Sydney Energy Drink Journey 2017 (June)

Even after visiting 3 times, it's still fun (*´ｪ`*)

A few days before my trip, I applied for the ETA for entry and realized that my visa hadn't expired yet. I also realized that I've been to Australia three times in one year—maybe I've been going a bit too much (^_^;)

The flight had a slight delay, but I arrived in Sydney in the morning without any issues. It's only a 30-minute train ride from the airport to the city, which is really convenient. This time, I booked a hotel near Circular Quay, so it was easy to get around (●´ω｀●)

I was able to check in at the hotel in the morning, so I took a break in the lounge while having a light snack ε-(´∀｀*)ﾎｯ

For sightseeing, I went whale watching! In winter, whales move near Sydney, and there's a 99% chance you'll encounter them. However, you won't see those giant whales that appear on TV (since you can't get too close), but you can spot their spouts, dorsal fins, and tails. I did manage to see a breach once, but since I was holding both a GoPro and a camera, I couldn't take a photo...

On my third trip to Sydney, I was finally able to visit Bondi Beach! The beach and the cliffs with crashing waves were beautiful, and there was also a muscle area with a chin-up bar. The quiet, peaceful residential area was lovely too... I wouldn't mind living in a place like that (laughs).

By the way, if you go to the end of the bay, you might be able to spot small whales. It seems like a spot where people are using serious telephoto lenses.

I also visited Bondi Junction. There are many brand stores and large supermarkets, so staying near Bondi Beach might be a good idea.

In just 4 months, there were so many more things to buy in Australia

Between sightseeing, I kept finding convenience stores and popping in. The highlights this time were the V Limited BLING, Rockstar Baywatch Design, Monster’s new Assault flavor, and the three new Kickstart flavors released in Australia, as well as picking up the leftover Mother redesigns.

To recap, in expensive Australia, the best way to buy energy drinks is to purchase them at the supermarket first, then fill in the gaps at the convenience store. If you buy 10, 20, or 30 cans in Australia, you’ll be shocked by the cost. You want to save a bit, right?

There are convenience stores all over the city, just like in Japan. While walking around the city, observe the stock and prices at the convenience stores, then head to a supermarket to buy in bulk, and fill in any missing items at the convenience store. That’s the perfect way to shop ( ´∀｀)bｸﾞｯ!

Since Kickstart was newly launched in Australia, I bought all three flavors. I think because they were new, I saw them in more convenience stores than Rockstar. The prices vary by store, but it’s better to buy them in a two-can set.

But there are only three flavors. I only bought one set, so I ended up paying more for the single can (ヽ´ω`)

This time, it was tough to find Rockstar Baywatch Limited Edition everywhere... I had to visit many stores, and I’d say less than half of them had it. Lime, Zero Sugar, and Punch were easy to find, but the others were nowhere to be found.

And once again, I was saved by the Seven Eleven (laughs). I think the term “God Seven” for energy drink fans has probably caught on by now, right?

By the way, this was the only place where all the flavors were available. It wasn’t even a Seven Eleven exclusive. I packed a cart full here, and that’s how the hunt ended. However, Australia’s prices are high, aren’t they? (´・ω・｀)

Vivid Sydney

On this trip, I planned to visit Vivid Sydney, the famous projection mapping event that happens every year at this time, and adjusted my travel schedule around it.

The area around Circular Quay became more crowded as the night went on, with people increasing until about 11 p.m. It felt like a festival, and it was safe and fun to walk around at night.

The center of the city was also beautifully lit up with projection mapping and illuminations. Since the sun sets early and rises late in the winter, events like this are great for tourists to enjoy.

This time, both sightseeing and hunting were laid-back, and I really enjoyed my stay in Sydney. There are direct flights from Japan to Sydney, making it easy to get there. It’s a safe city with stable weather, so I highly recommend it ( ´∀｀)bｸﾞｯ!