OK another week and my job has got soooo boring. It’s 2pm and I have had no work to do today or yesterday. Literally no work at all. Yet they are still paying me, and I’m pretending to look busy because I don’t want people to see me not working and then I’ll be out of a job. I’m only here for a few more weeks so no point looking for another one. And that’s the trouble – having to look busy. Otherwise I could happily sit here, read a book, surf the internet researching various topics, emailing etc. and be relaxed. But because I have to look busy, I have to surf the internet on a tiny screen and when someone walks past click out of it onto some database or something. That’s the trouble I’m not relaxed and am jumpy and constantly worried I’ll get caught doing nothing. What an absurd situation.
Oh well that’s why I’m writing a long blog entry, because I am so bored. I’m writing it on word first so it looks like I’m working and then will cut and paste it onto my blog website.
Moving into my new houseshare has been a brilliant move. All 3 housemates are really nice and chilled out and easy to live with. I’ve got a huge room with my own balcony, very quiet at night and on a lovely tree lined street of old houses with wrought iron balconies. And the best thing is I’ve got a kitchen! It’s so nice to be able to be able to cook at home, eat healthily and save money. OK the house may be a bit old and smelly and my room be a bit empty with none of my personal stuff in it, but for a short 6 week stay its hunky dorry. And nice to get out of that depressing run down and lonely hotel room.
So I moved all my stuff in first thing Friday, then rushed to the Chinese embassy, got my visa sorted and went to work. Saturday me and my friend Arabelle went on a Blue Mountains tour. Bit cheesy, would rather get the train and go on my own little walk but it was organised for me and I had good fun. Saw the obligatory kangaroos and a 3 foot long Iguana lizard. The tour guide was a bit of a character, ranting on about politics and other things, an interesting fellow, so when, as the last person to be dropped off, he asked if I wanted to go for a schooner (= beer) I accepted. It’s these little chance encounters that can often turn out to be a lot of fun and so it turned out to be on this occasion. 1 beer turned to 4. Then we drove back to his place, had more beers, lots of rum and a few sweet smelling roll ups. At this point we decided to cycle to this night club a few miles off. Not sure if drink driving applies to bicycles but who cares, was a right laugh. Managed to fall off a few times but arrived at the club alive and well. 4 hours passed, can’t remember much, but ended up getting a taxi home, leaving my new friend (I found out the next day) attempting to cycle two bikes home at once. He gave up after a while.
Good clean fun as they say. Sunday was quite relaxed and quiet as to be expected. And this week I’ve been bored at work but had quite pleasant evenings with my new housemates, cooking and watching TV, going to the cinema and generally enjoying my new environment. I’m gonna go now and try really hard to find some work to do, ask other admin people around the floor if they want help, because the top boss keeps walking past and I think it’s a bit obvious and sooner or later they could get rid of me! Oh yeah this Friday one of my housemates is throwing an 80s party, hmmm. I don’t really do dressing up, am too self conscious. Us blokes aren’t brought up to dress up, well only behind closed doors in secret, ooops. Dressing up is a girls thing innit?
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Go and see Hot Fuzz
Last weekend I let my hair down for the first time since I arrived in Sydney. Got hammered and ended up in some interesting club with people dressed up in weird and wonderful costumes. Met lots of alternative people and had fun. Saturday I paid for my sins and remembered what it was like to be hungover again.
Yesterday evening one of my neighbours asked me “Got any spare change mate?” in the street. So not only do I live with the mentally ill but also beggars as well. Still even living with down and out alcoholics, druggies and beggars, nobody in the place seems menacing or hostile. Just shows how friendly Aussies are and how generally crime free the place seems to be. In a down and out hostel in London I reckon that there would be a lot more trouble. Thankfully in London I have more permanent accommodation to stay in so I don’t need to experience living in this sort of place.
All the other travellers always ask me how do you end up meeting these people, and I suppose it’s because I just talk to people and don’t put up barriers. I don’t look down on these people. Who knows one day I might end up like that. I certainly don’t think so but you never know.
It’s been a busy week this week. Working late every day to compensate for taking Friday morning off work to move into my new house, get a Chinese Visa, enquire about flights and do lots of other bits and bobs. Then on Saturday I’m off to the Blue Mountains.
Just looked at google earth for the first time. Wow, that’s pretty cool, a nerd like me could spend hours on a thing like that! Oh also saw Hot Fuzz at the cinema last night, funny as f*ck. Also I liked it because I grew up in a Gloucestershire “village” and this is where the film was supposedly set.
Yesterday evening one of my neighbours asked me “Got any spare change mate?” in the street. So not only do I live with the mentally ill but also beggars as well. Still even living with down and out alcoholics, druggies and beggars, nobody in the place seems menacing or hostile. Just shows how friendly Aussies are and how generally crime free the place seems to be. In a down and out hostel in London I reckon that there would be a lot more trouble. Thankfully in London I have more permanent accommodation to stay in so I don’t need to experience living in this sort of place.
All the other travellers always ask me how do you end up meeting these people, and I suppose it’s because I just talk to people and don’t put up barriers. I don’t look down on these people. Who knows one day I might end up like that. I certainly don’t think so but you never know.
It’s been a busy week this week. Working late every day to compensate for taking Friday morning off work to move into my new house, get a Chinese Visa, enquire about flights and do lots of other bits and bobs. Then on Saturday I’m off to the Blue Mountains.
Just looked at google earth for the first time. Wow, that’s pretty cool, a nerd like me could spend hours on a thing like that! Oh also saw Hot Fuzz at the cinema last night, funny as f*ck. Also I liked it because I grew up in a Gloucestershire “village” and this is where the film was supposedly set.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Dodgy accomodation
Solved my accommodation dilemma. Found some chap in a houseshare who’s going on holiday, so I can move into his place for 6 weeks to cover his rent. It’s a reasonable size room on a quiet street, fairly central and walking distance to work so it’ll do the job nicely. Only downside is one of the housemates is a young lesbian who bragged about her liking for expensive powder. So good bye to my rustic hotel. No more living of takeaways. And no more nutters? Last night hung out with a couple of the hotel’s long term residents. The bloke clearly had Tourette’s and would greet everyone passing through the door with a tirade of insults. The woman was insane and clearly delusional. She thought she was sophisticated good looking and rich. Errrr why then is she a permanent resident in this down and out hostel? Then some other bloke started shouting how he was going to have a bath in the ladies room, and stated that if anyone had a problem with this “They would have to deal with Ted the Butcher!” – Hmmm Okay. I soon left these crazy alcoholics. Oh sometimes I do wonder - what the hell am I doing here? Living in these shitty short term cheap accommodation places just to experience Sydney. Maybe I’m as crazy as they are.
I know we are all lucky really to be rich, have a roof over our head, food on the table, fresh water and plenty of material possessions. But living in Sydney has made me realise that the living standards in London are terrible. Doing an admin job in Sydney I am earning exactly the same money as I would be in London. However rental accommodation is less than half the cost. Buying a house is around a third of the cost. Transport and food is cheaper and so is everything else come to think of it. I’m much better off here. It’s true; it really is rip off Britain! I think that there is far too big a divide between high income earners and low income earners in the UK. They tell us that the average wage to living ratio is as good as Australia but it doesn’t paint an accurate picture. The average wage takes into account the many people in the UK on ridiculous earnings; stockbrockers, company director’s, footballers, celebrities etc. People working in bars, cleaning jobs, low level office workers and even skilled jobs such as teachers, nurses etc are far worse off. It’s just not cricket! It’s not balanced. We need to sort it out. And it can’t be right when middle income earners can’t even afford their own flat.
Taking a global view, the situation is even more absurd. Billions are starving; don’t have running water or electricity, when the developed countries just bathe themselves in unnecessary wealth. Its obvious capitalism/globalisation hasn’t worked! Well basically it’s worked for the developed countries at the expense of the developing / third world countries. But that’s not right is it? We’ve all got shit loads of stuff and sod the starving people. And charity doesn’t solve the problem, granted its better than nothing, but give a begging man something and he’ll keep begging. Fair trade, job creation and the sharing of expertise and profits to poorer countries is needed. It’s not difficult! Currently, for example, a jar of coffee costs $2 and the coffee grower in Bolivia or wherever will earn say 2p. What should happen is that the grower should get half the money and then decent wages should be paid. I know communism doesn’t work either, but neither does capitalism in its current form, as always some compromise is needed.
But I suppose it’s easy for anyone to sit on their arse and spout of shit like this. Nothing will change because there are too many parties with too much self interest at stake. Maybe I should do something, but I probably won’t, like most people I’ll put number one first. I want to get a house of my own and live comfortably and sod everyone else.
I know we are all lucky really to be rich, have a roof over our head, food on the table, fresh water and plenty of material possessions. But living in Sydney has made me realise that the living standards in London are terrible. Doing an admin job in Sydney I am earning exactly the same money as I would be in London. However rental accommodation is less than half the cost. Buying a house is around a third of the cost. Transport and food is cheaper and so is everything else come to think of it. I’m much better off here. It’s true; it really is rip off Britain! I think that there is far too big a divide between high income earners and low income earners in the UK. They tell us that the average wage to living ratio is as good as Australia but it doesn’t paint an accurate picture. The average wage takes into account the many people in the UK on ridiculous earnings; stockbrockers, company director’s, footballers, celebrities etc. People working in bars, cleaning jobs, low level office workers and even skilled jobs such as teachers, nurses etc are far worse off. It’s just not cricket! It’s not balanced. We need to sort it out. And it can’t be right when middle income earners can’t even afford their own flat.
