Introduction
It’s Sunday again — and somehow the days in Sydney keep slipping through my fingers faster than I can write them down.
I’m still here, still drifting between hostels, beaches, random plans, and even more random people.
This week felt like a blur of markets, wine on the street, sad songs at 2am, spontaneous trips to Wollongong… and feelings I didn’t see coming at all.
Main Adventure
Saturday started innocent enough. Mara and I went to the Glebe Markets, one of those places where you go “just to look” and somehow lose hours of your life. After that, we accidentally stumbled into a festival nearby. Music everywhere, crowds, noise — chaos, but the good kind.
We bought a bottle of wine, sat down somewhere random, ate whatever we could find, and just existed.
Back at the hostel (still Hump Backpackers), there was beer pong. I joined. I lost. Obviously.
Later that night, Nico — a random guy from our hostel — walked in with his guitar. Suddenly the common room turned into a sad-song concert. We sang, laughed, and played games with some Irish girls. No plan, no expectations, just vibes.
At some point, I went out with Ash, a guy from my room who is absolutely hilarious. He paid for my drink and said he wanted to show me the best place to get food. Turned out it was meat pie. Ew. Still, somehow, the night ended around 2am with me wondering how days like this just… happen.
Random night. Perfect night.
Sunday was softer. Shopping with Mara (yes, shoes were involved, yes, it took forever), chilling, and then a cozy cocktail night.
But the week wasn’t all light.
I heard that Sam, my dog back home, was doing really badly. Not long after, I found out he was going to be put down. I cried. A lot. I felt helpless being so far away, grieving from the other side of the world.
During that time, I bonded more with Luke, who turned out to be unexpectedly sweet. He brought me breakfast, cooked pasta, and was just… kind, while I was grieving.
Meanwhile, Mara found a job somewhere between Sydney and Melbourne. Suddenly, I had to say goodbye to the first friend I made in Sydney. I didn’t know what to do. I was leaving for surf camp in a week, starting in Sydney, but I didn’t want to stay there alone either.
So I decided to go to Wollongong.
I almost missed my stop because I fell asleep on the train. My backpack got stuck between the doors and they had to reopen them. Classic me.
The hostel, though? Beautiful. Calm. Near the sea. Exactly what I needed.
The weather wasn’t great at first, but the days after that we spent hours at the beach with some guys from the hostel — Will, John, and Nico. Long conversations, shared stories, weird confessions. Some exaggerated, some clearly nonsense, but somehow comforting anyway.
One night, we bought cava and drank together. Nothing wild. Just warm, human, and real.
Romance (woven into the chaos)
Nico worked at the hostel in Wollongong. He was supposed to have left already, but stayed longer.
He was cute — and kind. I spent a lot of time in my room crying, watching sad series, and he kept pulling me out of it, convincing me to go for walks.
We walked. Sat on the beach. Talked. Nothing forced. Nothing dramatic. Just easy and comforting.
He returned to Sydney a day before I did.
When I returned to Sydney, we planned a walk from Rose Bay to Shark Beach. Sunset. Quiet paths. That soft light that makes everything feel cinematic.
We lay on a rock, watching the sun go down. Laughing. Waiting forever for the bus. His arm around me.
As we walked, he held my hand, kissed my neck, teased me about being shy — and somehow made it feel safe instead of awkward.
Eventually, he had enough of my shyness and kissed me properly. And it felt like something I hadn’t felt in a very long time.
At the end of the night, he walked me back to the hostel.
No big declarations. Just a kiss goodbye.
I know I’ll remember that evening forever.
Tomorrow: surf camp.
Fun outing
- Glebe Markets: go early, stay longer than planned
- Wollongong: the perfect escape from Sydney chaos
Reflection
It’s been a long time since I felt this comfortable around someone new.
Not fireworks. Not chaos. Just ease.
Travel keeps teaching me that connection doesn’t always come with noise. Sometimes it just quietly sits next to you while the sun goes down.
Wherever I am next, I’m learning that even chaos can feel like a beginning.
Tips & Tricks
- Always bring sunscreen — lobster-red is not the look
- Sometimes staying an extra day is better than rushing back
