I woke up at 8 am and left the parking lot of the eery hotel. Today’s plan involved visiting Newcastle and finally reaching Sydney. As I headed south in the morning, I made my first stop for a toilet break after 10 minutes. Another 30 minutes later, I stopped again, this time for breakfast. Feeling incredibly tired, I decided to make another stop after 15 minutes to have a snack and a coke, hoping to inject some caffeine into my system. I couldn’t figure out why I was so exhausted. Despite earlier doubts about stopping in Newcastle, I was now certain that I needed to take a break and relax a bit. The lack of sleep the previous night made driving in my current state both terrible and irresponsible.
After 20 minutes, I made another stop, this time at Hungry Jack’s, to grab a coke. I reached out to Daniel, the German guy I had met on my first day in Australia. We had planned a reunion in Sydney, and I intended to stay at the same affordable hostel he was currently using. Since Daniel was familiar with free parking spots, I needed to get in touch with him.
Another Library in Newcastle
An hour later, I reached Newcastle. I found the library, which was disappointing. They charged for parking, and I was restricted to one hour of internet use. With all these library experiences in Australia, I might consider creating an Australian library ranking, haha.
Leaving the Newcastle library, I opted to capture some photos of the fountain for a friend back home. Unfortunately, after ten minutes, I had to depart as my parking time had elapsed. In the car, I swiftly transferred music from my laptop to a USB. It was a close call, as the city ranger was checking the cars just in time.
I decided to depart from Newcastle. With a two-hour drive to Sydney ahead, I aimed to arrive in a timely manner, especially considering I still needed to book the hostel.
Third Traffic Jam in Australia
En route to the main highway, I found myself trapped in a traffic jam near Newcastle. “Great, here we go again,” I thought. This particular traffic jam proved to be quite dreadful. Despite considering a detour, I realized it might only prolong my journey, like it did a week ago. Hence, I opted to remain in the queue and patiently wait it out. After an hour, I finally reached the highway. The road conditions ahead varied. The initial part was acceptable, but soon enough, I encountered a 20-kilometer stretch of poorly patched asphalt. It was utterly insane!
Approximately 70 kilometers north of Sydney, the road conditions took a turn for the better, transitioning into a freshly paved highway. The surrounding scenery was breathtaking, with the highway winding through small mountains, creating an incredible landscape. While I desired to capture the moment with pictures, my camera was inconveniently located in the back seat. As I approached Sydney, just ten kilometers away, the highway spanned colossal rivers on a massive bridge, offering spectacular views. It was a refreshing experience driving on intriguing foreign roads once again. Eventually, I reached Sydney, turning left into a side street to configure my GPS in search of the street where Daniel’s hostel was located.
Continuing my journey proved to be a significant challenge as I encountered a major traffic jam. Navigating through an 8-kilometer stretch consumed a total of one hour. In the last segment, covering the final kilometer, I was relieved to locate my camera on the back seat (see pictures above). The skyline that unfolded before me was truly captivating, and I couldn’t help but appreciate the view.
Elephant Backpacker hostel
My GPS successfully steered me away from toll roads. I parked my car in front of the Elephant Backpacker hostel and proceeded to the reception. Upon arrival, I checked in for one night and retrieved some belongings from my car. I sent a text to Daniel, but unfortunately, he didn’t respond. It turned out there was a slight miscommunication regarding the reservation, but fortunately, there was still room available, so everything worked out fine.
Lisa, a cute, charming girl from Germany working at the hostel’s reception, escorted me to my room, a dormitory for four people. She found my surname quite cool, possibly due to being a fan of the turtles. Inside the dorm, I noticed a girl watching Game of Thrones, my favorite TV show. I struck up a conversation with her, and we immediately clicked. Hannah, a cheerful girl from the UK, proved to be a delightful companion. After a pleasant chat, I bid her farewell as I needed to re-park my car, nearing the expiration of my parking time.
Elephant Backpackers hostel resembles an ancient hotel, and calling it old is a severe understatement. While it once held the grandeur of a hotel, those glory days have long faded. The condition of the place was subpar, and it even paled in comparison to hostels I’ve encountered in Asia. It gave off the vibe of a building in disrepair, akin to a squatter’s dwelling. I shelled out 24 dollars per night for this accommodation, primarily because Daniel had chosen to stay here. Sleeping in the car wasn’t a viable option in Sydney, given the scarcity of camping parks and the central location of this place.
Kings Cross
I later caught up with Daniel, and together, we arranged parking for my car. He was familiar with a street where I could park for free. Once my car was safely parked, I gathered some belongings and secured the vehicle. From there, we embarked on a 20-25 minute walk back. During our stroll, we engaged in conversation, and Daniel shared that our mutual friend, Jonas, had departed Australia a few days earlier and was currently in Bali. Jonas, whom I had briefly met in Cairns, was an old friend of Daniel’s. Eventually, we reached a park, where I captured some shots of Sydney’s skyline.
We strolled through Kings Cross, an area in Sydney known for its questionable reputation and hosting numerous hostels. The Red Light District of Sydney was also situated here. Daniel assured me that despite its surroundings, our hostel had a convenient location, being close to Kings Cross and just a 10-minute distance from the CBD (Central Business District). I inquired about the term CBD, and Daniel explained that it stands for Central Business District. We planned to explore it the following day.
I needed to visit the CBD to retrieve my sunglasses. A month prior in Bali, they broke, and my insurance demanded a receipt for the repair costs. We reached the Elephant Backpacker hostel around 9 pm. I decided to do some laundry, but the machine wasn’t working correctly, so I sought assistance from the reception. Lisa found it amusing that I didn’t know how to operate it. In my defense, I explained that others had handled my laundry for the past three months. Interestingly, my backpack still held the two unopened washing detergent tubes my mother had packed for me.
Evening at the Hostel
After completing my laundry, I returned to my room and organized my belongings. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to bring a padlock from my car. However, Daniel came to the rescue and stored my money belt, containing my money, passport, and credit cards, in his locker. Despite the substantial amount of money involved, I had complete trust in Daniel. Grateful for such trustworthy friends, especially considering the somewhat dubious atmosphere of the hostel, where the risk of theft seemed significant.
After my meeting with Danny, I returned to my room and had further conversations with Hannah. She shared details about her roommate, Jasmine, and their work experiences in Australia. Hannah mentioned that she would be leaving for the UK next week, where she planned to work for a while before traveling to India. On the other hand, Jasmine intended to explore more of Australia and eventually visit New Zealand. Hannah kindly invited me to join them for a night out next Saturday, and I gladly accepted. As a bonus, she also provided me with copies of her Game of Thrones seasons, offering entertainment for later on my journey.
In the late evening, I decided to prolong my stay at Elephant Backpackers. Given the circumstances, it seemed the most economical and centrally located hostel option. When I approached the reception to inquire about an extension, they regretfully informed me that there were no available rooms. This was disappointing, as I preferred not to relocate to another hostel the next day, involving the hassle of retrieving my car and transferring all my belongings.
The girls at the reception, fellow backpackers managing the tasks in exchange for accommodation, made an extra effort and found a spot for me. It happened to be in the 8-person dorm, necessitating my departure from the 4-person dorm where Hannah resided. Given the circumstances, I had little choice but to accept the arrangement. After completing the booking process, I retrieved my clothes from the dryer conveniently located in the room adjacent to the reception. Finally, I ascended to my assigned room on the second floor, Room 204. Nestling into my bunk bed, I enjoyed a wonderfully comfortable night’s rest, a welcome change from days spent sleeping in my car.
