I'm safe and sound in New Zealand.
I have no phone.
I have a campervan, but no money to pay for campsites.
If we have to put more than 4 tanks of fuel in we're in trouble.
We've eaten rice and pasta for 3 days straight.
All donations gratefully accepted.
I'm not joking.
If I die here, letit be known I love you all.
No, but seriously if you don't hear from me or Lauren by the 16th of January,chances are we're stuck in some remote part of NZ without phones or food and will probably be starving to death.
SEND A SEARCH PARTY!
This is not a test.
Peace out (possibly for eternity)
( )( )
( " .)
x xx x
Monday, 29 December 2008
Sunday, 30 November 2008
So Here We Are
Hey.
It's been ages since I did an update, but today I find myself at a loose end and 30 mins left on my internet time so I figured I should do an update.
Where was I? The Everglades...that was pretty interesting. We canoed for a fair few hours over three days and saw lots of trees and water and camped and got bitten and...well that was it really. Not the most spectacular of adventures. Was a bit boring really.
After Noosa we went back to Brisbane for the party and to say goodbye to the children etc. It was pretty sad. The party was good. I massacred Dido...twice. And then sang everything that Shane or Nick could play, got a little drunk and crashed out. Awoke early the next day and then fell asleep in Oskars bed until the day was almost over.
Went to my last dance classs and cried like a baby saying goodbye, but saying goodbye to the children and Nicole was horrible. Had to do them all seperately. Jonny woke me up at 5am as he was off on a bike ride to say goodbye so was all groggy and couldn't get back to sleep because the wheels were in motion. Children hopped into bed with me early doors and it was just awful all day really. Goodbyes to Tillie and Nic took her off to school while I played bubbles with Oskar, goodbyes to Oskar as he hopped off to daycare. He didn't know what to do with himself poor little mite. Doesn't like all this emotional stuff, me crying like a baby and Nicole getting upset. Sensitive soul. Then there was goodbyes to Nanna and Pa as we drove off for Nic to drop me and Lauren at our appointed bus stop. I'm never going to forget waving goodbye to Nic and Olly at the side of the road. The windows were tinted and I knew that even though I could see them, they couldn't see me. Was heartbreaking to say the least and I sobbed my heart out for a fair old while once they were out of my sight. I don't know when I'll see them again. With any luck before I leave, but I don't really know how that'll work out.
So after Brisbane it was on to Byron Bay where we have already been once for Laurens birthday. We met up with our English lads on route which was nice as we'd missed them. The first night we just hung out as I was pretty wiped from my emotional day and early start. Then we did a day trip out to this little hippie town called Nimbin. Everyone had been telling me it was the maddest thing they'd ever seen and it's mad because people are just offering you skunk and hash cookies left, right and centre. To be fair I was a little disappointed as it was just like a miniature version of Camden really and nowhere near as wacky and insane as I was hoping it migt be. there was a cool museum though which I got some funky pictures of. That night me and Lauren went out and met some really cool guys from the gold coast that we hung out with. Ended up dragging everyone to the beach to watch the sunrise only to realise that the beach actually points North and so you can't see the surise. Whoops. Was pretty fun anyways.
Our Oz bus picked us up and took us down to surf camp. We hadn't been to bed and had Sonic as our driver again. He was probably my favourite out of all the guys we had. Him and Forrest the others were spanners really. So yeah down to surf camp where we had a surf lesson, which is pretty hard when you've not had any sleep. I crashed out immediately afterwards and except for a 30 minute wake up to munch a chocolate bar that tasted disgusting I slept right through until 6am the next day. Much needed rest.
After this it was a long ass trek bus journey down to Sydney where we stayed for 2 days before flying to Melbourne. Which is where we currently are.
I have managed to find a job in a bar, but it's only 2 nights/12 hours a week which is an issue as I need to save money for New Zealand and it just about covers rent, food and expenses. I'm looking for office work, but apparantly I can kiss it goodbye before Christmas. Have also been looking for other bar work and cafe work, but alas so is the rest of the backpacking population that are here for Christmas.
As Xmas looms I kind of want to be at home. That's probably mostly to do with me being unsure about work etc. It's only 4 weeks until we go to New Zealand, but if I can't find some extra work I don't really know where that leaves me with going there. I think I'd still go as the flight is paid for and the camper would be cheaper than a hostel for the three weeks. Although I wouldn't find a hostel for it now I don't think. Sorry t his is musings as oppossed to plans, but I need to try and think my way around things.
So yes, we're in Melbourne, which I love and I feel like myself again while I'm here. That sounded a lot less strange when I said it in my head. Pretty much we just hang out in the day and I work Thursday and Friday nights. My bodyclock is shot as my shifts start at 10pm and finish anywhere up until 7am. My bar shuts on the 20th December so that's another worry. It opens again on the 8th of Jan, but I need to get my shifts covered otherwise I won't be able to come back to it which I'm planning on doing. I want to stay here until my visa expires now. I like it. It's just like London, which is probably why. It's got more culture too.
Anyways my half hour is almost up. I hope this well overdue blog finds you all well and happy and looking forward to the festive period. Take care and I will keep you updated on my goings ons when I actually have some.
Mulu
x xx x
It's been ages since I did an update, but today I find myself at a loose end and 30 mins left on my internet time so I figured I should do an update.
Where was I? The Everglades...that was pretty interesting. We canoed for a fair few hours over three days and saw lots of trees and water and camped and got bitten and...well that was it really. Not the most spectacular of adventures. Was a bit boring really.
After Noosa we went back to Brisbane for the party and to say goodbye to the children etc. It was pretty sad. The party was good. I massacred Dido...twice. And then sang everything that Shane or Nick could play, got a little drunk and crashed out. Awoke early the next day and then fell asleep in Oskars bed until the day was almost over.
Went to my last dance classs and cried like a baby saying goodbye, but saying goodbye to the children and Nicole was horrible. Had to do them all seperately. Jonny woke me up at 5am as he was off on a bike ride to say goodbye so was all groggy and couldn't get back to sleep because the wheels were in motion. Children hopped into bed with me early doors and it was just awful all day really. Goodbyes to Tillie and Nic took her off to school while I played bubbles with Oskar, goodbyes to Oskar as he hopped off to daycare. He didn't know what to do with himself poor little mite. Doesn't like all this emotional stuff, me crying like a baby and Nicole getting upset. Sensitive soul. Then there was goodbyes to Nanna and Pa as we drove off for Nic to drop me and Lauren at our appointed bus stop. I'm never going to forget waving goodbye to Nic and Olly at the side of the road. The windows were tinted and I knew that even though I could see them, they couldn't see me. Was heartbreaking to say the least and I sobbed my heart out for a fair old while once they were out of my sight. I don't know when I'll see them again. With any luck before I leave, but I don't really know how that'll work out.
So after Brisbane it was on to Byron Bay where we have already been once for Laurens birthday. We met up with our English lads on route which was nice as we'd missed them. The first night we just hung out as I was pretty wiped from my emotional day and early start. Then we did a day trip out to this little hippie town called Nimbin. Everyone had been telling me it was the maddest thing they'd ever seen and it's mad because people are just offering you skunk and hash cookies left, right and centre. To be fair I was a little disappointed as it was just like a miniature version of Camden really and nowhere near as wacky and insane as I was hoping it migt be. there was a cool museum though which I got some funky pictures of. That night me and Lauren went out and met some really cool guys from the gold coast that we hung out with. Ended up dragging everyone to the beach to watch the sunrise only to realise that the beach actually points North and so you can't see the surise. Whoops. Was pretty fun anyways.
Our Oz bus picked us up and took us down to surf camp. We hadn't been to bed and had Sonic as our driver again. He was probably my favourite out of all the guys we had. Him and Forrest the others were spanners really. So yeah down to surf camp where we had a surf lesson, which is pretty hard when you've not had any sleep. I crashed out immediately afterwards and except for a 30 minute wake up to munch a chocolate bar that tasted disgusting I slept right through until 6am the next day. Much needed rest.
After this it was a long ass trek bus journey down to Sydney where we stayed for 2 days before flying to Melbourne. Which is where we currently are.
I have managed to find a job in a bar, but it's only 2 nights/12 hours a week which is an issue as I need to save money for New Zealand and it just about covers rent, food and expenses. I'm looking for office work, but apparantly I can kiss it goodbye before Christmas. Have also been looking for other bar work and cafe work, but alas so is the rest of the backpacking population that are here for Christmas.
As Xmas looms I kind of want to be at home. That's probably mostly to do with me being unsure about work etc. It's only 4 weeks until we go to New Zealand, but if I can't find some extra work I don't really know where that leaves me with going there. I think I'd still go as the flight is paid for and the camper would be cheaper than a hostel for the three weeks. Although I wouldn't find a hostel for it now I don't think. Sorry t his is musings as oppossed to plans, but I need to try and think my way around things.
So yes, we're in Melbourne, which I love and I feel like myself again while I'm here. That sounded a lot less strange when I said it in my head. Pretty much we just hang out in the day and I work Thursday and Friday nights. My bodyclock is shot as my shifts start at 10pm and finish anywhere up until 7am. My bar shuts on the 20th December so that's another worry. It opens again on the 8th of Jan, but I need to get my shifts covered otherwise I won't be able to come back to it which I'm planning on doing. I want to stay here until my visa expires now. I like it. It's just like London, which is probably why. It's got more culture too.
Anyways my half hour is almost up. I hope this well overdue blog finds you all well and happy and looking forward to the festive period. Take care and I will keep you updated on my goings ons when I actually have some.
Mulu
x xx x
Saturday, 1 November 2008
Sand In Your Pants...
So i'm currently in Noosa about 2 hours north of Brisbane and we're on the last leg of our insane 4 week madness!
Have just been at Fraser which is absolutely stunning, but being a sand island you get sand in everything and even end up eating it. Eggy bread and sand...lovely! I pretty much lived on rice crackers for 3 days because it was easier than having to wait for evryone else to finish cooking there meat dinners before starting mine and being on the beach it's very windy and so takes lonegr to cook. They put lentils in for my dinner, that would have been fun to try and cook on the silly litle gas stoves you get. But anyways Fraser Island is beautiful.
We went up to Indian heads where you look out over the water and it's so clear. You can see all the sharks swimming around and turtles and stingrays when you're stood at the top of all the cliffs. We went to Lake Mackenzie which is just stunning. You walk through "The Bush" and before you know it you walk out onto pure white sand with this beautiful freshwater lake on the otherside. There's no fish or anything in there and your skin is so smooth after you've been swimming in it because of all the Eucalyptus trees. The sand is also really fine and works like a brilliant exfoliator. We also went to lake Wabby which is strange. Again you have to walk through the bush and then you come to this great big sandblow and you feel as if you just walked into the desert. You have to trek for about 2 kms and then you go over the edge of this big dune and it's really steep and there's another beautiful lake. This one is a bit green because it has fish and algae, but I prefered it to Mackenzie because it was just so strange to walk across a desert and find this beautiful little oasis.
Back to Brisbane on Friday to see my surrogate family and after that maybe head North back to Rainbow Beach to work at the hostel we stayed in. We'll probably be there until we go to New Zealand on the 28th of December as Christmas in Sydney will cost way more than we can feasably do on our budget.
So I think that's about it as my time is ticking on this bad boy and I can't get anymore time because the reception and bar is closed for the evening. Tomorrow we're off for a bush camp and then a 3 day 2 night canoe safari down the everglades.
Will tell you about that when I get back on Wednesday.
Hope you're all well.
Mulu
x xx x
Have just been at Fraser which is absolutely stunning, but being a sand island you get sand in everything and even end up eating it. Eggy bread and sand...lovely! I pretty much lived on rice crackers for 3 days because it was easier than having to wait for evryone else to finish cooking there meat dinners before starting mine and being on the beach it's very windy and so takes lonegr to cook. They put lentils in for my dinner, that would have been fun to try and cook on the silly litle gas stoves you get. But anyways Fraser Island is beautiful.
We went up to Indian heads where you look out over the water and it's so clear. You can see all the sharks swimming around and turtles and stingrays when you're stood at the top of all the cliffs. We went to Lake Mackenzie which is just stunning. You walk through "The Bush" and before you know it you walk out onto pure white sand with this beautiful freshwater lake on the otherside. There's no fish or anything in there and your skin is so smooth after you've been swimming in it because of all the Eucalyptus trees. The sand is also really fine and works like a brilliant exfoliator. We also went to lake Wabby which is strange. Again you have to walk through the bush and then you come to this great big sandblow and you feel as if you just walked into the desert. You have to trek for about 2 kms and then you go over the edge of this big dune and it's really steep and there's another beautiful lake. This one is a bit green because it has fish and algae, but I prefered it to Mackenzie because it was just so strange to walk across a desert and find this beautiful little oasis.
Back to Brisbane on Friday to see my surrogate family and after that maybe head North back to Rainbow Beach to work at the hostel we stayed in. We'll probably be there until we go to New Zealand on the 28th of December as Christmas in Sydney will cost way more than we can feasably do on our budget.
So I think that's about it as my time is ticking on this bad boy and I can't get anymore time because the reception and bar is closed for the evening. Tomorrow we're off for a bush camp and then a 3 day 2 night canoe safari down the everglades.
Will tell you about that when I get back on Wednesday.
Hope you're all well.
Mulu
x xx x
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Blagger...
Howdy.
I've managed to blag free internet by being super dooper helpful and rejigging a few of my trips to help out the guys here at Dingos hostel Rainbow Beach, so thought I'd do an update. It's quiet here and not much to do. Me and Lauren have been taking it easy as Fraser Island is supposed to be pretty full on in the late nights and early mornings stakes. We were supposed to be going tomorrow but due to a booking cock up we have moved it to Tuesday as I said to help out the good guys here at Dingos. Anyways...yesterday we went for a chopper motorbike tour around the area. Was pretty cool, these little 50cc mopeds like something out of easy rider. We had a few drinks with some Irish guys who were in our room last night, actually we drank snakebite something I swore I'd never do after Mummys little shennanigans way back when, but it's cheap and that the name of the game. To hell with my health apparantly. We haven't done our sea kayaking yet as it was cancelled on Friday de to weather conditions. We do that tomorrow now. There was a huge storm yesterday so hopfully that will have passed by the time e go to Fraser as sand and tents and rain isn't really my idea of a good time, but then again I guess it is all part of the fun. Just got to hope we don't get stuck with a rubbish group, although once again our helpfulness has secured first dibs on group choice. We're so nice. Not really a lot else to say.
Oh Rainbow Beach itself is pretty cool. All of these different coloured sands. reds, pinks, oranges, yellows and browns. Very cool and the surfs pretty sweet. I'm getting annoyed with still being white though! I'm browner at home. Me and Lauren have finally just done some washing! Which is useful as I'm currently running around commando as my last clean pair of undies went in the pool last night in a moment of drunken madness. It wasn't my idea for once though!
So yeah that's about it from the fun and exciting world of base camp Rabbit.
Mulu x
I've managed to blag free internet by being super dooper helpful and rejigging a few of my trips to help out the guys here at Dingos hostel Rainbow Beach, so thought I'd do an update. It's quiet here and not much to do. Me and Lauren have been taking it easy as Fraser Island is supposed to be pretty full on in the late nights and early mornings stakes. We were supposed to be going tomorrow but due to a booking cock up we have moved it to Tuesday as I said to help out the good guys here at Dingos. Anyways...yesterday we went for a chopper motorbike tour around the area. Was pretty cool, these little 50cc mopeds like something out of easy rider. We had a few drinks with some Irish guys who were in our room last night, actually we drank snakebite something I swore I'd never do after Mummys little shennanigans way back when, but it's cheap and that the name of the game. To hell with my health apparantly. We haven't done our sea kayaking yet as it was cancelled on Friday de to weather conditions. We do that tomorrow now. There was a huge storm yesterday so hopfully that will have passed by the time e go to Fraser as sand and tents and rain isn't really my idea of a good time, but then again I guess it is all part of the fun. Just got to hope we don't get stuck with a rubbish group, although once again our helpfulness has secured first dibs on group choice. We're so nice. Not really a lot else to say.
Oh Rainbow Beach itself is pretty cool. All of these different coloured sands. reds, pinks, oranges, yellows and browns. Very cool and the surfs pretty sweet. I'm getting annoyed with still being white though! I'm browner at home. Me and Lauren have finally just done some washing! Which is useful as I'm currently running around commando as my last clean pair of undies went in the pool last night in a moment of drunken madness. It wasn't my idea for once though!
So yeah that's about it from the fun and exciting world of base camp Rabbit.
Mulu x
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Sailing and Horses
Whitsundays were beautiful, realy good bunch of people and we just had a fab time. Was really nice not to have to worry about food and stuff. The chef made me all vegetarian, gluten free meals so all I had to do was relax. First time I've really felt like i'm on holiday.
Got back to Airlie Beach and went out with everybody for dinner and then a few drinks.
Left early doors Wednesday morning for an 11 hour journey to a compulsory Oz Experience stop at a Cattle Station out at Kroombit. Felt like I was on a school trip. I won the mechanical bull competition, but after the journey was suffering a sore neck. Woke up Thursday morning and could barely move. I'm still not 100% so i'm glad they had to cancel sea kayaking this morning due to conditions. Couldn't compete in the rodeo (goat wrestling etc) and couldn't afford to do the cow muster which trurned out to be a blessing in disguise as you're only allowed to walk around on a horse and that would be pretty boring for me.
Left the Cattle station and trekked another 9 hours down the coast to where I now am, Rainbow Beach. Go to Fraser Monday which should be amazing.
I'm skint hence the lack of contact and trip details, descriptions etc internet is costly.
Hope you're all well.
Mulu x
Got back to Airlie Beach and went out with everybody for dinner and then a few drinks.
Left early doors Wednesday morning for an 11 hour journey to a compulsory Oz Experience stop at a Cattle Station out at Kroombit. Felt like I was on a school trip. I won the mechanical bull competition, but after the journey was suffering a sore neck. Woke up Thursday morning and could barely move. I'm still not 100% so i'm glad they had to cancel sea kayaking this morning due to conditions. Couldn't compete in the rodeo (goat wrestling etc) and couldn't afford to do the cow muster which trurned out to be a blessing in disguise as you're only allowed to walk around on a horse and that would be pretty boring for me.
Left the Cattle station and trekked another 9 hours down the coast to where I now am, Rainbow Beach. Go to Fraser Monday which should be amazing.
I'm skint hence the lack of contact and trip details, descriptions etc internet is costly.
Hope you're all well.
Mulu x
Saturday, 18 October 2008
Jack Sparrow Eat Your Heart Out
We are currently at Airlie Beach which is pretty much just one big party town. In less than a km of street there are 37 licensed bars and restaurants. They don't even have a cinema here. Me and Lauren had a TV in our hostel so we haven't been out at all. It's not a very nice place really. They don't have any beach because of the crocs and the harbour, but they do have a huge lagoon to make up for it. It is a full on Boganville though. A bogan is a term for someone a bit like a hillbilly. This place was full of them last night when I went to go make a phone call, all drunk and being well Bogans. Truly, truly not a fan of Australian boys. Have met only a few who I can stand to be around. Not a very nice breed the ones I've met so far. Chavanistic, racist, sexist bigots is a very accurate description.
Anyhoo...
In a few hours we go board our AMAZING pirate ship.
Go and look it up on the web...
Soulway Lass Whitsunday Sailing.
