly, the land of AUS still uses paper arrival cards. In 2026 that means you need to hunt down a pen from some Good Samaritan nearby. I nervously declare my sack of tea and the border force welcomes me to New South Whales. Fantastic.

I’m renting an Airbnb which means check in doesn’t start until four. Luckily, it’s near central station so there are plenty of luggage storage options. I stash my bags with the local cig stop and head north. A fun coincidence, my friend Amaris from California is also in Sydney for two days! This means that after a month I get to see someone I know, what fun. I train to Elizabeth Bay where she’s staying and we have ourselves a little reunion over revolving sushi.

Fish for fun

She’s had a lovely time here and tells me about her adventures in Australia so far. Two main hilights is that she’s won a box of wine at a pub quiz and she’s been shooting some film. Naturally, we take one of her finished rolls to a local lab and carry the box to a nearby park. As we’re lounging, the scans come through and they look great. Wine, friends, and being haunted by bin chickens. The bin chickens are a local creature that resembles a haunted chicken with a long, thin, curved beak. They move deathly slow stalking their prey of litter and small bugs. I cannot stress enough just how haunted these birds look. It’s eerie.

Maybe some wine was had

After some time, we pack up and head for my place. It’s finally time for check in and I’m so excited. Not to see the room, but to take a shower. I’m still wearing the clothes I was stumbling around hot and humid KL in yesterday. I’m due for a cleanse. We work on the box some more and soon enough it’s time to head out for dinner.

Amaris found a decadent dinner for us. At the top of Sydney Tower there is a revolving restaurant with an all you can eat buffet. The proposition is simple, eat too much and watch the city roll by. Love it. Being a buffet my expectations were low but the food was actually great. Lots of variety, quality, and local options. I ate too much and then she directed me to a tiki bar for a nightcap. She knows me too well. The tiki bar is, like the place in KL, a rum junkie’s heaven. They’ve got a bottle of The Last Consignment and a wide array of other things so expensive that it would make genuine black tot rum blush. The bartender is knowledgeable and steers me to something I can’t get in the US, Havana Club. Next time we start to allow it I’ll have to get me a bottle.