The Adventures of Ye Olde C-Dog

Just got drawn here after eleven years!  Was about to head off on my first big journey solo.  Am just about to head off on another one and there have been several in between.

I leave Australia in six weeks for France and I have $500 to my name.  What to do about this conundrum?

I forgot to check where my classes actually were, so had to get up early this morning. Turns out all the indigenous studies ones are on south campus, and Spanish is in the north campus. So I guess I’ll stay at Tinsley seeing as I have to walk to Liberal Arts four times a week.
I had Intro to Indigenous this morning. We have take home exams, yay! But our final is to be handed in on the 11th, so I have one whole day to get my shit packed up and out of Tinsley. Great news!
I got an email back from one of the job applications I put in for, in the phone centre. The hours are suitable to me so I will phone her for an interview. Yay! Phone fundraising, I hope I can do it.
I got an email from Scotty, he didn’t say anything about the butchers giving him hass for our night out. Good. He seemed to miss me! Got an email from Brendan as well, which is cool, because I had been thinking about him.
Off to my next class shortly.

This is an email I just wrote to Henning.

Ho bebe.

what is the hap? i was going to write you a letter but realised that you were probably in Paki. I’ve been reading mills and boon as is appropriate for long stays in cruddy backpackers. So naturally I’ve been romanticising our relationship and thought to write to you and see what is the hap, and let you know what is the hap for me.

Since I spoke to you in Auckland I’ve been aroond and aroond. I met some people in Devonport which is like a cross between Cottesloe and Freo. I was walking down the street and a middle aged Scottish bloke said “hey pigtails! did you make those yourself?” and i’d suddenly made 10 new friends and am off to stay with that Scotty John tomorrow night. A couple from the table took me out that night and I woke up in a public toilet at half past midnight. I hadn’t lost a thing! Quite an achievement I would have thought. What a walk back to the backpackers.

Auckland was still happening at 9am Sunday morning when I walked to the bus stop, which is outside this casino which has a huge tower next to it. I guess it’s Auckland’s version of the Bell Tower but it is much higher and people bungy off it. I went to Hamilton on Sunday as a stopover on my way to Raglan. Hamilton is a hole. There were some nice botanical gardens and a christmas parade but there’s no way I’d ever stay there again.

Monday I caught the bus to Raglan and stayed with Brent at the surf club for two nights. Raglan is a surfing town, and the surf club beach is the learner’s beach, so it was good for swimming. They have a surf school set up there. I spent hours sitting in rock pools reading. I actually found myself getting a bit wound up and anxious about how lonely I felt. Brent is a great guy, quite inspirational for me. He is really healthy. He has his life set up, working on the beach in summer and then heading overseas to work and travel every year. He is so calm and sure of himself without being at all arrogant. He chopped down my barriers to the point where I realised how unhappy I was and nearly collapsed. He has been really supportive for some reason. I am going to see him at Piha in a couple of days, near Auckland.

I have only been eating once a day. I don’t feel hungry but have been getting the shakes every now and then. Could be lack of vitamins/too much beer/cigarettes/anxiety. Not sure. Brent and another guy I met, Gypsy Bob, have advised me to go to a doctor. I’ve had a few heart pains as well.

On wednesday I took the bus back to Hamilton and then through to Te Kuiti. I stayed on a farm which was really beautiful. It was a relief to be out of the backpackers scene which I think is really constrained and predictable. There was a guy, John, who’d lived in Aussie for 10 years and he shouted me a box. We got onto everything, politics, food (he cooked me mussels), sexual abuse. This has been coming up in my head a lot lately as well as the bullying I experienced as a child.

On Thursday I went caving at Waitomo. I went abseiling which was freaky as. Tubing through the dark, lots of gloworms. Squeezing through caves which was lots of fun and then rockclimbing, another freak out. It was pretty cool, testing my limits. But I was with two older couples so I felt a bit out of place.

