Pride always comes before a fall. Start job on Tuesday, get ill with flu Wednesday (yesterday). Felt like shit yesterday at work, aching all over, sore throat, hot and cold etc. Get home and veg out, wake up this morning and feel like someone's broken all my bones with a sledgehammer. Have to call in sick, doesn't look good in my first week does it really? Slept all morning, feel slightly better this afternoon. Will go into work tomorrow whatever state I'm in as I need to get my paycheck signed so I can get paid next week! Also if I struggle in ill tomorrow they will realise I'm not faking it and will see that I'm actually ill.
Its a shame as the jobs OK. Cushty admin job. They even have 15 mins break for "morning tea" and "afternoon tea". How civilised! Why doesn't this happen in England anymore?! Our society has become far too money grabbing for its own good!
Right had to struggle out of hotel for breakfast/lunch, thought would pop in and check mail, now off to go back to bed. Mardi Gras parade is in 2 days, and I'll probably miss it, ill in bed - boo hoo.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Beat the system, don't go with the flow
Do you remember that old happy hardcore song, "Can't beat the system, go go with the flow". If not why not! Obviously not cool enough! Errrrr anyway, in certain circumstances you should take the opposite view, beat the bloody system! I'm suprised by the amount of people who follow along like sheep and never question things. There can be a lot of gain to be had for very little work. For example all these stupid travellers who put down that they are a "non resident" for tax purposes as adviced by the employment agencies and tax offices. I did a little research the day I arrived in Australia, because I know the tax system is there to be blagged. You've gotta think sideways mate! There is nothing to stop you putting yourself down as a "resident" for tax purposes, its all a grey area. This means in Perth I got paid $521 a week from my $598 gross (only did 26 hr week). Every single traveller I've met in my situation would get $425. Unnecessarily losing $100 a week in earnings to tax. A sixth of their pay disappearing cause they just go along with the system. Gotta use your noggin. Some people say I'm always lucky and fall on my feet. Bollox. You make your own luck mate. Good luck is f***ing hard work!
Got myself a job today, thank the good lord. Just in the nick of time before my money ran out. And no it wasn't luck mate, it was cause I registered with 7 blooming agencies last week. Agency phoned me up yesterday morning saying got an interview in the afternoon. After the interview they said start tomorrow. Sorted. So today was my first day at work, cushy admin job, reasonable pay, full time, weekends free, nice people, its all tickety boo. Still in my hotel by the sea, the waves crashing as I drift off............. then a cockroach crawls over me and I stare at the peeling paint on the walls and grimey carpet and come back to reality.
Last week was basically just job hunting with a bit of sightseeing thrown in. Saturday was spent pilling in a pool. That was quite fun. A pool party. Tons of fit practically naked boys and girls either splashing in the pool, dancing to techno or chilling out under the umbrellas. Sunday was a little messy, ended up getting pissed and woke up very hungover monday morning with job interviews and started work today. So a little tired, but having fun and happyish.
Sydney though is so oh so humid. Perth was usually 30-40c during the day, but I didn't sweat when I was just walking and my clothes dried in about 30 seconds. In Sydney its been around 27c in the daytime. I walk fast and sweat is pouring off me. And my clothes are not dry even a day later! Its all to do with the humidity. Perth is desert like dry and Sydney is sub tropical and humid. So sometimes 27c can feel hotter than 37c. Otherwise I love Sydney, it feels like a proper city like London. Perth was much more laid back and relaxed and nicer in a different way, maybe a nicer place to live? But Sydney to visit has it all. About a hundred more things to do. The city centre is about a hundred times bigger, vibrant, huge skyscrapers going on for miles, amazing parks, hundreds of miles of beautiful harbour, amazing scenery, and suprisingly really historic too (its a lot older than Perth). Its beautiful, it really is.
But its hard work too, living in bloody squats, having to eat takeaways cause I've got no kitchen, being kept awake at nights, starting new jobs all the time. The stress has caused me to take up smoking again, mind you today have given up again. So its got the good and the bad all this travelling. A proper adventure. Really looking forward to coming home but also really looking forward to enjoying it for a couple more months yet, if that makes any sense?