Taking a global view, the situation is even more absurd. Billions are starving; don’t have running water or electricity, when the developed countries just bathe themselves in unnecessary wealth. Its obvious capitalism/globalisation hasn’t worked! Well basically it’s worked for the developed countries at the expense of the developing / third world countries. But that’s not right is it? We’ve all got shit loads of stuff and sod the starving people. And charity doesn’t solve the problem, granted its better than nothing, but give a begging man something and he’ll keep begging. Fair trade, job creation and the sharing of expertise and profits to poorer countries is needed. It’s not difficult! Currently, for example, a jar of coffee costs $2 and the coffee grower in Bolivia or wherever will earn say 2p. What should happen is that the grower should get half the money and then decent wages should be paid. I know communism doesn’t work either, but neither does capitalism in its current form, as always some compromise is needed.
But I suppose it’s easy for anyone to sit on their arse and spout of shit like this. Nothing will change because there are too many parties with too much self interest at stake. Maybe I should do something, but I probably won’t, like most people I’ll put number one first. I want to get a house of my own and live comfortably and sod everyone else.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
The Gods are smiling
Talking about my manic mood swings, I thought I’d write an entry today because I’m exceedingly happy. Woke up today without a headache and sore throat for the first time in 10 days, so looks like I’ve recovered at long last. Its so refreshing waking up feeling better when you’ve been ill for a while. Really makes you appreciate your good health! So the god of health has finally released me from my punishment.
The god of wealth has also given me a break today. Got paid so that my bank account no longer says zero. Thanks to Dean for lending me $200 earlier this week, otherwise I would have been out on the streets. Also they’ve sorted it out so I’ll get paid more than I did this week, hence should get paid a lot more than expected next week.
In addition the god of having a nice roof over your head has blessed me with some short term flat shares to look around on Saturday and Monday. This means I can hopefully progress and stay in a place with a kitchen, flatmates and closer to work.
And to pray to these gods as a way of thanks I’ve just spent my lunchtime meditating under a very large, old and wise tree, receiving the spirit energy from within it, so feel very refreshed. That’s what I like about Sydney, it’s old and haphazard enough to feel homely. White settlement (no disrespect to the aborigines who were here before) here started over 200 years ago so there is a homely feel about the streets and buildings. White settlement in Perth started much later so the buildings and layout of the place is too new and organised, grid plan streets etc. I grew up in a very old and extremely higgldy piggldy place so only seem to feel at home in old places.
And lastly it’s Friday! And I’m just looking forward to being healthy this weekend with some money in my pocket, footloose and fancy free. Although happily not totally footloose thanks to a special someone. Someone who has made me have a good week. Thanks.
The god of wealth has also given me a break today. Got paid so that my bank account no longer says zero. Thanks to Dean for lending me $200 earlier this week, otherwise I would have been out on the streets. Also they’ve sorted it out so I’ll get paid more than I did this week, hence should get paid a lot more than expected next week.
In addition the god of having a nice roof over your head has blessed me with some short term flat shares to look around on Saturday and Monday. This means I can hopefully progress and stay in a place with a kitchen, flatmates and closer to work.
And to pray to these gods as a way of thanks I’ve just spent my lunchtime meditating under a very large, old and wise tree, receiving the spirit energy from within it, so feel very refreshed. That’s what I like about Sydney, it’s old and haphazard enough to feel homely. White settlement (no disrespect to the aborigines who were here before) here started over 200 years ago so there is a homely feel about the streets and buildings. White settlement in Perth started much later so the buildings and layout of the place is too new and organised, grid plan streets etc. I grew up in a very old and extremely higgldy piggldy place so only seem to feel at home in old places.
And lastly it’s Friday! And I’m just looking forward to being healthy this weekend with some money in my pocket, footloose and fancy free. Although happily not totally footloose thanks to a special someone. Someone who has made me have a good week. Thanks.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Manic Moodswings
Had a permanent headache for over a week now, maybe related to getting the flu last Wednesday, which in itself was a bit of a nuisance since I’d just started a new job. Had to take Thursday off work as very sick but Friday recovered enough to struggle in so that they realised I wasn’t a skiiver! Shaken the worst of it off over the weekend but headache and general aches have lingered on this week and won’t seem to go away!
Rested enough to go out and see the mardi gras parade Saturday night. Highlight of the parade had to be the dykes on bikes, there were literally (tens of?) thousands of them. I’ve never seen so many lesbians. Also lesbians populate the gay bars much more here than they seem to elsewhere. Seriously Australia seems to produce more OUT lesbians than anywhere else in the world. Maybe the men here are less desirable? Or maybe they just come out of the woodwork more here and are more “loud and proud”? Who knows? Anyway on Sunday all the pubs were full of “after parties”, gurning party people that were still on it from Saturday night. The city was buzzing!
So despite being slightly ill I had a great “mardi gras” time. Maybe I ended up having more fun, because I didn’t get hammered and was “with it” enough to appreciate what was going on and I could remember it all the next day!
This week it’s been work during the day, then in the evening going back to my hotel room and then going out to eat a meal on my own. It’s a bit depressing really, living in a hotel room on your own with no one to talk to. It just doesn’t feel homely. And because there is no kitchen you have to “go out” to eat. And Coogee is full of young holiday people and couples wining and dining, and I’m the only loner sat at a table. Housesharing is difficult because I’m only here for 2 months and I’m not going to a hostel because, despite the social aspect; I refuse to share a room. I think I either need to be younger or have more money for this travelling lark!
Anyway Sydney is beautiful and the people I work with are lovely. And I’ve got people to hang out with; it’s just on those lonely evenings when I’m too tired to go out and “do” things. On another note the rain here is very different, it’s like torrential for about 10 minutes and then it’s sunny. No days full of fine drizzle. And the trees smell sooooo gorgeous after the rain, hundreds of different powerful organic type smells, nothing like back in England. And the birds make strange noises, that remind me of my childhood (used to watch neighbours and home and away). It’s weird the birds really do sound like they do on the neighbours and home and away sets. Well it’s not weird at all really, perfectly natural. But I still don’t like the fact that there could be poisonous spiders and snakes lurking anywhere, watch out! There’s no place like home and this week in particular I’ve really been looking forward to coming back!
Rested enough to go out and see the mardi gras parade Saturday night. Highlight of the parade had to be the dykes on bikes, there were literally (tens of?) thousands of them. I’ve never seen so many lesbians. Also lesbians populate the gay bars much more here than they seem to elsewhere. Seriously Australia seems to produce more OUT lesbians than anywhere else in the world. Maybe the men here are less desirable? Or maybe they just come out of the woodwork more here and are more “loud and proud”? Who knows? Anyway on Sunday all the pubs were full of “after parties”, gurning party people that were still on it from Saturday night. The city was buzzing!
So despite being slightly ill I had a great “mardi gras” time. Maybe I ended up having more fun, because I didn’t get hammered and was “with it” enough to appreciate what was going on and I could remember it all the next day!
This week it’s been work during the day, then in the evening going back to my hotel room and then going out to eat a meal on my own. It’s a bit depressing really, living in a hotel room on your own with no one to talk to. It just doesn’t feel homely. And because there is no kitchen you have to “go out” to eat. And Coogee is full of young holiday people and couples wining and dining, and I’m the only loner sat at a table. Housesharing is difficult because I’m only here for 2 months and I’m not going to a hostel because, despite the social aspect; I refuse to share a room. I think I either need to be younger or have more money for this travelling lark!
Anyway Sydney is beautiful and the people I work with are lovely. And I’ve got people to hang out with; it’s just on those lonely evenings when I’m too tired to go out and “do” things. On another note the rain here is very different, it’s like torrential for about 10 minutes and then it’s sunny. No days full of fine drizzle. And the trees smell sooooo gorgeous after the rain, hundreds of different powerful organic type smells, nothing like back in England. And the birds make strange noises, that remind me of my childhood (used to watch neighbours and home and away). It’s weird the birds really do sound like they do on the neighbours and home and away sets. Well it’s not weird at all really, perfectly natural. But I still don’t like the fact that there could be poisonous spiders and snakes lurking anywhere, watch out! There’s no place like home and this week in particular I’ve really been looking forward to coming back!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Morning Tea
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.
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.
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.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Things have got better
From bad to good. Had a wicked weekend. Friday saw the "Australia Day" fireworks, the biggest in the country. Sat on the river bank opposite the skyscrapers and watched them explode over the water, the reflections glittering on the glass of the buildings. Pretty good. Thankfully the police didn't enforce the "no alcohol rule" so me and me mate Dave were allowed to polish off a bottle of vodka between us. The night got a bit messy after that, but it was fun, and we didn't drown in the outdoor swimming pool, although we may have awoken some neighbours.