After the caving, I went back to Te Kuiti to try my luck hitching to Rotorua. I’d been sitting for 10 minutes or so and a young guy came up and starting chatting to me. He offered me to come over for a cuppa but I was wary. After a while the rain was getting to me and I thought what the hell, so I went in. He lived in a shed with his dad. Asher, he’s 17. He had some interesting stories though he seemed a bit slow. He showed me a few bits of jewellery and sculptures that his dad made out of copper. An hour or so later and his dad walked in – Gypsy Bob. What a wonder. We spent the night drinking Speights, listening to Janis Joplin and making bracelets. He took me for a ride on his trike through the forest – woohoo!! 140k/h through winding roads. Asher and Bob shared their life stories with me, they sure have a lot of wisdom to share. They even drove me two hours out of Te Kuiti so I could get closer to Rotorua – got picked up in 10 mins.

It’s alright here. I’m being fed venison by the Korean owners of the motel I’m at. I get free mud packs and a room to myself.

My internet is running out so I just want to say, please email me and let me know what is going on for you. I do miss you and want to give you a hug.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx C

Hmmm…
I had a meeting for exchange students at Murdoch this morning. Stella was there, she is going to Vancouver. Justin from Rossmoyne was there as well, he’s going to Finland. It was good. Turns out Murdoch gives us free travel insurance. Would have been nice to know that before I bought mine! So it’s going to cost me $200 to cancel the QBE one. I am not legally allowed to hold two insurances. But the Murdoch one with ACE has an excess of $250 whereas I bought out the excess on QBE. Waiting to hear from Natasha about that.
I had a psych appointment this arvo. What a weird session. Chris was nice about saying there’s not much more he can do. He says I can email him if I like and that I should come back and see him when I return from overseas.
Henning was supposed to come over this afternoon to make our travel diary from Pakistan but I knew he would forget. He is busy still doing reports and stuff so he will call me tonight. He gives me the shits. I have reserved time to spend with him that I could be spending with other friends. Shithead.

What a day. Lazy. I went to the psych this morning which was good, opened up some stuff. Got in touch with Len fuckin finally. And made some emails which are so far unfruitful.. Went to dinner with Hen which was boring, thank fuck I have broken up with him. I could go some more excitement tonight and a cigarette but I have body balance tomorrow morning which I want to make. After that I will probably do some important shit and then fuck off to Hailey’s and get rooted. Yeeha!

We had our party last night. It went off! We had two djs and about a hundred people throughout the night. We got in trouble with the cops and the neighbours but I was sleeping when that happened. Heaps of people who said they were coming didn’t, which is cool because there were so many people anyway and there was a thunderstorm forecast which only lasted an hour or something. Someone drank all my beer though. We got ten pizzas because Hailey won a year’s supply of pizza at Eagle Boys. So we had ten vegos with jalapenos!
I was mega hungover today. I stayed in bed, occasionally getting up to piss and spew. Didn’t get out of bed until 4 or so. Hailey and I just talked. Dan came over to pick up his PA and was in a funny mood. When I left I put my hand on his knee and said see ya later. He did his little scoff and said bye, have a nice trip. Kind of annoying but I’m not going to take on his mood.
The banghra is on right now. I came home to clean myself up. I smell like smoke from the fire. I might go out and dance a bit later. Don’t think I’ll make it to Ewyn’s Bjork party. I spoke to Henning this morning. He didn’t rock up because he had a nana nap and woke up this morning. He wanted to hang out tonight after he has a barbie. I’m having dinner now, I’m actually going to have fish! I can deal with someone else cooking my dinner. Might go and have a coffee at the dome and watch the dancing. I’m too tired.

