Australia Weeks 1 & 2

Another fairly busy week in the life of the unemployed! Although Sydney is showing it's nastier side now and raining non stop - so I feel like I being kept a prisoner in my house! It's just not the same going out and doing things in the rain!

Had a job interview on Tues with Vodaphone, went fairly well, interviewers were sound and we had quite a giggle. Not to sure about the jobs, one I think I'm slightly overqualified for (she actually said to me in the interview I could do it with my eyes closed!) and the other one is quite technical, so I'm not sure I've got the right skills for it. We'll see. Meet Hudson recruitment agents on Thurs and they were quite positive, although their contract market is a little slow, but are still going to market me out. Also managed to get an interview witht The Wine Society on Tues (Get In!!) for acquisition manager, the role looks really interesting tho - so fingers crossed.

Jac an I have been eating out at an alarming rate this week, which I really shouldn't be doing! Tues, Weds and Thurs so far this week!

Went to Art after Hours on Wednesday night, at the museum of NSW, we got there just in time for the free cinema showing, Jac loved it that much (Good night and Good Luck - directed by George Clooney) that she fell asleep half way through!!

Then last night, Jac, Jasmine (a kiwi friend) and I went to the Comedy Store, the first comedian died a bit of a death - but the second was completely hilarious, that I was laughing out loud the entire way through!!

Off to meet a friend for lunch in Manly this morning and then the big move on Saturday...

tbc...

Love Me.x

Can't believe i've been here 10 weeks already!

The fantasy bubble I've been living in to date has burst this week, as I've seriously been looking for houses and a job!

Househunting in Sydney is a nightmare! After having looked at around 18 apartments (all shared) and seeing some of the worst accomadation that I've ever seen, I've finally found a somewhere to call home for the next few months - Yay!! It's a really beautiful apartment in Bondi, sharing with a kiwi girl, called Stacey, who seems really nice. And what's the best is from the princley sum of $300 a week, I get a lovely fully furnished bedroom, with built in wardrobes, my own bathroom and a my own balcony with a couple of sun loungers on it! Get In! The rest of the apartment is basically one big room, with living area, dining area and kitchen area in. All of stacey's furniture is lovely and the apartment is really moderna nd stylish. Hopefully I'll be very happy there.

Been out and about a little this week with friends. Had a lazy Monday and Tuesday, spent them at home with Jac and Matt, although Tues was my first and only miserable day, I think the whole horrible house thing and a lousy job interview both contributed! I meet the stoneyist (is that a word!) faced lady at a job interview for weightwatchers, who didn't smile once and seemed to have very little interest in me!Got over my sulks tho after an early night!

FOr the rest of the week, my days have been filled with staring at the pc, at lists of properties and job sites. I can't believe how long it takes to sift through house ads! and my nights have been filled with viewing houses and going out with friends.

On Thursday, Jac, Jasmine and I attempted to go to comedy - it didn't quite work out and we ended up going to the most lovely pizzeria and out for drinks.

Friday, I went out to Chinatown for a meal with a friend Claudia, who I'd met at my photography course and Saturday, Sarah and I went to a my friend Sam's birthday party, at an exclusive bar called Hugo's. Definately worth a second visit!!! It was so lovely being able to get glammed up to go to a bar, as that's the first time I've been properly dressy since ariving in Sydney!

Lovely lazy Sunday - watching Dirty Rotten Scondrels - which is just the funniest film!

And onto week 11...

What a crazy day tour The Great Ocean Road was... Set off with no problems, first stop Bells Beach, which is the beach where the biggest surf competition in the world takes place - the Rip Curl Pro. The beach was so not what you see on television, The waves were tiny (although I think that was too do with being late in the season) and big patches of the sand were black. So not what the surf programmes show you!

We then had a pit stop at Split Point Lighthouse - where 'Round the Twist' the kids show was filmed!!

As you drive along the twisty, windy cliff edge road - it is amazing, that all you can see along one side of you is ocean, along the other side of you you drive past the occassional town, many of which have the most fabulous glass fronted houses all cut into the rock. They must be awesome to live in (although a little loney I'd guess!) The house were especially impressive in Lorne (the most expensive place to live along The Great Ocean Road). We stopped here and went on a walk to search out koalas, saw several in the trees and then as Laura, James and I rounded the corner, I saw the most massive koala, sitting on the floor about 3 ft away from me happily munching on eucalyptus. It was the coolest and I got some great piccies.
From here we didn't go anywhere fast as the bus broke down!! The rest of the group got transferred onto another bus - bar James, Laura and I and the 3 yankie, tattoo'd, cool boys that were proud as punch when they announced to me that they were Roadies, not so proud when they had to admit they were roadies for Disney on Ice!!
We then managed to get another bus organised to take us to the 12 Apostles, wich is an awesome limestone rock formation, that has been washed away from the rocky shoreline by the sea. Really sad that it won't be there forever as gradually the tide will erode it.
We then met the bus driver from hell... Imagine an upmarket executive style tour, full of older americans and Chinese people and then our lot at the back of the bus like the B team! We'd gone from a cool and funky bus driver, who was a mine of information to the oldest most boring man I've eve met, that insisted on giving us step by step guidance on the most mundane things - like how to order our dinner in the cafe! Buying goon at the first opportunity and getting samshed on the bus - helped us through!