We will be vising Whithaven Beach. 99.89% silica sand. Supposedly it's like snow. I'll be totally out of contact for the next 3 days, but will do a blog as soon as I can upon my return to dry land. Internet costs a fortune some places though and as i'm running short enough on cash as it is you'll just have to wait to hear about all our adventures.
Mulu x
Anyhoo...
In a few hours we go board our AMAZING pirate ship.
Go and look it up on the web...
Soulway Lass Whitsunday Sailing.
We will be vising Whithaven Beach. 99.89% silica sand. Supposedly it's like snow. I'll be totally out of contact for the next 3 days, but will do a blog as soon as I can upon my return to dry land. Internet costs a fortune some places though and as i'm running short enough on cash as it is you'll just have to wait to hear about all our adventures.
Mulu x
Thursday, 16 October 2008
Magnetic Island
We've just spent the past few days on Magnetic Island at BASE backpackers. Most beautiful hostel, right on th ebeach. Really lovely. Have done nothing, but laze around in the sun really. Well the boys hired 4x4's and we went trekking around the island in those which was a pant wetting, finger clutching experience at some points. Especially when Greavsey is literally driving on the edge of a cliff. This was really a drinking on the beach and having fun with good people experience as oppossed to anything else. I ended up in the ocean every night (of course) and then discovered that there's a 3.5 metre croc hanging about the place. We took the 4x4's and went to West Point on the Island so that we could see the sun set. When you do the East Coast you'll never see the sun set over water. Well we didn't get to see it here really because someone stuck a bunch of clouds in the way! Then we drove back to the East Coast and watched the moon over the water. Pretty cool. We were going to do kayaking and snorkelling, but the sea was to rough so we couldn't.
Not really a lot to say about Maggy other than that. Oh I got a bit burnt, as did Lauren. We had a row (as per) and I told her I want us to go our seperate ways at Byron Bay, we'll see about that when we get down there.
Other than that, I believe that's everything for this blog.
Mulu x
Not really a lot to say about Maggy other than that. Oh I got a bit burnt, as did Lauren. We had a row (as per) and I told her I want us to go our seperate ways at Byron Bay, we'll see about that when we get down there.
Other than that, I believe that's everything for this blog.
Mulu x
Monday, 13 October 2008
Just Like Daddy :)
Skydive...easily the best thing I have ever done. Couldn't do it on Sunday afternoon had to do it Monday morning for weather reasons in the end. Definately cleared away the 8am cobwebs though.
You get about a 3 minute instruction of cross your hands over your chest, put your head back on your guys shoulder, when your out of the plane you'll get a tap on the shoulder and then you should stretch your arms out, on landing lift your legs and hook your hands under your knees so that you land on your bum. Oh and because we're diving over water, that yellow thing around your waist is a lifejacket. We'll tell you if you need it. (what like you think I won't notice we're about to hit the water?) That's all your instruction. For a country that is so stupidly regulated and all mental about safety I was really rather surprised, but glad as a long arse safety briefing wasn't high on my to-do list as we had to check out of our hostel by 10am and I still hadn't finished packing. Anyways so I was going to go out of the plane first, wasn't scared until just before we went, but I think that my excitement just squashed anything at all that wanted to freak me out. At 12000 ft the oxygen got a bit thin and I went all light headed and woozy, but got it together eventually. Anyways I was teamed with a guy called Strop who was a bit stroppy at first. Got up in the plane and I was sat right by the door obviously as I was going first and we go up and up and up and up. Took about 20 mins to get up to the full 14000ft, but you have no idea of height and distance because you've got nothing to measure against, it's very strange. The little plane reminded me of when I was a little girl and Daddy put me in a little plane somewhere. First time I ever flew. I'd already doner the whole proud daughter bit on the ground when I was telling everyone how I'd always wanted to do this, just like Daddy used to. Some of the instructors were giving it the big I am and paratroopers are cak etc, but I brought them back to earth when I reminded them of the dangers involved, having to jump out of a plane with all this excess baggage that won't open it's arms when you tap it on the shoulder and won't walk itself off when you land and come rain or shine conditions etc, etc. They soon went quiet.
Anyways...
We're right up there in the atmosphere and they've been trying to freak me out with their little height watches the whole way and I'm still just excited, then it's "I'm just clipping you on" and next thing open the door and my bum is no longer touching anything and my legs are hooked under the plane. Got my googles on and I'm in the position thinking come on let's go, but after about a minute they pull me back in and close the door saying it's to cold! I was a bit freaked out then, was weird to just be hanging over the edge of the plane with your options in someone elses hands, unlike the bungee where jumping was all down to me. So second time hanging out to dry and then...
Nothing. I can't even begin to tell you what I was thinking because I didn't know, I just knew it was amazing. Looking back at the time it seemed to go so fast, but now I remember little things like giving him the thumbs up, trying to scream, trying to breathe, just basic things I did that had nothing to do with what my brain was feeling. Strop called it sensory overload. The ground doesn't even rush up at you, even though you're going at 220kms an hour. I've only ever been that fast on Daddy's motorbike I think. You fall 9000ft in 55 seconds. Intense. It was excellent when he opened the canopy though, if a little uncomfortable. He did it just as we were coming into a cloud so all of a sudden, the rushing in my ears stopped and I was just surrounded by all this white. Like being in a room filled with odourless smoke and your just floating. Kind of like a pure childlike version of heaven, like I was an angel or something. Totally amazing. Then we break through the cloud and the scenery is just mind blowingly beautiful and you're just up there flying above it all. So we have a few minutes of chatter and canopy ride as we descend. It's fun when they pull the leads and you swing out and around and stuff. The whole thing about jumping at Mission Beach is that you land on the beach which I did, but me and Strop did it via a tree. Literally I've got my hands under my knees, which is hard as anything in that harness and we go crashing through the top section of a bare tree and I get a branch in the face. So I fell out of a plane with the Strop and landed in a tree.
Spectacular. I highly recommend it to anyone. Hopefully we're going to do the Frans Joseph when we go to New Zealand which is over a glacier from 15000ft. I didn't get a DVD of this one, but Lauren did. I'm going to get a DVD of the other one I think. Everyone says it's the best and because of the mountains and stuff you really get a feeling of the height which you don't really get on this one.
It was so good though.
You get about a 3 minute instruction of cross your hands over your chest, put your head back on your guys shoulder, when your out of the plane you'll get a tap on the shoulder and then you should stretch your arms out, on landing lift your legs and hook your hands under your knees so that you land on your bum. Oh and because we're diving over water, that yellow thing around your waist is a lifejacket. We'll tell you if you need it. (what like you think I won't notice we're about to hit the water?) That's all your instruction. For a country that is so stupidly regulated and all mental about safety I was really rather surprised, but glad as a long arse safety briefing wasn't high on my to-do list as we had to check out of our hostel by 10am and I still hadn't finished packing. Anyways so I was going to go out of the plane first, wasn't scared until just before we went, but I think that my excitement just squashed anything at all that wanted to freak me out. At 12000 ft the oxygen got a bit thin and I went all light headed and woozy, but got it together eventually. Anyways I was teamed with a guy called Strop who was a bit stroppy at first. Got up in the plane and I was sat right by the door obviously as I was going first and we go up and up and up and up. Took about 20 mins to get up to the full 14000ft, but you have no idea of height and distance because you've got nothing to measure against, it's very strange. The little plane reminded me of when I was a little girl and Daddy put me in a little plane somewhere. First time I ever flew. I'd already doner the whole proud daughter bit on the ground when I was telling everyone how I'd always wanted to do this, just like Daddy used to. Some of the instructors were giving it the big I am and paratroopers are cak etc, but I brought them back to earth when I reminded them of the dangers involved, having to jump out of a plane with all this excess baggage that won't open it's arms when you tap it on the shoulder and won't walk itself off when you land and come rain or shine conditions etc, etc. They soon went quiet.
Anyways...
We're right up there in the atmosphere and they've been trying to freak me out with their little height watches the whole way and I'm still just excited, then it's "I'm just clipping you on" and next thing open the door and my bum is no longer touching anything and my legs are hooked under the plane. Got my googles on and I'm in the position thinking come on let's go, but after about a minute they pull me back in and close the door saying it's to cold! I was a bit freaked out then, was weird to just be hanging over the edge of the plane with your options in someone elses hands, unlike the bungee where jumping was all down to me. So second time hanging out to dry and then...
Nothing. I can't even begin to tell you what I was thinking because I didn't know, I just knew it was amazing. Looking back at the time it seemed to go so fast, but now I remember little things like giving him the thumbs up, trying to scream, trying to breathe, just basic things I did that had nothing to do with what my brain was feeling. Strop called it sensory overload. The ground doesn't even rush up at you, even though you're going at 220kms an hour. I've only ever been that fast on Daddy's motorbike I think. You fall 9000ft in 55 seconds. Intense. It was excellent when he opened the canopy though, if a little uncomfortable. He did it just as we were coming into a cloud so all of a sudden, the rushing in my ears stopped and I was just surrounded by all this white. Like being in a room filled with odourless smoke and your just floating. Kind of like a pure childlike version of heaven, like I was an angel or something. Totally amazing. Then we break through the cloud and the scenery is just mind blowingly beautiful and you're just up there flying above it all. So we have a few minutes of chatter and canopy ride as we descend. It's fun when they pull the leads and you swing out and around and stuff. The whole thing about jumping at Mission Beach is that you land on the beach which I did, but me and Strop did it via a tree. Literally I've got my hands under my knees, which is hard as anything in that harness and we go crashing through the top section of a bare tree and I get a branch in the face. So I fell out of a plane with the Strop and landed in a tree.
Spectacular. I highly recommend it to anyone. Hopefully we're going to do the Frans Joseph when we go to New Zealand which is over a glacier from 15000ft. I didn't get a DVD of this one, but Lauren did. I'm going to get a DVD of the other one I think. Everyone says it's the best and because of the mountains and stuff you really get a feeling of the height which you don't really get on this one.
It was so good though.
Saturday, 11 October 2008
Noa's Ark
Yesterday was our first time on the Oz Bus and i'm glad we've decided to take that down the coast. They took us to a crocodile farm and it was mad to see crocs getting fed up that close. The sound a crocs jaws make when they snap is fantastic. Really hollow and sharp. Got to Mission Beach and we're at a fab hostel called Scottys. The lads we met up in Cairns are here and loads of other fun people. Finally a hostel with a bit of character.
Last night we had a BBQ (I had halloumi and peppers) and a fair few drinks. I ended up in my tutu being calm first aid lady with an Irish girl. There's a yound Welsh girl here who was on our bus and she was skulling goon (really cheap wine that gets you hammered, all the backpackers drink it really) like it was water. She then starts going round the table (not ours I point out) necking other peoples drinks. She's almost sick, then carrys on. eventually her friend gets her off her high perch on the table, down to a chair with a bin in front of her. She promptly falls off the chair into the bin and then attempts to get up and carry on drinking. After her second fall into the bin, she appears to have passed out and so some people take her off to her bedroom and lay her down. When someone goes to check on her a little later these girls all come out screaming for an ambulance and crying and panicking like a bunch of lemmings. Mummy Rabbit gene kicks in and I leg it to this girls room amongst a bunch of idiots milling around crying as she's choking on her own blood. So me and the Irish girl whack her into recovery, clear her airways, try and bring her round, suss out the situation etc, etc. Would appear she has rolled of the bed and lost part of her tooth and smashed her nose. She's also lost the ability to control her bladder as her knickers are soaking and a puddle of urine around her. So here we are covered in this silly girls piss, my fingers are in her mouth clearing out blood and we've had a few too you know. I get her friend to sort out her medicare and insurance stuff etc and a change of clothes plus wash stuff so she doesn't have to wear her manky stuff back from the hospital. We clear all the blood away and realise that her tooth is still in her mouth it's just halfway up in her gum. Don't think she'll be doing that again. Ambulance turn up and I go shower before returning to my convivial evening that ends with me, Lauren and the lads ditching everyone in the pool. I was actually the first to get ditched in by Phil after wrestling with him because he was being quiet. Oh me and Lauren had a tiff and she made me cry because she was a nasty, spiteful little cow. And you all think she's so lovely. She told me this morning she wasn't that drunk so i'm not sure how forgiving i'm feeling about her cut below the belt. Hmmm...
Anyways for the main attraction. Rafting!
We ended up in a boat with 2 Dutch, 3 Israelies and an instructor named Sean. One of the Israelies was called Noa (no H, but who cares) so immediately I christened the boat Noahs Ark. Seans first words after the first rapid we something like, "I totally thought we were going to like flip out there dudes." He promptly got renamed Turtle after Turtle (who i'm sure is called Sean) from finding Nemo. The Dutch woman was tiny and cold and getting thrown around like a jumping bean and I said she should be teddy bear because she was so cute. She said no her partner was her Teddy Bear. His name was Winston AKA Winnie...Winnie the Pooh. So now we have Rabbit, Pooh Bear and Turtle in Noah's Ark and she becomes Piglet because well it works if you see her. And Piglet and Pooh have always been sweet on each other haven't they. Then we call the Israeli boy Kanga and the other Israeli girl Koala because she's all cuddly and Lauren is of course Monkey. I wanted them to be Eeyore and Owl, but they weren't having it. So we have half the cast of A.A.Milnes books and a few randoms chucked in for good measure. I probably should have been Tigger as I didn't shut up the whole time (3 hours of sleep and a load of adrenaline will do that to me, plus I had a bit of a hangover which always makes me nuts) Pooh bear got stuck getting in the boat like he did in Rabbit's hole and we were all heaving like nobodys business to drag him in (should probably cut down on that honey), you can get out of the boat at points and float down this crocodile infested water and me and Lauren were wetting ourselves as we were playing a real live version of Pooh sticks, we went under a waterfall which was the storm, before Kanga pulled us in on a tree AKA The Olive Branch and Turtle kept calling out to us in Hebrew so we litterally were on Noahs Ark. Too funny. The Israelis spoke English, but it's much more fun shouting AKUDA! instead of forward. Paddling was hard work, but I gave it my all, i'm aching that's for sure. The Israelis had all just been in the army, but you would think it the amount of effort they put in. Their paddles spent most of their time out of the water out of time with everyone else and when they were in the water they were half arsed. But it was good. We managed to chuck Turtle out. He was attempting to get me out as I hadn't come a cropper off a particularly viscious rapid, but a few of the others had, he underestimated the strngth of my legs though. See those tree trunks are handy!
It was a good day though, again we've got a DVD. Really, really beautiful, to be going right through the middle of the rainforest and lucky for us there was a good bit of cloud cover so it wasn't to hot. Just a long hard day, but worth it.
Tomorrow sky dive. I hope these clouds clear up. Apparantly you can see the reef really well from up there. I'd guess so if you can see it from space.
Mulu.
x xx x
Last night we had a BBQ (I had halloumi and peppers) and a fair few drinks. I ended up in my tutu being calm first aid lady with an Irish girl. There's a yound Welsh girl here who was on our bus and she was skulling goon (really cheap wine that gets you hammered, all the backpackers drink it really) like it was water. She then starts going round the table (not ours I point out) necking other peoples drinks. She's almost sick, then carrys on. eventually her friend gets her off her high perch on the table, down to a chair with a bin in front of her. She promptly falls off the chair into the bin and then attempts to get up and carry on drinking. After her second fall into the bin, she appears to have passed out and so some people take her off to her bedroom and lay her down. When someone goes to check on her a little later these girls all come out screaming for an ambulance and crying and panicking like a bunch of lemmings. Mummy Rabbit gene kicks in and I leg it to this girls room amongst a bunch of idiots milling around crying as she's choking on her own blood. So me and the Irish girl whack her into recovery, clear her airways, try and bring her round, suss out the situation etc, etc. Would appear she has rolled of the bed and lost part of her tooth and smashed her nose. She's also lost the ability to control her bladder as her knickers are soaking and a puddle of urine around her. So here we are covered in this silly girls piss, my fingers are in her mouth clearing out blood and we've had a few too you know. I get her friend to sort out her medicare and insurance stuff etc and a change of clothes plus wash stuff so she doesn't have to wear her manky stuff back from the hospital. We clear all the blood away and realise that her tooth is still in her mouth it's just halfway up in her gum. Don't think she'll be doing that again. Ambulance turn up and I go shower before returning to my convivial evening that ends with me, Lauren and the lads ditching everyone in the pool. I was actually the first to get ditched in by Phil after wrestling with him because he was being quiet. Oh me and Lauren had a tiff and she made me cry because she was a nasty, spiteful little cow. And you all think she's so lovely. She told me this morning she wasn't that drunk so i'm not sure how forgiving i'm feeling about her cut below the belt. Hmmm...
Anyways for the main attraction. Rafting!
We ended up in a boat with 2 Dutch, 3 Israelies and an instructor named Sean. One of the Israelies was called Noa (no H, but who cares) so immediately I christened the boat Noahs Ark. Seans first words after the first rapid we something like, "I totally thought we were going to like flip out there dudes." He promptly got renamed Turtle after Turtle (who i'm sure is called Sean) from finding Nemo. The Dutch woman was tiny and cold and getting thrown around like a jumping bean and I said she should be teddy bear because she was so cute. She said no her partner was her Teddy Bear. His name was Winston AKA Winnie...Winnie the Pooh. So now we have Rabbit, Pooh Bear and Turtle in Noah's Ark and she becomes Piglet because well it works if you see her. And Piglet and Pooh have always been sweet on each other haven't they. Then we call the Israeli boy Kanga and the other Israeli girl Koala because she's all cuddly and Lauren is of course Monkey. I wanted them to be Eeyore and Owl, but they weren't having it. So we have half the cast of A.A.Milnes books and a few randoms chucked in for good measure. I probably should have been Tigger as I didn't shut up the whole time (3 hours of sleep and a load of adrenaline will do that to me, plus I had a bit of a hangover which always makes me nuts) Pooh bear got stuck getting in the boat like he did in Rabbit's hole and we were all heaving like nobodys business to drag him in (should probably cut down on that honey), you can get out of the boat at points and float down this crocodile infested water and me and Lauren were wetting ourselves as we were playing a real live version of Pooh sticks, we went under a waterfall which was the storm, before Kanga pulled us in on a tree AKA The Olive Branch and Turtle kept calling out to us in Hebrew so we litterally were on Noahs Ark. Too funny. The Israelis spoke English, but it's much more fun shouting AKUDA! instead of forward. Paddling was hard work, but I gave it my all, i'm aching that's for sure. The Israelis had all just been in the army, but you would think it the amount of effort they put in. Their paddles spent most of their time out of the water out of time with everyone else and when they were in the water they were half arsed. But it was good. We managed to chuck Turtle out. He was attempting to get me out as I hadn't come a cropper off a particularly viscious rapid, but a few of the others had, he underestimated the strngth of my legs though. See those tree trunks are handy!
It was a good day though, again we've got a DVD. Really, really beautiful, to be going right through the middle of the rainforest and lucky for us there was a good bit of cloud cover so it wasn't to hot. Just a long hard day, but worth it.
Tomorrow sky dive. I hope these clouds clear up. Apparantly you can see the reef really well from up there. I'd guess so if you can see it from space.
Mulu.
x xx x
Thursday, 9 October 2008
Learning To Fly...
Bungee jump today. Not to much detail as I have a DVD for you all. I did 6 jumps in total and no it doesn't get any easier with each passing one. And an interesting fact...
the thing around your ankles that you would assume to be a harness is actually a bunch of towels and they're just strapped up. and it's heavy having three towels wrapped around your feet and 100 foot worth of elastic pulling you over the edge of this 160 foot drop.