Anyway on Saturday it was down to Dave's mate's house. A nice chap called Craig who lived in a house with a speedboat moored on a canal at the bottom of his garden. The day was spent cruising along canals drinking beer, stopping off at pubs to drink wine and eat fish n chips and whizzing along at 55mph on a 10 mile wide inlet. Let me tell you 55mph feels a lot faster in a boat! It really feels like your whizzing! Then we swam with dolphins and generally had a stupendeously brilliant day.
Sunday chilled out and jogged for miles and miles to try and sweat out the alcohol. Then on Monday thought enough is enough and came out and told my boss that I was leaving in 3 weeks time. Definitely the best move I could make. Now I can sleep at night and don't feel like I'm being deceitful. I hate being dishonest. She was really nice about it but understandably gutted. However at least she knows where we stand and I don't have to keep avoiding certain topics of conversation. Slept fine this week.
Yesterday Lilian cooked a lovely "2 in 1 pie", made famous in a pub in Nailsworth (my home town, near Stroud in Gloucestershire). This was for some of my distant Pom relatives that have now settled in Australia. Had better go now, I'm off to watch "The Queen", my buddy Brett has got hold of a pirate DVD copy.
Anyway very happy here. I've started to really love Perth. People here are generally so much more friendly and down to earth than in London. And the weather's better and if you have a middling income you can lead a life you could never lead in the UK unless you were rich, ie have your own speedboat moored at the bottom of your garden. The standard of living is so much better here. Seriously thinking of one day emigrating, who knows? Can you tell I like it here?
Anyway on Saturday it was down to Dave's mate's house. A nice chap called Craig who lived in a house with a speedboat moored on a canal at the bottom of his garden. The day was spent cruising along canals drinking beer, stopping off at pubs to drink wine and eat fish n chips and whizzing along at 55mph on a 10 mile wide inlet. Let me tell you 55mph feels a lot faster in a boat! It really feels like your whizzing! Then we swam with dolphins and generally had a stupendeously brilliant day.
Sunday chilled out and jogged for miles and miles to try and sweat out the alcohol. Then on Monday thought enough is enough and came out and told my boss that I was leaving in 3 weeks time. Definitely the best move I could make. Now I can sleep at night and don't feel like I'm being deceitful. I hate being dishonest. She was really nice about it but understandably gutted. However at least she knows where we stand and I don't have to keep avoiding certain topics of conversation. Slept fine this week.
Yesterday Lilian cooked a lovely "2 in 1 pie", made famous in a pub in Nailsworth (my home town, near Stroud in Gloucestershire). This was for some of my distant Pom relatives that have now settled in Australia. Had better go now, I'm off to watch "The Queen", my buddy Brett has got hold of a pirate DVD copy.
Anyway very happy here. I've started to really love Perth. People here are generally so much more friendly and down to earth than in London. And the weather's better and if you have a middling income you can lead a life you could never lead in the UK unless you were rich, ie have your own speedboat moored at the bottom of your garden. The standard of living is so much better here. Seriously thinking of one day emigrating, who knows? Can you tell I like it here?
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Chronic Insomnia - What a Nuisance!
An irritating week. Firstly have to have a minor operation on Thursday which leaves me in slight discomfort over the weekend. Forced to spend Friday lying down which thankfully allows me to relax and watch 3 DVD’s. Also cause I’m on antibiotics this means I behave myself Friday and Saturday night. On Sunday night its role reversal and I’m the one looking after my tipsy friend. Nice to repay the favour.
Then Sunday night arrive home and confronted with the fact I owe $150 for the phone bill. My family doesn’t have unlimited broadband and had already used up their free megabytes or something. So when I downloaded those stupid USA photos to the yahoo website it ran up a $150 bill! So here is the link again, gotta get my money’s worth!
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dizeestroudy/album?.dir=5dccscd&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos
Then go to sleep and wake up at 4am and can’t go back to sleep, not one wink, so absolutely knackered at work on Monday but bumble my way through sales and frantic estate agent life. Do all the right insomniac things; don’t drink caffeine, eat healthy, go jogging after work and meditate. Feel like a zombie Monday evening and pass out around midnight then wake up at 3am and guess what…. Can’t go back to sleep! Argh! Déjà vu! Insomnia Insomnia there is no escape.
So at 8am after 5 hours of being awake, my eyes are itchy and gluey, my head throbs and I’m having slightly delusional thoughts. I can’t function decently at work so phone in sick. Another $150 (a days work) lost so my savings are dented again. Nobody I’ve ever known has insomnia so bad, so it’s not their fault that they can’t understand how I feel. So it’s the usual …. everyone has sleeping problems, people still go to work when they are tired, what’s wrong with you ….. stuff off my family. Insomnia really has been and still is the bain of my life. But unlike when I was young and used to panic and worry I’m old and wise enough now not to worry and just deal with it. When I’m settled down a bit more it will get better.
So last night was forced to take a couple of sleeping pills and slept OK and back to work today, and life carries on. Only another 3 weeks at the estate agents and then off to Sydney anyway. And got the biggest Australia day fireworks in Australia this Friday to look forward to. Then the weekend after spending a day on my friends friends speedboat. Then the weekend after the weekend after I’m off to Sydney. So its all good. And I’m still alive, still have 2 legs and 2 arms, my brain may be scramled but its still in one piece. And I have worked very hard and saved money in my 2 months in Perth and made good friends and done lots of exciting things. So it really is all good, well mostly good apart from the shit bits
Then Sunday night arrive home and confronted with the fact I owe $150 for the phone bill. My family doesn’t have unlimited broadband and had already used up their free megabytes or something. So when I downloaded those stupid USA photos to the yahoo website it ran up a $150 bill! So here is the link again, gotta get my money’s worth!
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dizeestroudy/album?.dir=5dccscd&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos
Then go to sleep and wake up at 4am and can’t go back to sleep, not one wink, so absolutely knackered at work on Monday but bumble my way through sales and frantic estate agent life. Do all the right insomniac things; don’t drink caffeine, eat healthy, go jogging after work and meditate. Feel like a zombie Monday evening and pass out around midnight then wake up at 3am and guess what…. Can’t go back to sleep! Argh! Déjà vu! Insomnia Insomnia there is no escape.
So at 8am after 5 hours of being awake, my eyes are itchy and gluey, my head throbs and I’m having slightly delusional thoughts. I can’t function decently at work so phone in sick. Another $150 (a days work) lost so my savings are dented again. Nobody I’ve ever known has insomnia so bad, so it’s not their fault that they can’t understand how I feel. So it’s the usual …. everyone has sleeping problems, people still go to work when they are tired, what’s wrong with you ….. stuff off my family. Insomnia really has been and still is the bain of my life. But unlike when I was young and used to panic and worry I’m old and wise enough now not to worry and just deal with it. When I’m settled down a bit more it will get better.
So last night was forced to take a couple of sleeping pills and slept OK and back to work today, and life carries on. Only another 3 weeks at the estate agents and then off to Sydney anyway. And got the biggest Australia day fireworks in Australia this Friday to look forward to. Then the weekend after spending a day on my friends friends speedboat. Then the weekend after the weekend after I’m off to Sydney. So its all good. And I’m still alive, still have 2 legs and 2 arms, my brain may be scramled but its still in one piece. And I have worked very hard and saved money in my 2 months in Perth and made good friends and done lots of exciting things. So it really is all good, well mostly good apart from the shit bits
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Being a good samaritan
Was just driving home from work when I saw someone break down. Others just went past, the miserable sods, but I stopped and offered my help. Basically just had to help push start the car. So that will give me good karma to compensate for yesterday morning when I stole a can of redbull from the petrol station. However this was only because I'd taken dodgy sleeping tabs Sunday night and I'd woken up extremely groggy. So off to peti station for good old red bull, a queue of 15 people and 1 person at the till - dilema don't you think? I needed the redbull, couldn't afford to be late for work, so not really stealing, is it.
At the end of my last entry I'd said that I was off to spend quality time with Josh, my little bro..... So I played with him in the spa. Afterwards we sat down at the dinner table and he has this huge swollen bruise on his forehead. His mum goes what the hell is this and Josh goes, "I banged my head when Tim through me in the pool". Nice one Josh, poor little sod too young to realise he was getting me into trouble. Moral of the story - don't play with little children.
Hassles this morning too. Had 15 Jan deadline to pay this stupid $350US speeding fine, I'd gone to the bank at the weekend and sorted it so that I could post a cheque off, just needed to get the name and plead another week or so extension. Well cause of stupid time zones had to get up extra early before work and phone up, so not happy. Almost an hour on some stupid waiting service, pressing 0 every 20 bloody seconds and I still didn't get through! So stupid deadlines passed now! Might not be able to go back to the states now, oh well, being melodramatic really, calm down. Hopefully rental car company won't start deducting money of my stupid credit/debit card, they have details of both. Ooops silly me, should have just given credit details then I can always cancel the card - learn a new lesson every day.
Otherwise the last week hasn't been too exciting, work work work last week, Had a pleasant weekend though, friday night went out for some drinkies. Saturday sunbathed on the beach and had some more drinks. Sunday hung out and went to the cinema to see Holiday, it was crap. But last night saw "About a Boy" DVD that I'd rented from the library and that was excellent, a jolly good film I thought.
