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I haven't updated my blog for a while, so here are the highlights of my first 5 weeks in Sydney:
Week 1
6th May 08- I had to get up for my flight to Sydney VERY early, alarm went off at 3.40am, this was one of the many times I was glad I am travelling on my own, those of you have experienced me getting up early and irritable will understand, and be glad you weren't with me…luckily there were no annoying youths treading on the backs of my shoes in the airport queue, or foreigners standing way too close to me, thank goodness. I was staying at YHA Railway Square in an actual old sleeper train carriage - called red rattlers. No lie, some of you don't believe me, but yes, I was actually sleeping in a train carriage with bunkbeds inside.They were right next to a real train platform, where you could hear the train announcements and hear the trains. The hostel is an old converted repair shed I think, it sounds odd, but a really nice place to stay for nearly a month….despite sharing my carriage with The Snoring Girl.
My first week was spent doing grown up sensible work preparation like sending my CV to an agency, sort out a mailing address, bank account, mobile, tax number, and work clothes (including finding a tailor to take up my trousers, where's my mum when I need her??)
Saw one recruitment agency on the first Friday who had a role in mind for me, went for an interview on Monday, but didn't get it. Was quite glad as think she would have been a nightmare to work with (Utts, like AA??) she seemed to be looking for a super temp who had experience of every single finance area - tax, forex, cashflows… but there's always been whole departments doing that. Oh well.
My first weekend in Sydney I was going to meet up with Jez and Gill in the city. (Those of you who don't know Jez, we went to Uni together, and when I first went to Oz 7 years ago, Jez, Andy and myself visited Alice Springs and Ayers Rock together and spent the coldest night ever in a 2 man tent which didn't zip up, wearing every bit of clothing and kitchen foil on the ground to reflect the heat (that's physicists for you). And it rained, apparently it hadn't rained there for 7 years… Yeah it was great.Anyway, Jez stayed in Oz and has been here ever since, and even sounds like a partial ozzie.)Jez suggested instead of meeting in the city to meet at theirs in Gymea and stay over.With the prospect of a proper bed after so many nights in a bunkbed I gratefully took up his offer! We went out for a yummy Italian meal, and enjoyed the hospitality of a proper home!!Luxury… Over a few pints Gill suggested me looking after their apartment as they were going to Europe for 3 months, and I'll be in Syndey for 3 months before China….Could things be working out for jammy me?? I didn't think the weekend could get any better, but it did - got invited to Gill's parents country farm for Sunday lunch as it was Mother's Day.Gill's mum cooked the yummiest roast dinner and dessert, and I had the Christmas fat feeling, phew couldn't fit anything else in. Cake?Oh, go on then. AND the town where they live is where Babe (my fave film) was filmed.What a fantastic weekend!
Week 2
w/c 12th May 08 - Had the interview on the Monday, then spent the rest of the week exploring Sydney, I walked loads, to the Opera House, Anzac Park, The Rocks, Darling Harbour. Kings Cross, saw 2 little penguins in the harbour, and got attacked (touched and licked) by a puppy beast as I was lying on some grass overlooking the harbour. In the botanical gardens there were loads of cockatoos, spiders and bats, eek! Beasts galore.
On the Sunday I went on a hostel day out to the Aussie Rules Football at the Sydney Olympic stadium.It was only $30 (about 15 pounds) for a ticket (7 rows from the front), the travel by train was free, a baseball cap and free beer. Bargain. The match was good, and we were right near the goal area and in the practice some of the balls went into the crowd spilling beers, luckily not mine.There was an annoying bird (presuming she was American) in our group trying to get everyone to stand up and hold up letters.The English amongst us were not impressed and annoyed with her - shut up and sit down you annoying bint. Sydney Swans won the match quite convincingly then at the end it was a general free for all, everyone bundles onto the pitch to run around, tackling and kicking balls. BUNDLE.
Week 3
w/c 19th May 08 - thought I should pick up the job-hunting pace, as I had heard nothing more from my first agency.Went to another agency, filled out loads of forms and had to do an Excel test (I was actually quite excited about the test - how sad am I??)
On the Wednesday I had heard that there was going to be the Indiana Jones premiere, so as I had nowt much on I wandered by and had a BK (annoyingly called Hungry Jacks here) which overlooked the entrance then as the busyness picked up I stood by the red carpet.I was opposite 2 TV cameras and was likely I was in the background of the reports for the premiere for channel 10 and 9!Then some "celebrities" started arriving.I knew none of them, except for the main attraction - Cate Blanchett.How cool.
Friday got my haircut, and Jez was in the city with work so suggested meeting up at his free work bar. Yes, you hear me right, free bar. But due to his smoking colleagues who prefer to pay for beer and sit outside and smoke they were at a bar nearby.They had been drinking all afternoon….I had a few beers with them, then Jez went home 7.30ish.I didn't feel like going back to my train carriage, so went for a drink at Scubar, then Side Bar which was near my hostel.Got talking to Ben (from Brum) and Alex (French) who had just met in their hostel room and they were going out in Kings Cross, do I fancy joining them?Oh, go on then, why not as they seemed nice chaps.When we got to the train station we started talking to 2 aussie girls - sisters Tegan and Danielle who were also going to the Cross. So now we were a party of 5!Went to World Bar (or something) where they served cocktails in teapots.Yes, Icey's favourite Long Island Ice Tea in a teapot with a shot glass.Weird. Then we went to another club for free, the boys didn't like it there so left the 2 girls there and we went back to the original place.We left just before 3am, but no cab would take us home as it was apparently too near.Huh.So we walked about half an hour back.As predicted I was feeling rather peaky the next day and could only sit and feel rough all day, just about managing to walk across the road to McDonalds in the afternoon.Getting too old for drinking, can't handle it anymore… or could I even handle it back in the day??
