It's 7:29pm on Friday night in Auckland.
I've arrived! I don't have much time to write since I'm on some pre-paid internet usage thing (and since I'm exhausted and hungry), but I wanted all of you to know that I made it to New Zealand!!!!
I've got to tell you a little bit about last night before I go into today...I got back last night from taking a shower (so I didn't have to get up earlier than 4:30am to get the airport) and I had a new roommate in the room! Her name is Erin and she was super excited that I was going to New Zealand since she considers herself a Kiwi (all New Zealander's are called Kiwi's...fyi). She was born in Australia, but grew up in NZ and still loves it! She called herself a gypsy since she hasn't lived anywhere for more than a year for a long time. She was most definitely the most unique person I have met thus far. She talked really fast and reminded me ( I just figured out who) of how quick Cambree used to talk back in like 6th grade...Oh, I just realized most of you don't know who that is. Anyways, it was funny seeing her interact with Marika! Haha, let's just say there were two opinionated people that didn't see eye to eye...
Anyways, the thing just buzzed so I got to go! More later, I promise!
-Lisa
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Last Day in Sydney!
It's 3:47pm on Thursday and I'm getting ready to fly to New Zealand tomorrow!!! My flight leaves bright and early at 7am and I'm flying on Air New Zealand. I arrive in Auckland at 12pm and the time bumps up another 2 hours....so this means that I'm about 19 hours ahead of everyone on the west coast!!! Whoa! Anyway, I'm staying at the City Garden Lodge...so we'll see how that goes. It has high ratings and is pretty cheap, which is what I'm looking for. I've already sent out a few applications and I'm just super stoked to get my butt out of here and start a job! It's going to be a bit cooler...but hopefully it won't last long!
I'll write to you all tomorrow or over the weekend once I have some New Zealand stories. But for now...it's back to the laundry and packing and all that fun stuff!
-Lisa
I'll write to you all tomorrow or over the weekend once I have some New Zealand stories. But for now...it's back to the laundry and packing and all that fun stuff!
-Lisa
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Yet another wonderful day exploring Sydney!
It's 6:41pm on Wednesday...
I didn't write about yesterday because I didn't really do anything super great. I kind of hung out, finished my book, ate 2 fabulous meals (pad thai and a stracchieta--which is a flatbread/pizza--at one of the best Bakeries in Sydney according to Marika) and spent some time in the park. But there was one more awesome thing to point out...they had what they call a "blood moon" here! Basically is was some type of rare eclipse that turns the moon red! It was amazing! I tried to take a picture...but that definitely didn't work. It took about 1 and a half hours last night, so I kept getting up and looking at the window.
Today I woke up decided that I wanted to follow another one of Marika's suggestions by going to Palm Beach. Palm beach is way north of Sydney, and is apparently where all of the British tourists go because there's an Australian Soap Opera that is famous in England and is filmed there. The bus ride is about 1 hour and 40 minutes, but I definitely didn't mind because I was able to see so much of the coast and North Sydney on the ride. The beach was beautiful, of course! But it was different than the Southern beaches in that the sand was a darker color. I could also tell that this area was more upper class than Bondi or Coogee. I put my feet in the water (and some of my pants on accident) and then decided to ride back and stop at some of the towns along the way. I bought the bus ticket and then asked if it would be all right if I got off at some of the stops, but then got back on the same bus back to Central station. Nope. That's not how it works in Sydney. Next plan...
I got off at Central Station and decided I want to go East through the Surry Hills area, past Moore Park where the rugby and cricket stadiums are and maybe I'd end up in Randwick. Randwick is the area I passed on the bus back from Coogee beach the other day. Well after walking up a couple of hills and through a couple of miles (not exaggerating) of Centennial Park, I climbed another hill and found Randwick! This was about 2 and 1/2 hours later. So it was about 4pm and I hadn't ate since 10am and that was a muffin. I finally decided on some Doner and then maybe dessert! For those of you that don't know, Doner is basically lamb that is slowly cooked on a long metal rod and then placed in a gyro-style wrap with veggies. Sounds weird and looks gross, but is absolutely amazing! Just ask my brother! Anyway, this was still good but not near as good as I remember the Doner in Paris to be. It was kind of salty. So I had already decided that I would have to take the bus back, but I really wanted one of the miniature desserts I kept seeing all over the city. The place was called "The Sweet Spot" and every single thing looked amazing! I had to have the gal working come onto my side of the counter and tell me what everything was. I ended up having what she called a "Banofee" because it was a banana, cream and toffee tart. WOW! I actually took a picture...you'll see it! It was so amazing I wish I could send one to all of you!
Here are the pictures from today:
-Lisa
I didn't write about yesterday because I didn't really do anything super great. I kind of hung out, finished my book, ate 2 fabulous meals (pad thai and a stracchieta--which is a flatbread/pizza--at one of the best Bakeries in Sydney according to Marika) and spent some time in the park. But there was one more awesome thing to point out...they had what they call a "blood moon" here! Basically is was some type of rare eclipse that turns the moon red! It was amazing! I tried to take a picture...but that definitely didn't work. It took about 1 and a half hours last night, so I kept getting up and looking at the window.