New job is stressful but it'll earn me good money so gotta do it. The woman I work for is lovely and quite funny. But its way too hectic and I don't like being a salesman, I haven't been anywhere near meeting my silly "weekly targets" and to be frank I don't give a sh*t. I'm outta there in 5 weeks.
Then off to Sydney to party for Mardi Gras and go back to some easy job like bar work just to cover costs. Thankfully a friend of mine from Perth will be coming so should have a whale of a time. Happy Days.
At the end of my last entry I'd said that I was off to spend quality time with Josh, my little bro..... So I played with him in the spa. Afterwards we sat down at the dinner table and he has this huge swollen bruise on his forehead. His mum goes what the hell is this and Josh goes, "I banged my head when Tim through me in the pool". Nice one Josh, poor little sod too young to realise he was getting me into trouble. Moral of the story - don't play with little children.
Hassles this morning too. Had 15 Jan deadline to pay this stupid $350US speeding fine, I'd gone to the bank at the weekend and sorted it so that I could post a cheque off, just needed to get the name and plead another week or so extension. Well cause of stupid time zones had to get up extra early before work and phone up, so not happy. Almost an hour on some stupid waiting service, pressing 0 every 20 bloody seconds and I still didn't get through! So stupid deadlines passed now! Might not be able to go back to the states now, oh well, being melodramatic really, calm down. Hopefully rental car company won't start deducting money of my stupid credit/debit card, they have details of both. Ooops silly me, should have just given credit details then I can always cancel the card - learn a new lesson every day.
Otherwise the last week hasn't been too exciting, work work work last week, Had a pleasant weekend though, friday night went out for some drinkies. Saturday sunbathed on the beach and had some more drinks. Sunday hung out and went to the cinema to see Holiday, it was crap. But last night saw "About a Boy" DVD that I'd rented from the library and that was excellent, a jolly good film I thought.
New job is stressful but it'll earn me good money so gotta do it. The woman I work for is lovely and quite funny. But its way too hectic and I don't like being a salesman, I haven't been anywhere near meeting my silly "weekly targets" and to be frank I don't give a sh*t. I'm outta there in 5 weeks.
Then off to Sydney to party for Mardi Gras and go back to some easy job like bar work just to cover costs. Thankfully a friend of mine from Perth will be coming so should have a whale of a time. Happy Days.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Fun and then work
Well
1) My week off work was ace, loads of fun and just what the doctor ordered
2) Starting work today at an estate agents was horrible
Anyway lets start off with the nicer stuff. Phoned up pub last tuesday and said could I have this week off work, no problem, sorted. Meant I could do some essential shopping and sort stuff out and that. In addition I had time to hang out with my new mates at last. One day me and my buddy Dave did a trip down to some touristy village where we went cheese tasting, chocolate tasting, wine tasting and ate the produce of "ye olde sweet shoppe" = felt sick. We went on a day trip. This village was 300km or 4 hours away, so an 8 hour round trip. To the Aussies this is nothing. This is like going on a day trip to Newcastle from London! Crazy. But at least I fell asleep in the car after gorging myself stupid.
Managed to sample the local fish and chips a couple of times sat by the beach with a lad from the pub called Brett, very nice. Also walked round the city centre and the nearby historical city of Freemantle, so finally feel like I'm getting to know my own backyard. Friday night was spent enjoying a few drinks and smokes without having to worry about work the next day. Very pleasant and in the morning a few of us rustled up a good ole fry up. Happy Days :-)
But today had to start yet another new job - Ugh! As usual couldn't sleep last night, never bloody can the night before my first day, I'm far too neurotic! Essentially I worry about not being able to sleep, so therefore won't be alert and on the ball the next day, which means I will make a bad first impression (and first impressions are so important), this keeps me from sleeping which gets me even more worried as this means I'll be even more tired the next day. Not difficult to see how a vicious circle develops. Unfortunately no sleeping tablets left so I had to tough it out! The next day 2 red bulls and a coffee kept me going and as usual all the panick was for nothing and I seemed to impress.
Job is working for this freelance estate agent, just me and her in the office. She's a hectic woman but very nice. However I don't think I'm cut out for running an office, I'm too scatterbrained and unorganised. Will as usual blag it as I'm only gonna do it for 2 months and can't be arsed to look for yet another job! Also the job is only 25 hours a week so will still have to work at the pub on the weekend to save money, was hoping to have my weekends free from now on - argghhh! And I hate having to be deceitful. They think I want to make a career out of being an estate agent and today I had to meet the managing director of the company and my boss and lie about about my long term goals blah blah blah. I feel guilty. But sod it thats the cut throat world of capitalism for you and anyway its not as if these estate agents aren't out for themselves.
Gonna go for a jog now to tire myself stupid and then promised to play with Josh (my baby brother) tonight as I've been neglecting him a bit recently.
1) My week off work was ace, loads of fun and just what the doctor ordered
2) Starting work today at an estate agents was horrible
Anyway lets start off with the nicer stuff. Phoned up pub last tuesday and said could I have this week off work, no problem, sorted. Meant I could do some essential shopping and sort stuff out and that. In addition I had time to hang out with my new mates at last. One day me and my buddy Dave did a trip down to some touristy village where we went cheese tasting, chocolate tasting, wine tasting and ate the produce of "ye olde sweet shoppe" = felt sick. We went on a day trip. This village was 300km or 4 hours away, so an 8 hour round trip. To the Aussies this is nothing. This is like going on a day trip to Newcastle from London! Crazy. But at least I fell asleep in the car after gorging myself stupid.
Managed to sample the local fish and chips a couple of times sat by the beach with a lad from the pub called Brett, very nice. Also walked round the city centre and the nearby historical city of Freemantle, so finally feel like I'm getting to know my own backyard. Friday night was spent enjoying a few drinks and smokes without having to worry about work the next day. Very pleasant and in the morning a few of us rustled up a good ole fry up. Happy Days :-)
But today had to start yet another new job - Ugh! As usual couldn't sleep last night, never bloody can the night before my first day, I'm far too neurotic! Essentially I worry about not being able to sleep, so therefore won't be alert and on the ball the next day, which means I will make a bad first impression (and first impressions are so important), this keeps me from sleeping which gets me even more worried as this means I'll be even more tired the next day. Not difficult to see how a vicious circle develops. Unfortunately no sleeping tablets left so I had to tough it out! The next day 2 red bulls and a coffee kept me going and as usual all the panick was for nothing and I seemed to impress.
Job is working for this freelance estate agent, just me and her in the office. She's a hectic woman but very nice. However I don't think I'm cut out for running an office, I'm too scatterbrained and unorganised. Will as usual blag it as I'm only gonna do it for 2 months and can't be arsed to look for yet another job! Also the job is only 25 hours a week so will still have to work at the pub on the weekend to save money, was hoping to have my weekends free from now on - argghhh! And I hate having to be deceitful. They think I want to make a career out of being an estate agent and today I had to meet the managing director of the company and my boss and lie about about my long term goals blah blah blah. I feel guilty. But sod it thats the cut throat world of capitalism for you and anyway its not as if these estate agents aren't out for themselves.
Gonna go for a jog now to tire myself stupid and then promised to play with Josh (my baby brother) tonight as I've been neglecting him a bit recently.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Sun, Poms, Christmas and New Year
Am awake at 1am so may as well update my blog. Am encountering lots of new problems in sunshine land, like how to look after sunglasses? I don't wear them in England but everythings so dam bright ALL the time that I got fed up of constantly squinting. Anyway after breaking yet another pair I'm forced to buy some more yesterday. The trouble is I'm always taking them off when I go inside and so they go on then off then on then off etc. But where do you put them? In your pocket they get squashed, on the top of your head they flatten your gelled hair and make your hair look stupid, in my bag they always get crushed. If for instance you leave them on the chair next to you in a waiting room then you forget they are there and leave them behind. Such a dilema, don't you think? I get round this by always buying the cheapest pair then I don't care if I lose/break them, its only a pain as I hate shopping and have to go shopping again!
Also wearing flip flops are a nuisance cause I can't put my insole in them so I'm therefore unbalanced. But trainers aren't practical as I often end up on the beach. And then with shorts money and stuff is always falling out of the pockets. And even if I get decent pockets it feels like I've got lead weights jangling around banging against my thighs. Most disagreeable. I need a handbag! Or is it a manbag. Oh the troubles of living in a hot sunny country. And then there's all that blasted suncream you have to put on all the time. Give me a cold, dark, wet country anytime................... or maybe not!
No really its ace but you can't get away from "the bloody Poms" (thats Australian for "the English"). They are everywhere in Perth. I reckon about 1 in 3 people that live here are born in England, and thats not counting the tourists. Walk round the shopping centres and all you'll hear are cockney accents or geordie or typical english or whatever. Millions of them must emigrate here, all families in search of England in the sun. I suppose the foods the same, the cultures very similar, half the suburbs are named after English places. Went today to a music festival next to Ascot races where all the women were dressed up in silly hats just like England. They've still got our flag incorporated into their own and the queens head is still on all the coins. And Australia Day is celebrating when the British first planted the flag on their soil and claimed it as a British land, as opposed to the Americans who celebrate independance and when they rid themselves of us. Mind you most of them hate us and want to get rid of all these silly links, who can blame them? Wierd really. New Zealand and Australia may be the other side of the world but whether they like it or not they are definitely more like England than any other country in the world.
