Footy Weekend in Sydney

The excitement of the weekend away with the girls built early in the week, and having Melissa pick me up from work, and then meeting Mum and Katrina out at the airport, we needed a beer to kick it all off! This one, and the many I had had at work as we were winding down, ensured little anxiety with my first proper flight without blood thinners.

Touching down in Sydney, we then headed to the Rydges World Square, courtesy of Melissa's work contacts, for the night.

Up the next morning, we met up with Dawn, Mum's bridesmaid (!!), for what would have been a lovely brunch along Circular Quay...but alas the second power black out in Sydney town in a week, and it was no deal. We found a cafe across the road with power and food options, before heading out over the ANZAC Bridge to see Dawn's habourside apartment with amazing views. Wine overlooking the bay and city for the afternoon!

Back into town, we started the trek out to ANZ Stadium for the game. The venue of the Sydney Olympics, and an occasional AFL ground, the Hawks had never played there, and we had never been out to Homebush for anything. Finding the way wasn't as tricky, although no thanks to the puzzled and unknowing station attendants! This is not the town of real footy!

After a drinking day, we found a pumping pub for a pre-game refreshment, before walking through the food village outside the ground, to explore the range for dinner. Reminded me of Antigua actually!


Entering the ground with the streaming crowd, I was overwhelmed by the size of the stadium. Seemed massive! And sadly empty. Despite the numbers coming in outside, the stands looked sparse. Ended up being around 32,000 for the night, the capacity of the SGC.

Drinking the dirty white to continue my start in the day with wine, Katie, Melissa and I were in a quarter by quarter shout, which made the game, particularly the dismal last quarter for Hawthorn, fly by. Losing by 40 something points, I don't really know why we continue to go to Sydney for the footy! It's one of those hoodoo losing trips, every time!!

Teaching the Sydney fans their own song on the train back into town, we stopped at our hotel for a quick change and more wine, before getting a taxi down to The Rocks. The Argyle was the first place we saw, but after seeing girl spew in there just near the bar, we decided the regular pubs were much more our scene.

The next day I was nursing a hideous hangover, which did not allow me to do the walk through of the Archibald Prize exhibit at the Art Gallery of New South Wales justice. The girls wandered around The Rocks market, and I worked up to keeping water and food down, before we were out to the airport and home.