So for the jumps...
First was a regular forward swan dive.
Second a backwards jump (which is weirder than jumping forwards, just feels really unatural to throw yourself off backwards).
Third was the pendulum which is where you are lowered by the bungee guys to an 90*-ish dgree angle backwards and dropped.
Fourth was backwards elevator which is where you put your hands on your shoulders, elbows out in front of you look up and jump.
Fifth was bloody scary. You had to hop around the side of the gaurd rail and wiggle along, then lean back and grab a bar a bit away from the platform below your feet, grip youir hands around, take your feet off, smile for the camera, look up at your hands, then 5-4-3-2-1 let go.
Sixth, was the running man. Bungee harness goes around your waist you go up a ladder onto the roof and run along a 10ft-ish platform and throw yourself off like a superhero.
I've never been so scared in my life. I didn't hesitate once though, as soon as they finished the countdown for every jump I went. Not sure I could have done another one after that though, my heart may have exploded. Lauren managed to overcome her fear of heights and do one, but the first 2 times she took an eternity to go which annoyed me because it was taking up time that I could have used to do another jump. we were on a package deal of unlimited jumps, but I ended up having to pay extra for my running man because we went past the 3.30pm deadline for unlimited jump passes. Selfish cow aren't I.
Tonight dinner at the Hare Krishna, good, cheap, vegetarian food and an early night as tomorrow we're off to Mission Beach.
Mulu. x
the thing around your ankles that you would assume to be a harness is actually a bunch of towels and they're just strapped up. and it's heavy having three towels wrapped around your feet and 100 foot worth of elastic pulling you over the edge of this 160 foot drop.
So for the jumps...
First was a regular forward swan dive.
Second a backwards jump (which is weirder than jumping forwards, just feels really unatural to throw yourself off backwards).
Third was the pendulum which is where you are lowered by the bungee guys to an 90*-ish dgree angle backwards and dropped.
Fourth was backwards elevator which is where you put your hands on your shoulders, elbows out in front of you look up and jump.
Fifth was bloody scary. You had to hop around the side of the gaurd rail and wiggle along, then lean back and grab a bar a bit away from the platform below your feet, grip youir hands around, take your feet off, smile for the camera, look up at your hands, then 5-4-3-2-1 let go.
Sixth, was the running man. Bungee harness goes around your waist you go up a ladder onto the roof and run along a 10ft-ish platform and throw yourself off like a superhero.
I've never been so scared in my life. I didn't hesitate once though, as soon as they finished the countdown for every jump I went. Not sure I could have done another one after that though, my heart may have exploded. Lauren managed to overcome her fear of heights and do one, but the first 2 times she took an eternity to go which annoyed me because it was taking up time that I could have used to do another jump. we were on a package deal of unlimited jumps, but I ended up having to pay extra for my running man because we went past the 3.30pm deadline for unlimited jump passes. Selfish cow aren't I.
Tonight dinner at the Hare Krishna, good, cheap, vegetarian food and an early night as tomorrow we're off to Mission Beach.
Mulu. x
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
Dreams Do Come True (kind of...)
Today I got to be a mermaid. Yes a mermaid. Can you even begin to imagine how happy I am?
Awoke from our hostel Bohemia Central in Cairns and wandered down to the marina to board our vessel Ocean Freedom. Straight away we secured ourselves a spot up front kicking back relaxing for the journey out to the Great Barrier Reef. When we get out there we board a glass bottomed boat making sure we take our snorkels, masks and fins, so that when we land on the island (read: tiny piece of sand randomly sticking up in the middle of the ocean) we can snorkel back over to the boat. Driving over the reef wasn't all that good to be fair so I kind of stopped bothering to look and listened to some rather interesting facts instead. Corals optimium temperature is between 24*-29* which is why the GBR doesn't grow any furthur south or north of where it is. However it is versatile and has begun to grow in warmer waters, due to climate change. Coral is given its colour by algae that live within it, but algae can't stand to much heat and so when summer comes and the water gets to warm the algae will get out and leave, so the coral reverts to a white-ish colour, but when it is cooler the algae will return to the same piece of coral.
Anyways we get over to the island, do the old spit shine for our goggles and get ready to have a good look around. Snorkelling is bloody hard work. My legs were aching, fat feet getting pinched by the fins and trying to not bite down to hard on the snorkel and giving yourself copious jaw ache is all a bit much. There wasn't as much colour to it as you are lead to believe down there. Apparantly they photoshop a lot of the images they use for postcards and promotion etc, but it was still pretty cool to see all of the goings ons. Fish queing up next to each other so that the cleaner fish will get them next, literally at the car wash. Eating coral, whole schools swimming all in and out. Pink, green and purple holographic looking fish, NEMO (did you know he's of the pirrana family?), sting rays, black and white fish, big fish, baby fish, blue starfish, sea cucumbers. I've taken pictures so you can all have a look at them when I get back. I'll be doing scrapbooks of my adventures.
So we get across to the boat (I am now being towed along on an orange ring by one of the guides as I can no longer stand the pinching of my fins and have taken them off) we get briefed on scuba stuff and get ready. Weight belts are about as comfortable as a foot up your jacksy, as is the tank when on dry land. One of the lads pouring water on our googles to wash out the spit decided it would be amusing to ditch the bucket of water on me and then it's time to step out over the edge. My guide is a guy called Pete Tong (also the name of a very famous DJ, which impresses me no end to have to hold his hand swimming the reef) and he takes us down. Lauren has a bit of a freak out and has to go back to the surface so we're just hanging about waiting for her to get it together and when she does we're off.
I was a mermaid.
It was a bit annoying having to hold the guides hand, but to be swimming around breathing under water with all of these fish was a dream come true for me. It's a shame about the Darth Vader noise of the oxygen, but it's so quiet and peaceful and, serene, that even that takes on a really nice rythmn eventually and you just feel weightless. Actually weightless is probably the wrong word as even one of the guides said when I came up that she kept having to put air in my jacket because I just sink like a stone and I pointed out to her that'll be because of my solid tree trunk legs dragging me down, but you feel completely different to anything you've felt before.
We get back on the boat after about 30 mins down have lunch and me and Lauren promptly fall asleep on the front deck, being awoken about an hour later to get ready for our second dive. This time we went down just 3 of us with a girl named Hayley and we were allowed to just do our own thing as long as we stayed behind her and within a reasonable distance. This time we went lower and I had an absolute nightmare trying to equalize my ears. I was blowing, yawning, wiggling, the works, but they were just refusing to sort it out. At one point it was getting pretty painful and I thought I was going to have to go up, but I just stuck it out because I really didn't want to miss the opportunity to get pictures of it all. Fully felt like a mermaid then, not having to hold hands or anything. I even put my ankles together sometimes and swished my legs like I had a tail. I love playing pretend.
Once we'd finished that dive we got back on the boat where I stripped off my gear and dived off the back of the boat for a little swim. All around and under the boat were these huge fish that
came up sp close you could touch them. If you stuck your finger out they'd try and nip them like they were food. Was brilliant that they just kept coming up to you and brushing your hand. I got dunked a few times by some of the boat lads (if we'd have been at school i'd have said they were a bit interested...) After my swim that was the trip over and just chilled out on the hour or so back to shore by eating fruit, cheese amd biscuits and cake that the ship provide (stock up on the free food!) and doing a bit of writing. Writing out on the open sea is just something else.
Agreed to meet up with Pete Tong for a few bevvies later on, but instead have opted to stay at the hostel and chill out with a few English lads in the room next to ours.
That's all folks.
Bungee jump tomorrow, wahey!
Mulu x
Awoke from our hostel Bohemia Central in Cairns and wandered down to the marina to board our vessel Ocean Freedom. Straight away we secured ourselves a spot up front kicking back relaxing for the journey out to the Great Barrier Reef. When we get out there we board a glass bottomed boat making sure we take our snorkels, masks and fins, so that when we land on the island (read: tiny piece of sand randomly sticking up in the middle of the ocean) we can snorkel back over to the boat. Driving over the reef wasn't all that good to be fair so I kind of stopped bothering to look and listened to some rather interesting facts instead. Corals optimium temperature is between 24*-29* which is why the GBR doesn't grow any furthur south or north of where it is. However it is versatile and has begun to grow in warmer waters, due to climate change. Coral is given its colour by algae that live within it, but algae can't stand to much heat and so when summer comes and the water gets to warm the algae will get out and leave, so the coral reverts to a white-ish colour, but when it is cooler the algae will return to the same piece of coral.
Anyways we get over to the island, do the old spit shine for our goggles and get ready to have a good look around. Snorkelling is bloody hard work. My legs were aching, fat feet getting pinched by the fins and trying to not bite down to hard on the snorkel and giving yourself copious jaw ache is all a bit much. There wasn't as much colour to it as you are lead to believe down there. Apparantly they photoshop a lot of the images they use for postcards and promotion etc, but it was still pretty cool to see all of the goings ons. Fish queing up next to each other so that the cleaner fish will get them next, literally at the car wash. Eating coral, whole schools swimming all in and out. Pink, green and purple holographic looking fish, NEMO (did you know he's of the pirrana family?), sting rays, black and white fish, big fish, baby fish, blue starfish, sea cucumbers. I've taken pictures so you can all have a look at them when I get back. I'll be doing scrapbooks of my adventures.
So we get across to the boat (I am now being towed along on an orange ring by one of the guides as I can no longer stand the pinching of my fins and have taken them off) we get briefed on scuba stuff and get ready. Weight belts are about as comfortable as a foot up your jacksy, as is the tank when on dry land. One of the lads pouring water on our googles to wash out the spit decided it would be amusing to ditch the bucket of water on me and then it's time to step out over the edge. My guide is a guy called Pete Tong (also the name of a very famous DJ, which impresses me no end to have to hold his hand swimming the reef) and he takes us down. Lauren has a bit of a freak out and has to go back to the surface so we're just hanging about waiting for her to get it together and when she does we're off.
I was a mermaid.
It was a bit annoying having to hold the guides hand, but to be swimming around breathing under water with all of these fish was a dream come true for me. It's a shame about the Darth Vader noise of the oxygen, but it's so quiet and peaceful and, serene, that even that takes on a really nice rythmn eventually and you just feel weightless. Actually weightless is probably the wrong word as even one of the guides said when I came up that she kept having to put air in my jacket because I just sink like a stone and I pointed out to her that'll be because of my solid tree trunk legs dragging me down, but you feel completely different to anything you've felt before.
We get back on the boat after about 30 mins down have lunch and me and Lauren promptly fall asleep on the front deck, being awoken about an hour later to get ready for our second dive. This time we went down just 3 of us with a girl named Hayley and we were allowed to just do our own thing as long as we stayed behind her and within a reasonable distance. This time we went lower and I had an absolute nightmare trying to equalize my ears. I was blowing, yawning, wiggling, the works, but they were just refusing to sort it out. At one point it was getting pretty painful and I thought I was going to have to go up, but I just stuck it out because I really didn't want to miss the opportunity to get pictures of it all. Fully felt like a mermaid then, not having to hold hands or anything. I even put my ankles together sometimes and swished my legs like I had a tail. I love playing pretend.
Once we'd finished that dive we got back on the boat where I stripped off my gear and dived off the back of the boat for a little swim. All around and under the boat were these huge fish that
came up sp close you could touch them. If you stuck your finger out they'd try and nip them like they were food. Was brilliant that they just kept coming up to you and brushing your hand. I got dunked a few times by some of the boat lads (if we'd have been at school i'd have said they were a bit interested...) After my swim that was the trip over and just chilled out on the hour or so back to shore by eating fruit, cheese amd biscuits and cake that the ship provide (stock up on the free food!) and doing a bit of writing. Writing out on the open sea is just something else.
Agreed to meet up with Pete Tong for a few bevvies later on, but instead have opted to stay at the hostel and chill out with a few English lads in the room next to ours.
That's all folks.
Bungee jump tomorrow, wahey!
Mulu x
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Leaving On A Jet Plane...
So...
On the 6th of September Lauren and I booked and paid for our entire East Coast adventure. It's hectic! We are both very excited to be doing even more than we originally planned, but I am rather apprehensive about leaving Brisbane and the Family and also my dance school. It has been amazing to come away here and find Mad Dance and rekindle a passion that has laid dormant in me for far too long now.I have got to try and keep on the straight and narow in terms of eating properly and getting in shape by running/pilates/stretching/sit ups etc. I have hurt my back though so today I am on the hunt for a chiropractor to get him to take a look before I leave Brisbane and see if something can't be done. It appears to be something spinal as I've been doing lots of extra core building activities and trying to stretch my back out. It is at the very base of my spine in between the top of my bum and my hips which is a very hard place to stretch and so this is why we think it could be a boe thing. Fingers crossed it's not really bad because that could be a rather large setback.
Recent events...
7th/8th September - House was burgled. Access door is about 20 foot from my bed, where I sleep and the afformentioned robber will have been in my "room" as I slept. Freaky as. I haven't slept very well since as every noise I hear makes me jump and even pulling the blinds freaks me out as I imagine some rabid druggie (there's a bit of a crystal meth issue in Australia) on the other side all foaming at the mouth. Don't you just love an overactive imagination?
13th September - All day dance workshop. 6 hours of full on feeling like a totally unco-ordinated twat. Being fat does not help me in dancing at all because in a class full of waif bendy types I feel like a frumpy elephant with zero confidence and I want to curl up in a corner and die of shame that I am still lacking in so many areas of class work. Idiot, but as long as I keep at it and get to the required shape to do podium I will be happy. Dance classes are all about fun and i'm improving every week. I don't think I've ever put this much effort into anything!
14th September - Went rock climbing up Mount Timbeerwah. Lauren slept at the top of a cliff and I worked my ass off to get up there. Sooooo much fun. Would have been better if I'd have had climbing shoes, but as it was jazz shoes had to do (climibing shoes or jazz shoes, dancing won of course) I met Jay Jay who is ranked at 19th best climber in the world. Was one of Bens finer moments of keeping it together under ridiculous amounts of excitement and wanting to just be silly. Was pretty amusing actually as Jay Jay comes walking down the mountain towards us Ben looks up and gasps "Jay Jay" like he's Jesus right there before him. Jay Jay of course has no idea who Ben is and just looks rather bemused until Ben introduces himself as "Belayers Nightmare" which is his screen name for some climbing forum. Jay Jay then knows exactly who he is and Ben is doiing really well not to hop from foot to foot, holding himself like he's going to wee and dribbling etc.
On Thursday 18th i'm sad to say that Laurens Grandfather (Stephs Father) passed away and so we spent the evening at my house with Nic and her friend Amanda chewing the fat, staying up late and drinking. Didn't actually have much to drink, but sleep deprivation from the past month is beginning to take it's toll on me. Got up Friday morning took the children to a BBQ at their Dads work and then we all loaded up and drove to Nanna and Pa's. Crashed pretty early, but still up at silly o'clock because children have no concept of a lie in. On Saturday we went to the carnival of flowers which was the whole point of staying with Bob and Jean (Pa and Nanna) as they live in Pittsworth about 30 mins from Toowoomba, as oppossed to coming from Brisbane which is about 2 hours the other side of Toowoomba. So basically I went West for the weekend. I have learnt from my nannying experience do and see evrything you want to before you have children. That way when you do the good parent thing and take them to things you won't mind only seeing 50% of everything because you'll have got to see everything once and that 50% twice. If you're clever about it you'll engineer it to see your favourite stuff twice. I will be clever. I am definately in no rush to have children though, I want to do all the things I want to do first. Of course I'd also have to find my other half, but that will all come. Anyways we managed to see about half the parade and get some lunch and then I took children to the fair part and they went on a few rides and played some games to collect toot prizes and drank some sugary sickliness of an ice drink. It was sooo hot. I am now the proud owner of a knock-off Akuda hat. One of those Aussie hats that they whack corks on. We didn't get around to seeing any flowers.
:(
After that we went to the middle of nowhere so I could see where Jonny was brought up. A farm. Fully in the middle of nowhere. Went and saw Wendy and Aiden who are the next farm down and have known Jonny for almost 30 years. Really felt like I was in the outback then. Dusty fields, creaking old rocking chair on the porch. Big storm hit. Felt like I was in Fantasia when I was driving back to Nanna and Pa's as you could see the whole storm in front of you (2 in fact) lilghtning striking the mountain, huge dark swirling mass of clouds. Was utterly fantastic.
Get back to Nanna and Pa's, where I discover Nanna has made Apple Pie in my honour and she has also patched my blue jeans that had a big hole in the crotch and removed a stain from my t-shirt. I told her if I didn't love my own fantastic Nanny so much I'd trade her in for sure. I keep telling them to come and live in England as the heat gets to them pretty badly now, but they don't seem to be up for it. After that I laid in the front room, listening to my iPod, writing and Nanna and Pa shouted at the rugby (football they'll call it) and me and Nic laughed about them shouting at the rugby.
The next morning we got up, got ourselves and the children ready and loaded in the car to go see Jonnys brother Matthew race his motorbike. The whole Weinert clan (except David) was there and we all had JW Concept t-shirts on which is Jonnys company who sponsors Matthew and were looking pretty swish.
It was hot and dusty at the racetrack and we just hung out under a camping shelter, trying to stay cool, drinking lots of water and eating watermelon watching bikes go round and round. That's bike racing. There were a few big crashes which I luckily missed and so did Nanna! Nic unfortunately did see this guy go circling through the air. Jonny rides a KTM 950 and thinks he's going to start racing, Nic has other ideas for him. Once that was all done and dusted we packed up and trooped on home.
25th September - Lauren and I went down to Kangaroo Point and walked along the river to find a place to let of a balloon for her Grandad as it was his funeral on this day. We ended up getting a a citycat ferry (bus service in the water) and letting him go from the back there. Lauren had attached a letter for him to the string and this was how she said goodbye. We went home and drank a few farewells to him in the form of pink champagne.
Rest In Peace Grandad. My thoughts are with all of you the Toop Troop at this time. I love you very much.
26 September - Loaded up into the car and headed to David and Judys about 6 hours north of Brisbane. David is the eldest brother of Jonnys and moved to Gladstone years ago when he was a police officer and got transferred there. They actually live in a little village/town called Calliope (pronounced cu-lie-p) next dooor to Galdstone. They have lots of space and it's all very pretty. Reminds me of Mums house although the stars are even more pronounced. Basically just spent 3 days hanging out there, drove a UTE (which is an Aussie pick-up truck) to go get some chooks (chickens) which fell over on the highway on the way back. Everyone has chooks for eggs it seems over here. They like their fresh stuff. Learnt and failed to crack a whip. Pretty impressive when somebody does it right though. Saw an acid green spider. Yuk. Oh had a giant moth fly right into my shouldre so hard I thought maybe it was a bird. Freaked out when someone pointed out it was on my shoulder and I turned around to see it staring at me on the bag of my shoulder. I probably moved as fast as Nanny that Christmas with the spider on her plate (sorry Nanny). Leapt across the decking swatting at my shoulder. Everybody thought this was hilarious and wet themselves laughing and tormented me for the rest of the meal, everytime and animal moved I wet myself and they kept sticking insects under my nose etc. Very nice. I also got called a smelly POME (prisoner of mother England, the Aussies all call me it and I find it rather offensive from people who I don't know, kind of like strangers calling a black man a nigger, there's no need is there) by Davids son Chris. It was his UTE I drove and he'd been away and Judy had let me drive it and he said "you let a smelly POME drive my car?". I pointed out to him that every Aussie boy I had met so far had turned out to be an arrogant, bigoted, neanderthal and I could see he was no different. I'm sure he was nice enough, but hey you going to give it then so am I.