Definately like to go back down the great ocen road and spend a few days there, perhaps stopping and staying at some of the towns along the way.

Early start from Sydney, loved catching the bus at 6.08am! (this is as hard as being at work!!!) Got James and Laura at Wake-up!, boarded the bus and headed to to Canberra, dull, souless Canberra, possibly to worst capital city ever visited! Pimped around the Parliment house and got ourselves out of there sharpish! Back onto the bus and off to Lake Jindabyne, where we stayed in the most amazing hostel (well the location was amazing and it had clean sheets!) The view from the hostel was awesome, we overlooked the lake - it was so pretty. Especailly at sunset.

Picked a winning evening meal and barbecued our own steak (well James the chef did!) followed by goon, goon, goon! With a male vicki pollard, a girl with the wildest laugh and her husband and a mute artist! Eclectic or what!

Another early start as the following morning to the snowy mountains for a 10km hike. Incredible that in the blazing sunshine we were hiking up a snow covered mountain. It was so stange, the snow was proper ankle deep snow. Gorgeous scenary, some bits of it were like being back at home (especailly the snow!) and despite a couple of slips in the snow (captured on camera by James!) no injuries were sustained.
Spent 2 hours hiking up to the blue lake - and what a disappointment that was, i think I've seen more water in the bath tub! Although the views did make it worth it.

Back on the bus and onto Lakes Entrance, hairy hariy drive through Kosciuszko national park. We had to drive through the valley on a narrow winding cliff top lane, at some points there was a quite sheer drop to the righ handside - best not to look out of the window!
The national park suffered terrible bush fires in 2003 which destroyed about half of it, so as you drive through patches you see so many blackend trees and burnt down stumps. It's really strange to see the aftermath, especailly when they closest I've been to it before is seeing the burning fires on the news.

Despite the incredible bumps, laura still managed to get kip on! At Lakes Entrance we stayed in what can only be described as an old peoples home, random mix again including the 2 mysterious Russians! James and his porno lighter (all the way from Thailand - no surprises really!) and Andy and his bad bad jokes.

3rd early start onto Wilsons promentary, where we saw wildlife ago-go, Kangaroos, emus and wombats all running around in the same field as us - it was awesome. When a kangaroo sees you are there, the stand on their hind legs to stare at you and assess the danger of the situation, once one is standing and the rest realise - they all follow suit. So from walking throuhg the field and seeing one standing, the next minute they all pop up from nowhere and there was easily over 100 kangaroos just standing up out of the grass watching us. It was surreal. (look closely at the piccies on facebook and photobox and you'll see them).

It became harder and harder for us to control Dennis the crazy Russian, who against all advice was continually charging at the animals to try to get the best pictures, it didn't seem to worry him a) the possibility of being attacked and b) the fact that he was scaring them off - so nobody else could get the piccies!

Hiked onto Squeeky beach, beautiful, beautiful and squeeky! Totally Aussie beach, white sands, crystal waters and big waves crashing onto the shore. Even saw a wombat wombling around on the beach, it's amazing when you see wildlife in it's naural habitat, so different from zoos. (Althouh I'd rather give seeing a snake in it's natural habitat a miss!)

Then back to the bus for the most miserable long journey to Melbourne. Where I found myself getting even more and more frustrated as I couldn't get a wink of sleep!

Spent the night in Yha and have had a hectic day in Melbourne, James, Laura and I have trawled the city for 9 hours! Well worth it as we've seen some cool things - including Old Melbourne Gaol where Ned Kelly met his death, something to do with ropes, levers and trapdoors! Had a pimp around Federation Square (after a crazy but beautiful Japanese Pizza lunch!), Up Eureka skytower, 88 floors up, giving the most increbible view of Melbourne.

Wandered around the lovely Fitzroy Gardens, were the trees are full of possums, seeing captain cooks' mum's cottage! (A Little piece of engalnd in Aus) and a random magic tree. Stopped for pizza on the 26 mile hike home (or at least it felt 26 miles and contrary to popular belief flip flops (or thongs as they are in Aus) really aren't that comfy to walk in!

Off to The Great Ocean Road tomorrow.

H.xxxxxxx