Today I woke up decided that I wanted to follow another one of Marika's suggestions by going to Palm Beach. Palm beach is way north of Sydney, and is apparently where all of the British tourists go because there's an Australian Soap Opera that is famous in England and is filmed there. The bus ride is about 1 hour and 40 minutes, but I definitely didn't mind because I was able to see so much of the coast and North Sydney on the ride. The beach was beautiful, of course! But it was different than the Southern beaches in that the sand was a darker color. I could also tell that this area was more upper class than Bondi or Coogee. I put my feet in the water (and some of my pants on accident) and then decided to ride back and stop at some of the towns along the way. I bought the bus ticket and then asked if it would be all right if I got off at some of the stops, but then got back on the same bus back to Central station. Nope. That's not how it works in Sydney. Next plan...
I got off at Central Station and decided I want to go East through the Surry Hills area, past Moore Park where the rugby and cricket stadiums are and maybe I'd end up in Randwick. Randwick is the area I passed on the bus back from Coogee beach the other day. Well after walking up a couple of hills and through a couple of miles (not exaggerating) of Centennial Park, I climbed another hill and found Randwick! This was about 2 and 1/2 hours later. So it was about 4pm and I hadn't ate since 10am and that was a muffin. I finally decided on some Doner and then maybe dessert! For those of you that don't know, Doner is basically lamb that is slowly cooked on a long metal rod and then placed in a gyro-style wrap with veggies. Sounds weird and looks gross, but is absolutely amazing! Just ask my brother! Anyway, this was still good but not near as good as I remember the Doner in Paris to be. It was kind of salty. So I had already decided that I would have to take the bus back, but I really wanted one of the miniature desserts I kept seeing all over the city. The place was called "The Sweet Spot" and every single thing looked amazing! I had to have the gal working come onto my side of the counter and tell me what everything was. I ended up having what she called a "Banofee" because it was a banana, cream and toffee tart. WOW! I actually took a picture...you'll see it! It was so amazing I wish I could send one to all of you!
Here are the pictures from today:
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| Palm Beach and Eastern Walk |
-Lisa
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Pictures!
I'm having a rough time trying to get all my pictures uploaded onto this blog, so I decided to use the photo album option that's attached to my gmail account called "Picasa". This way you can click on the picture and see it up close/bigger. Here's the link to all of the albums I created (so far):
Hopefully this works! I'll keep putting pictures up there and hopefully I'll put a link in future blog posts that can link to specific albums. I haven't put any captions on the pictures yet either...that'll be later too!
-Lisa
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| First Week in Sydney |
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| Coastal Walk |
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| Parramatta River Ferry Ride |
Hopefully this works! I'll keep putting pictures up there and hopefully I'll put a link in future blog posts that can link to specific albums. I haven't put any captions on the pictures yet either...that'll be later too!
-Lisa
Monday, August 27, 2007
The Ocean
It's Monday night at 9:02pm! I woke up to more sunshine this morning, which definitely put a smile on my face. Once I finally got going, I went for breakfast at the cafe (James Pitt's) around the corner. I can't believe I hadn't noticed it before! After a cappuccino and a bacon and egg roll I made some phone calls and other necessary crap like seeing if my phone will work in New Zealand...yes, but I have to buy another SIM card there and I have to pay a large unlocking fee. I also found out that I should hear about my visa in 1-5 business days, so I'll definitely know sometime this week! Whew!
After getting my butt in gear, I grabbed my suit and a towel and took off for Bondi beach again! It had to have reached 80 here today because I was warm in my tank top and skirt. Marika told me about this great hike/walk along the coast from Bondi beach to Coogee beach, so I figured that would be something fun to do today. Oh my God! If any of you ever come to visit Australia, this walk is on the top of your list along with seeing the Opera House! It was that awesome!!! I took a ton of pictures and there wasn't a cloud in the sky so it was just a beautiful day. I passed quite a few beaches and walkers/joggers/and hikers of all ages. It took me about an hour and a half or maybe 2 hours, but I was walking at a leisurely pace and I stopped several times to take in the moment. It was as beautiful as Malibu (in California), but without all the smog! So even better! I definitely saw some of the neatest houses I've ever seen too. At one point I was walking through a quiet area with a lot of vegetation on the hill side and I heard some sort of slithering sound. I was like, WTF is that? I looked down and there was this snake-like salamander that was literally slithering on the ground! It must have been as long as my forearm, or just under a foot long! I've got a picture so I'll try and put it up ASAP!
I finally finished the walk and got my legs into the water for a few minutes--it was still freezing--and then tried to decide what I was going to do next. I ended up going to this cafe, another thing Marika told me about--that is just off Coogee beach, and is called "Five-o" because they have a bunch of meals for just $5! She said the food was good too, so I decided to check it out. I got a side salad and a huge piece of lasagna...for $5! It was like I was in Vegas or something...