Anyway when was my last entry, oh the 22 December. Well last night was New Years Eve and I was working in the bleeding pub, 6pm-3am with no breaks! (Actually had a little tiff with the manager over that). Too rushed off my feet to stop and reflect on the event I was working at. Oh well its just another night really and its not as I have a shortfall of drinking and partying is it? And I earn't shit loads of money.
Hmm the weekend after my last entry. Well Saturday worked at the pub and after work at 3:30am I thought sod it I will go out clubbing with some of the other staff. The club had crap music and was filled with ugly people but it was nice to get out and about. The pubs/clubs in Perth are mainly full of old or ugly people but I think its cause all the beautiful young things head off to Melbourne, Sydney or abroad. Its mainly families who emigrate here, people who want a nice quiet safe place to bring up their kids.
Anyway this meant Sunday (Christmas Eve) was a bit hungover and left myself with one hour (before the shopping centre shut) to do all my christmas shopping. So the usual frantic rush. Oh yeah and saw a forest fire after stepping outside my front door to big clouds of black smoke, scary! Christmas day the usual eat too much, drink to much, got shit presents I don't want (why do relatives never listen, do not buy me clothes!) but it was compensated by going to the beach and seeing the best sunset I've ever seen, well a bloody good one anyway. And also it was nice buying my baby brother a remote control car and seeing his eyes light up and watching him play with it for hours, my paternal instinct kicking in? Scary! Maybe getting older is about giving and not taking? Hmmmm. Piss off.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I ended up working day shifts in the pub helping with their outdoor beergarden rennovations and also doing up all the wasteground around the pub for their new years eve celebrations (where I ended up working). So back to labouring in the sweltering heat, I can't seem to get away from it. But its quite fun out here in Perth, I've ended up doing lots of different jobs. Anyway Wednesday thought I'd have a few after work, forgot to have tea, so with an unlined stomach it went to my head a little. Got the old weed cravings and so ended up doing buckets for the first time in many a year. Hmm this time they were quite fun and I didn't "think too much". Still next day at work was a little fragile.
Today was pleasant though, a friend from the pub, one of the punters actually, got free tickets (usually cost $99) to this music festival next to where the famous Perth Cup horse races were held at Ascot, hence why there were all the poshly dressed ponses stumbling in half cut later on in the day as I mentioned before. Anyway it was all the usual Indie stuff but Aussie bands I'd never heard off. But it was fun and I heard a song I'd heard many times before and it was nice to see it live and then we gorged ourselves on some lovely fish and chips. So a lovely day out. And for once in my life I wasn't hungover/comedown on new years day.
Right shit its 2am now. Time to go. Last note is that I'm football deprived here, haven't watched a match in ages, dad won't buy cable and don't like going to pub on my own, please help! And Aston Villa what is wrong with you? After a promising start its turned out to be yet another false dawn and you are back to being shit again.
Also wearing flip flops are a nuisance cause I can't put my insole in them so I'm therefore unbalanced. But trainers aren't practical as I often end up on the beach. And then with shorts money and stuff is always falling out of the pockets. And even if I get decent pockets it feels like I've got lead weights jangling around banging against my thighs. Most disagreeable. I need a handbag! Or is it a manbag. Oh the troubles of living in a hot sunny country. And then there's all that blasted suncream you have to put on all the time. Give me a cold, dark, wet country anytime................... or maybe not!
No really its ace but you can't get away from "the bloody Poms" (thats Australian for "the English"). They are everywhere in Perth. I reckon about 1 in 3 people that live here are born in England, and thats not counting the tourists. Walk round the shopping centres and all you'll hear are cockney accents or geordie or typical english or whatever. Millions of them must emigrate here, all families in search of England in the sun. I suppose the foods the same, the cultures very similar, half the suburbs are named after English places. Went today to a music festival next to Ascot races where all the women were dressed up in silly hats just like England. They've still got our flag incorporated into their own and the queens head is still on all the coins. And Australia Day is celebrating when the British first planted the flag on their soil and claimed it as a British land, as opposed to the Americans who celebrate independance and when they rid themselves of us. Mind you most of them hate us and want to get rid of all these silly links, who can blame them? Wierd really. New Zealand and Australia may be the other side of the world but whether they like it or not they are definitely more like England than any other country in the world.
Anyway when was my last entry, oh the 22 December. Well last night was New Years Eve and I was working in the bleeding pub, 6pm-3am with no breaks! (Actually had a little tiff with the manager over that). Too rushed off my feet to stop and reflect on the event I was working at. Oh well its just another night really and its not as I have a shortfall of drinking and partying is it? And I earn't shit loads of money.
Hmm the weekend after my last entry. Well Saturday worked at the pub and after work at 3:30am I thought sod it I will go out clubbing with some of the other staff. The club had crap music and was filled with ugly people but it was nice to get out and about. The pubs/clubs in Perth are mainly full of old or ugly people but I think its cause all the beautiful young things head off to Melbourne, Sydney or abroad. Its mainly families who emigrate here, people who want a nice quiet safe place to bring up their kids.
Anyway this meant Sunday (Christmas Eve) was a bit hungover and left myself with one hour (before the shopping centre shut) to do all my christmas shopping. So the usual frantic rush. Oh yeah and saw a forest fire after stepping outside my front door to big clouds of black smoke, scary! Christmas day the usual eat too much, drink to much, got shit presents I don't want (why do relatives never listen, do not buy me clothes!) but it was compensated by going to the beach and seeing the best sunset I've ever seen, well a bloody good one anyway. And also it was nice buying my baby brother a remote control car and seeing his eyes light up and watching him play with it for hours, my paternal instinct kicking in? Scary! Maybe getting older is about giving and not taking? Hmmmm. Piss off.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I ended up working day shifts in the pub helping with their outdoor beergarden rennovations and also doing up all the wasteground around the pub for their new years eve celebrations (where I ended up working). So back to labouring in the sweltering heat, I can't seem to get away from it. But its quite fun out here in Perth, I've ended up doing lots of different jobs. Anyway Wednesday thought I'd have a few after work, forgot to have tea, so with an unlined stomach it went to my head a little. Got the old weed cravings and so ended up doing buckets for the first time in many a year. Hmm this time they were quite fun and I didn't "think too much". Still next day at work was a little fragile.
Today was pleasant though, a friend from the pub, one of the punters actually, got free tickets (usually cost $99) to this music festival next to where the famous Perth Cup horse races were held at Ascot, hence why there were all the poshly dressed ponses stumbling in half cut later on in the day as I mentioned before. Anyway it was all the usual Indie stuff but Aussie bands I'd never heard off. But it was fun and I heard a song I'd heard many times before and it was nice to see it live and then we gorged ourselves on some lovely fish and chips. So a lovely day out. And for once in my life I wasn't hungover/comedown on new years day.
Right shit its 2am now. Time to go. Last note is that I'm football deprived here, haven't watched a match in ages, dad won't buy cable and don't like going to pub on my own, please help! And Aston Villa what is wrong with you? After a promising start its turned out to be yet another false dawn and you are back to being shit again.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Photos from the United States
Finally got round to uploading some photos. Haven't got round to New Zealand ones yet as its taken bloody ages because the computer is so slow. These are the photos from my month in the USA from when I started my travels on the 4th September to when I flew out of LA on the 4th October. Anyway here is the link.
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dizeestroudy/album?.dir=/5dccscd&.src=ph
I didn't have a blog then so I'll briefly explain what I did. I started of going on a 10 day bus trip through Las Vegas followed by the deserts and canyons of Arizona and Utah. Probably the highlight of the trip, as you can see from the scenery it was absolutely stunning. Also great fun spending 10 days on a bus with lots of other people of various ages and nationalities. Half the bus was covered with mattresses which we could sit or lie down on and chat to others as the panaramas unfolded. Did all our cooking and drinking together and slept under the stars or on the mattresses in the bus. Downsides were a lack of sleep, especially the 2 night we slept on the bus as it drove, one night no sleep at all, and people's stinky feet! But overall brilliant. Then went to San Francisco were I met up with lilians (my dads wife) relatives and spent 10 days hanging out in the bay area, pretty chilled. Then hired a car and drove to Yosemite and down the West Coast through pretty towns like Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara back to Los Angeles.
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dizeestroudy/album?.dir=/5dccscd&.src=ph
I didn't have a blog then so I'll briefly explain what I did. I started of going on a 10 day bus trip through Las Vegas followed by the deserts and canyons of Arizona and Utah. Probably the highlight of the trip, as you can see from the scenery it was absolutely stunning. Also great fun spending 10 days on a bus with lots of other people of various ages and nationalities. Half the bus was covered with mattresses which we could sit or lie down on and chat to others as the panaramas unfolded. Did all our cooking and drinking together and slept under the stars or on the mattresses in the bus. Downsides were a lack of sleep, especially the 2 night we slept on the bus as it drove, one night no sleep at all, and people's stinky feet! But overall brilliant. Then went to San Francisco were I met up with lilians (my dads wife) relatives and spent 10 days hanging out in the bay area, pretty chilled. Then hired a car and drove to Yosemite and down the West Coast through pretty towns like Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara back to Los Angeles.
