July 8, 2010
Midnight Snack in Kings Cross
If you and your flatmates love going out in the cross, you’ll know that after the clock strikes 10, the majority of food options available are less than appetizing. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the yummiest, cheapest food joints open late around Kings Cross.
SPANISH SNACKS: CAFÉ HERNANDEZ
November 11, 2009
It appears that the old saying of the grass is always greener is true no matter where you come from. Caroline, a 21 year old working holiday maker, arrived in Sydney about 3 months ago and decided to make the move because she was just tired of Sweden. She quit her former life as the manager of a food joint, gave up her apartment, and booked a one-way ticket to Australia. Now, Caroline talks about her less-than-normal life as a Furnished Property tenant in the heart of Sydney’s Kings Cross, full of unexpected coincidences and experiences that let us know that there is something to gain by being such a positive light.
“I was walking down the street last week wanting to know how much it was to get into Club Soho, which is kind of expensive. I went up to a guy on the street wanting to find out – a very good looking guy – and he said, ‘Oh my god, I’m promoting for this night club. Do you want to get in for free? I’ll walk you… as long as I get a few cigarettes.’ It’s like you never know what’s going to happen.”
Kings Cross is notorious around the world for its vibrant night life, and that draws in a large amount of backpackers and tourists throughout the year. Caroline agrees with the hype surrounding this location, which is why she lives there, and even states, “I think it’s better than living outside [Kings Cross]. I pay a bit more, but it’s so close to everything.”
Everything here includes the pubs and clubs that shape the local atmosphere, and, after three long months, Caroline is still not tired of being considered a tourist amongst backpackers. Actually, Caroline prefers the backpacker establishments when it comes to going out in Sydney because “you get to meet a lot of new people”. And, when it comes to the cost of a night on the town, she suggests to either have a pre-party at home first to save some money, or (she jokes) to just find a nice Australian guy to buy the drinks all night.
Besides laying back and enjoying the spontaneity of entertainment brought about by living in a city a lot larger than her hometown in Sweden, Caroline explains that it was her positive attitude that helped her to find two jobs within the first two weeks of being here, and now a third.
“I found another job at a coffee place. I just went there and said, ‘Hi, are you in need of staff? I would love to work for you.’ They told me to come back next week, on Wednesday. Two minutes. It was that easy.”
Caroline continues, “Be very open, and don’t be negative. Don’t say, ‘Oh, I won’t get an apartment, I won’t get a job,’ ’cause then you won’t get either. Being positive is good for jobs. …If you are happy and speak English, it should be easy to get a job. Just smile.”
Being from Sweden, Caroline has been trained to want things a certain way, but this has not stopped her from adopting the “no worries” Aussie lifestyle while here. Sure, the buses might come 10 minutes late, but she has learned to adapt and accept the good that comes her way. She even met some of her best friends while sitting on a bus! Caroline is definitely a roll with the punches type of gal, and this image exudes from her personality and every word she speaks. I found it a bit hard to imagine, but she was actually a little excited about the idea of fruit picking.
“Actually, I did think about fruit picking because of the second year visa. But, it would be cool, even doing it for a couple of weeks really… just going out there and just doing it. It’s the experience, so you can say you’ve done this.”
Caroline wants to experience all that Australia has to offer. She has recently discovered a love for surfing, and she would even say that it is more amazing than the skydiving she did last Friday. However, more than just adventure, Caroline is looking for the authenticity that the normal daily life can bring.
“So many backpackers come to Australia, and they are so into doing all the backpacker things. They go to all the places that everyone else goes to, and I think it’s underrated to do real Australia things, like hang out with real Australian people. It creates a whole different view of it… it’s their real life, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Caroline has no real plans for after her time in Sydney, but I’m sure that with such a positive attitude she will have no problems in taking the next step.