After eating I hopped on a bus all the way back to Circular Quay. I decided that since I bought the Daytripper pass I should use all of it's capabilities and get on another ferry for a trip around the harbour. Of course, being me I decided not to do the short trip but to take the longest one offered so I could see all of the harbour. The sun was setting and I didn't really think it was going to take too long...almost 3 hours later I got off the damn ferry, completely freezing my butt off! We went half way up a river for gosh sakes. I'm just glad I had already eaten or I would have been dying. The first half of the ferry ride was pretty cool though...it's fun too see all of the harbour lit up at night.
I'll try and post the pictures soon...
-Lisa
After getting my butt in gear, I grabbed my suit and a towel and took off for Bondi beach again! It had to have reached 80 here today because I was warm in my tank top and skirt. Marika told me about this great hike/walk along the coast from Bondi beach to Coogee beach, so I figured that would be something fun to do today. Oh my God! If any of you ever come to visit Australia, this walk is on the top of your list along with seeing the Opera House! It was that awesome!!! I took a ton of pictures and there wasn't a cloud in the sky so it was just a beautiful day. I passed quite a few beaches and walkers/joggers/and hikers of all ages. It took me about an hour and a half or maybe 2 hours, but I was walking at a leisurely pace and I stopped several times to take in the moment. It was as beautiful as Malibu (in California), but without all the smog! So even better! I definitely saw some of the neatest houses I've ever seen too. At one point I was walking through a quiet area with a lot of vegetation on the hill side and I heard some sort of slithering sound. I was like, WTF is that? I looked down and there was this snake-like salamander that was literally slithering on the ground! It must have been as long as my forearm, or just under a foot long! I've got a picture so I'll try and put it up ASAP!
I finally finished the walk and got my legs into the water for a few minutes--it was still freezing--and then tried to decide what I was going to do next. I ended up going to this cafe, another thing Marika told me about--that is just off Coogee beach, and is called "Five-o" because they have a bunch of meals for just $5! She said the food was good too, so I decided to check it out. I got a side salad and a huge piece of lasagna...for $5! It was like I was in Vegas or something...
After eating I hopped on a bus all the way back to Circular Quay. I decided that since I bought the Daytripper pass I should use all of it's capabilities and get on another ferry for a trip around the harbour. Of course, being me I decided not to do the short trip but to take the longest one offered so I could see all of the harbour. The sun was setting and I didn't really think it was going to take too long...almost 3 hours later I got off the damn ferry, completely freezing my butt off! We went half way up a river for gosh sakes. I'm just glad I had already eaten or I would have been dying. The first half of the ferry ride was pretty cool though...it's fun too see all of the harbour lit up at night.
I'll try and post the pictures soon...
-Lisa
Sunday, August 26, 2007
The First Sunny Day!
It's Sunday at 9:27pm and I am happy to have a friendly roommate! Her name is Marika and she's from the Netherlands. She's been in Sydney 2 and 1/2 years!!! She's going to the University (she never finished Undergrad earlier) and she's literally travelled everywhere. She's going into International Politics and she has already rattled off a shit load of info about Australia's government and laws, along with American policy! Very interesting...
I woke up to the church bells ringing this morning and cloudless sky! I'm sure it reached somewhere in the mid 70s today! I finally got going and decided to walk around in the sunshine until I decided what I wanted to do. I ended up strolling all the way down to the botanical gardens again and I just layed out on the grass and read my book. I can't tell you how awesome that was! There were tons of boats/yachts out on the harbour and everyone else was definitely either in the park or walking around the harbour. I decided that it would be really nice sometime in the future (when I have a ton of money), to rent a yacht for a month and drive it around Australia and New Zealand. Who wants to join me?!
When I finally sat up, I felt light headed and figured it was because I hadn't ate since like 9am (it was 2:30). I decided I would try and find the cheapest meal on the warf since I wanted to continue looking at the ocean. I scarfed down a sandwich and fries as I watched all the people walking on and off ferries. I've noticed that there are a lot of trendy girls, more girls than guys (at least it seems that way), and a lot of bad hair...but it's still better than the hair in Europe. I've also noticed:
-They use pumpkin in everything and there isn't one restaurant that doesn't have pumpkin soup.
-They use avocados alot...which is awesome!
-Every residential building I pass smells like curry.
-I didn't hear any American accents until yesterday at Bondi Beach.
So then I got on a bus, walked around the Queen Victoria Building and saw a movie before I came back to the Hostel. If I ever make any money "down under" I've decided I really want some opal earrings! There are opals and pearls everywhere. I saw the movie that came out in the states like a million years ago--"Amazing Grace." It's about the guy that abolished slave trade in England...very good! I once again just wanted to sit down for awhile and since there isn't a tv/vcr/dvd at the hostel, I went to the movies again. So it doesn't seem like I did much today, but maybe that's because I walked slower and I can tell because this is like the first day they haven't ached.
Anyway, I'm going back up to watch some more crappy Aussie soaps with Marika. Oh! But before I go, she told me a couple of things:
-There's this spider here called "Huntington" or something like that, that's as big as my hand and it's bite hurts really bad...but that's it. Ha! That's it? She said, "Well it doesn't kill you or anything." Ha...
