Managed to get up at 6am this morning. I've no idea why. Perhaps the minor elation that I was finally leaving Sydney and carrying on with my travels was present. There was a minor adrenalin rush going on before a fatigue hit me around 8am.

Having been up, packed and left the hostel at 10am, making $20 from the place since I never did give them a blanket deposit. Breakfast at Joe's Cafe with Viv for a couple of and then onto the bus stop outside Central Station.

The ride over was an interesting one. Australia's scenery also fascinates me. It's a country filled with so many contrasts and changes. NSW seems to me to be a state full of trees. Millions of them. The whole journey up here was alongside densly packed forest.

Arrival in Newcastle was around 3.30pm, half an hour earlier than expected. I had the usual minor panic that I always have with new towns. Not knowing somewhere and only intially having a Lonely Planet map to go on, which I'm discovering more and more and pretty poor at times, brings me fear. Ever since Warnambool I just don't trust them.

Fortunatley I wasn't the only person getting off in Newie. Though my usual sense of direction had us going the right way. I also took the safe option and went for the YHA hostel. What a beautiful one it is too. The common room has more of the look resembling a Gentleman's Club than a hostel. Big fireplace and plenty of leather, high backed chairs and a few sofas around.

I did have a brief wander around Newcaslte. Mostly down the main road, Hunter St, and had a gander in one or two shops before heading back to the hostel for their regular Wednesday night 'All you can eat pizza for $6'.

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