Got myself a job today, thank the good lord. Just in the nick of time before my money ran out. And no it wasn't luck mate, it was cause I registered with 7 blooming agencies last week. Agency phoned me up yesterday morning saying got an interview in the afternoon. After the interview they said start tomorrow. Sorted. So today was my first day at work, cushy admin job, reasonable pay, full time, weekends free, nice people, its all tickety boo. Still in my hotel by the sea, the waves crashing as I drift off............. then a cockroach crawls over me and I stare at the peeling paint on the walls and grimey carpet and come back to reality.
Last week was basically just job hunting with a bit of sightseeing thrown in. Saturday was spent pilling in a pool. That was quite fun. A pool party. Tons of fit practically naked boys and girls either splashing in the pool, dancing to techno or chilling out under the umbrellas. Sunday was a little messy, ended up getting pissed and woke up very hungover monday morning with job interviews and started work today. So a little tired, but having fun and happyish.
Sydney though is so oh so humid. Perth was usually 30-40c during the day, but I didn't sweat when I was just walking and my clothes dried in about 30 seconds. In Sydney its been around 27c in the daytime. I walk fast and sweat is pouring off me. And my clothes are not dry even a day later! Its all to do with the humidity. Perth is desert like dry and Sydney is sub tropical and humid. So sometimes 27c can feel hotter than 37c. Otherwise I love Sydney, it feels like a proper city like London. Perth was much more laid back and relaxed and nicer in a different way, maybe a nicer place to live? But Sydney to visit has it all. About a hundred more things to do. The city centre is about a hundred times bigger, vibrant, huge skyscrapers going on for miles, amazing parks, hundreds of miles of beautiful harbour, amazing scenery, and suprisingly really historic too (its a lot older than Perth). Its beautiful, it really is.
But its hard work too, living in bloody squats, having to eat takeaways cause I've got no kitchen, being kept awake at nights, starting new jobs all the time. The stress has caused me to take up smoking again, mind you today have given up again. So its got the good and the bad all this travelling. A proper adventure. Really looking forward to coming home but also really looking forward to enjoying it for a couple more months yet, if that makes any sense?
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Lock myself out of hotel at 4am. A blessing in disguise?
Have arrived in Sydney. Got in Saturday night and slept. Sunday met up with Brett's cousin Arrabelle and went to the Fair Day party in Victoria Park. Then met up with Marco's friend Michael. Had a good time. Went back to his mates flat with the most amazing views of Sydney harbour, the opera house, harbour bridge and the skyscrapers. Got home around midnight a bit drunk.
Woke up at 4am this morning feeling sick and thirsty. So thought hmmm I'll pop out to the 24 hr convinience store on the corner and get a litre of orange juice and then go back to bed. Go out of my room, and the instant the door shuts (& automatically locks!) I realise, shit, I've left my key inside the room. I go down to the reception which states no one will be there till 9am and if your locked out its a $50 call out fee. Must happen quite a lot! Must be quite a few dizzy idiots like myself! Can't really afford $50, its a nights accomodation and money is tight, so I'm out on the streets tired, hungover, feeling a little grumpy and at a loss of what to do. Oh well, I think, I may as well go to the beach and see the sunrise, its so rare I'm up in time to see this. So get a train and a bus to Coogee beach and watch the sunrise. Then I spy a run down looking hotel and find out they do rooms with a sea view for $230 a week. Thats $33 a night = 13 pounds a night........ For my own room with a sea view in the centre of Sydney! Brucie Bonus!! I don't think in London you'd get a room with a balcony with a good view for 130 pounds let alone 13 pounds. The main thing is that its the same price as a hostel dormitory, so it means I won't have to stay in a bloody dormitory whilst I'm looking for work, which I was dreading as I'm too light a sleeper. Today was supposed to be looking for work but I'm too tired so just done a coastal walk instead and then an early night tonight and job hunting tomorrow.
Anyway I won't update you on my last couple of weeks in Perth, because I'm too tired, maybe tomorrow.