-Apparently the Prime Minister here (Howard?) is called Bush's little cousin because he just copies everything our President does. And...Bush is supposed to be here in like a week and a half which apparently sucks because they literally have to shut down all of Sydney.
-And...she told me that an appeal or something is happening within the next couple of weeks to make things easier for Americans to travel/work in Australia! Ha! I might end up back here anyway!
Ok, that's all for now! Good night!
-Lisa
I woke up to the church bells ringing this morning and cloudless sky! I'm sure it reached somewhere in the mid 70s today! I finally got going and decided to walk around in the sunshine until I decided what I wanted to do. I ended up strolling all the way down to the botanical gardens again and I just layed out on the grass and read my book. I can't tell you how awesome that was! There were tons of boats/yachts out on the harbour and everyone else was definitely either in the park or walking around the harbour. I decided that it would be really nice sometime in the future (when I have a ton of money), to rent a yacht for a month and drive it around Australia and New Zealand. Who wants to join me?!
When I finally sat up, I felt light headed and figured it was because I hadn't ate since like 9am (it was 2:30). I decided I would try and find the cheapest meal on the warf since I wanted to continue looking at the ocean. I scarfed down a sandwich and fries as I watched all the people walking on and off ferries. I've noticed that there are a lot of trendy girls, more girls than guys (at least it seems that way), and a lot of bad hair...but it's still better than the hair in Europe. I've also noticed:
-They use pumpkin in everything and there isn't one restaurant that doesn't have pumpkin soup.
-They use avocados alot...which is awesome!
-Every residential building I pass smells like curry.
-I didn't hear any American accents until yesterday at Bondi Beach.
So then I got on a bus, walked around the Queen Victoria Building and saw a movie before I came back to the Hostel. If I ever make any money "down under" I've decided I really want some opal earrings! There are opals and pearls everywhere. I saw the movie that came out in the states like a million years ago--"Amazing Grace." It's about the guy that abolished slave trade in England...very good! I once again just wanted to sit down for awhile and since there isn't a tv/vcr/dvd at the hostel, I went to the movies again. So it doesn't seem like I did much today, but maybe that's because I walked slower and I can tell because this is like the first day they haven't ached.
Anyway, I'm going back up to watch some more crappy Aussie soaps with Marika. Oh! But before I go, she told me a couple of things:
-There's this spider here called "Huntington" or something like that, that's as big as my hand and it's bite hurts really bad...but that's it. Ha! That's it? She said, "Well it doesn't kill you or anything." Ha...
-Apparently the Prime Minister here (Howard?) is called Bush's little cousin because he just copies everything our President does. And...Bush is supposed to be here in like a week and a half which apparently sucks because they literally have to shut down all of Sydney.
-And...she told me that an appeal or something is happening within the next couple of weeks to make things easier for Americans to travel/work in Australia! Ha! I might end up back here anyway!
Ok, that's all for now! Good night!
-Lisa
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Saturday's Adventures
It's Saturday at 8:22pm now! I just went and to grab some food and figure out what I was going to do tonight. I headed toward Town Hall/QVB building because there always seems to be a lot of people and a lot going on. Well, it was almost all closed up but I found this amazing store! It was called something like "Woolworths" and it was like a Fred Meyer or something because it had everything in it! And it was 4 stories!!! Everything was priced really low too. I decided I needed something healthy since I hadn't had anything to great today. I ended up with a tupperware dish filled with 7 or 8 cooked chicken thighs (for $5), a thing of 4 different european cheeses (for $5.80) and a container with celery sticks, carrots and cherry tomatoes! All together, it was under $15 for probably more than 3 meals. I was very proud of my budgeting capabilities!
Okay, so I should have started with how I began my day, but first I forgot to tell you all how much the movie cost me last night: $12.50! WTF???!!!! That was the student price too! Anyway, I got up this morning and extended my stay at Alfred Park another night (I'm going to have to do that tomorrow too) just because it's easier to stay here than find another spot. They told me I had to move rooms though, to another all female room with one more girl. It's all the way at the top, bigger than the last one, but I can't hook up to the internet for some reason.
After moving everything I walked down to Central and got on the train to Bondi Junction. I was not about to leave Sydney without seeing this super famous surfing beach! I took the bus from the station down to the beach, which was awesome!!! The weather was actually pretty nice and there were a bunch of people out surfing. The waves weren't very big, but they all had full-on wet/dry suits. I took my shoes off and walked on some of the best sand I've ever touched...it was soooo soft! The water was really cold too. There were some great-looking cafes and restaurants down by the beach along with some fun surf shops. I took some great pictures so I'll get them up here A.S.A.P.
The other thing I really wanted to do today was ride on one of the ferries in Sydney harbour because my little transportation pass allowed it! I took the bus all the way back down to the harbour, passing a great area that I'll come back to. I just took the North Shore ferry that looped around something like Normal bay. I totally can't remember the name. Anyway, it was sweet! There were sailboats anchored everywhere and the condo/apartment buildings overlooking the water are awesome! The stops that the ferry made were at little docks where a couple people would hop on or get off. You would seriously have to be skilled to captain one of these boats.