Pretty good one today. Slept in because I could. Stuffed around getting myself together. Grant and I were getting along pretty well. I did a full on session on the treadmill. I did a few things in town, like lending Dave $60, apparently to connect his gas. I hope so. Caught up with Hailey on her break at the markets. We have ordered lollipops for the kite day to be made in the shape of the Clean Energy Revolution sun, mango flavour 🙂 I got a little pressie to chuck in the Secret Santa for Mum’s Xmas party tomorrow. I went to Centredick and handed in my last few documents. I should hear about my payment next week. I haven’t called Len again, I don’t know if I should call him this late. No word back from Natasha yet about the scholarship.
Pretty productive. I’m going to see if Henning wants to hang out tonight. I think he had his court summons today so he won’t have a license. If he doesn’t want to I’ll go to Mum’s LUXOR intro night. Probably the healthier option.

Damn Sian and her persuasiveness. Stayed out until 11 in Perth last night scrawling and putting up posters. Danielle and I took the train back to Freo and Dharma gave us a lift home. I was so tired I fell asleep on the bus. As a result I slept for ten hours and had to get Grant to take me to work this morning. I missed out on going to Taylor’s school.
Work was long – 10 hours – but okay. Noala was there. Only Mike and Dragica showed up to the meeting! Mike has a haircut. Shame, I liked his long hair. But it makes him look older.
I may never see Cameron again. He let me wear his belt for a while today. Sexy! He’s been gossiping to Bryce about Scotty. Damn those butchers…
Tomorrow is my last day at work. I’ll be on with Nellie and Geoff from Mt Lawley. That’s not very exciting. Oh well.
Sian had her knee op. today. I hope she’s alright.
Work is having a Christmas party in a couple of weeks. I want to come, the last one was great, free beer and food! And this time I won’t have to prepare it! I’m really a bit busy to go to Dongara. Spoke to Nana tonight, her and Dapoo are going to try come for the day I leave. That would be cool. I wonder who I will go see that day. Not Sam, he’ll be in Europe. Hailey for sure. Henning? Still haven’t heard from him. Mikey reckons I should just call him. I’m pretty satisfied with not having done that yet so I’ll probably just leave it a bit longer.
Go to gym tomorrow, and maybe Centredick before work.

Hoorah! I have managed to get a lot ticked off on my to-do list today.
Went to the gym this morning for my first body balance class. It was great. Hopefully I will be back down this afternoon. I am supposed to be going flyering with Tony but he hasn’t contacted me. Sian wants to go after local group meeting tomorrow night anyway so that’s probably a better idea. Dan wants to hang out with me tonight as well if he’s not working. That’ll be great, I’ll get to see pictures from his whirlwind tour of Europe and Japan.
I’ve been drinking reduced price mocha all day and am feeling a little seedy for it!
I’m going to make a few important phone calls before going to uni to organise my loan and hopefully be successful in barraging my Program Chair into discussing unit credit. I swear that man still lives on Nyoongar time.
I got a call from Mikey earlier, he thought I’d be down at the union protest in the city. I only realised it was on when it had already started. I hope it all goes well and gets a big turnout.
Arcadeo messaged me this morning, the under cover air conditioning man who is secretly wanted for illegal Greenpeace stunts. He is going to make it down to my party which will be awesome.
Just got a phone call saying Mum’s friend who has cancer has died. Not looking forward to telling Mum that as soon as she finishes this healing session with Lyn.
Well, wish me more productivity!
xx C-Dog

Only three and a half weeks to go until I will be jetting off to New Zealand. I can’t wait to go black water rafting!
I’ve got heaps to do to organise the trip. I have to work today but this morning I am going to the gym and then doing some work to organise our Greenpeace climate change event, Kites for Kyoto. That’s being held on December 3rd so we’ve got a lot of work to do towards it. I’m going down to the alternative school on the corner to put some flyers up shortly. I’ll do some at my brother’s school on Wednesday. I’m supposed to call the YMCA as well but I don’t know why they’d want to come so I’ve asked the coordinator about that.
I guess the trip will have to wait until tomorrow. I’m going to call Dharma and ask for another massage as well. Only a few more days until I can leave work. Phew…