Day 76: To Sydney

I was on the tram to Southern Cross Station at 7:40am and had plenty of time to scratch my head at the signs in Southern Cross until I found my train. The train stopped at a number of smaller towns before arriving in Sydney 11.5 hours later. Tickets are cheap -- economy from Melbourne to Sydney cost me 66 AUD -- but make sure to pack a lunch and dinner, or else pay 20-25 AUD for meals and drinks. For those wanting to get there sooner and willing to travel light, it's possible to find budget airline tickets for a comparable price. If you're a super saver, you can take a night train and save money on accommodation for the night. The trains allow you to take up to 40kg (!!) of luggage if you so wish, potentially opening a loophole where you may stuff your small child in a suitcase and save yourself some money.

Within 50km of leaving Melbourne, cell service is nonexistent except when passing by small towns. During the first 6 hours the view out the window doesn't change much. Large, flat, dry plains with lone trees dotting the landscape.

The next 4 hours are a climb in elevation until you are surrounded by forest.

The very beginnings of mountainous forest. Within the forest it was too dark and enclosed to snap clear photos.

The final 2 hours are a descent into Sydney, though you won't see an increase in population density until the final hour.

Once at Central Station, I bought a ticket to King's Cross and found my way to the proper terminal with the help of a bored looking security guard. From King's Cross I was able to alight directly to Darlinghurst Rd. and to the hostel.

Once inside, it was readily apparent that I would be spending the next four nights in a party hostel. If I'd done my booking properly, I would have seen that Mad Monkey King's Cross Hostel is located on the liveliest street in all of Darlinghurst, but to be honest I just booked it because the name was funny and the ratings were good. Although I was tired, I knew there would be no sleeping for a few more hours, so I sat down at an outdoor cafe with a cuppa and did some people watching before returning to the hostel around 12 to try to get some sleep.