This is just a quick blog post to say I'm going to try blogging again...
Everytime I would think about writing a new entry, one of three things would happen;
1. Realized that I had nothing to blog about
2. Become lazy as a koala in a coma
3. Found the topic to be ranting philosophical poppy-cock!
Of course all of these things are a load of hooey as you can blog about any funny thing that happened in your day, if not a little embellished, I've never met a koala in a coma they could be a barrel of fun, and a little in depth hooey rant never hurt anyone...So!
mustard up some courage and relish in the next few paragraphs while we play ketchup! (wtf?)
I'm sitting in our quaint little hovel in Melbourne, listening to the sound of the Australian Gran Prix going on two suburbs away. Noisy. Take a hive of bees, all with jet engines propelling them, and poke them with a stick. That is what we listen to for 8 hours a day this weekend. I have never, and most likely will never, be a fan of car racing. I appreciate hot dogs, red necks and feel a shred of excitement knowing that a land vehicle can corner turns at 280km+, but to watch this in a circular pattern for 4 days in a row (at $300 a day) is way beyond my comprehension. Gran Prieze get over soon.
The sky is gray as autumn has descended on this part of Australia, the sun makes feeble attempts at this point, but the city has grown quite complacent with drizzle and overcast. Even so the temperature tends to peter our at a breezy 20c, and I'm happy as long as I can leave the house without a head to toe bundle-up. Apparently, this has been 'the worst' summer in melbourne for a very long time. Record rainfall, record low of sunshine hours, floods up north and in the surrounding area...a real home run as far as years to visit. I bemoan not though, as I have fully avoided a Canadian winter and have a very exciting move on the horizon!!
If you like, grab a map of Australia (yah right...open it on google), and note melbourne on the south-east coast. Tall buildings, trendy metropolis, good coffee & bad beaches. Now run your gaze way over to the west coast and you'll see Perth, a city I remember flying over coming from southeast asia and saying 'oh! almost there'. Negative. It's claim to fame is the most isolated major city in the world, and runs about 3 hours flight from melbourne. It'll be very exciting to finally see some more of australia, especially if the sun and surf is as good as the grapevine suggests. Chris, Emily, Patty and myself are heading out within the month, saying goodbye to 8 months of melbourne and onto a new, hopefully sunnier, adventure. As far as leaving melbourne goes, it'll be sad to say goodbye to basically the only thing I know in Oz, but having friends right there with you is paramount...no solo creeping finally!
What else? Emily went back to America for two weeks, and I must say, despite my best efforts, I missed a girl. My backpack has been hiding under the bed for quite a few months, traded in for a little more organized lifestyle...not less crazy!...just organized. We went down to a little hole in the wall called philip island awhile back, buddied up with some Koalas and Roos, watched these little penguins walk back to their little penguin holes, and ate pizza on the beach. Fair warning, the 'Penguin Parade' penguins are just little fellas, not those awesome ones from march of the penguins or Batman Returns. It was a very sightseeing/old fogey kind of tour (so we fit in perfect) but it was really good to see some wildlife...imagine coming to Canada for a year and not seeing a beaver or moose! You would never live it down! There are pictures on facebook...note the chemistry between Emily and the Emus as long lost friends.... I'd say my favorite was a 400lb kangaroo with biceps the size of texas. Do not mess with these silly animals, they will punch the daylights out of you! We also hit the great ocean road about 3 weeks ago and as the name entails....it was on the ocean, very road like, and we had a great time. Good pictures, nice weekend and 6 out of the 12 apostles that are left are stunning.
The last post was a piss pot of a few different topics, but lack of work was a prevalent topic. I think if you ask any backpacker, young worker or student they will all agree that australia, as they come, is a fairly pricey affair. This can get in the way of really important priorities like slabs of beer, lunch and activities. I hate to say it, but money is a major factor when hammering out any kind of trail, especially down under, mate. Luckily, a break came last month when Chris walked in offered up the chance to join him traffic controlling. You've all seen these guys. Stop/slow sign waving around, bright vest, standing around a hole in the road doing nothing. That's the long and short of it, but to maintain face I will say it's a harrowing career choice with limitless hazards presenting themselves each day, with only your pylons and wits to protect you from the constant flow high speed vehicles. And crosswords. Lots of crosswords.
That being said, the pay is really welcome change from the coins of hospitality, although I'm still doing the restaurant gig to grease the wheels before the move...job hunting is hideous, and whatever buffer of cash I have to get me through it will be more than welcome! Here's a few tips for day 1 off the plane in Oz
1. Don't stay in a hostel more than a month or work for a room!!
- The amount of money you spend on a shared dorm comes uncomfortably close to the amount you can pay for a decent share house or apartment, you just have to constantly be on the lookout. As well, the amount of money you save by working at the hostel doesn't equal the amount of money you'll make working a regular job.
2. Know People!
- I know this one sounds silly, but it's huge. Know at least 2 or 3 people before you get here if you can, meet their friends and meet their friends friends. The more people you know, the more fun you'll have and the more accommodation and work opportunities pop up!
3. Think of the amount of money you need, then double it.
- Maybe not double it, but if I was coming to australia from home and working out a figure, it would be no less than 8000$ dollars. That way you can do all the major attractions, tours, relax THEN run out of money and start working. Tourist first, resident after. $8 dollar pints, $400 tours, $60 day rent-a-cars. Not prices for the feint of wallet.
4. Decide on a 2nd year VERY early
- Between the ages of 18 and 30, most developed nations can get a one year work visa in australia. If you do agriculture work (cowboy, eggplant picker, human fence etc) for 3 months, you qualify for a second year. I've come to terms with the fact that I won't be doing another working holiday visa in Oz, because I didn't do this 3 month work, but years from now I might kick myself in the butt for not biting the bullet and picking some goddamn apples for low wages and getting a second year in this beautiful country. Sort it early!
I've been a an absolute bum on the Blog, and hope to mend my ways for the remaining time here, for myself and anyone reading it, good night human beings, whatever planet your on!