Once I got back to the wharf I decided I really wanted to go back to the area I had passed on the bus: Oxford street and the Paddington area/suburb. There was this market (which in all originality was called "Paddington Market") that was set up by the church. I can't even explain how awesome it was! There were unique/hand made clothes by local designers, some of the best silver and beaded jewelry I've ever seen, Paintings, photos, food...and it was all multicultural and quality stuff! I looked at everything and then had to get out of there because I knew I could seriously do damage to the amount of funds I have. I continued to walk down Oxford street, stopping only to grab a cup of blood orange juice (naturally). This was definitely the hip and fun part of Sydney. I saw the University of New South Wales close by and just a billion different shops, boutiques and cafes.
I made it back to the Circular Quay station and came back to the hostel. That's when I wrote the last blog and checked out the room (which had 3 other girls in it). Now I'm back and 2 of the girls left and one is still here. She leaves early tomorrow morning and she has the heat cranked on so it's like 85 or more f-ing degrees in the room! How am I supposed to sleep in that? Anyway...there are a couple more random things I've noticed here:
-One of the suburbs is named "Tempe"
-The Sydney rugby team is called "The Sydney Swans"
Well, that's it for today!
-Lisa
Okay, so I should have started with how I began my day, but first I forgot to tell you all how much the movie cost me last night: $12.50! WTF???!!!! That was the student price too! Anyway, I got up this morning and extended my stay at Alfred Park another night (I'm going to have to do that tomorrow too) just because it's easier to stay here than find another spot. They told me I had to move rooms though, to another all female room with one more girl. It's all the way at the top, bigger than the last one, but I can't hook up to the internet for some reason.
After moving everything I walked down to Central and got on the train to Bondi Junction. I was not about to leave Sydney without seeing this super famous surfing beach! I took the bus from the station down to the beach, which was awesome!!! The weather was actually pretty nice and there were a bunch of people out surfing. The waves weren't very big, but they all had full-on wet/dry suits. I took my shoes off and walked on some of the best sand I've ever touched...it was soooo soft! The water was really cold too. There were some great-looking cafes and restaurants down by the beach along with some fun surf shops. I took some great pictures so I'll get them up here A.S.A.P.
The other thing I really wanted to do today was ride on one of the ferries in Sydney harbour because my little transportation pass allowed it! I took the bus all the way back down to the harbour, passing a great area that I'll come back to. I just took the North Shore ferry that looped around something like Normal bay. I totally can't remember the name. Anyway, it was sweet! There were sailboats anchored everywhere and the condo/apartment buildings overlooking the water are awesome! The stops that the ferry made were at little docks where a couple people would hop on or get off. You would seriously have to be skilled to captain one of these boats.
Once I got back to the wharf I decided I really wanted to go back to the area I had passed on the bus: Oxford street and the Paddington area/suburb. There was this market (which in all originality was called "Paddington Market") that was set up by the church. I can't even explain how awesome it was! There were unique/hand made clothes by local designers, some of the best silver and beaded jewelry I've ever seen, Paintings, photos, food...and it was all multicultural and quality stuff! I looked at everything and then had to get out of there because I knew I could seriously do damage to the amount of funds I have. I continued to walk down Oxford street, stopping only to grab a cup of blood orange juice (naturally). This was definitely the hip and fun part of Sydney. I saw the University of New South Wales close by and just a billion different shops, boutiques and cafes.
I made it back to the Circular Quay station and came back to the hostel. That's when I wrote the last blog and checked out the room (which had 3 other girls in it). Now I'm back and 2 of the girls left and one is still here. She leaves early tomorrow morning and she has the heat cranked on so it's like 85 or more f-ing degrees in the room! How am I supposed to sleep in that? Anyway...there are a couple more random things I've noticed here:
-One of the suburbs is named "Tempe"
-The Sydney rugby team is called "The Sydney Swans"
Well, that's it for today!
-Lisa
Exploring Sydney
It's Saturday at 5pm...I realized the date and time of all of my posts are completely wrong...oh well! Anyway, yesterday afternoon I took off and went to see the city since I'm supposed to be playing the part of the tourist. I went to Kings Cross first, which is supposedly the red light district of the city and I've heard that it might not be safe for single females at night time. Well, I got there and walked a block through some bars and some sex shops, but then it was over. It wasn't even close to Amsterdam.
I kept walking and then found myself in a posh neighborhood and figured out that I was in Potts Point. Very cool! So I walked through back up to try and find more of Kings Cross (but didn't) and then I stumbled upon Hyde Park and St. Mary's church. The Eastern side of the city has a lot of hills, so that got old quick. I kept walking toward the harbour and passed a lot of older buildings like the Mint and the Australian Parliament. Then I saw the Royal Botanical Gardens, which don't cost any money to see, and definitely took a detour through them. How beautiful! The garden is huge! There were a ton of very different looking trees that seemed like they would have been fun to climb. I kept walking down to the water and then took off toward the Opera House. There were a lot of joggers along the waterfront and I was thinking, I could jog too if I lived close to these gardens!