Woke up at 4am this morning feeling sick and thirsty. So thought hmmm I'll pop out to the 24 hr convinience store on the corner and get a litre of orange juice and then go back to bed. Go out of my room, and the instant the door shuts (& automatically locks!) I realise, shit, I've left my key inside the room. I go down to the reception which states no one will be there till 9am and if your locked out its a $50 call out fee. Must happen quite a lot! Must be quite a few dizzy idiots like myself! Can't really afford $50, its a nights accomodation and money is tight, so I'm out on the streets tired, hungover, feeling a little grumpy and at a loss of what to do. Oh well, I think, I may as well go to the beach and see the sunrise, its so rare I'm up in time to see this. So get a train and a bus to Coogee beach and watch the sunrise. Then I spy a run down looking hotel and find out they do rooms with a sea view for $230 a week. Thats $33 a night = 13 pounds a night........ For my own room with a sea view in the centre of Sydney! Brucie Bonus!! I don't think in London you'd get a room with a balcony with a good view for 130 pounds let alone 13 pounds. The main thing is that its the same price as a hostel dormitory, so it means I won't have to stay in a bloody dormitory whilst I'm looking for work, which I was dreading as I'm too light a sleeper. Today was supposed to be looking for work but I'm too tired so just done a coastal walk instead and then an early night tonight and job hunting tomorrow.
Anyway I won't update you on my last couple of weeks in Perth, because I'm too tired, maybe tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
My last post disappeared so just republished it - stupid computers
And just written this post and stupid keys thing happened and text disappeared - one of those days!
Still in alcoholic drink drivers paradise. All the liqour stores in this country have drive through's and sell wine for 50p a litre. Good job I'm not an alcoholic drink driver innit. Temptation would be too great.
Today my boss told me she's sacking me as off tomorrow. Next week is my last in Perth and I was hoping to save money for Sydney. Will now be $500 short. The silly cow went and cancelled my contract with the agency so she could pay me cash in hand for the last 2 weeks, saving herself $450 a week in agency and tax fees. Now she's paranoid she'll get caught and fined. But now she's only given me 1 days notice and not much chance of finding another job. But no hard feelings, she's just doing whats best for her, like what I did in taking the job in the first place. I still think she's a lovely woman. Business is business.
Otherwise last Wednesday had another insomniac night, drank almost a pint of wine to sort my head out and ended up getting drunk, emotional and irrational over a silly little thing.
But life must go on. Friday night went out with friends and had great fun, ended up going to 3 different nightclubs, with 3 different cover charges. Thankfully some bird from Melbourne paid for me. Got home 6am and get woken up 3 hours later to go on a family trip. Ugh! Felt like crap. But ended up spending the day swimming in a fresh water river (no sharks!) which was the best cure for a hangover. Got sunburnt though. Sunday went on another family trip to see the Pinnacles. Was OK. And this week back to work and now its Wednesday already and my last day tomorrow. Already phoning round agencies and asking mates to try and get some work for next week.
Then off to Sydney. Very much looking forward to it, although a lack of money will have me working within a week or two, so no prolongued holiday. But it'll be nice to say bye to family and sort my head out.
Still in alcoholic drink drivers paradise. All the liqour stores in this country have drive through's and sell wine for 50p a litre. Good job I'm not an alcoholic drink driver innit. Temptation would be too great.
Today my boss told me she's sacking me as off tomorrow. Next week is my last in Perth and I was hoping to save money for Sydney. Will now be $500 short. The silly cow went and cancelled my contract with the agency so she could pay me cash in hand for the last 2 weeks, saving herself $450 a week in agency and tax fees. Now she's paranoid she'll get caught and fined. But now she's only given me 1 days notice and not much chance of finding another job. But no hard feelings, she's just doing whats best for her, like what I did in taking the job in the first place. I still think she's a lovely woman. Business is business.
Otherwise last Wednesday had another insomniac night, drank almost a pint of wine to sort my head out and ended up getting drunk, emotional and irrational over a silly little thing.
But life must go on. Friday night went out with friends and had great fun, ended up going to 3 different nightclubs, with 3 different cover charges. Thankfully some bird from Melbourne paid for me. Got home 6am and get woken up 3 hours later to go on a family trip. Ugh! Felt like crap. But ended up spending the day swimming in a fresh water river (no sharks!) which was the best cure for a hangover. Got sunburnt though. Sunday went on another family trip to see the Pinnacles. Was OK. And this week back to work and now its Wednesday already and my last day tomorrow. Already phoning round agencies and asking mates to try and get some work for next week.
Then off to Sydney. Very much looking forward to it, although a lack of money will have me working within a week or two, so no prolongued holiday. But it'll be nice to say bye to family and sort my head out.
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