I was finally able to go see Ellie in Australia over spring break, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the trip. Aside from the beautiful beaches and new culture I experienced, my favorite part was getting to know the place Ellie has been flourishing in for the past 3 months. Her love for Australia and this time in her life seeped into the whole trip and gave me a new understanding and appreciation of this foreign continent.
Day 1 (3/14)
Mom, Dad and Burns all picked me up from Harrisonburg on the way to DC. Our first flight was 5 hours to San Francisco and then 17 hours to Sydney. We landed around 10 am and drove to Bondi Beach to finally reunite with Ellie. Our embrace was special and I realized how much I missed her! Afterward, she showed us her cute little apartment that had no AC. We jumped in the ocean and then went to lunch at Blackwood and I got the best chipotle chicken I’ve ever eaten. We walked around some more, got frozen yogurt and had dinner at North Bondi Fish that overlooked the water as the sun was setting over the beach. Because of the long travel day we called it a night after our wonderful dinner.
Day 2
Ellie had class, so I sadly spent the majority of the day with my parents and Burns (kidding!). We got breakfast burritos at a restaurant below our hotel and then ascended on the famous Coogee beach walk. The landscape was vast and elaborate, as there were massive rocks and overlooks that covered the walkway, as well as an assortment of flowers and greens on the path. We were pretty high up, which revealed the different blues that were mixed into the waves, and it was very beautiful. I don’t think my mom appreciated the scenery since she was freaking out about me climbing the rocks the whole time but I’m sure she had fun. After the walk Burns and I hacky sacked on the beach (our record was 6) and then met up with Ellie for bagels.
Later we went to the mall and back to the beach before going to dinner at Darling Harbor. Darling Harbor was one of my favorite spots we went to because the strip of restaurants next to the ocean looked very similar to Norway and had a similar vibe. After dinner, we met up with Ellie’s good friend Paige at the Bondi Public Bar and wrapped up the lovely evening.
Day 3
Devastating turn of events: I woke up sick. We walked 30 minutes to this acai place, Fruitology, since Ellie heard great things about it, but honestly, it was kind of mid and made my stomach hurt. But since we walked 30 minutes because of me I kept my mouth shut.
It was time to leave Bondi so we packed up our things and arrived at our hotel in Sydney. My dad and Burns went golfing, so my mom and I walked around the coast and through the botanical gardens. The gardens were massive and I ended up going 2 more times because of how exquisite it was.
After our day of exploring, I felt pretty bad and slept the rest of the day. My family abandoned me and went to dinner at Bar Tottis which was probably awful, and then went to Caterpillar Club with Paige for drinks after. I’m pretty sure they didn’t have fun.
Day 4
Still devastating, I woke up still sick. Everyone but my mom did the Bridge Climb in Sydney while my mom and I stayed in and watched friends. I was feeling better and went to meet up with them for dinner at Mr. Wongs, which was my favorite meal of the trip. I got Hong Kong beef noodles and I am still dreaming of them. The restaurant was also very cool, with it being in a small alleyway, but inside had two floors with funky decor and the kitchen in an open area.
After dinner, we went to the infamous Sydney Opera House and watched Cinderella. The architecture of the Opera House is a big part of what Sydney is known for, so it was really neat to see an opera in it. I’d never been to an opera before so I didn’t know what to expect, but the performance was interesting and I enjoyed it.
Day 5
I was finally revived and healed from my random two-day sickness! We walked to breakfast in a different part of Sydney, called Henry Lee, and I got a weird mushroom egg thing for some reason but it was good. After breakfast, we went to the Taronga Zoo and saw all the traditional Australian animals. The reptiles were my favorite animals to see, but the koalas just hanging out on the trees were special since I’d never seen them before.
After the Zoo we went to the Opera House Bar and took a ferry to Manly Beach. Before dinner, we sat by the beach and ate Butter Boy cookies which were incredible. We went to Pocket Pizza and split the Chili Pizza and their traditional pizza. We had a lovely dinner and ended the night at a speakeasy with a meat shop as the entrance. I was so confused when Ellie walked in and they looked confused too, but she worked her magic and got us in (It’s called Cumberland).