I kept walking towards the bridge once I passed the Opera House and the whole area was filled with Business men and women enjoying some happy hour at one of the many fabulous eateries! There are condos right there on the wharf, next to the opera house...I bet those are the most expensive condos in all of Australia! I walked up towards The Rocks (the historic district) again and decided to stay next to the water, but walk along the western side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Seriously...the worst decision since I've been here! There wasn't anything but a Theatre and a cliff that blocked me from reaching the civilized side. So I thought it would be a good idea to keep walking and maybe I'd find a bus stop or something...wrong! That bus route was cancelled. I was down by the international ports with my feet aching just wishing for a bus to come by. Finally I reached civilization and found a metro station.
I decided since it was about 6pm and I was exhausted, that maybe I should grab some food and go see a movie! Luckily I picked the right stop to get off and found a sign for Cinemas near by. This was a very American moment because I went to Subway (where they didn't have oil and vinegar?) and then went to the latest Nicolas Cage movie "Next." Everything else playing I had either seen or had no desire to see...I didn't even want to see this, but I really wanted to sit down for a long time. Anyway, the movie theatre was freezing, but the movie was actually pretty good! It was fun listening to the Australian audience react to the action parts. Oh and get this, while I was waiting for it to start, the Asian gal in front of me was snipping her nails! Ha! In the movie theatre! Oh and another weird thing, bell peppers are called "capiscum." Whatever that means...
Anyway, that was my Friday night! I'll update you later on today's adventures!
-Lisa
I kept walking and then found myself in a posh neighborhood and figured out that I was in Potts Point. Very cool! So I walked through back up to try and find more of Kings Cross (but didn't) and then I stumbled upon Hyde Park and St. Mary's church. The Eastern side of the city has a lot of hills, so that got old quick. I kept walking toward the harbour and passed a lot of older buildings like the Mint and the Australian Parliament. Then I saw the Royal Botanical Gardens, which don't cost any money to see, and definitely took a detour through them. How beautiful! The garden is huge! There were a ton of very different looking trees that seemed like they would have been fun to climb. I kept walking down to the water and then took off toward the Opera House. There were a lot of joggers along the waterfront and I was thinking, I could jog too if I lived close to these gardens!
I kept walking towards the bridge once I passed the Opera House and the whole area was filled with Business men and women enjoying some happy hour at one of the many fabulous eateries! There are condos right there on the wharf, next to the opera house...I bet those are the most expensive condos in all of Australia! I walked up towards The Rocks (the historic district) again and decided to stay next to the water, but walk along the western side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Seriously...the worst decision since I've been here! There wasn't anything but a Theatre and a cliff that blocked me from reaching the civilized side. So I thought it would be a good idea to keep walking and maybe I'd find a bus stop or something...wrong! That bus route was cancelled. I was down by the international ports with my feet aching just wishing for a bus to come by. Finally I reached civilization and found a metro station.
I decided since it was about 6pm and I was exhausted, that maybe I should grab some food and go see a movie! Luckily I picked the right stop to get off and found a sign for Cinemas near by. This was a very American moment because I went to Subway (where they didn't have oil and vinegar?) and then went to the latest Nicolas Cage movie "Next." Everything else playing I had either seen or had no desire to see...I didn't even want to see this, but I really wanted to sit down for a long time. Anyway, the movie theatre was freezing, but the movie was actually pretty good! It was fun listening to the Australian audience react to the action parts. Oh and get this, while I was waiting for it to start, the Asian gal in front of me was snipping her nails! Ha! In the movie theatre! Oh and another weird thing, bell peppers are called "capiscum." Whatever that means...
Anyway, that was my Friday night! I'll update you later on today's adventures!
-Lisa
Friday, August 24, 2007
Here's the twist! 2nd Part of Thurs. up until today (Fri)
Okay, so the George St. Mkting guys told me that I had to apply for a Tax File Number to work in Australia. They gave me the website and told me as long as I had the receipt number, that would work. It takes something like 28 days to get one of these TFNs. So I was having trouble figuring it out and went to the Australian Taxation office to ask some questions. They helped me and I filled everything out online and it didn't go through. It said I wasn't authorized to work in Australia. They told me to go to the Immigration office and figure out my visa situation. So I waited in a couple of long lines there before I started talking with one of their officers. The gal told me that all I had was a tourist visa that enabled me to stay in Australia for 3 months at a time for up to year, but it didn't allow me to work. Australia doesn't give U.S. citizens working holiday visas because it's so hard for Australians to live/work in the US. She said it's easier to get any type of working visa off-shore, but since I was on-shore and wanted to work, the only option was to get a company to sponsor me. If they agreed to this and filled out the paperwork and sent in the money (like $200 or so), it could take 2 weeks to 2 months for them to even look at the documents. Meanwhile I still couldn't work because I would still be considered visiting on a tourist visa.