Monday 29th - We left David's in the morning and went to the town 1770. Jonny took me on his bike. Fabulous, so very different to be on a bike in that sort of scenery to at home on the A413 with Daddy. But I do love going on the bike with Daddy. I'm pretty keen to get a bike now, but all in good time. Hung out on the beach for a bit and splashed in the Ocean. Went and had lunch at a little cafe down the road before heading straight for Hervey bay, which is still about 4 hours north of Brisabne. Booked into our apartment where we'd be staying for 2 nights and went for a swim.
Tuesday 30th - Today we got up and went Whale Watching. Not as good as when me and Lauren went, but there were a few calves breaching. I did however miss this as I was inside the boat sitting next to Olly to make sure he didn't fall of the seat he'd fallen asleep on. Went for a swim that afternoon, Jonny headed home on his bike and me and Nic watched Casino Royale before crashing out.
Wednesday 1st - Up and out of the apartment. Down the road for yummy eggs benedict and a massive long walk along the jetty. About a mile in length I'd guess. Had an ice cream, in the car and begin heading to home. Make it to the Enoggera pub, which is next to "Aussie World" for lunch and a bit of a rest before the last hour home, where I ran in got changed and off to my last Severe Stretch and Jazz class.
:( Very sad. I almost choked saying goodbye to Michael. Jazz has been the toughest class I do and he doesn't take prisoners so I've worked really hard in it. Thursday I had to say goodbye to my Samba teacher and Meg who is the principal of Mad. She has been a legend in helping me to appreciate putting my body through pain and just coping with it and knowing your actual boundaries and that it's good for you. When it hruts, you're pushing your body furthur than it's gone before and everytime it'll take a little longer to hurt. It's good, she's nuts. Love her. Love them all in fact. Excellent bunch of people.
Friday I babysat and had a pyjama party with the children. We mad Ice Cream "Fridays" and snuggled up on a mountain of duvets and pilows in the front room to watch "The Wild". Nic and Jonny came home late and we stayed up and had a bit of a chat. On the way home from swimming that day (the last lesson I'll see them do) I'd put on Tiny Dancer, turned around in my seat to see Oskar singing "blue jan baby, LA lady" with this huge grin on his face and promptly burst into tears. I have no idea how I will say goodbye to them. You''ll see in our itinary that we stop in Brisbane again for 4 days on our way down the coast. Nic and Jonny are having a party for me so I'll see them again in a month, but after that...goodbye. Not looking forward to it, Tillie and Oskar because they know that i'm going away for a long time, but Olly just won't understand. Nic and Jonny will be a toughy too. I'm beginning to choke just typing it.
Saturday 4th - Went to Parklife festival.. What can I say except amazing! Dizzee Rascal and 2ManyDjs. ALso had to watch this awful Australian Hip Hop act Drapht. Aussie Hip Hop is like nothing you've ever heard. Search it on You Tube. Your ears will bleed. I love the basslines, but as soon as they start rapping...imagine the Aussies accent? And the lyrics, got smashed ona Saturday, wasn't good 'cos we had a show the next day...
DIABOLICAL!
Sunday 5th - Recovery.
Today - We fly out midday tomorrow. Lauren is currently soprting out what to pack so that I can put it in and then we are going to the city to get portable iPod speakers (vital, we both miss being able to sit and share music), a belly bar (mine is now far to big), socks, bikinis, we need to drop in to Peterpans to get all our final details, then back to mine to pack my stuff. Will read the bubbas a story tonight, then go for dinner with Lucy. Take the children to school and daycare in the morning as it will be the last time I get to do it and then Nic will take us to the airport to begin...
7th Oct - Arrive in Cairns
8th Oct - Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef
9th Oct - Bungee jump and Minjin Swing. We have an unlimited day of bungees and various different styles of jumping, from regular "swan dive" to "running man". Fun, fun, fun!
10th Oct - Travel to Mission Beach
11th Oct - Sky dive over the Great Barrier Reef. What was above (well around) is now below
12th Oct - White Water Rafting the Tully River
13th Oct - Travel to Magnetic Island
13th-15th - Hang out at Magnetic Island, catch some rays and see some sights
16th - Leave Magnetic, travel to Airlie Beach
17th - Overnight at Airlie before...
18th Oct - Welcome aboard me mateys. Today we hop onto the Soulway Lass (look it up) and sail around the Whitsundays for 3 days and nights
21st Oct- Return to Airlie and overnight once more
22nd Oct - Travel to Kroombit Cattle Station, see what it's like on a real Aussie Cattle farm
23 Oct - After a morning of rounding up cattle we head on to Rainbow beach
24th Oct - Sea Kayaking with dolphins
25th Oct - Chopper motorbike tour around Rainbow beach and the surrounding area
26th - Safety briefing for Fraser (lots of wild animals including dingoes) and lazing around
27th-30th Oct- Fraser Island self gided tour. We hop in big 4x4 and drive around on the worlds largest sand island. I'm assured it's beauty cannot be measured
31st Oct - Travel to Noosa on the Sunshine Coast. Very affluent and pretty place.
1st Nov - Overnight at Noosa.
2nd Nov - Bush Camp
3rd-5th Nov - Canoeing tour of the Everglades
6th Nov - Overnight in Noosa
7th Nov - Back to Brisbane
8th Nov - Leaving Party
9th-10th Nov - Final farewells and final dance lesson (I especially planned an extra night in Brisbane so that I could attend one last class. Hip Hop with Storm who is a legend!
11th Nov -Leave Brisbane (boo hoo) and on to Byron Bay
12th Nov - Day trip to Nimbin, a little town that was started as an eco project to see what would happen if you were just left to get on with it. It's known as the stoner capital of Australia because drugs are legal to buy and sell here. Apparantly a day trip is enough because all the junkies and little children in the street cutting their drugs can be rather depressing!!!
13th Nov - Small trip to our secluded surf camp, where we attend an afternoons surf lesson.
At this point me and Lauren haven't booked any furthur. There is the option of staying an extra 1 to 5 days at the surf camp, but we will have to see on the money situation as to wether or not we do this. From here it's pretty much straight to Sydney, where hopefull I'll hook up with Gaffy. I don't mean to stay long in Sydney as Lauren has already spent a large amount of time here, it's a s expensive as London and a few days to see the sights will be more than adequate. everyone tells me that Melbourne will be our favourite place so we intend to fly down to Melbourne for a few weeks prior and over Christmas before back to Sydney to fly across to New Zealand on the 28th December. We have hired a campervan until the 15th January and we'll just scoot about in that for a few weeks with Gemma and Fiona our 2 Irish friends we met in Cairns before returning to Sydney and flying to Thailand on the 19th.
After that it's home.
Our bungee jumps will be streamed live from this address. It will probably be at silly o'clock in the morning your time, but I'll text you all and if you're up you can watch it. Otherwise you can watch the DVD when I come home.
http://www.ajhackett.com.au/webcam.html
The Oz experience bus that we travel on features added extras you wouldn't get on a standard Greyhound service so we will still be doing activities on these days also.
All in all we've got a rather insane 6 weeks ahead of us.
Can't wait.
I'll do my best to update as often as possible, but don't expect to much detail as I'll be paying for internet once again and as you can see from the above, my time will be strapped, not to mention I'll be exhausted!
Love you all.
( )( )
( " ,)
x xx x
On the 6th of September Lauren and I booked and paid for our entire East Coast adventure. It's hectic! We are both very excited to be doing even more than we originally planned, but I am rather apprehensive about leaving Brisbane and the Family and also my dance school. It has been amazing to come away here and find Mad Dance and rekindle a passion that has laid dormant in me for far too long now.I have got to try and keep on the straight and narow in terms of eating properly and getting in shape by running/pilates/stretching/sit ups etc. I have hurt my back though so today I am on the hunt for a chiropractor to get him to take a look before I leave Brisbane and see if something can't be done. It appears to be something spinal as I've been doing lots of extra core building activities and trying to stretch my back out. It is at the very base of my spine in between the top of my bum and my hips which is a very hard place to stretch and so this is why we think it could be a boe thing. Fingers crossed it's not really bad because that could be a rather large setback.
Recent events...
7th/8th September - House was burgled. Access door is about 20 foot from my bed, where I sleep and the afformentioned robber will have been in my "room" as I slept. Freaky as. I haven't slept very well since as every noise I hear makes me jump and even pulling the blinds freaks me out as I imagine some rabid druggie (there's a bit of a crystal meth issue in Australia) on the other side all foaming at the mouth. Don't you just love an overactive imagination?
13th September - All day dance workshop. 6 hours of full on feeling like a totally unco-ordinated twat. Being fat does not help me in dancing at all because in a class full of waif bendy types I feel like a frumpy elephant with zero confidence and I want to curl up in a corner and die of shame that I am still lacking in so many areas of class work. Idiot, but as long as I keep at it and get to the required shape to do podium I will be happy. Dance classes are all about fun and i'm improving every week. I don't think I've ever put this much effort into anything!
14th September - Went rock climbing up Mount Timbeerwah. Lauren slept at the top of a cliff and I worked my ass off to get up there. Sooooo much fun. Would have been better if I'd have had climbing shoes, but as it was jazz shoes had to do (climibing shoes or jazz shoes, dancing won of course) I met Jay Jay who is ranked at 19th best climber in the world. Was one of Bens finer moments of keeping it together under ridiculous amounts of excitement and wanting to just be silly. Was pretty amusing actually as Jay Jay comes walking down the mountain towards us Ben looks up and gasps "Jay Jay" like he's Jesus right there before him. Jay Jay of course has no idea who Ben is and just looks rather bemused until Ben introduces himself as "Belayers Nightmare" which is his screen name for some climbing forum. Jay Jay then knows exactly who he is and Ben is doiing really well not to hop from foot to foot, holding himself like he's going to wee and dribbling etc.
On Thursday 18th i'm sad to say that Laurens Grandfather (Stephs Father) passed away and so we spent the evening at my house with Nic and her friend Amanda chewing the fat, staying up late and drinking. Didn't actually have much to drink, but sleep deprivation from the past month is beginning to take it's toll on me. Got up Friday morning took the children to a BBQ at their Dads work and then we all loaded up and drove to Nanna and Pa's. Crashed pretty early, but still up at silly o'clock because children have no concept of a lie in. On Saturday we went to the carnival of flowers which was the whole point of staying with Bob and Jean (Pa and Nanna) as they live in Pittsworth about 30 mins from Toowoomba, as oppossed to coming from Brisbane which is about 2 hours the other side of Toowoomba. So basically I went West for the weekend. I have learnt from my nannying experience do and see evrything you want to before you have children. That way when you do the good parent thing and take them to things you won't mind only seeing 50% of everything because you'll have got to see everything once and that 50% twice. If you're clever about it you'll engineer it to see your favourite stuff twice. I will be clever. I am definately in no rush to have children though, I want to do all the things I want to do first. Of course I'd also have to find my other half, but that will all come. Anyways we managed to see about half the parade and get some lunch and then I took children to the fair part and they went on a few rides and played some games to collect toot prizes and drank some sugary sickliness of an ice drink. It was sooo hot. I am now the proud owner of a knock-off Akuda hat. One of those Aussie hats that they whack corks on. We didn't get around to seeing any flowers.
:(
After that we went to the middle of nowhere so I could see where Jonny was brought up. A farm. Fully in the middle of nowhere. Went and saw Wendy and Aiden who are the next farm down and have known Jonny for almost 30 years. Really felt like I was in the outback then. Dusty fields, creaking old rocking chair on the porch. Big storm hit. Felt like I was in Fantasia when I was driving back to Nanna and Pa's as you could see the whole storm in front of you (2 in fact) lilghtning striking the mountain, huge dark swirling mass of clouds. Was utterly fantastic.
Get back to Nanna and Pa's, where I discover Nanna has made Apple Pie in my honour and she has also patched my blue jeans that had a big hole in the crotch and removed a stain from my t-shirt. I told her if I didn't love my own fantastic Nanny so much I'd trade her in for sure. I keep telling them to come and live in England as the heat gets to them pretty badly now, but they don't seem to be up for it. After that I laid in the front room, listening to my iPod, writing and Nanna and Pa shouted at the rugby (football they'll call it) and me and Nic laughed about them shouting at the rugby.
The next morning we got up, got ourselves and the children ready and loaded in the car to go see Jonnys brother Matthew race his motorbike. The whole Weinert clan (except David) was there and we all had JW Concept t-shirts on which is Jonnys company who sponsors Matthew and were looking pretty swish.
It was hot and dusty at the racetrack and we just hung out under a camping shelter, trying to stay cool, drinking lots of water and eating watermelon watching bikes go round and round. That's bike racing. There were a few big crashes which I luckily missed and so did Nanna! Nic unfortunately did see this guy go circling through the air. Jonny rides a KTM 950 and thinks he's going to start racing, Nic has other ideas for him. Once that was all done and dusted we packed up and trooped on home.
25th September - Lauren and I went down to Kangaroo Point and walked along the river to find a place to let of a balloon for her Grandad as it was his funeral on this day. We ended up getting a a citycat ferry (bus service in the water) and letting him go from the back there. Lauren had attached a letter for him to the string and this was how she said goodbye. We went home and drank a few farewells to him in the form of pink champagne.
Rest In Peace Grandad. My thoughts are with all of you the Toop Troop at this time. I love you very much.
26 September - Loaded up into the car and headed to David and Judys about 6 hours north of Brisbane. David is the eldest brother of Jonnys and moved to Gladstone years ago when he was a police officer and got transferred there. They actually live in a little village/town called Calliope (pronounced cu-lie-p) next dooor to Galdstone. They have lots of space and it's all very pretty. Reminds me of Mums house although the stars are even more pronounced. Basically just spent 3 days hanging out there, drove a UTE (which is an Aussie pick-up truck) to go get some chooks (chickens) which fell over on the highway on the way back. Everyone has chooks for eggs it seems over here. They like their fresh stuff. Learnt and failed to crack a whip. Pretty impressive when somebody does it right though. Saw an acid green spider. Yuk. Oh had a giant moth fly right into my shouldre so hard I thought maybe it was a bird. Freaked out when someone pointed out it was on my shoulder and I turned around to see it staring at me on the bag of my shoulder. I probably moved as fast as Nanny that Christmas with the spider on her plate (sorry Nanny). Leapt across the decking swatting at my shoulder. Everybody thought this was hilarious and wet themselves laughing and tormented me for the rest of the meal, everytime and animal moved I wet myself and they kept sticking insects under my nose etc. Very nice. I also got called a smelly POME (prisoner of mother England, the Aussies all call me it and I find it rather offensive from people who I don't know, kind of like strangers calling a black man a nigger, there's no need is there) by Davids son Chris. It was his UTE I drove and he'd been away and Judy had let me drive it and he said "you let a smelly POME drive my car?". I pointed out to him that every Aussie boy I had met so far had turned out to be an arrogant, bigoted, neanderthal and I could see he was no different. I'm sure he was nice enough, but hey you going to give it then so am I.
Monday 29th - We left David's in the morning and went to the town 1770. Jonny took me on his bike. Fabulous, so very different to be on a bike in that sort of scenery to at home on the A413 with Daddy. But I do love going on the bike with Daddy. I'm pretty keen to get a bike now, but all in good time. Hung out on the beach for a bit and splashed in the Ocean. Went and had lunch at a little cafe down the road before heading straight for Hervey bay, which is still about 4 hours north of Brisabne. Booked into our apartment where we'd be staying for 2 nights and went for a swim.
Tuesday 30th - Today we got up and went Whale Watching. Not as good as when me and Lauren went, but there were a few calves breaching. I did however miss this as I was inside the boat sitting next to Olly to make sure he didn't fall of the seat he'd fallen asleep on. Went for a swim that afternoon, Jonny headed home on his bike and me and Nic watched Casino Royale before crashing out.
Wednesday 1st - Up and out of the apartment. Down the road for yummy eggs benedict and a massive long walk along the jetty. About a mile in length I'd guess. Had an ice cream, in the car and begin heading to home. Make it to the Enoggera pub, which is next to "Aussie World" for lunch and a bit of a rest before the last hour home, where I ran in got changed and off to my last Severe Stretch and Jazz class.
:( Very sad. I almost choked saying goodbye to Michael. Jazz has been the toughest class I do and he doesn't take prisoners so I've worked really hard in it. Thursday I had to say goodbye to my Samba teacher and Meg who is the principal of Mad. She has been a legend in helping me to appreciate putting my body through pain and just coping with it and knowing your actual boundaries and that it's good for you. When it hruts, you're pushing your body furthur than it's gone before and everytime it'll take a little longer to hurt. It's good, she's nuts. Love her. Love them all in fact. Excellent bunch of people.
Friday I babysat and had a pyjama party with the children. We mad Ice Cream "Fridays" and snuggled up on a mountain of duvets and pilows in the front room to watch "The Wild". Nic and Jonny came home late and we stayed up and had a bit of a chat. On the way home from swimming that day (the last lesson I'll see them do) I'd put on Tiny Dancer, turned around in my seat to see Oskar singing "blue jan baby, LA lady" with this huge grin on his face and promptly burst into tears. I have no idea how I will say goodbye to them. You''ll see in our itinary that we stop in Brisbane again for 4 days on our way down the coast. Nic and Jonny are having a party for me so I'll see them again in a month, but after that...goodbye. Not looking forward to it, Tillie and Oskar because they know that i'm going away for a long time, but Olly just won't understand. Nic and Jonny will be a toughy too. I'm beginning to choke just typing it.
Saturday 4th - Went to Parklife festival.. What can I say except amazing! Dizzee Rascal and 2ManyDjs. ALso had to watch this awful Australian Hip Hop act Drapht. Aussie Hip Hop is like nothing you've ever heard. Search it on You Tube. Your ears will bleed. I love the basslines, but as soon as they start rapping...imagine the Aussies accent? And the lyrics, got smashed ona Saturday, wasn't good 'cos we had a show the next day...
DIABOLICAL!
Sunday 5th - Recovery.
Today - We fly out midday tomorrow. Lauren is currently soprting out what to pack so that I can put it in and then we are going to the city to get portable iPod speakers (vital, we both miss being able to sit and share music), a belly bar (mine is now far to big), socks, bikinis, we need to drop in to Peterpans to get all our final details, then back to mine to pack my stuff. Will read the bubbas a story tonight, then go for dinner with Lucy. Take the children to school and daycare in the morning as it will be the last time I get to do it and then Nic will take us to the airport to begin...
7th Oct - Arrive in Cairns
8th Oct - Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef
9th Oct - Bungee jump and Minjin Swing. We have an unlimited day of bungees and various different styles of jumping, from regular "swan dive" to "running man". Fun, fun, fun!
10th Oct - Travel to Mission Beach
11th Oct - Sky dive over the Great Barrier Reef. What was above (well around) is now below
12th Oct - White Water Rafting the Tully River
13th Oct - Travel to Magnetic Island
13th-15th - Hang out at Magnetic Island, catch some rays and see some sights
16th - Leave Magnetic, travel to Airlie Beach
17th - Overnight at Airlie before...