Tick Tock goes the Clock, another week
Well last weekend yet again had to work Fri and Sat night, so thought sod this I'll go out for a few beers Sun night. Hadn't drank any alcohol for 3 weeks, so it wasn't suprising given my track record, that I ended up hammered. This resulted in me waking up at 5am thinking where the hell am I, then realising that I was in what appeared to be a stiffling hot garage. Needless to say I didn't make it to work that day and spent the day sick in bed feeling sorry for myself, with family hassling me for not going into work. Made me think yet again that drinking is crap really. 3 weeks of feeling healthy then one night out made me feel sick for a whole day and reacquainted me to heartburn and junk food.
Anyway this was my last week in the factory, move onto better things and that. Bugger all to do the last few days which makes time pass more slowly, so I used my skills in the art of "looking busy when doing absolutely nothing". Striding purposefully through the factory when really I'm going nowhere. Standing there with a broom in my hand waiting for someone to come into sight so I can start sweeping. It's all about "location location", you need to stand somewhere where you'll see them before they see you. Anyway it was better than lugging round heavy garage doors and carrying metal poles that cut into your shoulder. Will also be glad to see the end of Brett, like the Harry Enfield character, "you don't wanna do it like that you wanna do it like this". Some thick as shit redneck who's worked in the factory for 20 years and got nowhere but who thinks he's a Real Man and has got on a power trip. Critisised everything everyone did and tried to belittle everyone to big himself up. Needless to say he was the one that suffered as everyone hated him, but bloody hell was he irritating! Otherwise it was a pretty good bunch of people, most of the lads were nice, even if I didn't really have much in common with them. Why do I always feel like an outsider?
I never seem to learn my lessons, like don't get smoked up on a school/work night, as these days it keeps me awake deep in thought when trying to sleep. So last night had a little puff before bed and couldn't sleep till 5am because had too many things on my mind and ended up analysing my life and going way too deep man. Mind you it does make you see things in a different light and is somewhat beneficial, like I sort of saw clearly where I had messed something up. Anyway a little kip after work today sorted me out.
Not working tonight and got no friends to go out with hence writing this. Working tomorrow and Christmas Eve in pub then a few shifts next week and probably, sadly enough, I'll be working new years eve as its double pay and I need the money. Then start estate agent job on Wed 3 Jan. To be honest I'm fed up of starting new jobs!!!! In the last 4 years I've probably started 30-40 jobs, I always get anxious and stressed the night before. Then its always more difficult in the first week or two as you don't know what your doing and you have to appear to be hardworking and dilligent to make a good impression before you can slack off.
I'm ready to settle down and get a job that will last for years. I don't want to, there's no jobs I wanna do that I'd be good at. But I haven't won the lottery and unfortunately I'm not pretty enough to marry someone rich so I've gotta do something and a career its gonna have to be. So maybe I'm gonna have to get some dull job like accounting after all and join the bleeding rat race. Shit. Oh well I've got till July to have fun in Aussie and then China and maybe India :-) Then I'll sort my life out.
Anyway this was my last week in the factory, move onto better things and that. Bugger all to do the last few days which makes time pass more slowly, so I used my skills in the art of "looking busy when doing absolutely nothing". Striding purposefully through the factory when really I'm going nowhere. Standing there with a broom in my hand waiting for someone to come into sight so I can start sweeping. It's all about "location location", you need to stand somewhere where you'll see them before they see you. Anyway it was better than lugging round heavy garage doors and carrying metal poles that cut into your shoulder. Will also be glad to see the end of Brett, like the Harry Enfield character, "you don't wanna do it like that you wanna do it like this". Some thick as shit redneck who's worked in the factory for 20 years and got nowhere but who thinks he's a Real Man and has got on a power trip. Critisised everything everyone did and tried to belittle everyone to big himself up. Needless to say he was the one that suffered as everyone hated him, but bloody hell was he irritating! Otherwise it was a pretty good bunch of people, most of the lads were nice, even if I didn't really have much in common with them. Why do I always feel like an outsider?
I never seem to learn my lessons, like don't get smoked up on a school/work night, as these days it keeps me awake deep in thought when trying to sleep. So last night had a little puff before bed and couldn't sleep till 5am because had too many things on my mind and ended up analysing my life and going way too deep man. Mind you it does make you see things in a different light and is somewhat beneficial, like I sort of saw clearly where I had messed something up. Anyway a little kip after work today sorted me out.
Not working tonight and got no friends to go out with hence writing this. Working tomorrow and Christmas Eve in pub then a few shifts next week and probably, sadly enough, I'll be working new years eve as its double pay and I need the money. Then start estate agent job on Wed 3 Jan. To be honest I'm fed up of starting new jobs!!!! In the last 4 years I've probably started 30-40 jobs, I always get anxious and stressed the night before. Then its always more difficult in the first week or two as you don't know what your doing and you have to appear to be hardworking and dilligent to make a good impression before you can slack off.
I'm ready to settle down and get a job that will last for years. I don't want to, there's no jobs I wanna do that I'd be good at. But I haven't won the lottery and unfortunately I'm not pretty enough to marry someone rich so I've gotta do something and a career its gonna have to be. So maybe I'm gonna have to get some dull job like accounting after all and join the bleeding rat race. Shit. Oh well I've got till July to have fun in Aussie and then China and maybe India :-) Then I'll sort my life out.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Barman then Labourer now Estate Agent
Been in Perth just over 2 weeks but it feels like months. Am pretty knackered what with lugging metal doors in the factory and working behind the bar but its all good. Got 2 pay checks this week so starting to claw my way up to financial respectability again.
However I realised that I couldn't be doing with carrying garage doors for months on end, its getting a bit tedious. So today had an interview at an estate agents. Well 1 woman who works from home. Got the job and start 3rd January. I'm gonna be her assistant! Very wierd! Its good pay and a lot of responsibility and as well as looking after her office and stuff I get to drive round and look at properties, sell to clients, take courses and get to know the business of selling houses. Its all strange, I'm only gonna be here a few months. I would of thought she'd want someone for longer but she didn't mention it and so I didn't bring it up. I asked the agency that got me the interview and they said that they'd told her. Oh well its exciting really. Anyway next week I'll still be at the factory and working at the pub over the christmas/new years hols before I start the job in the new year.
Other than that all work and no play makes a dull Tim. Haven't really had time to have a social life or do anything interesting really. Too tired from working, so haven't met people outside of work. So a bit lonely and miss people. But thats life. Oh yeah someone did give me a free ticket to see the cricket today, some ashes game, england vs australia, the cricket was so boring though and anyway you couldn't even see the ball. But watching the crowd entertained me for an hour or so, the atmosphere was great, but wasn't much fun being there on my own so left after an hour or so. Pretty tired really now, did 12 hours in the factory yesterday so I could have today off for the interview, then sorting bank and tax stuff out then got ticket for cricket then shopping, so sorry if this blog is a bit rambly and waffly.
Work is good though, after being span out at the nightclub during my 1st shift, during the 2nd shift the chaos left, everything fell into place and I was able to control everything and do it all with relative ease. It felt like being Keanu Reeves in the matrix or is that me tripping out? Anyway its a laugh and people behind the bar are mostly fun and friendly, if a little stressed at times.
The factory job isn't so bad. At times I sort of like doing repetative things for hours on end, no stress and I sort of enter a dream like state where I zone out and drift into my own little world. Scary really. You have to be able to turn your brain off to cope with the boringness of it all and I think I've become too good at it. That's why I can't stay there for long, I'll turn into a zombie. Got practise I suppose from my teenage years working down the pie factory in Forest Green. But I was smoked up all the time then.
Another great thing is having a car, it might be an old banger but it gives me such freedom. I may have passed my test when I was 17 but I've never had my own car before, always been too poor and my parents were shit when I was studying. It's amazing to be able to just zip off to wherever I want whenever I want. Wanna go to the beach for a jog, no problem. Need to pop out and go shopping, no worries. All I need now are friends!
However I realised that I couldn't be doing with carrying garage doors for months on end, its getting a bit tedious. So today had an interview at an estate agents. Well 1 woman who works from home. Got the job and start 3rd January. I'm gonna be her assistant! Very wierd! Its good pay and a lot of responsibility and as well as looking after her office and stuff I get to drive round and look at properties, sell to clients, take courses and get to know the business of selling houses. Its all strange, I'm only gonna be here a few months. I would of thought she'd want someone for longer but she didn't mention it and so I didn't bring it up. I asked the agency that got me the interview and they said that they'd told her. Oh well its exciting really. Anyway next week I'll still be at the factory and working at the pub over the christmas/new years hols before I start the job in the new year.