So after all that b.s. I hurried back to the hostel and had quite the breakdown. What the hell was I supposed to do now? Go back home? Yuck! Meanwhile, Jelena and I had done laundry that morning and seriously f-ed up a good portion of the clothes I had washed! The colors ran together and my new white shirts were grey, my bright green shirt was a mossy/drab green, etc. I did my best at bleaching the white stuff...but let's just say that they're never going to be entirely white again. Also, for some reason my phone wasn't working. I could get a call or call out and people could here me, but I couldn't here anything on my end.
Finally I figured out the phone problems (turn up the volume...um, seriously? I can't believe I just admitted to that!), and called back the guy I had worked with the previous day, Dean. I told him the scenario and how sorry I was and he was super nice about it and told me he would check with his boss to see if they could work something out and told me to make sure I came in the next day with the paperwork. I can't believe he did that because he totally could have just written me off since I hadn't even started. Then Jelena told me that she thought Americans could get Holiday working visas for New Zealand. So at least I had some options at this point and my attitude and mood were definitely turned around for the better!
So I grabbed a small (and I mean really small like 8 inch) pizza from my favorite place so far "Lorenttos," that ended up being excellent, of course! The guys are so Italian they can hardly speak English. Then Jelena and I went out to find some fun pubs and lighten our spirits! We finally found this one "Scruffy McMurphy's" which was having a quiz night! I had some Australian beer that's really popular "Toohey's." Jelena had this weird Irish Cream beer...bad combination. We sat next to this couple from Ireland who had been traveling for a year and were headed back this week by way of Thailand! They were 23 or so and so much fun! I felt right at home with them...maybe since they started their trip in the US. They went to New York, LA and Vegas! haha. We stayed there for awhile and then left because there weren't any cute guys and because there was some creepo guy that was asking Jelena way too many questions about here camera...We ended up going to this live music venue "The Gaelic" for the last band (which was local and kind of alternative/ska/jam band type). They were pretty good too! Finally we came back and I just crashed.
This morning I got up and got ready to go meet with Dean and the boss. Before that though, I went with Jelena (since she had to leave today) to find some breakfast...okay so we finally found some place close and I ordered scrambled eggs with toast and coffee. This cost $8!! I think it was that expensive because we're in the business district and right next to the train station so demand is high. Let's just say I don't need to ever have white bread again...
I walked Jelena to the station on my way to George St. and I literally had to fight back tears when she left! I really don't know what I would have done without her over the last couple days! So I went and met with Dean and the boss and of course Dimitri (the boss) said that they really wouldn't be able to sponsor me--which I completely understand--and he wished me luck. Too bad!
Okay, so now I'm sitting back at the hostel. I just finished applying for a New Zealand working holiday visa (which could last up to a year) and hopefully I'll hear back via e-mail sometime within the next couple of days! Maybe I was really meant to go to New Zealand after all! I just think there's definitely a reason for everything and I maybe I'm just not meant to be in Australia right now...maybe I'm meant to work on the vineyards in New Zealand! Haha...you never know!
I promise I'll let you all know as soon as the next decision is made!
-Lisa
So after all that b.s. I hurried back to the hostel and had quite the breakdown. What the hell was I supposed to do now? Go back home? Yuck! Meanwhile, Jelena and I had done laundry that morning and seriously f-ed up a good portion of the clothes I had washed! The colors ran together and my new white shirts were grey, my bright green shirt was a mossy/drab green, etc. I did my best at bleaching the white stuff...but let's just say that they're never going to be entirely white again. Also, for some reason my phone wasn't working. I could get a call or call out and people could here me, but I couldn't here anything on my end.
Finally I figured out the phone problems (turn up the volume...um, seriously? I can't believe I just admitted to that!), and called back the guy I had worked with the previous day, Dean. I told him the scenario and how sorry I was and he was super nice about it and told me he would check with his boss to see if they could work something out and told me to make sure I came in the next day with the paperwork. I can't believe he did that because he totally could have just written me off since I hadn't even started. Then Jelena told me that she thought Americans could get Holiday working visas for New Zealand. So at least I had some options at this point and my attitude and mood were definitely turned around for the better!
So I grabbed a small (and I mean really small like 8 inch) pizza from my favorite place so far "Lorenttos," that ended up being excellent, of course! The guys are so Italian they can hardly speak English. Then Jelena and I went out to find some fun pubs and lighten our spirits! We finally found this one "Scruffy McMurphy's" which was having a quiz night! I had some Australian beer that's really popular "Toohey's." Jelena had this weird Irish Cream beer...bad combination. We sat next to this couple from Ireland who had been traveling for a year and were headed back this week by way of Thailand! They were 23 or so and so much fun! I felt right at home with them...maybe since they started their trip in the US. They went to New York, LA and Vegas! haha. We stayed there for awhile and then left because there weren't any cute guys and because there was some creepo guy that was asking Jelena way too many questions about here camera...We ended up going to this live music venue "The Gaelic" for the last band (which was local and kind of alternative/ska/jam band type). They were pretty good too! Finally we came back and I just crashed.