18th Oct - Welcome aboard me mateys. Today we hop onto the Soulway Lass (look it up) and sail around the Whitsundays for 3 days and nights
21st Oct- Return to Airlie and overnight once more
22nd Oct - Travel to Kroombit Cattle Station, see what it's like on a real Aussie Cattle farm
23 Oct - After a morning of rounding up cattle we head on to Rainbow beach
24th Oct - Sea Kayaking with dolphins
25th Oct - Chopper motorbike tour around Rainbow beach and the surrounding area
26th - Safety briefing for Fraser (lots of wild animals including dingoes) and lazing around
27th-30th Oct- Fraser Island self gided tour. We hop in big 4x4 and drive around on the worlds largest sand island. I'm assured it's beauty cannot be measured
31st Oct - Travel to Noosa on the Sunshine Coast. Very affluent and pretty place.
1st Nov - Overnight at Noosa.
2nd Nov - Bush Camp
3rd-5th Nov - Canoeing tour of the Everglades
6th Nov - Overnight in Noosa
7th Nov - Back to Brisbane
8th Nov - Leaving Party
9th-10th Nov - Final farewells and final dance lesson (I especially planned an extra night in Brisbane so that I could attend one last class. Hip Hop with Storm who is a legend!
11th Nov -Leave Brisbane (boo hoo) and on to Byron Bay
12th Nov - Day trip to Nimbin, a little town that was started as an eco project to see what would happen if you were just left to get on with it. It's known as the stoner capital of Australia because drugs are legal to buy and sell here. Apparantly a day trip is enough because all the junkies and little children in the street cutting their drugs can be rather depressing!!!
13th Nov - Small trip to our secluded surf camp, where we attend an afternoons surf lesson.
At this point me and Lauren haven't booked any furthur. There is the option of staying an extra 1 to 5 days at the surf camp, but we will have to see on the money situation as to wether or not we do this. From here it's pretty much straight to Sydney, where hopefull I'll hook up with Gaffy. I don't mean to stay long in Sydney as Lauren has already spent a large amount of time here, it's a s expensive as London and a few days to see the sights will be more than adequate. everyone tells me that Melbourne will be our favourite place so we intend to fly down to Melbourne for a few weeks prior and over Christmas before back to Sydney to fly across to New Zealand on the 28th December. We have hired a campervan until the 15th January and we'll just scoot about in that for a few weeks with Gemma and Fiona our 2 Irish friends we met in Cairns before returning to Sydney and flying to Thailand on the 19th.
After that it's home.
Our bungee jumps will be streamed live from this address. It will probably be at silly o'clock in the morning your time, but I'll text you all and if you're up you can watch it. Otherwise you can watch the DVD when I come home.
http://www.ajhackett.com.au/webcam.html
The Oz experience bus that we travel on features added extras you wouldn't get on a standard Greyhound service so we will still be doing activities on these days also.
All in all we've got a rather insane 6 weeks ahead of us.
Can't wait.
I'll do my best to update as often as possible, but don't expect to much detail as I'll be paying for internet once again and as you can see from the above, my time will be strapped, not to mention I'll be exhausted!
Love you all.
( )( )
( " ,)
x xx x
Thursday, 4 September 2008
Where to start...
I've posted this as being the 1st of September, when it is in fact the 24th, but it's taken me 3 weeks to get around to finishing it and I wanted to post another so i'm trying to keep them in oredr. Not that it matters, I suppose you'll all just be glad that I've got around to writing something.
Anyways...
Firstly sorry I know it's been a while. This has been for a few reasons, but in the main just because I have been busy, busy, busy. Although still not much to tell you because it's all pretty mundane at my end. At least for me it is.
Secondly, thanks to all three of my Fathers loves for your continuous updates even when you have no new news to read.
Well your about to get an influx, because it has been about 3 months since I did a real blog and a lot has happened all be it not amazingly interesting. So I'll try and start where I left off, but chances are it's going to get messy and confusing. It just wouldn't be my life if it didn't now would it.
I'm still in Brisbane, fly out of here back to Cairns on October 7th. I'm still working as a Nanny. Everyday I spend with these children just brings home how hard it is going to be leaving them, how much I miss my family and how much I'm desperate to really enjoy them once I'm home.
I'm no longer living with Lauren, I moved out of our flat and in with my "urban family" about 4 weeks ago. It just wasn't working out with us both in each others pockets. My homesickness coupled with a few things I have come to realise since being here meant that it was time to cut loose and just get out of the headspace I was in. It's hard living where you work, mainly because i'm still in someone elses home, but Nic and Jon have made me feel so like a part of the family that I don't really notice. Of course that means there's no differentiation between work and play, but of course there never is with children. Nicoles knee is better. She can drive and wander around ok now. She still has hydrotherapy and physio and things, but in the main she's good. Will be a long tiome for a full recovery though I think.
So the last thing I told you about...
I went to Sydney for a weekend. Whale Beach. Beautiful. Not a lot to tell as I was working and din't really get to see a lot. Flew in over the city and was breathless at the view. Stunning when the sun is reflecting off the harbour and the boats look like toys. However when we got there we drove straight to Nicoles sister Simones house, who'd just had a beautiful little girl "Indy Willa" where we spent the weekend between a B & B and this lovely little cottage type house overlooking a magnificent view of Whale Beach. I was working so I spent the weekend with very little sleep, feeling a bit out of sorts because as much as Nic and Jon make me a part of the family was a little weird because no-one else seemed to know what to do with me. I did however meet Almy, Nicoles Grandmother. Amazing woman. She came to Australia as a refugee in the Second World War and has some of the most phenomenal stories to tell. As you should all know war and how people coped just fascinates me and this woman had me welling up with tears at her troubles. I'd also just recieved an email from Nanny Pam that said how English schools would no longer teach about the Holocaust because of a bunch of twats who don't think it ever happened and so being ridiculous and so typically British we're trying not to piss anyone off. Got pretty het up about it as you can imagine. I am still disgusted that my children will never be taught at school about one of the most attrocious acts of human fear and hatred and...oh I just can't believe it. Anyway...on our last day drove back into the city and saw the bridge and the opera house. View was better up above. Sydney Harbour Bridge is...well it's a bridge and the Opera house...dated and needs a bloody good wash. Sorry, but that's the truth. There was no godsmacking beauty about any of it when my feet were firmly grounded.
Next up...Nic had her knee operation, was in agony but she's a bit of a soldier and so was walking around without crutches after about 3 weeks and at 5 weeks the doctor said ok, no splint, no crutches, crack on.
Next up after this would probably have been the Ekka. Basically the Brisbane equivalent of the Middlesex Show, but larger. I took Tillie and Oskar for the day. Had a Dagwood Dog, which is basically Toad In The Hole on a stick, but it's amazing! Had our faces painted (facebook) was snapped for a newspaper, went on plenty of little childrens rides and saw a fair few animals and a dressage show. The children were dying by the end of it, especially as we spent an eternity walking around the Showbag Pavillion trying to decide on a bag for each of them and their little brother Olly who stayed home with Mummy because trying to take all three of them would have been a feat beyond even supernanny, who I am not! "Showbag Pavillion?" I hear you ask. My Mummys nightmare. A huge warehouse filled with bags and bags of tut for sale cheaper than you'd pay for the entire contenets normally. So, so, so many bags. The Fairies, High 5, The Wiggles, Batman, Superman, Bob The Builder, Cadburys, Nestle, you name it they had a bag for it and of course the choice is far to great for a child and so we spent about an hour wandering desperately trying to pick something. I could have died. I bought a hoody that had a smoking Rabbit on it. Allow the tut...almost. After taking the children for a day I realised that Lauren and I would have to go back so that I could do the grown up rides that I din't even sniff with the children. We bought Ninja showbags and had our faces painted. Video on facebook of us in "The Slingshot"...amazing. Lauren looks like she's facially constipated. Basically it was a giant funfair and of course I couldn't get enough of it. Lauren went on next to nothing because she's a giant wuss. I ended up bored of being the only one into it and we went home to bed as tired as the children had been.
Next...
About 3 weeks ago the Weinerts (that's Jon and Nic's surname, everytime I say the family I feel like i'm married to the mob or something) took me to the Noosa hinterlands. Ninderry it's called. The hinterlands are the mountain ranges set back from the coast of Oz. Hinterlands are the middle part and the tablelands are the tops of the mountains. Anyways went up there for a weekend. Jons friend Jack was turning 50 and they all went dirtbiking (Jonny is huge into motorbikes, dirtbiking in particular.) Jonny organised a huge ride on the Friday and then there was a massive party at the most amazing house afterwards. The Cubby House (facebook) Went on until the wee hours and I was feeling pretty rancid the next day. But no rest for the wicked and certainately not with the three sprockets whom I take care of. Saturday we went to the beach and just hung out around the place, having a much quieter evening before heading off early doors Sunday morning. Nicole and Jonny went off to see some garden show thing, so Itook the sproglets with moi. They were so puffed out they immediately fell asleep for the hour long journey back.
So I believe next in line for a storytelling would be the weekend just gone, which of course was Laurens 21st. She was pretty down and gutted that she'd be spending this birthday here with no-one, but me and that she couldn't have a big party because we don;'t really have anyone to invite and so it was up to me to do something. So I did. Planned it all in advance and everything. Hired a car (KIA, RIO we named him Ryu after the Street Fighter dude) spunky little thing that I did not want to have to give back.. He was just like a go-kart! Anyways so I collect Lauren Wednesday night after my dance classes and take her back to my house. We end up on a late night cruise to MacDonalds for munch. Australian MacDonalds at 1am. Interesting experience. I'm pretty sure the Australians got more than their fair share of freaks and weirdos, but that's only to be expected from a land full of convicts and pot heads. Anyways we went home and crawled into bed, me knowing full well that we had two full days ahead of us. Happy birthday singing total at this point - 1.
Thursday 28th August - Laurens 21st
The children come and hop into bed with me and in the loudest whisper ever Tillie sits on my head as she does most mornings, pokes me and say "aren't you going to get up and make Lauren her breakfast". There goes that surprise. I rolled over and told Lauren that I had planned on bringing her breakfast in bed, but what with the lack of sleep and recent stomach filling of McBurger I was going to wait until we were both awake and kicking-ish. We get up and make our way up to the lounge where the children dump a pile of presents on her lap. She was spoilt rotten by the Weinerts. Board shorts, t-shirt, little water boucning ball, hooded towel and some other bits that I can't remember. I got her a star to mirror what she bought me for my 21st. Eventually we'll get round to choosing them and then we'll have 2 stars in the sky together to commemorate 5 years of friendship and of course this trip. After that me and Nic begin brekkie. Jonny has decided that today he will returf the back garden. So Lauren gets a ride on Grants lap up and down the garden in a bobcat. The video is brilliant. If my stupid phone wasn't buggered it'd be on facebook already. Then we had eggy bread, sausages, bacon, bucks fizz and I almost poisoned Lauren with a raw fried egg. I don't eat fried eggs and I never make them so how am I supposed to know about this splashing oil stuff. Give me a recipe book and I can make a gourmet meal, but I can't fry an egg. Typical me. After brekkie we got dressed and loaded up the car dressed like a couple of fairies. Good look. Lauren has no idea what is going on and has to pack for a few nights away so in my quest to sort her our I end up just throwing a few bits in, something I'll later regret not taking more time over.
We drive along merrily and listen to the cd's that Laurens Mum made her. I sing at the top of my lungs and behave like a nob to try and cheer up missy as she is obviously a bit homesick at this point. She has a bit of a cry and then we just chat crap for a bit. We finally arrive at...
DREAMWORLD.
This is a theme park located about an hour from Brisbane. We trundle inside and begin rides. I'm not going into much detail because basically it was a bit cak and also my memory is rather lacking after eating a special cookie that we aquired for Laurens birthday. I do remember that this resukted in a 6 scoop ice cream sundae though and also some rather funny facial expressions from Lauren on some of the thrilling rides looking as though she's on the teacups on their way to lalaland or some such other totally unadventurous place. So once we've had our fill of Dreamworld (and some rather yummy fudge) we hop back into Ryu and bust a groove North for almost 3 hours. Lauren is still unawares as to where we're going.
Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast for your information. I've booked us into a lovely 2 bedroom apartment right near the beacj for 2 nights. We arrive and we feel as though we're on holiday. It was a good feeling that i'm looking forward to recapturing. We book in, get changed and bust a groove to The Surf Club where our friend Lyndsey (Northern Irish girl we met in Cairns) is working. When she gets off we sit outside having a few ciggies and a drink and end up meeting a mental Aussie called Lizzie and a girl Sarah who also works there. We go back to our apartment where Lizzie ends up turning into a nightmare and insisting upon wrestling me because ":that's what we do in Queensland, we wrestle." I took her down...3 times. She even bodyslammed me onto the arm of a chair and I stioll got up and kicked her arse which she bitched about and pissed me off basically so that in the end I just had to ask her to leave and Sarah obligingly took her. However before Lizzie became a nightmare we presented Lauren with a cake and 21 candles and sang Happy Birthday at least 3 times. I was shouting to passers by in the street three levels down to sing also. I'd had a fair amount of Amaretto to be fair.
Friday we wake up and we feel a bit cak. I get up early and head off to the Patisserie to collect laurens secong cake (still no idea) and then drop in down at The Wharf, where we will later be meeting up with Steve Irwins Whale Watching boat for the third part of Laurens birthday surprise. I go back to the apartment collect Lauren and return with her none the wiser to whats going on until she sees the actual boat. We hop on get tea find a seat and away we go to the open sea.
We spent about 4 hours watching tops of fins bobbing up and down, but nothing spectacular and then suddenly we found this pne whale that breached (jumps up out of the water and turns 180 degrees onto their back) over and over again. Then we kept coming across more and more pods flipping and slapping their fins and all sorts of acrobatics. A few came really close up around the edge of the boat (which they call mugging) and the water is so crystal claer and you can see these beautiful huge creatures moving gracefully right past you. We had an awesome spot at the helm and...it was amazing. Lauren took videos, I'll post the link when she puts them up. After about an hour of this the Captain says ok we're heading back in now. As if they knew these 2 whales leapt right up out of the water and flipped opposite ways. Was an amazing finish. Captain turns the boat around heads back in and then announces over the PA that there's a birthday on board. Out comes the cake from one of the Crew and the whole boat sings Happy Birthday to Lauren. In the middle of the Ocean after seeing all this awesomeness and this cake was AMAZING! Chocolate Mud Cake (a real Aussie cake) with massive belgian chocolate decor on the top. No candles because I figured the wind would blow them out, but it was spectacular. Tasted good too, although in the main everyone else on the boat ate it.
Get back in to port and go driving up through the hinterlands of Noosa. I realise that we'r e right near "The Giant Cubby House" and stop in to show Lauren and say hi to Jack and Noeline who own it. We then head back to the apartemnt order Thai, I have a massively bubbly spa bath (first bath i've been able to have since leaving England!) and my friend Beck whom I met dancing in Brisbane came over for a catch up. After she left I ended up pretty drunk and collapsed into bed at some point.
Had a late checkout the next day so got up late, monged out on the balcony and then packed up and went home. Pretty depressing that was as it was back to the grind feeling. Went to my house to pick up my outfit for the birthday shennanigans and Nic suggested we take the car down to Byron and keep the holiday feeling alive. The original plan had just been to go out clubbing in Brisbane, but me and Lauren liked teh idea of a secind road trip so went to her house grabbed Ben, Shaun and Donal, (Laurens flatmates) got into our fancy dress outfits (facebook pictures) and hopped in the car. We checked into a hostel that told us we looked like trouble and we better not trash the place or vomit everywhere and then went out drinking. We got stopped and thoroughly checked over to get in a few places, but in the main wee were ok and just got drunk and had a laugh. At some point we lost the boys, but we ended up at pretty much the only club in Byron Bay with a nice guy from Essex called Martin. He left after a while and me and Laurnen were ready to call it quits so went back to the hostel and crashed. Had a fair amount of giggling in the process thanks to the boys snoring and Donal dreaming of Shaun.
Anyhow we woke up the next morning rolled down to the beach were the Aussies thought we were all mad swimming in the ocean, before loading back in to the car and heading homeward. Stopped on the way and got BBQ and more alcohol and had a BBQ at Laurens before crashing into bed and sleeping like the dead.
All in all a good weekend.
Anyways...
Firstly sorry I know it's been a while. This has been for a few reasons, but in the main just because I have been busy, busy, busy. Although still not much to tell you because it's all pretty mundane at my end. At least for me it is.
Secondly, thanks to all three of my Fathers loves for your continuous updates even when you have no new news to read.
Well your about to get an influx, because it has been about 3 months since I did a real blog and a lot has happened all be it not amazingly interesting. So I'll try and start where I left off, but chances are it's going to get messy and confusing. It just wouldn't be my life if it didn't now would it.
I'm still in Brisbane, fly out of here back to Cairns on October 7th. I'm still working as a Nanny. Everyday I spend with these children just brings home how hard it is going to be leaving them, how much I miss my family and how much I'm desperate to really enjoy them once I'm home.
I'm no longer living with Lauren, I moved out of our flat and in with my "urban family" about 4 weeks ago. It just wasn't working out with us both in each others pockets. My homesickness coupled with a few things I have come to realise since being here meant that it was time to cut loose and just get out of the headspace I was in. It's hard living where you work, mainly because i'm still in someone elses home, but Nic and Jon have made me feel so like a part of the family that I don't really notice. Of course that means there's no differentiation between work and play, but of course there never is with children. Nicoles knee is better. She can drive and wander around ok now. She still has hydrotherapy and physio and things, but in the main she's good. Will be a long tiome for a full recovery though I think.
So the last thing I told you about...
I went to Sydney for a weekend. Whale Beach. Beautiful. Not a lot to tell as I was working and din't really get to see a lot. Flew in over the city and was breathless at the view. Stunning when the sun is reflecting off the harbour and the boats look like toys. However when we got there we drove straight to Nicoles sister Simones house, who'd just had a beautiful little girl "Indy Willa" where we spent the weekend between a B & B and this lovely little cottage type house overlooking a magnificent view of Whale Beach. I was working so I spent the weekend with very little sleep, feeling a bit out of sorts because as much as Nic and Jon make me a part of the family was a little weird because no-one else seemed to know what to do with me. I did however meet Almy, Nicoles Grandmother. Amazing woman. She came to Australia as a refugee in the Second World War and has some of the most phenomenal stories to tell. As you should all know war and how people coped just fascinates me and this woman had me welling up with tears at her troubles. I'd also just recieved an email from Nanny Pam that said how English schools would no longer teach about the Holocaust because of a bunch of twats who don't think it ever happened and so being ridiculous and so typically British we're trying not to piss anyone off. Got pretty het up about it as you can imagine. I am still disgusted that my children will never be taught at school about one of the most attrocious acts of human fear and hatred and...oh I just can't believe it. Anyway...on our last day drove back into the city and saw the bridge and the opera house. View was better up above. Sydney Harbour Bridge is...well it's a bridge and the Opera house...dated and needs a bloody good wash. Sorry, but that's the truth. There was no godsmacking beauty about any of it when my feet were firmly grounded.
Next up...Nic had her knee operation, was in agony but she's a bit of a soldier and so was walking around without crutches after about 3 weeks and at 5 weeks the doctor said ok, no splint, no crutches, crack on.