Other than that all work and no play makes a dull Tim. Haven't really had time to have a social life or do anything interesting really. Too tired from working, so haven't met people outside of work. So a bit lonely and miss people. But thats life. Oh yeah someone did give me a free ticket to see the cricket today, some ashes game, england vs australia, the cricket was so boring though and anyway you couldn't even see the ball. But watching the crowd entertained me for an hour or so, the atmosphere was great, but wasn't much fun being there on my own so left after an hour or so. Pretty tired really now, did 12 hours in the factory yesterday so I could have today off for the interview, then sorting bank and tax stuff out then got ticket for cricket then shopping, so sorry if this blog is a bit rambly and waffly.
Work is good though, after being span out at the nightclub during my 1st shift, during the 2nd shift the chaos left, everything fell into place and I was able to control everything and do it all with relative ease. It felt like being Keanu Reeves in the matrix or is that me tripping out? Anyway its a laugh and people behind the bar are mostly fun and friendly, if a little stressed at times.
The factory job isn't so bad. At times I sort of like doing repetative things for hours on end, no stress and I sort of enter a dream like state where I zone out and drift into my own little world. Scary really. You have to be able to turn your brain off to cope with the boringness of it all and I think I've become too good at it. That's why I can't stay there for long, I'll turn into a zombie. Got practise I suppose from my teenage years working down the pie factory in Forest Green. But I was smoked up all the time then.
Another great thing is having a car, it might be an old banger but it gives me such freedom. I may have passed my test when I was 17 but I've never had my own car before, always been too poor and my parents were shit when I was studying. It's amazing to be able to just zip off to wherever I want whenever I want. Wanna go to the beach for a jog, no problem. Need to pop out and go shopping, no worries. All I need now are friends!
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
It never rains but it pours
Well... managed to get labouring job. Just done first shift today... 8 hours of lifting and carrying heavy boxes containing metal garage doors... in the swealtering heat. I ache all over, but its good healthy physical work and will now give me big muscles. So I followed my own advice and got more manly work, go me, aren't I butch!?
Then got home and the nightclub had left me a message saying I've got the job and can I work tonight, Friday and Saturday? And another message from the office agency saying they've got me a job lasting a week starting tomorrow, so its all happening at once.
This labouring job is full time for 3 weeks and then 2 week factory shut down for christmas and then full time for as long as I want it basically. Its down the road and easy money so thought will do it for 3 weeks guaranteed full time work then 2 week break to look for something better. Pub job can do odd shift next 3 weeks for extra cash and then will have work set up for 2 week factory shutdown also. So phoned up nightclub and told them can't do tonight but will do Friday and Saturday. Then phoned office agency up and said can't do tomorrow but available again in 3 weeks, as might be fed up of labouring soon?
Gonna be a hard slog working in factory full time and nightclub job at evenings/weekends but will be bringing in lots of hard earned money at last. Lots of people don't like their jobs but at the end of the day you've gotta earn money somehow haven't you. So you've gotta grin and bear it I'm afraid. Or get another job or be lucky enough to fall in love with someone rich or win the lottery. OK I'm off to dream now.....
Then got home and the nightclub had left me a message saying I've got the job and can I work tonight, Friday and Saturday? And another message from the office agency saying they've got me a job lasting a week starting tomorrow, so its all happening at once.
This labouring job is full time for 3 weeks and then 2 week factory shut down for christmas and then full time for as long as I want it basically. Its down the road and easy money so thought will do it for 3 weeks guaranteed full time work then 2 week break to look for something better. Pub job can do odd shift next 3 weeks for extra cash and then will have work set up for 2 week factory shutdown also. So phoned up nightclub and told them can't do tonight but will do Friday and Saturday. Then phoned office agency up and said can't do tomorrow but available again in 3 weeks, as might be fed up of labouring soon?
Gonna be a hard slog working in factory full time and nightclub job at evenings/weekends but will be bringing in lots of hard earned money at last. Lots of people don't like their jobs but at the end of the day you've gotta earn money somehow haven't you. So you've gotta grin and bear it I'm afraid. Or get another job or be lucky enough to fall in love with someone rich or win the lottery. OK I'm off to dream now.....
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Hired then Fired?
Well I started work yesterday 2 days after started looking for work. But then may have lost the job already. Basically manager's still assessing my performance in yesterday's shift and will let me know Wednesday if i have the job - wanker!
Anyway after last blog entry I went home. Then Friday was all rush rush rush. Got up at 6:30am and was at the agency for 8am to do the usual computing tests, filling in of forms and meeting the consultant. Went OK. Then opened up a bank account. Then applied for a tax number. Then met a friend for lunch. Then went round more agencies. Left my CV or filled in forms but no consultants would see me. The secretaries dissapeared, came back and were all like the consultants will look at your CV and give you a call. This basically means sorry mate but we don't want you. Perth is quite backwards and one women even said its a bit unusual for a man to be looking for PA/admin work, employers want women for this type of work. I was thinking maybe I should become more manly and start looking for construction/labouring/mining work.... hmmmm.
So was a bit despondent and thought sod it I'll have a pint on the way home. Stopped off at this pub and got chatting to some blokes outside and they said oh they need workers here and went and got the manager and hey presto..... I got a job. Sorted. Just goes to show doesn't it if I hadn't stopped off for a pint I would have gone home dissapointed. Also bar work pays well here, $20 an hour, which is more than London and living costs are cheaper. And anyway this is the same rate as temp office work and its more fun, so the agencies can go stick their jobs up their a*se. Women can blooming well keep their temping jobs. So went home happy.
Next day went to the beach, was paddling in the sea and saw what I thought were sharks just a stone's throw from me. Blimey - oh err! Actually turned out they were stingrays wallowing in the shallow's with their flippers turned up like tailfins. Mind you what with that Aussie nutter who got killed by a stingray recently I didn't get too close.
Then went to work, started at 9pm. Bit tired but redbull and adrenalin came to the rescue! Was plonked in upstairs bar next to DJ and dancefloor so couldn't hear a bloody thing. I received 2 minutes of training and was then thrown into the lions den, a busy boisterous Saturday night bar. I told them I had experience, I failed to say that it was 6 weeks work in a quiet pub 4 years ago. Also I didn't know the currency , so had to keep squinting at the coins to see what they were worth. Obviously I messed up quite a bit and the other barman was exasperated and stressed. But I thought I did pretty well under the circumstances and picked it up quite quickly. Always best to get thrown in at the deep end. Trouble was I had to leave at 1:30am to get the last train as I didn't have use of a car. Everyone else stayed till 3am so it didn't look good that I jumped ship early. But main thing was that I didn't get a chance to have a chat to the bar supervisor I was working with to fight my case, explain that I was knew to it all but keen to learn etc. Can use the car as of today, but might be too late?
So today took the initiative, popped in and spoke to the manger. However he said that he needs to speak to the barman first and will get back to me by wednesday. But I won't rest on my laurels, oh no, I'll continue job hunting tomorrow. Better to have 2 jobs than none. You have to have this attitude in life, otherwise you'll get dissapointed. Moral for the day kiddies - Hope for the best but expect the worst. Anyway if he doesn't give me the job there'll be a few bricks flying through his window...... only kidding! Going home to relax now. Then tomorrow a busy bee again.
Anyway after last blog entry I went home. Then Friday was all rush rush rush. Got up at 6:30am and was at the agency for 8am to do the usual computing tests, filling in of forms and meeting the consultant. Went OK. Then opened up a bank account. Then applied for a tax number. Then met a friend for lunch. Then went round more agencies. Left my CV or filled in forms but no consultants would see me. The secretaries dissapeared, came back and were all like the consultants will look at your CV and give you a call. This basically means sorry mate but we don't want you. Perth is quite backwards and one women even said its a bit unusual for a man to be looking for PA/admin work, employers want women for this type of work. I was thinking maybe I should become more manly and start looking for construction/labouring/mining work.... hmmmm.
So was a bit despondent and thought sod it I'll have a pint on the way home. Stopped off at this pub and got chatting to some blokes outside and they said oh they need workers here and went and got the manager and hey presto..... I got a job. Sorted. Just goes to show doesn't it if I hadn't stopped off for a pint I would have gone home dissapointed. Also bar work pays well here, $20 an hour, which is more than London and living costs are cheaper. And anyway this is the same rate as temp office work and its more fun, so the agencies can go stick their jobs up their a*se. Women can blooming well keep their temping jobs. So went home happy.
Next day went to the beach, was paddling in the sea and saw what I thought were sharks just a stone's throw from me. Blimey - oh err! Actually turned out they were stingrays wallowing in the shallow's with their flippers turned up like tailfins. Mind you what with that Aussie nutter who got killed by a stingray recently I didn't get too close.
Then went to work, started at 9pm. Bit tired but redbull and adrenalin came to the rescue! Was plonked in upstairs bar next to DJ and dancefloor so couldn't hear a bloody thing. I received 2 minutes of training and was then thrown into the lions den, a busy boisterous Saturday night bar. I told them I had experience, I failed to say that it was 6 weeks work in a quiet pub 4 years ago. Also I didn't know the currency , so had to keep squinting at the coins to see what they were worth. Obviously I messed up quite a bit and the other barman was exasperated and stressed. But I thought I did pretty well under the circumstances and picked it up quite quickly. Always best to get thrown in at the deep end. Trouble was I had to leave at 1:30am to get the last train as I didn't have use of a car. Everyone else stayed till 3am so it didn't look good that I jumped ship early. But main thing was that I didn't get a chance to have a chat to the bar supervisor I was working with to fight my case, explain that I was knew to it all but keen to learn etc. Can use the car as of today, but might be too late?