Day 6
My favorite morning so far! Ellie and I got up and went on a run through Sydney. We ran on Sydney Harbor Bridge, circled around the harbor and ran through the botanical garden. I remember running through the garden and being in total awe of my life and in disbelief that I was in Australia with 4/6 of my family. I felt so much joy and gratitude running through the assortment of wildlife listening to music that I was teary-eyed. It was very special and nice to spend one-on-one time with Ellie and see Australia in the light that she does. I cherished that moment and felt an immense appreciation for the people and places around me.
After our run we got acai and it started raining. Ellie went back to her apartment to pack and my mom and I walked around Sydney and went to Jimmy’s Falafels, which was my second favorite meal I had. After we ate and walked around some more, we got ready for dinner and met up with my mom’s friend she lived with in DC in her 20s, Barbara, and her Australian husband Duncan. We all went to Bambini Trust and I got a huge lobster pasta. It was very entertaining watching my mom and Barbara interact and talk about that period of life they shared together and reminisce. They hadn’t seen each other for 15 years, and the whole time I was picturing my college friends and I reminiscing about our life now, and how I do NOT want 15 years to go by without seeing them. It was a sweet reunion.
After dinner, all of us went to the Marble bar which was filled with millennials but really fun and had great live music. The adults parted ways and Burns, Ellie and I went to one of the coolest bars I’ve ever been to, Jam Bar. There were records all over the wall and the other two walls were all glass and it felt like I was in a fish bowl. The DJ only played music from the records but still was able to mix the music together so well. I met some of Ellie’s friends and all of us went to a rooftop bar with a pool which was crazy. We had a good old fun time.
Day 7
Woke up not feeling so hot. We got The Grounds for breakfast and then walked to a huge Saturday market and spice alley. It was filled with jewelry, vintage clothing, food, and other trinkets. Ellie and I were there for over an hour which was fun but by the end, I was ready to go. After the market Burns, Ellie and I went back to Bondi to try Raw Bar, a sushi restaurant that was recommended by many. We shared an assortment of sushi and oysters. I thought it was great but Burns was underwhelmed–I think his expectations were too high. After our early dinner, we got frozen yogurt again (Yo-Chi: amazing) and watched the sunset and hacky sacked next to the beach. That was one of my favorite parts of the trip with Burns and Ellie.
We got back to Sydney and Burns was dying to try Sal’s Pizza for some reason so I went with him. I thought the pizza was great, but again Burns said he had better. We had a nice time sitting on a bench people watching and eating pizza. We got back and watched friends, said bye to Ellie, and went to bed.
Day 8
Our last day! Ellie left at 5am to go to Vietnam for her spring break (casual) so it was Burns and I against the world. We walked to Chinatown and had an assortment of food from a restaurant called Superbowl. This trip reminded me how much I love Asian food and how I want to start cooking it myself! After that, we walked around Hyde Park and the Anzac Memorial that honors the NSW Service in Peacekeeping. I really liked that memorial and learned that in every public park in Australia, there is a memorial that honors those involved in the war. Burns hadn’t been to the botanical gardens so I went again, but I wasn’t complaining! We turned my socks into a homemade hacky sack and tried to beat our record from the beach (we were unsuccessful), but it was really fun. Once we got bored of kicking my socks around we went back to our hotel and got ready for dinner with our parents, Barbara, and Duncan. We went to an amazing steak place and stuffed our faces with different meats, vegetables and oysters. Our dinner was a nice way to wrap up the trip and hopefully, I will be back to Australia someday.
Seeing Ellie’s homebase was really special, and spending time with her after not seeing her for 3 months was the reset I needed. She is taking advantage of everything she can and is embracing every moment, which was heart-warming to see because it reminded me of my time in Prague last year. Although it would have been so fun to study abroad together, I think both of us having that space to grow separately has brought us closer together in a way that celebrates one another. She is a remarkable person and Australia is lucky to have her, and so am I :)
Maya Kollme 3/27/2025
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