Next up after this would probably have been the Ekka. Basically the Brisbane equivalent of the Middlesex Show, but larger. I took Tillie and Oskar for the day. Had a Dagwood Dog, which is basically Toad In The Hole on a stick, but it's amazing! Had our faces painted (facebook) was snapped for a newspaper, went on plenty of little childrens rides and saw a fair few animals and a dressage show. The children were dying by the end of it, especially as we spent an eternity walking around the Showbag Pavillion trying to decide on a bag for each of them and their little brother Olly who stayed home with Mummy because trying to take all three of them would have been a feat beyond even supernanny, who I am not! "Showbag Pavillion?" I hear you ask. My Mummys nightmare. A huge warehouse filled with bags and bags of tut for sale cheaper than you'd pay for the entire contenets normally. So, so, so many bags. The Fairies, High 5, The Wiggles, Batman, Superman, Bob The Builder, Cadburys, Nestle, you name it they had a bag for it and of course the choice is far to great for a child and so we spent about an hour wandering desperately trying to pick something. I could have died. I bought a hoody that had a smoking Rabbit on it. Allow the tut...almost. After taking the children for a day I realised that Lauren and I would have to go back so that I could do the grown up rides that I din't even sniff with the children. We bought Ninja showbags and had our faces painted. Video on facebook of us in "The Slingshot"...amazing. Lauren looks like she's facially constipated. Basically it was a giant funfair and of course I couldn't get enough of it. Lauren went on next to nothing because she's a giant wuss. I ended up bored of being the only one into it and we went home to bed as tired as the children had been.
Next...
About 3 weeks ago the Weinerts (that's Jon and Nic's surname, everytime I say the family I feel like i'm married to the mob or something) took me to the Noosa hinterlands. Ninderry it's called. The hinterlands are the mountain ranges set back from the coast of Oz. Hinterlands are the middle part and the tablelands are the tops of the mountains. Anyways went up there for a weekend. Jons friend Jack was turning 50 and they all went dirtbiking (Jonny is huge into motorbikes, dirtbiking in particular.) Jonny organised a huge ride on the Friday and then there was a massive party at the most amazing house afterwards. The Cubby House (facebook) Went on until the wee hours and I was feeling pretty rancid the next day. But no rest for the wicked and certainately not with the three sprockets whom I take care of. Saturday we went to the beach and just hung out around the place, having a much quieter evening before heading off early doors Sunday morning. Nicole and Jonny went off to see some garden show thing, so Itook the sproglets with moi. They were so puffed out they immediately fell asleep for the hour long journey back.
So I believe next in line for a storytelling would be the weekend just gone, which of course was Laurens 21st. She was pretty down and gutted that she'd be spending this birthday here with no-one, but me and that she couldn't have a big party because we don;'t really have anyone to invite and so it was up to me to do something. So I did. Planned it all in advance and everything. Hired a car (KIA, RIO we named him Ryu after the Street Fighter dude) spunky little thing that I did not want to have to give back.. He was just like a go-kart! Anyways so I collect Lauren Wednesday night after my dance classes and take her back to my house. We end up on a late night cruise to MacDonalds for munch. Australian MacDonalds at 1am. Interesting experience. I'm pretty sure the Australians got more than their fair share of freaks and weirdos, but that's only to be expected from a land full of convicts and pot heads. Anyways we went home and crawled into bed, me knowing full well that we had two full days ahead of us. Happy birthday singing total at this point - 1.
Thursday 28th August - Laurens 21st
The children come and hop into bed with me and in the loudest whisper ever Tillie sits on my head as she does most mornings, pokes me and say "aren't you going to get up and make Lauren her breakfast". There goes that surprise. I rolled over and told Lauren that I had planned on bringing her breakfast in bed, but what with the lack of sleep and recent stomach filling of McBurger I was going to wait until we were both awake and kicking-ish. We get up and make our way up to the lounge where the children dump a pile of presents on her lap. She was spoilt rotten by the Weinerts. Board shorts, t-shirt, little water boucning ball, hooded towel and some other bits that I can't remember. I got her a star to mirror what she bought me for my 21st. Eventually we'll get round to choosing them and then we'll have 2 stars in the sky together to commemorate 5 years of friendship and of course this trip. After that me and Nic begin brekkie. Jonny has decided that today he will returf the back garden. So Lauren gets a ride on Grants lap up and down the garden in a bobcat. The video is brilliant. If my stupid phone wasn't buggered it'd be on facebook already. Then we had eggy bread, sausages, bacon, bucks fizz and I almost poisoned Lauren with a raw fried egg. I don't eat fried eggs and I never make them so how am I supposed to know about this splashing oil stuff. Give me a recipe book and I can make a gourmet meal, but I can't fry an egg. Typical me. After brekkie we got dressed and loaded up the car dressed like a couple of fairies. Good look. Lauren has no idea what is going on and has to pack for a few nights away so in my quest to sort her our I end up just throwing a few bits in, something I'll later regret not taking more time over.
We drive along merrily and listen to the cd's that Laurens Mum made her. I sing at the top of my lungs and behave like a nob to try and cheer up missy as she is obviously a bit homesick at this point. She has a bit of a cry and then we just chat crap for a bit. We finally arrive at...
DREAMWORLD.
This is a theme park located about an hour from Brisbane. We trundle inside and begin rides. I'm not going into much detail because basically it was a bit cak and also my memory is rather lacking after eating a special cookie that we aquired for Laurens birthday. I do remember that this resukted in a 6 scoop ice cream sundae though and also some rather funny facial expressions from Lauren on some of the thrilling rides looking as though she's on the teacups on their way to lalaland or some such other totally unadventurous place. So once we've had our fill of Dreamworld (and some rather yummy fudge) we hop back into Ryu and bust a groove North for almost 3 hours. Lauren is still unawares as to where we're going.
Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast for your information. I've booked us into a lovely 2 bedroom apartment right near the beacj for 2 nights. We arrive and we feel as though we're on holiday. It was a good feeling that i'm looking forward to recapturing. We book in, get changed and bust a groove to The Surf Club where our friend Lyndsey (Northern Irish girl we met in Cairns) is working. When she gets off we sit outside having a few ciggies and a drink and end up meeting a mental Aussie called Lizzie and a girl Sarah who also works there. We go back to our apartment where Lizzie ends up turning into a nightmare and insisting upon wrestling me because ":that's what we do in Queensland, we wrestle." I took her down...3 times. She even bodyslammed me onto the arm of a chair and I stioll got up and kicked her arse which she bitched about and pissed me off basically so that in the end I just had to ask her to leave and Sarah obligingly took her. However before Lizzie became a nightmare we presented Lauren with a cake and 21 candles and sang Happy Birthday at least 3 times. I was shouting to passers by in the street three levels down to sing also. I'd had a fair amount of Amaretto to be fair.
Friday we wake up and we feel a bit cak. I get up early and head off to the Patisserie to collect laurens secong cake (still no idea) and then drop in down at The Wharf, where we will later be meeting up with Steve Irwins Whale Watching boat for the third part of Laurens birthday surprise. I go back to the apartment collect Lauren and return with her none the wiser to whats going on until she sees the actual boat. We hop on get tea find a seat and away we go to the open sea.
We spent about 4 hours watching tops of fins bobbing up and down, but nothing spectacular and then suddenly we found this pne whale that breached (jumps up out of the water and turns 180 degrees onto their back) over and over again. Then we kept coming across more and more pods flipping and slapping their fins and all sorts of acrobatics. A few came really close up around the edge of the boat (which they call mugging) and the water is so crystal claer and you can see these beautiful huge creatures moving gracefully right past you. We had an awesome spot at the helm and...it was amazing. Lauren took videos, I'll post the link when she puts them up. After about an hour of this the Captain says ok we're heading back in now. As if they knew these 2 whales leapt right up out of the water and flipped opposite ways. Was an amazing finish. Captain turns the boat around heads back in and then announces over the PA that there's a birthday on board. Out comes the cake from one of the Crew and the whole boat sings Happy Birthday to Lauren. In the middle of the Ocean after seeing all this awesomeness and this cake was AMAZING! Chocolate Mud Cake (a real Aussie cake) with massive belgian chocolate decor on the top. No candles because I figured the wind would blow them out, but it was spectacular. Tasted good too, although in the main everyone else on the boat ate it.
Get back in to port and go driving up through the hinterlands of Noosa. I realise that we'r e right near "The Giant Cubby House" and stop in to show Lauren and say hi to Jack and Noeline who own it. We then head back to the apartemnt order Thai, I have a massively bubbly spa bath (first bath i've been able to have since leaving England!) and my friend Beck whom I met dancing in Brisbane came over for a catch up. After she left I ended up pretty drunk and collapsed into bed at some point.
Had a late checkout the next day so got up late, monged out on the balcony and then packed up and went home. Pretty depressing that was as it was back to the grind feeling. Went to my house to pick up my outfit for the birthday shennanigans and Nic suggested we take the car down to Byron and keep the holiday feeling alive. The original plan had just been to go out clubbing in Brisbane, but me and Lauren liked teh idea of a secind road trip so went to her house grabbed Ben, Shaun and Donal, (Laurens flatmates) got into our fancy dress outfits (facebook pictures) and hopped in the car. We checked into a hostel that told us we looked like trouble and we better not trash the place or vomit everywhere and then went out drinking. We got stopped and thoroughly checked over to get in a few places, but in the main wee were ok and just got drunk and had a laugh. At some point we lost the boys, but we ended up at pretty much the only club in Byron Bay with a nice guy from Essex called Martin. He left after a while and me and Laurnen were ready to call it quits so went back to the hostel and crashed. Had a fair amount of giggling in the process thanks to the boys snoring and Donal dreaming of Shaun.
Anyhow we woke up the next morning rolled down to the beach were the Aussies thought we were all mad swimming in the ocean, before loading back in to the car and heading homeward. Stopped on the way and got BBQ and more alcohol and had a BBQ at Laurens before crashing into bed and sleeping like the dead.
All in all a good weekend.
Sunday, 20 July 2008
Eager Beaver
So this is a weird post, but i'm tired and I just had to tell you because this just about sums up Australian humour.
I just saw a feminine hygiene product advert that basically tailed a woman living her life, out at a restaurant, on the beach, hailing a cab, carrying a beaver.
The end line...
Because you only have one.
I just can't imagine it happening on English television.
Or has it?
I'll do a proper blog soon I promise.
I just saw a feminine hygiene product advert that basically tailed a woman living her life, out at a restaurant, on the beach, hailing a cab, carrying a beaver.
The end line...
Because you only have one.
I just can't imagine it happening on English television.
Or has it?
I'll do a proper blog soon I promise.
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Oh How Could I Forget...
I went to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary the other week and I held a Koala and fed Kangaroos and saw a Dingo. Koalas and Kangaroos are really soft and cute. I've got an amazing video of a Koala leaping over its friend to get to more eucalyptus leaves and I had Kangaroos surrounding me and the children, eating food out of my lap. and I saw a Joey (I call them Roos in my world), out of it's Mum's pouch. I fed it and stroked it and it was so cute and tiny and i'm really annoyed that I haven't had my phone fixed yet for the pictures! You can see the Koala photo here though...
www.koala.net/photo/1206004752.htm
Sweet mofo. Will post the pic links when I get them up. There's loads and I can't be bothered to sort through them. I'm posting loads of pics that I probably will never ever look again, but I want to just keep them so that when I get home i'll have them printed and do scrap books. These pics are for myself not you, so don't bitch at me about my shitload of pics. This is aimed at you Mum.
Love to you all
x xx x
www.koala.net/photo/1206004752.htm
Sweet mofo. Will post the pic links when I get them up. There's loads and I can't be bothered to sort through them. I'm posting loads of pics that I probably will never ever look again, but I want to just keep them so that when I get home i'll have them printed and do scrap books. These pics are for myself not you, so don't bitch at me about my shitload of pics. This is aimed at you Mum.
Love to you all
x xx x
Monday, 23 June 2008
Mary Poppins
Ok so it's been about a decade since I last posted anything up here for you all to have a browse of, but as I said last time we're pretty much just going to be living our lives like we would regularly back home. But it's about time I at least gave you a little bit of my goings on.
Remember I was originally supposed to be working for this family for a week and then temping wherever for a month before returning to take care of the children while the Mum (Nicole) was incapacitated after some pretty hefty knee reconstructive surgery? Well turns out somehow they really like me and thought it was so great having me around that i've now been working for them for almost 5 weeks. Nicole is a stay at home Mum, but as the children are 5, 3 and 1, she hasn't had a break to just relax a bit in almost 6 years. So Jon asked me to stay on to alliviate the pressure of having 3 small children and a house to run and just generally being run down and exhausted. I love this family, they are amazing, I just wish Nicole would learn to take full advantage of me being around so that she could take some time out for herself all the time. She seems to think that she should apologise for my doing things for her or the children, when in fact i'd give anything for her to just leave the brekfast mess/lunch mess/washing/ironing etc and let me take care of it while she has some sleep or a massge or something. Because soon enough she's going to be unable to move and she'll be kicking herself for not taking full advantage of me. But anyways i'm doing my best and I hope that my being around is beneficial to her.
Being around the family has also helped with my homesickness. At first it made me really miss home because they had a lot of extra family staying with them and Nanna reminds me of Nanny Pam and the Aunties and Uncles all being around made me think of Sunday gatherings at Mums, but now that it's just the basic unit I kind of feel a part of it and very welcome and that makes me happy. Nicole is an avid listener (useful when you talk like me) and she's pretty straight to the point like Mummy with the advice she gives me about things. She's pretty brilliant and when she does talk I like to hear about the interesting things she has done with her life. Like living in Japan and travelling Australia. Both Jon and Nicole have been really helpful with what to do and where to go in Australia as they've done a lot of it. They've also been great at including Lauren too which i'm really grateful for. Pretty much they're just amazing and I hope that one day when the children are all grown they'll come visit me in England or that i'll come back and visit in a few years time to see how they're all getting along.
Speaking of relaxed I backed the UTE (their pick up that I take home sometimes) into the gate first time I drove it. They barely batted an eyelid. Then I reversed the 4x4 into a metal bollard and smashed the blinker cover and bent the step bit. Not to bad, but still not really great. But literally they didn't even seem concerned about it and I felt awful! I mean these people employ me to help them out and yet they can't do enough to make my life easy and then I smash up their cars/gates! They're awesome. I'll miss them all incredibly when I leave. Things like I went to Tillies first school disco, bought her a bad fairy outfit (pics to follow) and got Oskar a black Spiderman mask and had Ollie dressed as Beetlejuice (which we had to change as he got blueberries all over it) and was there dancing and skidding around on the floor with them. I've taught Tillie words and actions to Elton Johns "Tiny Dancer" as well as getting them hooked on "Crocodile Rock" and their favourite "Benny and the Jets." I've drunk under the stars with Nic and her mate Amanda (who is also amazing), been to family gatherings, so it will be hard when the time comes to say goodbye to an adoptive family for an even longer period than I had to say goodbye to some of those who have adopted me at home. Oh yeah. Jon and Nic are taking me to Sydney with them this weekend. Nic's sister Simone has just had a baby girl so we're off down to Whale Beach (about an hour North of Sydney) from Thursday through until Sunday, can't wait for that. Apparantly Whale Beach is beautiful and Simmy's house is amazing. Simmy's been in London for the past 8 years and her Husband Nick is English so that'll be interesting to chat with them about their opinions on Australia and England i'm sure.
So what else of note? Dancing is going well. I do 8 classes a week. 2 every night from Monday to Thursday, each an hour and 15 minutes. So by the time I get home it's 10pm and i'm up at 6 for work so i'm pretty much just exhausted 24/7, but it's good to stay busy and it's also a good way to meet people. We've actually only been out once since getting to Brisbane and we discovered that it's pretty whack on the entertainment front. We ended up meeting up with the Scottish and Irish we met at our hostel, who gave me the right hump and I stormed off, bumping into some nutty Australians who we then went with to their hotel on the promise of a party only to discover they had a very different sort of party in mind to what me and Lauren had envisaged so we exited pretty swiftly.
Lauren has secured a job painting and decorating which she's really enjoying and she's getting pretty good money for it. She does however need to get her arse a hobby because i'm off out at dancing or working a lot and so we barely see each other and she's getting a bit bored, but she'll be saving a lot more money than me because, well because she's Lauren and she's good at abstinence. I however don't care because I'm living how I want to live and i'm not sitting around bored and if I run out of money i'll just stop and get a job until I can trot off again. And if I run out of money and don't get to all the things I want, if I want to do it that desperately i'll come back and do it when i've saved enough.
Our Canadian flatmate Sam has gone now. I'm quite glad about that as he was a n arrogant so and so, only confirmed to me after Ben (Australian flatmate) returned from his 3 week fishing trip to tell me that Sam was giving it the big "I am" saying how he was going to "go her (aka me)" the night before Ben went away. I wasn't to impressed with this and promptly facebooked him to tell him what I thought of him before deleting him. Men are not a favourite thing of mine currently. Especially not those who are all matey etc to my face and then speak of me as nothing more than a toy to be had behind my back. Uh-uh, no thanks.
Other than this there's not really a lot to report. We're no longer going to Western Australia, save it for another trip as apparantly it's to expensive to try and do in the time frame we have and on our budget it will be a waste of time. Instead we're going to try and do the Northern Territories. Jon has a number of people who he keeps offering us accomodation with (we'll see how they feel about it when we have more dates etc in mind). I just booked our flights to New Zealand for New Year, as have the Irish so that's a go. I love my job, Lauren loves hers. We're all tickety boo.
Catch y'all later.
x xx x
Remember I was originally supposed to be working for this family for a week and then temping wherever for a month before returning to take care of the children while the Mum (Nicole) was incapacitated after some pretty hefty knee reconstructive surgery? Well turns out somehow they really like me and thought it was so great having me around that i've now been working for them for almost 5 weeks. Nicole is a stay at home Mum, but as the children are 5, 3 and 1, she hasn't had a break to just relax a bit in almost 6 years. So Jon asked me to stay on to alliviate the pressure of having 3 small children and a house to run and just generally being run down and exhausted. I love this family, they are amazing, I just wish Nicole would learn to take full advantage of me being around so that she could take some time out for herself all the time. She seems to think that she should apologise for my doing things for her or the children, when in fact i'd give anything for her to just leave the brekfast mess/lunch mess/washing/ironing etc and let me take care of it while she has some sleep or a massge or something. Because soon enough she's going to be unable to move and she'll be kicking herself for not taking full advantage of me. But anyways i'm doing my best and I hope that my being around is beneficial to her.
Being around the family has also helped with my homesickness. At first it made me really miss home because they had a lot of extra family staying with them and Nanna reminds me of Nanny Pam and the Aunties and Uncles all being around made me think of Sunday gatherings at Mums, but now that it's just the basic unit I kind of feel a part of it and very welcome and that makes me happy. Nicole is an avid listener (useful when you talk like me) and she's pretty straight to the point like Mummy with the advice she gives me about things. She's pretty brilliant and when she does talk I like to hear about the interesting things she has done with her life. Like living in Japan and travelling Australia. Both Jon and Nicole have been really helpful with what to do and where to go in Australia as they've done a lot of it. They've also been great at including Lauren too which i'm really grateful for. Pretty much they're just amazing and I hope that one day when the children are all grown they'll come visit me in England or that i'll come back and visit in a few years time to see how they're all getting along.