So today took the initiative, popped in and spoke to the manger. However he said that he needs to speak to the barman first and will get back to me by wednesday. But I won't rest on my laurels, oh no, I'll continue job hunting tomorrow. Better to have 2 jobs than none. You have to have this attitude in life, otherwise you'll get dissapointed. Moral for the day kiddies - Hope for the best but expect the worst. Anyway if he doesn't give me the job there'll be a few bricks flying through his window...... only kidding! Going home to relax now. Then tomorrow a busy bee again.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
OK Serious moaning finished, enough is enough!
OK just to say sorry that my recent entries have been so negative! But I don't know why after 2 months of happy travelling I have to start my blog when things all start to go wrong. Ill health, money trouble and relationship heartache. OK I know that I caused it but it still hurts! So will resume my lighthearted moaning as opposed to my serious moaning :-)
Anyway arrived in Australia 2 days ago (Tuesday). Flew Auckland to Brisbane and had a 3 hour stopover, got tired of the indoors so walked out of the airport and found a small grass mound overlooking the barbed wire fence into the runways. Thought nice place to plonk my arse and chill out and watch the planes taking off/landing. Except the whole mound was teeming with huge poisonous ants (they had illuminous green sacks on them so must have been poisonous, right!). Pah! Thought can't live in a country where you can't even sit down in the grass! And thats not to mention the deadly spiders, snakes etc. Had to go back and wait in the airport so people watched instead and bought a book about a mass suicide attempt that bizarelly cheered me up as it made my life seem better than their rubbish ones.
Then it was a 5 and a half hour flight to Perth, yes it takes 5.5 hours to fly across Australia. Perth is the most isolated city in the world, my new home. My dad and his wife kindly picked me up from the airport very tired and jet lagged. Almost gave my nan a heart attack, she arrived the day before and they kept it a suprise that I was coming. Then slept and slept and slept.
In the morning I went jogging, gotta get fit after a week of eating comfort junk food and drinking too much beer. And in the park I almost jumped out of my skin as I came round the corner and practically ran into a kangeroo, yes a wild kangeroo, how wicked was that. And there was a whole pack/herd - whatever of them round another corner. Safe mate. Then my dad said he'd treat me to a Macdonalds for lunch (almost had a heartattack, he's got money in his wallet, he is a changed man!), I said can we make it a subway as I'm trying to eat healthy, he said too expensive! God he's classy isn't he, some things never change! Anyway sorry I'm taking the piss dad if your reading this, I couldn't help it, I did persuade him to get me a subway anyway, posh I know. After that I bought some black trousers, shirt and tie and did my CV, no rest for the wicked, gotta move quick. Today got myself dolled up and went into town and have been round all the emploment agencies. Most just took my CV and said we'd be in touch (never promising) but one of them told me to come back tomorrow at 8am for computer tests and registration (promising). My dad had lent me some black shoes which were unfortunately 2-3 sizes too big, so I was walking round like a clown, feet flapping on the floor, hmmmm no good. So just had to invest in some new shoes (got cheapest ones for $20, not bad) and also an Aussie mobile phone for the agencies to contact me on.
My new phone number is +61 406114061. I won't be using my New Zealand number anymore, or my UK one for the time being.
Trouble is to get a job I have to invest in all this clothing, phone cards, travel passes, food etc. So I'm getting into debt looking for a job to get me out of debt! Oh well thats life. Hopefully first pay check will be soon. This evening after writing this in the internet cafe (no computer at home yet) I'm gonna go round all the bars to see if there's any jobs going there. Got to keep my finger in as many pies as possible! Also tomorrow got to open a bank and get a national insurance number.
But although Perth is a bit isolated it is a beautiful city, loads of nice beaches, permanent sunshine and friendly people (so far). It is wierd living in a suburb 20km out of town, just realised I've never really lived in a suburb before. Grew up in a small cotswold town nestled in the valleys and full of history and character, then lived in Sheffield and even when living in zone 3-4 of London its still built up and urban feeling. Its wierd, a lovely upmarket suburb and nice although a bit lacking in character, but it feels like I'm living in a movie set. My experience of suburbs like this is all from American films! And last night was playing football with my baby brother (4 years old, ahhhh) and these cockatoo's came screeching down into the tree tops, its all so out of this world! So its all a bit dreamy and strange at the moment.
But saying that its nice to have a goal. Part of my trouble the last few weeks has been that I knew I shouldn't have been travelling and should of been working. Reaslied today my plan was to travel NZ for 2 weeks and get a job, hmmmm, I didn't stick to this, travelled NZ for 2 months, spent all my money and got into debt. So its now nice to be correcting this, on a mission, sorting things out and with a goal to get a job ASAP. When I need to do something then I'm very committed to get it done, blimey it sounds like I'm writing my CV now.
OK gotta go, things to do, people to see, cheerio.
Anyway arrived in Australia 2 days ago (Tuesday). Flew Auckland to Brisbane and had a 3 hour stopover, got tired of the indoors so walked out of the airport and found a small grass mound overlooking the barbed wire fence into the runways. Thought nice place to plonk my arse and chill out and watch the planes taking off/landing. Except the whole mound was teeming with huge poisonous ants (they had illuminous green sacks on them so must have been poisonous, right!). Pah! Thought can't live in a country where you can't even sit down in the grass! And thats not to mention the deadly spiders, snakes etc. Had to go back and wait in the airport so people watched instead and bought a book about a mass suicide attempt that bizarelly cheered me up as it made my life seem better than their rubbish ones.
Then it was a 5 and a half hour flight to Perth, yes it takes 5.5 hours to fly across Australia. Perth is the most isolated city in the world, my new home. My dad and his wife kindly picked me up from the airport very tired and jet lagged. Almost gave my nan a heart attack, she arrived the day before and they kept it a suprise that I was coming. Then slept and slept and slept.
In the morning I went jogging, gotta get fit after a week of eating comfort junk food and drinking too much beer. And in the park I almost jumped out of my skin as I came round the corner and practically ran into a kangeroo, yes a wild kangeroo, how wicked was that. And there was a whole pack/herd - whatever of them round another corner. Safe mate. Then my dad said he'd treat me to a Macdonalds for lunch (almost had a heartattack, he's got money in his wallet, he is a changed man!), I said can we make it a subway as I'm trying to eat healthy, he said too expensive! God he's classy isn't he, some things never change! Anyway sorry I'm taking the piss dad if your reading this, I couldn't help it, I did persuade him to get me a subway anyway, posh I know. After that I bought some black trousers, shirt and tie and did my CV, no rest for the wicked, gotta move quick. Today got myself dolled up and went into town and have been round all the emploment agencies. Most just took my CV and said we'd be in touch (never promising) but one of them told me to come back tomorrow at 8am for computer tests and registration (promising). My dad had lent me some black shoes which were unfortunately 2-3 sizes too big, so I was walking round like a clown, feet flapping on the floor, hmmmm no good. So just had to invest in some new shoes (got cheapest ones for $20, not bad) and also an Aussie mobile phone for the agencies to contact me on.
My new phone number is +61 406114061. I won't be using my New Zealand number anymore, or my UK one for the time being.
Trouble is to get a job I have to invest in all this clothing, phone cards, travel passes, food etc. So I'm getting into debt looking for a job to get me out of debt! Oh well thats life. Hopefully first pay check will be soon. This evening after writing this in the internet cafe (no computer at home yet) I'm gonna go round all the bars to see if there's any jobs going there. Got to keep my finger in as many pies as possible! Also tomorrow got to open a bank and get a national insurance number.
But although Perth is a bit isolated it is a beautiful city, loads of nice beaches, permanent sunshine and friendly people (so far). It is wierd living in a suburb 20km out of town, just realised I've never really lived in a suburb before. Grew up in a small cotswold town nestled in the valleys and full of history and character, then lived in Sheffield and even when living in zone 3-4 of London its still built up and urban feeling. Its wierd, a lovely upmarket suburb and nice although a bit lacking in character, but it feels like I'm living in a movie set. My experience of suburbs like this is all from American films! And last night was playing football with my baby brother (4 years old, ahhhh) and these cockatoo's came screeching down into the tree tops, its all so out of this world! So its all a bit dreamy and strange at the moment.
But saying that its nice to have a goal. Part of my trouble the last few weeks has been that I knew I shouldn't have been travelling and should of been working. Reaslied today my plan was to travel NZ for 2 weeks and get a job, hmmmm, I didn't stick to this, travelled NZ for 2 months, spent all my money and got into debt. So its now nice to be correcting this, on a mission, sorting things out and with a goal to get a job ASAP. When I need to do something then I'm very committed to get it done, blimey it sounds like I'm writing my CV now.
OK gotta go, things to do, people to see, cheerio.
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