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Radical Change of Plans

Monday, January 5th, 2009

I don’t know if regular readers would have got this but Australia isn’t for us. There, I said it. I’m an English person and I. Do. Not. Like. Australia.

I’m not even ashamed.

Therefore, we have devised a plan. It is rather elaborate but it will certainly get us well away from this country.

We are going to Guatemala -once rated one of the most dangerous places in Central America, although it has apparently calmed down significantly now. We will then work our way down to El Salvadore eating tortilla’s and refried beans as we go until we hit San Salvador, at which point we will fly back up to LAX and continue with our round the world ticket.

I’m shaking with excitement at what this new development will bring. The original plan was to spend 6 months here (until May) and then go Fiji-LA-NY-Home. But now, we’re going latin, baby. Arrrrrrrrriba!

Look forward to your postcard mama.

Posted in Australia, Travel | 5 Comments »

Jobs again jobs again

Saturday, January 3rd, 2009

Bit of an odd turn of events yesterday, allow me to elaborate.

We heard on the grapevine of our hostel owner that a resort down the road was looking for cleaners for a bit of casual work, we went down that night, but the management and reception team had all disappeared for the night. 

The following day

After having spent a seemingly fruitless hour or two in Noosa Junction looking for jobs (including one bakery owner who tried to explain to Lauren that using the till would take too much training than 2 months work could provide- even though the owner had failed to spell ‘Staff Wanted’ correctly on the sign on the door) when we were on the free holiday bus back to our hostel. On the way, we remembered the cleaning job and promptly hopped off at the resort to inquire.

Once there, the site manager told us that we were looking for (name eludes me, we’ll go with Beth.) He lead us to Beth who was stripping clean one of the appartments, and she lead us into one of the bedrooms to show us how to do the job. Lauren looked a sight in tiny dress and massive Chanel bag doing hospital corners on a big double bed. We got our technique down when the phone rang; A cafe from Noosa Junction wanted us to come in for trials, me at 2:30 that day, and Lauren at 8:30 the next morning. I made my excueses and left Beth and Lauren to clean more appartments, I had to go home and get washed up. Lauren would later show me the $50 check we were paid with. Brilliant.

Once at the trial I was greeted with a less than friendly manager. He had read my C.V. and I assume he wanted to throw me in at the deep end and see if I sunk. I didn’t but that doens’t mean I don’t think the guy is a dick for trying to find out. Without any instruciton on anything, and as soon as I was wearing one of their red and white logo’d Tees, he pointed one fat finger to a newly arrived guest and rasped for me to serve her. Uhu.

It went well enough, I messed up once or twice, but considering I wasn’t given any training and was expected to just get on with serving customers I think that’s not too bad. I finished at 4 with the promise that he’d call me.

Lauren’s trial started at 8:30 this morning, she’s still there which can only be a good, if a little bit of a cheeky, sign. In fact, that’s why I’m in an internet cafe now, I had a mild wave of paranoia so came to the cafe to check- this is the same girl who has walked over half a mile past our hotels on innumerable occasions after all. I stood across the street, feeling like an insanse stalker, and caught a glimpse of her on the restaurant floor.  

The Queenslanders that I have met thus far (and it is a struggle I tell you, the majority of the people in the internet cafe and high street at the moment are either English or Victorians/New South Wales’ers on their holidays,) seem to be a little, bogan. Sorry QLD’ers but I’m sure you’ll find it hard to dissagree that some of your fellow statesmen come across as a little hillbilly redneck. Especially the toothless youth on the bus yesterday who I struck up conversation with and had such a horrific drawl to his voice that I couldn’t make out a word he was saying. I could just nod along and hope he wouldn’t take offence. He might have done, but who knows?

Posted in Australia, Travel | No Comments »

Holiday from a holiday comes to an end

Thursday, January 1st, 2009
After five days of luxurious pampering, and I do mean pure luxury, we now come back to the half-reality of backpacking good and proper. I know my posts have been non-existent from the past few days, so I'll get going quick ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Australia, Travel | No Comments »

Happy New Year one and all!

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
With a very special mention to Mum, John, Uncle Dag, Jason , Sam, John -Anthony, Sofia, Joe and of course the odd little Santa Clause doll we put under the tree each year. I miss you all in equal measures.Happy ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Australia, Travel | No Comments »

Christmas Pictures!

Friday, December 26th, 2008
 I will be the first to admit that I have been exceptionally lazy with putting pictures up on the blog. Today though, on a hungover Boxing day while I'm waiting for Lauren to finish work so we can go out ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Australia, Pictures | 1 Comment »

The Christmas Post

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008
Christmas is here in Oz. It's Christmas Eve and a scorching 29 degrees outside. Spent past few days with Midge and the kids in Croydon. Saw Trevor for a little while but he finished work late and had to leave early ... [Continue reading this entry]

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Here comes the sun

Saturday, December 20th, 2008
Blessed with our first real hot day today in Melbourne, a reasonable 24 degrees. Rumor has it that it's going to 30 tomorrow, but this being Melbourne, that could end up being snow. Plans for today, we're going to go to ... [Continue reading this entry]

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Could have done more/lesser of two evils.

Thursday, December 18th, 2008
While it is pure vanity and self indulgence for me to self-reference as much as I do, I feel for the purpose of this post it is more than justified. Last week, when I posted about the moron Australian guy who ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Australia, Travel | No Comments »

I wasn’t wrong

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008
Regular readers will know that when I fist landed in Melbourne I was particularly unimpressed. First off, there was no more 'wow, I could never see that at home' factor as there had been in any of the S.E. Asian ... [Continue reading this entry]

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Excessive force on my doorstep

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008
Not sure how much this made international news, but last week policemen shot and killed a 15 year old boy armed with knives in a skatepark 10 minutes walk from my house. Yes, the kid had two 'very large, cleaver type ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Australia, Travel | No Comments »

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