Speaking of relaxed I backed the UTE (their pick up that I take home sometimes) into the gate first time I drove it. They barely batted an eyelid. Then I reversed the 4x4 into a metal bollard and smashed the blinker cover and bent the step bit. Not to bad, but still not really great. But literally they didn't even seem concerned about it and I felt awful! I mean these people employ me to help them out and yet they can't do enough to make my life easy and then I smash up their cars/gates! They're awesome. I'll miss them all incredibly when I leave. Things like I went to Tillies first school disco, bought her a bad fairy outfit (pics to follow) and got Oskar a black Spiderman mask and had Ollie dressed as Beetlejuice (which we had to change as he got blueberries all over it) and was there dancing and skidding around on the floor with them. I've taught Tillie words and actions to Elton Johns "Tiny Dancer" as well as getting them hooked on "Crocodile Rock" and their favourite "Benny and the Jets." I've drunk under the stars with Nic and her mate Amanda (who is also amazing), been to family gatherings, so it will be hard when the time comes to say goodbye to an adoptive family for an even longer period than I had to say goodbye to some of those who have adopted me at home. Oh yeah. Jon and Nic are taking me to Sydney with them this weekend. Nic's sister Simone has just had a baby girl so we're off down to Whale Beach (about an hour North of Sydney) from Thursday through until Sunday, can't wait for that. Apparantly Whale Beach is beautiful and Simmy's house is amazing. Simmy's been in London for the past 8 years and her Husband Nick is English so that'll be interesting to chat with them about their opinions on Australia and England i'm sure.
So what else of note? Dancing is going well. I do 8 classes a week. 2 every night from Monday to Thursday, each an hour and 15 minutes. So by the time I get home it's 10pm and i'm up at 6 for work so i'm pretty much just exhausted 24/7, but it's good to stay busy and it's also a good way to meet people. We've actually only been out once since getting to Brisbane and we discovered that it's pretty whack on the entertainment front. We ended up meeting up with the Scottish and Irish we met at our hostel, who gave me the right hump and I stormed off, bumping into some nutty Australians who we then went with to their hotel on the promise of a party only to discover they had a very different sort of party in mind to what me and Lauren had envisaged so we exited pretty swiftly.
Lauren has secured a job painting and decorating which she's really enjoying and she's getting pretty good money for it. She does however need to get her arse a hobby because i'm off out at dancing or working a lot and so we barely see each other and she's getting a bit bored, but she'll be saving a lot more money than me because, well because she's Lauren and she's good at abstinence. I however don't care because I'm living how I want to live and i'm not sitting around bored and if I run out of money i'll just stop and get a job until I can trot off again. And if I run out of money and don't get to all the things I want, if I want to do it that desperately i'll come back and do it when i've saved enough.
Our Canadian flatmate Sam has gone now. I'm quite glad about that as he was a n arrogant so and so, only confirmed to me after Ben (Australian flatmate) returned from his 3 week fishing trip to tell me that Sam was giving it the big "I am" saying how he was going to "go her (aka me)" the night before Ben went away. I wasn't to impressed with this and promptly facebooked him to tell him what I thought of him before deleting him. Men are not a favourite thing of mine currently. Especially not those who are all matey etc to my face and then speak of me as nothing more than a toy to be had behind my back. Uh-uh, no thanks.
Other than this there's not really a lot to report. We're no longer going to Western Australia, save it for another trip as apparantly it's to expensive to try and do in the time frame we have and on our budget it will be a waste of time. Instead we're going to try and do the Northern Territories. Jon has a number of people who he keeps offering us accomodation with (we'll see how they feel about it when we have more dates etc in mind). I just booked our flights to New Zealand for New Year, as have the Irish so that's a go. I love my job, Lauren loves hers. We're all tickety boo.
Catch y'all later.
x xx x
Saturday, 24 May 2008
Settling In
Have had quite a good week. Settled into our new house rather nicely. Ben is lovely and Sam is ok, but as with most Canadians that i've met he can be a little arrogant and inconsiderate. But me and my tendancy to pipe up and speak my mind he's easy enough to get back in line.
Monday I rescheduled my interviews for Tuesday and had a well deserved lie in. I've not had a proper nights sleep since I got here. The constant moving around means that unless i'm so drunk I pass out I end up waking up throughout the night, or waking up at the crack of dawn and can't get back to sleep. Although it has been better this week. So Monday me and Lauren cleaned our new house. The boys didn't know what had hit them when they came home. Tuesday had my interviews and worked at an office on reception for a few hours. Wednesday just dossed about dancing, reading and writing. Lauren went to the lagoon, but it was nice to have a day apart doing our own thing because we've been living in each others pockets for so long.
That night was State of Origin which is a big rugby thing between New South Wales and Queensland, so what with us being in Queensland it was a HUGE deal. Me and Lauren went food shopping and ended up getting banned from the supermarket. We found these really cool pyjamas. You've all seen mine and Laurens gangster outfits. Woodland DPM for Lauren and Urban for me. Well these pyjamas were one blue DPM and then pink. You can imagine our excitement. On they go in the middle of the shop to see if they fit because they were childrens age 14. Well they weren't a good fit so we just took silly pictures. All of a sudden "jobsworth" appears telling us we'd better be buying them because it's not hygenic to be trying them on. We mugged him off saying we were we were just taking a photo quickly and that yes we were going to buy them. He watched us (we're wetting ourselves laughing and all these people walking past us are laughing too so it was taking twice as long as it should have done) put them in the trolley and toddle off then disappeared. At the checkout Lauren hid them when I went to go get some cucumber and when I came back she was all "we're going to get busted, there's been phonecalls and everything. Turns out she wasn't joking. After we left the shop "jobsworth" came legging it out and shouting at us that we'd forgotten something and just being really rude. He told us we were to never come back. We nearly died laughing. Of course we haven't paid any attention and have been back. If he tries to actually enforce the ban, i'm going to make a formal complaint especially considering his unhygenic claim is ludicrous. What do they have fitting rooms for in clothes shops? Are you telling me it's different? Idiot. We went home, made dinner and watched the rugby getting suitably drunk to get in the spirit of things. I wore your t-shirt Daddy as it's Queenslands colour. They lost. Says a lot for your t-shirt.
Thursday = Doss day
Friday was a fun day. Had my first day nannying for these children as I start tomorrow. Spent the day playing at the park, colouring in, playing dress up, bouncing on the trampoline, playing with loads of Fisher Price toys, doing the school run (in a beast of a car; Mitsubishi Panjero - it's huge) and went to Little Tigggrs, which is an indoor ball park adventure playground thing. I was aching from hip hop and break the night before and these children were just adament they were going to puff me out. Which they did, but it was good fun. I'm really looking forward to planning activities for them in the school holidays. Lots of fun to be had there. Swimming, bike rides, treasure hunts, fancy dress, teddy bears tea parties, you name it we're going to do it. So excited!
Yesterday we went rock climbing at Kangaroo Point with our housemates. So good. The first wall was ok, not very challenging to be fair, although I did attempt to go up and over the second attempt to the top as opposed to the easy route which was to go around. I fell a few times, but I did it eventually. Laurens not so into heights and won't take direction so she managed to get half way twice. We need to work on her confidence and the fact that she tries to pull herself up with her arms rather than her legs which is just not the way to do it basically. We were all stood on the ground shouting at her these directions and then all these crowds gathered and were shouting stuff too. At one point I shouted at her to pull her arse in because it was going to drag her to the floor and one guy turned around and shouted that there was nothing wrong with her arse. It was pretty entertaining actually. We then moved on to a harder wall as Ben decided I needed slowing down a bit (all those years of tree climbing paid off). My whole mid set was you're never going to slow me down and I shot up there again. Lauren refused to give it a go, because she's a woose and seems to lack the gene that I do which is basically no i'm going to do this even if it kills me. Having said that I attempted a climb Ben fell off a few times after that one (clearly I have no sense of you're going to look like a wally when you fall off). Ended up doing it barefoot because trainers are no good for half inch ledges that you need to balance the edge of your foot on to do the splits across to the next one and I ripped my finger skin off and killed my foot so I ended up giving up and doing the one i'd done before. Ben is suitably impressed with my spidey skills and is going to take me to Mount French (Frog as the Aussies call it) for a free climb which will be fun. I need to get some climbing shoes though and then I can go with him every weekend and also go back and complete that other one. I will do it, I WILL! Also i'm going to do an overnight climb, so i'll be sleeping in a hammock half way up a mountain. Can't wait to get some photos of that one, but that won't be until closer to my leaving Brisbane as Ben is away fishing for a month from Tuesday and I want to be physically fit enough to cope with it. My legs have got the strength no worries, but my arms need a bit of work. Should be pretty quick coming though, what with running after 3 children all day, climbing all over the park, picking up the baby into this beast of a car (the door handle is at my nose), dancing every night except Friday, ballet on a Saturday morning then surfing/beach on a Saturday. I will actually be Wonder Woman by the time I leave here, but it all keeps me busy so I have less time to miss home and it's about time I got some active hobbies as opposed to head ones.
Anyhoo, that's about it for news of this week. Except i'm slowly getting bitten to death by all sorts of nasties. I'm going to go watch "I'm Not Here" that Bob Dylan movie now. Will post a blog again next weekend and let you know how I got on with my first week nannying.
Oh, my phone has a virus so there's no pictures until I get it fixed up. Pretty annoying really.
Mulu
x xx x
Monday I rescheduled my interviews for Tuesday and had a well deserved lie in. I've not had a proper nights sleep since I got here. The constant moving around means that unless i'm so drunk I pass out I end up waking up throughout the night, or waking up at the crack of dawn and can't get back to sleep. Although it has been better this week. So Monday me and Lauren cleaned our new house. The boys didn't know what had hit them when they came home. Tuesday had my interviews and worked at an office on reception for a few hours. Wednesday just dossed about dancing, reading and writing. Lauren went to the lagoon, but it was nice to have a day apart doing our own thing because we've been living in each others pockets for so long.
That night was State of Origin which is a big rugby thing between New South Wales and Queensland, so what with us being in Queensland it was a HUGE deal. Me and Lauren went food shopping and ended up getting banned from the supermarket. We found these really cool pyjamas. You've all seen mine and Laurens gangster outfits. Woodland DPM for Lauren and Urban for me. Well these pyjamas were one blue DPM and then pink. You can imagine our excitement. On they go in the middle of the shop to see if they fit because they were childrens age 14. Well they weren't a good fit so we just took silly pictures. All of a sudden "jobsworth" appears telling us we'd better be buying them because it's not hygenic to be trying them on. We mugged him off saying we were we were just taking a photo quickly and that yes we were going to buy them. He watched us (we're wetting ourselves laughing and all these people walking past us are laughing too so it was taking twice as long as it should have done) put them in the trolley and toddle off then disappeared. At the checkout Lauren hid them when I went to go get some cucumber and when I came back she was all "we're going to get busted, there's been phonecalls and everything. Turns out she wasn't joking. After we left the shop "jobsworth" came legging it out and shouting at us that we'd forgotten something and just being really rude. He told us we were to never come back. We nearly died laughing. Of course we haven't paid any attention and have been back. If he tries to actually enforce the ban, i'm going to make a formal complaint especially considering his unhygenic claim is ludicrous. What do they have fitting rooms for in clothes shops? Are you telling me it's different? Idiot. We went home, made dinner and watched the rugby getting suitably drunk to get in the spirit of things. I wore your t-shirt Daddy as it's Queenslands colour. They lost. Says a lot for your t-shirt.
Thursday = Doss day
Friday was a fun day. Had my first day nannying for these children as I start tomorrow. Spent the day playing at the park, colouring in, playing dress up, bouncing on the trampoline, playing with loads of Fisher Price toys, doing the school run (in a beast of a car; Mitsubishi Panjero - it's huge) and went to Little Tigggrs, which is an indoor ball park adventure playground thing. I was aching from hip hop and break the night before and these children were just adament they were going to puff me out. Which they did, but it was good fun. I'm really looking forward to planning activities for them in the school holidays. Lots of fun to be had there. Swimming, bike rides, treasure hunts, fancy dress, teddy bears tea parties, you name it we're going to do it. So excited!
Yesterday we went rock climbing at Kangaroo Point with our housemates. So good. The first wall was ok, not very challenging to be fair, although I did attempt to go up and over the second attempt to the top as opposed to the easy route which was to go around. I fell a few times, but I did it eventually. Laurens not so into heights and won't take direction so she managed to get half way twice. We need to work on her confidence and the fact that she tries to pull herself up with her arms rather than her legs which is just not the way to do it basically. We were all stood on the ground shouting at her these directions and then all these crowds gathered and were shouting stuff too. At one point I shouted at her to pull her arse in because it was going to drag her to the floor and one guy turned around and shouted that there was nothing wrong with her arse. It was pretty entertaining actually. We then moved on to a harder wall as Ben decided I needed slowing down a bit (all those years of tree climbing paid off). My whole mid set was you're never going to slow me down and I shot up there again. Lauren refused to give it a go, because she's a woose and seems to lack the gene that I do which is basically no i'm going to do this even if it kills me. Having said that I attempted a climb Ben fell off a few times after that one (clearly I have no sense of you're going to look like a wally when you fall off). Ended up doing it barefoot because trainers are no good for half inch ledges that you need to balance the edge of your foot on to do the splits across to the next one and I ripped my finger skin off and killed my foot so I ended up giving up and doing the one i'd done before. Ben is suitably impressed with my spidey skills and is going to take me to Mount French (Frog as the Aussies call it) for a free climb which will be fun. I need to get some climbing shoes though and then I can go with him every weekend and also go back and complete that other one. I will do it, I WILL! Also i'm going to do an overnight climb, so i'll be sleeping in a hammock half way up a mountain. Can't wait to get some photos of that one, but that won't be until closer to my leaving Brisbane as Ben is away fishing for a month from Tuesday and I want to be physically fit enough to cope with it. My legs have got the strength no worries, but my arms need a bit of work. Should be pretty quick coming though, what with running after 3 children all day, climbing all over the park, picking up the baby into this beast of a car (the door handle is at my nose), dancing every night except Friday, ballet on a Saturday morning then surfing/beach on a Saturday. I will actually be Wonder Woman by the time I leave here, but it all keeps me busy so I have less time to miss home and it's about time I got some active hobbies as opposed to head ones.
Anyhoo, that's about it for news of this week. Except i'm slowly getting bitten to death by all sorts of nasties. I'm going to go watch "I'm Not Here" that Bob Dylan movie now. Will post a blog again next weekend and let you know how I got on with my first week nannying.
Oh, my phone has a virus so there's no pictures until I get it fixed up. Pretty annoying really.
Mulu
x xx x
Sunday, 18 May 2008
A Very Good Day
Roast dinner...amazing. Totally amazing. The best gravy i've ever made and cheese sauce made with butter milk. Julienne carrots and shredded cabbage all fried up in real butter. Stuffing. Yorkshire puddings. Roast potatoes, sweet potatoes (red and gold), beetroot. All in all sex on a plate. I even ate some chicken because it smelt so good and I did cook it and it was free range.
Having my own room (although i'm sharing with Lauren so it's not quite my own) is fantastic. It's nice to have all my pictures up so I can look at all your beautiful faces when I walk in my door. And i've got a duvet! And a wardrobe! And drawers! And all these things that you don't even think about missing when you're away from home.
It's been 5 weeks now.
I have interviews in the morning.
Night night.x
Having my own room (although i'm sharing with Lauren so it's not quite my own) is fantastic. It's nice to have all my pictures up so I can look at all your beautiful faces when I walk in my door. And i've got a duvet! And a wardrobe! And drawers! And all these things that you don't even think about missing when you're away from home.
It's been 5 weeks now.
I have interviews in the morning.
Night night.x
Friday, 16 May 2008
Lights, Camera, Action!
So what have I been up to this week?
Not a lot of cool far out things to be honest because I’ve been working. The place I’ve been working at is weird. Really weird. It’s easy money, but brain numbingly boring because I literally just sit on reception all day waiting for the phone to ring, playing solitaire, pinball, reading or writing. I don’t have access to the internet because if I did then than I’d happily stay there forever doing jack all. However I’m glad it’s over because hopefully next week I’ll get a placement that possibly involves using my brain. Having said that the switchboard is pretty taxing for a youngen. It looks like it was shipped right of the set of Dallas or something. I feel like I need a huge perm and fat shoulder pads just to operate it.And so to the weirdness.I turned up on Tuesday and everything was ok. There’s this pregnant woman who used to work out in the warehouse but can’t go out there at the minute because of the fumes and stuff (they’re in the paint industry) so I chatted to her all day. She’s actually pretty safe. Took me a bit of time to get used to her what with Aussies just being odd and all, but I guess people probably feel that way about me so I have to let it slide. But then on Wednesday we had a major drama because someone “contaminated the café bar” (coffee machine to you and me). Someone went to put water in it and they noticed weird little bits in the water carrier. So I get a call to page the HR manager to come to the canteen because “there’s a serious health and safety issue”. And then there’s all this palaver about it. I went to go get a drink and a little elevenses and they’re closing down the canteen and the 2 cooks (I use that term as loosely as I would use it to talk about dinner ladies) are squabbling around going “I can’t believe someone has done this trying to make it look like we’re poisoning people”, “Oh my god it’s so terrible. I can’t cope with the stress.” And just generally making a huge dramatic to-do. Now I suppose it’s not very nice to think that someone is trying to get you in trouble and what not and screw you over, but one of these women was making me feel ill the way she was flapping about. I kept expecting her to bust out a pipe and start blazing a wrap of crystal meth to relieve the stress of it all. She didn’t have any lips, they were pulled back right over where her teeth should have been, I don’t know if she actually had teeth, but it didn’t look like it. It was like a really old mans mouth had been stuck on her. And every time she spoke there was this string of spittle stretching between the skin that should have been her lips and basically I wasn’t hungry after her flapping around like a skin covered skeleton on smack so I just sidled off back to my desk. Anyways they called the police and three boys in blue (looking like they were life size versions of Fisher Price people) roll up and go investigate. Turns out they were chili seeds. This company is mad about safety and I thought that maybe the police straight off was a bit of overkill, but turns out this stuff happens all the time and so the company has to take it seriously. Basically out in the warehouse they’ve got a bit of a war going on. People vandalizing and stealing other “cliques” stuff, defecating in their shoes (nice), smearing peanut butter all over peoples sandwiches to make it look like shit, which is pretty serious because of anaphylactic shock amongst other really childish, dense behavior. Basically there’s a couple of rude boy wannabes bullying and picking on people. It’s a whole tit for tat mentality. The police seemed pretty bemused by it all and left once the mystery had been solved, but the company is looking into it and the canteen has been closed all week. But it gets better. I rock up yesterday to discover that someone has been at it again. They work with solvents in the warehouse and so have barrier cream to put on. A guy put it on his hands and it started to burn him. That’s right folks, someone put solvent in the barrier cream. In again came the police and everyone’s getting dragged up and interrogated about it. Now that is serious. I’m glad I’m gone. Clearly the majority of warehouse staff they had there were the pure blood descendants of those we shipped off for correctional purposes. Fully mental. They have an onsite psychologist and stuff for the warehouse folks. Mmmm-yeah. Out of there.
Other than working I’ve started up dance classes again. So far I’ve done 3 classes. I did contemporary ballet on Wednesday and hip hop then break last night. It’s nice to be dancing again although I’ve spent so long dancing freestyle and choreographing my own stuff that it’s going to take a fair while for me to get back into the swing of learning someone else’s choreography, especially as I have a tendency to do what feels right for me, which is fine in a free movement style of dance, but no good for contemporary or ballet which is all technique and posture rather than “flow”. Tomorrow I have my first ballet class in about 4 years so that should be interesting. Break was good though. I’ve never studied it before and got my timetable mixed up and ended up in an intermediate class rather than beginners, so it was pretty tough but I loved it. Learnt a few freezes, just got to practice because my “freeze arm” is my left one which is my weaker one so it’s hard to try and hold all my weight on it. After that I was feeling all fidgety and couldn’t deal with being all cooped up in our crappy dorm room and Lauren was at the pub playing pool which I wasn’t interested in so I went out for a run. Ended up getting really, really lost and had to ask a police officer how to get back to Roma Street. She looked at me like I was mad and said, it’s really far. I ended up being gone for over an hour and I’d only intended to do a couple of miles. My body is a bit sore today.