Sunday I walked across the harbour bridge to the north shore and walked around Luna Park and had a seafood basket at a chippie. Mmmmm.
Week 4
w/c 26th May 08 - decided to pick up the job hunting pace even further (am used to calling an agency at home then they never leaving me alone, here the market seems slower and I've been ringing agencies - hello?Getting bored with walking round Sydney aimlessly now…) and sent my CV to 2 further agencies. Went to see one on the Tuesday, these agencies have cool views from their offices so it's been quite cool seeing a few of them.
Monday night I went for a drink with a lady called Lorraine who was at the hostel who has a daughter the same age as me.We just went for a couple at a bar across the road from the hostel.Lorraine is really scared of cockroaches and we were talking about spids and snakes when the barman brought in an outside patio heater, and nearly whacked her on her head - "watch your head" said I, and Lorraine shot up screaming and flailing her arms thinking it was an insect or beast near her head. The whole bar stared at the unnecessary commotion. Comedy.Then she had another screaming and flailing session when we walked back and saw a small cockroach on the driveway to the hostel.Was giggling to myself the rest of the night, and now every time I see a heater.
Tuesday one of the agencies Hays said there was a job he thought i'd be interested in, with potentially an interview the next day.Went to see Indiana Jones (Tuesday is cheap day) good film but quite weird at the end…
Wednesday went for an interview at Caltex (petrol company) the offices in the city overlooking Darling Harbour. And got it!!Start on the Monday...
Thursday went into Hays to fill out all the forms, then spent the rest of the day at Manly, a ferry ride away. Sat watching surfers and looking out for sharks.
Friday I finally checked out of the hostel!!Was so looking forward to not sharing a room with The Snoring Girl (who started snoring the second her head hit her pillow to the moment she woke up) and other various plastic bag rustling foreigners.
I had a good time at the Train Shed, met some really cool people - notably Karen & Carmen from Canada, Emma from N Ireland, Lorraine, the Kings Cross evening crew and Sally the cool dentist who I'm hoping to visit in Bowral on my way to Canberra.
But of course with every nice person you meet in a hostel there's an equal (if not more...) amount of weirdos and freaks - notably:
-The Snoring Girl (I'm sure she's a nice girl, didn't even know her name despite sharing a room for nearly 4 weeks…)
-The weirdo train spotter man with bad teeth who started talking to me and Emma, then appeared everywhere I looked, then appeared again a few days later.
-The Hair Snipping Girl who whilst reading a magazine would take an individual hair, snip it in half, look at it intensely, then lay it on the sofa arm, then repeated every minute or so until a huge pile of hair piled up which she then threw away
-The Tooth Picking Woman who looked a little deranged and carried her stuff around with her all the time not leaving it in her room, muttering to herself, always picking her teeth with a toothpick.Then Lorraine saw her in the laundry room washing everything by hand and cutting her toenails in the communal laundry room.
So Friday I moved to Jez and Gill's apartment in Gymea (South of Sydney about 45 mins on the train, it's in an area known as The Shire.Think I'm now a Hobbit of The Shire??) but seem to have loads more stuff than when I arrived in Sydney, so the packed train was quite traumatic.Suppose I'd bought work clothes, some big fluffy pink Ugg-type slippers and some PJs ready for my new suburban lifestyle.So we had pizza (ordered online with Dominos which is 5 mins up the road… hope I don't get too porky…) and some apartment handover.
Saturday morning I called the Q-birds who were having a weekend in Scotland, the first weekend away without me in 5 years or so. Were you really serious about walking across Scotland when I come back??
Then Jez and Gill left for the airport just before 12ish. Then I was there in their 3-bed apartment. I just stood there - now what do I do??Finally pulled myself together and started unpacking and faffing. It was so exciting after so long to have some space to myself with no Chinese people in the kitchen and no Snoring Girl in my room, TV and internet (this is all so much better than my flat in Redders!!).So I had quickly come up in the world, the week before I was a dirty jobless backpacker living in a train, and now I am in a 3-bed apartment to myself with a job starting on Monday.To quote Leigh - "Thorp, you are a jammy ****"
Week 5
w/c 2nd June 08 - my first week at work went well, though quite traumatic getting up so early every day, but I'm sure I'll get used to normal life soon enough!The journey is OK, its 5 min walk to the station then 45 mins on the train then 10ish mins walk to the office (temptingly past a Krispy Kreme shop…).And couldn't believe the price of the ticket - a weekly ticket is cheaper than it was for the DAY when I was commuting from Apsley to London, a shorter journey.But here there is no LuckyMummy to chat to!
The weekend is a long one - Monday off for the Queen's birthday - what's that all about??So it's been nice to have a few lie ins to recover from the trauma of going to work again after over 3 months off.Saturday I explored my surroundings - went to Cronulla which is 10 mins on the train away and has a beach and watched loads of surfers.Then went back via Miranda which has loads of shops and a cinema, and is only 3 mins on the train, and 25 mins walk away. So think I'll be happy here for the next 3 months until I go to China at the end of August.The blog may go quiet for a while unless anything exciting happens other than work and normal suburban life…
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