Lauren is still on the job hunt but she’s not so bored now because she’s been hanging out with these guys Adrian and Simon. Simon works at the hostel. We came across Adrian on Wednesday night when I waded in a broke up a fight. Lauren has been bored senseless because I’m at work all day and so she’s got nothing to do and because we’ve not really been socializing with our hostel lot there’s not really anyone to hang out with. But I was hungry so we went to get food and go have a drink to get her some fresh air before she turns into a vamp. Ended up in Subway were there were these two Californian guys ordering. One of them was weirding out Lauren a bit, gave her a funny wave or something. Anyways I get my wrap and go take a seat down the street on a bench. On the bench next to us the weird Californian is trying to start a fight with his mate. Eventually punches begin and I’m shouting at them to stop. There are about 8 guys all watching this occur and no-one does anything. So I thrust my wrap at Lauren, march over and pull them apart shouting at this idiot to get a grip. I was all Mummy Rabbit…“How old are you?” “19” “Well then act like it. Don’t be getting drunk and brawling in the street like you’re some silly little 13 year old.” “But he’s trying to get me in trouble.” “I don’t care he’s your mate, you don’t hit your mates especially not when they’ve just been nice enough to buy you a sandwich.”Ha, when I think about it I must have looked quite silly. I was wearing my new spunky graffiti leggings that look like a child has drawn all over my legs and a little red dress over the top, lecturing this bloke to grow up dressed like a children’s TV presenter. You would have been amused Kel. Anyways they then started discussing the issues and Adrian came over and started talking to us about the perils of drink. The drunken buffoon then stormed off declaring he was “leaving forever” got as far as the other side of the road and came back stopped in the middle of the road halting a bus, before walking into the next lane of traffic where a 4x4 was cruising along at some respectable Aussie speed unable to see him for the bus and I’m screaming “NOOOOO”. The 4x4 breaks and there’s a crunch and somehow this twat doesn’t get smashed. He them meanders over to his sandwich that he’s left on the floor picks it up starts eating it and off the pair trot. So we bonded with Adrian over this guys brush with death and the sharp side of my tongue.We went to a bar, I ended up rather tidily rather quickly, we watched a bunch of Marines do an appalling striptease and I sidled off home as I had to be up for work leaving Lauren with Adrian. He’s coming over for the roast I’m making on Sunday to celebrate moving into our new house. I’m so excited about vegetables I can’t begin to explain to you. Lauren went to the lagoon with him yesterday and then the cinema with Simon then played pool last night. I think we’re going to the cinema tonight. Although it may be that party tonight? This means I won’t be in a fit state for ballet tomorrow, so I’m hoping that the party is on Saturday night, especially as we’ll have a fit roast to cure the hangover. Tom and Lucy are coming for roast too.
Oh I’m so excited!
Not a lot of cool far out things to be honest because I’ve been working. The place I’ve been working at is weird. Really weird. It’s easy money, but brain numbingly boring because I literally just sit on reception all day waiting for the phone to ring, playing solitaire, pinball, reading or writing. I don’t have access to the internet because if I did then than I’d happily stay there forever doing jack all. However I’m glad it’s over because hopefully next week I’ll get a placement that possibly involves using my brain. Having said that the switchboard is pretty taxing for a youngen. It looks like it was shipped right of the set of Dallas or something. I feel like I need a huge perm and fat shoulder pads just to operate it.And so to the weirdness.I turned up on Tuesday and everything was ok. There’s this pregnant woman who used to work out in the warehouse but can’t go out there at the minute because of the fumes and stuff (they’re in the paint industry) so I chatted to her all day. She’s actually pretty safe. Took me a bit of time to get used to her what with Aussies just being odd and all, but I guess people probably feel that way about me so I have to let it slide. But then on Wednesday we had a major drama because someone “contaminated the café bar” (coffee machine to you and me). Someone went to put water in it and they noticed weird little bits in the water carrier. So I get a call to page the HR manager to come to the canteen because “there’s a serious health and safety issue”. And then there’s all this palaver about it. I went to go get a drink and a little elevenses and they’re closing down the canteen and the 2 cooks (I use that term as loosely as I would use it to talk about dinner ladies) are squabbling around going “I can’t believe someone has done this trying to make it look like we’re poisoning people”, “Oh my god it’s so terrible. I can’t cope with the stress.” And just generally making a huge dramatic to-do. Now I suppose it’s not very nice to think that someone is trying to get you in trouble and what not and screw you over, but one of these women was making me feel ill the way she was flapping about. I kept expecting her to bust out a pipe and start blazing a wrap of crystal meth to relieve the stress of it all. She didn’t have any lips, they were pulled back right over where her teeth should have been, I don’t know if she actually had teeth, but it didn’t look like it. It was like a really old mans mouth had been stuck on her. And every time she spoke there was this string of spittle stretching between the skin that should have been her lips and basically I wasn’t hungry after her flapping around like a skin covered skeleton on smack so I just sidled off back to my desk. Anyways they called the police and three boys in blue (looking like they were life size versions of Fisher Price people) roll up and go investigate. Turns out they were chili seeds. This company is mad about safety and I thought that maybe the police straight off was a bit of overkill, but turns out this stuff happens all the time and so the company has to take it seriously. Basically out in the warehouse they’ve got a bit of a war going on. People vandalizing and stealing other “cliques” stuff, defecating in their shoes (nice), smearing peanut butter all over peoples sandwiches to make it look like shit, which is pretty serious because of anaphylactic shock amongst other really childish, dense behavior. Basically there’s a couple of rude boy wannabes bullying and picking on people. It’s a whole tit for tat mentality. The police seemed pretty bemused by it all and left once the mystery had been solved, but the company is looking into it and the canteen has been closed all week. But it gets better. I rock up yesterday to discover that someone has been at it again. They work with solvents in the warehouse and so have barrier cream to put on. A guy put it on his hands and it started to burn him. That’s right folks, someone put solvent in the barrier cream. In again came the police and everyone’s getting dragged up and interrogated about it. Now that is serious. I’m glad I’m gone. Clearly the majority of warehouse staff they had there were the pure blood descendants of those we shipped off for correctional purposes. Fully mental. They have an onsite psychologist and stuff for the warehouse folks. Mmmm-yeah. Out of there.
Other than working I’ve started up dance classes again. So far I’ve done 3 classes. I did contemporary ballet on Wednesday and hip hop then break last night. It’s nice to be dancing again although I’ve spent so long dancing freestyle and choreographing my own stuff that it’s going to take a fair while for me to get back into the swing of learning someone else’s choreography, especially as I have a tendency to do what feels right for me, which is fine in a free movement style of dance, but no good for contemporary or ballet which is all technique and posture rather than “flow”. Tomorrow I have my first ballet class in about 4 years so that should be interesting. Break was good though. I’ve never studied it before and got my timetable mixed up and ended up in an intermediate class rather than beginners, so it was pretty tough but I loved it. Learnt a few freezes, just got to practice because my “freeze arm” is my left one which is my weaker one so it’s hard to try and hold all my weight on it. After that I was feeling all fidgety and couldn’t deal with being all cooped up in our crappy dorm room and Lauren was at the pub playing pool which I wasn’t interested in so I went out for a run. Ended up getting really, really lost and had to ask a police officer how to get back to Roma Street. She looked at me like I was mad and said, it’s really far. I ended up being gone for over an hour and I’d only intended to do a couple of miles. My body is a bit sore today.
Lauren is still on the job hunt but she’s not so bored now because she’s been hanging out with these guys Adrian and Simon. Simon works at the hostel. We came across Adrian on Wednesday night when I waded in a broke up a fight. Lauren has been bored senseless because I’m at work all day and so she’s got nothing to do and because we’ve not really been socializing with our hostel lot there’s not really anyone to hang out with. But I was hungry so we went to get food and go have a drink to get her some fresh air before she turns into a vamp. Ended up in Subway were there were these two Californian guys ordering. One of them was weirding out Lauren a bit, gave her a funny wave or something. Anyways I get my wrap and go take a seat down the street on a bench. On the bench next to us the weird Californian is trying to start a fight with his mate. Eventually punches begin and I’m shouting at them to stop. There are about 8 guys all watching this occur and no-one does anything. So I thrust my wrap at Lauren, march over and pull them apart shouting at this idiot to get a grip. I was all Mummy Rabbit…“How old are you?” “19” “Well then act like it. Don’t be getting drunk and brawling in the street like you’re some silly little 13 year old.” “But he’s trying to get me in trouble.” “I don’t care he’s your mate, you don’t hit your mates especially not when they’ve just been nice enough to buy you a sandwich.”Ha, when I think about it I must have looked quite silly. I was wearing my new spunky graffiti leggings that look like a child has drawn all over my legs and a little red dress over the top, lecturing this bloke to grow up dressed like a children’s TV presenter. You would have been amused Kel. Anyways they then started discussing the issues and Adrian came over and started talking to us about the perils of drink. The drunken buffoon then stormed off declaring he was “leaving forever” got as far as the other side of the road and came back stopped in the middle of the road halting a bus, before walking into the next lane of traffic where a 4x4 was cruising along at some respectable Aussie speed unable to see him for the bus and I’m screaming “NOOOOO”. The 4x4 breaks and there’s a crunch and somehow this twat doesn’t get smashed. He them meanders over to his sandwich that he’s left on the floor picks it up starts eating it and off the pair trot. So we bonded with Adrian over this guys brush with death and the sharp side of my tongue.We went to a bar, I ended up rather tidily rather quickly, we watched a bunch of Marines do an appalling striptease and I sidled off home as I had to be up for work leaving Lauren with Adrian. He’s coming over for the roast I’m making on Sunday to celebrate moving into our new house. I’m so excited about vegetables I can’t begin to explain to you. Lauren went to the lagoon with him yesterday and then the cinema with Simon then played pool last night. I think we’re going to the cinema tonight. Although it may be that party tonight? This means I won’t be in a fit state for ballet tomorrow, so I’m hoping that the party is on Saturday night, especially as we’ll have a fit roast to cure the hangover. Tom and Lucy are coming for roast too.
Oh I’m so excited!
Sunday, 11 May 2008
For my beloved Mazzy Scot Face...
You finally came to me.
Muddied Waters
Your life was written in my silences, the shudders of my breaths. You asked for words I told you I could not give, but they were always lying beneath the surface still and stretched for what I could not say and so to thin to grasp. Until now. Now in this heartbeat I can hold your ideals
I can wonder upon what you can do with all that you have. And I wonder this. Fixtures can only hold for so long eventually the broken must be replaced. Be it a thought, a life, a friend or your own sometimes to much can pass to enable your happiness thus destroying that which you need to feel alive. That is needed to guide your own tour of life because without a map your journey will forever increase, as will the ache in your heart as if connected to the feet that tire from walking the long way round to your centre. So rest awhile, look for yourself and assess how you wish to get there rather than walking blindly under the misguided direction of others. See the beauty you could provide if you only took your own time, not theirs. Live your life, make your own mistakes and when you need that rest, reach out and find my shoulder there for you to place your head upon. For it will be there. Free of charge, no questions asked only solace and arms that will do their best to relieve that ache and help with the weight you carry.
Love you.x
Muddied Waters
Your life was written in my silences, the shudders of my breaths. You asked for words I told you I could not give, but they were always lying beneath the surface still and stretched for what I could not say and so to thin to grasp. Until now. Now in this heartbeat I can hold your ideals
I can wonder upon what you can do with all that you have. And I wonder this. Fixtures can only hold for so long eventually the broken must be replaced. Be it a thought, a life, a friend or your own sometimes to much can pass to enable your happiness thus destroying that which you need to feel alive. That is needed to guide your own tour of life because without a map your journey will forever increase, as will the ache in your heart as if connected to the feet that tire from walking the long way round to your centre. So rest awhile, look for yourself and assess how you wish to get there rather than walking blindly under the misguided direction of others. See the beauty you could provide if you only took your own time, not theirs. Live your life, make your own mistakes and when you need that rest, reach out and find my shoulder there for you to place your head upon. For it will be there. Free of charge, no questions asked only solace and arms that will do their best to relieve that ache and help with the weight you carry.
Love you.x
Beach Boys Reprive...
On Saturday we left the comfort and beauty of Pam & Phils house for the most horrific hostel we've come across yet. Cloud 9 Brisbane, stay away folks! Checked in and got out of here. We went to Surfers Paradise and well, we learnt to surf. We're naturals it's fab. Both of us managed to stand up and ride in. I even managed to ride to the end of a fair few waves and get down off the board as opposed to falling off. It's so much fun, but my muscles are still aching. Going to go again this weekend and hire boards for the day and practice as opposed to having lessons. The guys there said that you've got to practice what you learnt in the lesson and when you're good at it then have your 2nd lesson. I may have found a brand new passion. I got my belly button pierced afterwards, it bled loads and there's a big bruise and it hurts a fair bit. but it commemorates the day so that's pretty cool. Next body modification is a tatoo. I'm pretty sure I know what i'm going to get and it'll be behind my other ear I think. A can imagine a fair few eyebrows will raise at it, but that'll be because I won't be explaining the story behind it. It's going to be my secret tatoo. All mine, har-har-har-har-har!
On the train home we met an Irish guy who was a good laugh. He was pretty good looking too. Had that cute Irish charm of a smile. Will probably see him around again as he's told us the best pubs and I imagine we'll frequent them soon enough. It's a two hour journey to the beach, but a 40 min drive (next time we're going to hire a car) so we were knackered by the time we got home and allowed going out in favour of GOON! (that cheap and nasty wine that gets you plastered and every single backpacker drinks it. Only I quite like it. Cheap and nasty, yep that's me!) sat up on the roof garden at our hostel with some crazy Glaswegians that we met having a million debates about what was better England or Scotland. Me and Lauren were severely outnumbered, but I fought the good fight as ever. There was a real idiot of a girl there from Glasgow, but went to boarding school in England. So she has a weird plum in mouth with a Scottish twang that makes her sound like a dick. The added incentive of her trying to have a debate with me about the merits of London living as opposed to country living, when she "goes to London all the time, like twice a year" made me feel better about my intense dislike of her and her misconception that she actually knows what she's on about. Because she didn't. She was a public school girl who Mummy and Daddy paid to get into a "good scool" rather than actually earning her way in with her brains. We then smoozied down to a mad girls bedroom where I showed them all what mad clothing was. Everyone loves my rave hoody, but my new leggings are definately winning in the style stakes.
Anyhow we suffered yesterday. Went and got breakfast (I had a YUMMY vegetable fritter for a bargain of $7.50) then I went and bought some shirts for work and shoes, which did the job because I got an immediate placement at my first agency interview today. Start tomorrow for the rest of the week, probably next week also. At least i'll be busy all day because there's nothing to do in this entire city (which is why we're staying here because we'll save!) let alone this hostel. Honestly it's bad. I'm refusing to cook here because the kitchen is so awful. And we're in a huge dorm with smelly boys. And they're not even cute! I am actually yet to see anyone who is OH MY GOD GORGEOUS here. Was ok Saturday night because we had the Scottish, but now they're all German and Chinese. And i'm pretty sure the Chinese dude is a bit special, he reminds me of Wong Foo or whatever his name is out of John Hughes Sixteen Candles. All smiley, guppy faces and mismashed English. Can't wait to get into our flat.
We're going to go surfing again on Saturday I think and then we're going to Wee Rabs (one of the Scottish guys, he's called Robbie but Rabs is like a Scottish version of Rob apparantly) housewarming. Unless he has the party on Friday night, in which case we'll be recovering on Saturday and moving house on Sunday. I've promised LAuren a roast dinner on Sunday and i'm looking forward to that more than the party or another shot at surfing. Roast potatoes, gravy and VEGETABLES! Oh how I miss them. Been eating so much junk because that's pretty much whats on offer everywhere and me and Lauren have been trying to stay out of Pams way in the kitchen so eating pasta bake and other culinary delights that require no prep work.
Oh and Happy Birthday Chocolate Boy. Gutted I missed it, but I did learn to surf instead. You sounded like you had a good time anyways.
Ciao for now.
()()
(",)
x xx x
On the train home we met an Irish guy who was a good laugh. He was pretty good looking too. Had that cute Irish charm of a smile. Will probably see him around again as he's told us the best pubs and I imagine we'll frequent them soon enough. It's a two hour journey to the beach, but a 40 min drive (next time we're going to hire a car) so we were knackered by the time we got home and allowed going out in favour of GOON! (that cheap and nasty wine that gets you plastered and every single backpacker drinks it. Only I quite like it. Cheap and nasty, yep that's me!) sat up on the roof garden at our hostel with some crazy Glaswegians that we met having a million debates about what was better England or Scotland. Me and Lauren were severely outnumbered, but I fought the good fight as ever. There was a real idiot of a girl there from Glasgow, but went to boarding school in England. So she has a weird plum in mouth with a Scottish twang that makes her sound like a dick. The added incentive of her trying to have a debate with me about the merits of London living as opposed to country living, when she "goes to London all the time, like twice a year" made me feel better about my intense dislike of her and her misconception that she actually knows what she's on about. Because she didn't. She was a public school girl who Mummy and Daddy paid to get into a "good scool" rather than actually earning her way in with her brains. We then smoozied down to a mad girls bedroom where I showed them all what mad clothing was. Everyone loves my rave hoody, but my new leggings are definately winning in the style stakes.
Anyhow we suffered yesterday. Went and got breakfast (I had a YUMMY vegetable fritter for a bargain of $7.50) then I went and bought some shirts for work and shoes, which did the job because I got an immediate placement at my first agency interview today. Start tomorrow for the rest of the week, probably next week also. At least i'll be busy all day because there's nothing to do in this entire city (which is why we're staying here because we'll save!) let alone this hostel. Honestly it's bad. I'm refusing to cook here because the kitchen is so awful. And we're in a huge dorm with smelly boys. And they're not even cute! I am actually yet to see anyone who is OH MY GOD GORGEOUS here. Was ok Saturday night because we had the Scottish, but now they're all German and Chinese. And i'm pretty sure the Chinese dude is a bit special, he reminds me of Wong Foo or whatever his name is out of John Hughes Sixteen Candles. All smiley, guppy faces and mismashed English. Can't wait to get into our flat.
We're going to go surfing again on Saturday I think and then we're going to Wee Rabs (one of the Scottish guys, he's called Robbie but Rabs is like a Scottish version of Rob apparantly) housewarming. Unless he has the party on Friday night, in which case we'll be recovering on Saturday and moving house on Sunday. I've promised LAuren a roast dinner on Sunday and i'm looking forward to that more than the party or another shot at surfing. Roast potatoes, gravy and VEGETABLES! Oh how I miss them. Been eating so much junk because that's pretty much whats on offer everywhere and me and Lauren have been trying to stay out of Pams way in the kitchen so eating pasta bake and other culinary delights that require no prep work.
Oh and Happy Birthday Chocolate Boy. Gutted I missed it, but I did learn to surf instead. You sounded like you had a good time anyways.
Ciao for now.
()()
(",)
x xx x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