This morning I got up and got ready to go meet with Dean and the boss. Before that though, I went with Jelena (since she had to leave today) to find some breakfast...okay so we finally found some place close and I ordered scrambled eggs with toast and coffee. This cost $8!! I think it was that expensive because we're in the business district and right next to the train station so demand is high. Let's just say I don't need to ever have white bread again...
I walked Jelena to the station on my way to George St. and I literally had to fight back tears when she left! I really don't know what I would have done without her over the last couple days! So I went and met with Dean and the boss and of course Dimitri (the boss) said that they really wouldn't be able to sponsor me--which I completely understand--and he wished me luck. Too bad!
Okay, so now I'm sitting back at the hostel. I just finished applying for a New Zealand working holiday visa (which could last up to a year) and hopefully I'll hear back via e-mail sometime within the next couple of days! Maybe I was really meant to go to New Zealand after all! I just think there's definitely a reason for everything and I maybe I'm just not meant to be in Australia right now...maybe I'm meant to work on the vineyards in New Zealand! Haha...you never know!
I promise I'll let you all know as soon as the next decision is made!
-Lisa
Wednesday and the First Half of Thursday
Okay so I just want to start by saying how sorry I am that I haven't posted in a couple of days! It's been a whirlwind!!!
First, I went on the all day interview with the George Street Marketing company on Wednesday and the position was basically sales. I was with a group of four other people and we were in charge of talking to residents in this suburb of Sydney, about donating money to Save The Children, a charity that's really big here in Australia. So believe it or not, I actually really enjoyed myself! We were outside for about 8 hours and the people I worked with were wonderful!!! Two of them were also travelers that had come to Australia to work and just happened to fall into that job and they loved it soooo much, that they stayed! I took that as a good sign that the company was great to work for. We were in the suburb called "Maroubra," which is South East of downtown Sydney. It's pretty close to the beach so we had a great view! Normally I would never have given a job like this--commission-based sales--any sort of thought, but by the end of the day I was psyched! I went back to the office and met with the owner who asked me some questions and then on the spot said, "I don't have any hesitations so do you? Would you like the job?" And I heard myself say Yes! He wanted me to start the next day but I told him I couldn't because I had another appointment (interview), and I could start Friday.
So I came back to the Hostel and couldn't believe I said yes when I had another interview the next morning and the job was only paid on commission! They definitely made me feel comfortable by noting that I wouldn't have to worry for about the first week or so since I'd be training. I talked with Jelena (my Danish/Yugoslavian roommate) about whether or not I should call the other company--that I was supposed to meet with in the morning--and cancel. I decided I would just sleep on it and see if I wanted to get up early and go or not. Also, the Next Generation Group finally called me when I was in Maroubra about a 2nd interview. I had to call them back and tell them I couldn't meet with them at 9 because I had another appointment at 8:30am! The guy was weird about it and said, "okay well I'll have to get back to you." So I thought that was done.
The next morning I got up at about 6:30 and left before 7am to get to the 8:30 interview. I had to take the metro for at least a half hour to one stop, then get out and wait for another metroline to take me to another stop where they told me I would get off and walk for 20 minutes until I found the building. I could see my breath it was so cold! So I got off at this stop (Camellia) which was literally in the middle of nowhere. There was a horse racetrack that I had to some how walk around. I started out going the wrong way for a minute which ended up being cool because I heard the weirdest sounds and I couldn't figure out where they were coming from. I looked up and in the palm tree in front of me, there were some of those Kiwi birds! New Zealand's national bird! Ha! I took pictures so hopefully you'll be able to see them. Anyway, so I got turned around and ended up finding a cab to take me since I had no idea where I was. By the time I made it to the office it was 8:15! So I met with the Marketing Director for Allied Transport about a Marketing Assistant position and she basically came out and said, "After looking at your resume, I don't think this is the right position for you." She went on to say that I was young, probably wanted to travel, should look for event marketing in the city and that this particular job was more of a long-term commitment and probably not what I wanted. Haha, so much for making the hour and a half commute! But she was really awesome and made me promise to call her in two weeks and tell her if I'd found something (she gave me suggestions), or if I realized I would like to work for her in a stabilized environment. She had another girl working there take me to the train station so I wouldn't have to take a cab or walk. So nice!
Whew okay, so then I went back to the hostel and started getting my little things done so Jelena and I could go out and sight see...
First, I went on the all day interview with the George Street Marketing company on Wednesday and the position was basically sales. I was with a group of four other people and we were in charge of talking to residents in this suburb of Sydney, about donating money to Save The Children, a charity that's really big here in Australia. So believe it or not, I actually really enjoyed myself! We were outside for about 8 hours and the people I worked with were wonderful!!! Two of them were also travelers that had come to Australia to work and just happened to fall into that job and they loved it soooo much, that they stayed! I took that as a good sign that the company was great to work for. We were in the suburb called "Maroubra," which is South East of downtown Sydney. It's pretty close to the beach so we had a great view! Normally I would never have given a job like this--commission-based sales--any sort of thought, but by the end of the day I was psyched! I went back to the office and met with the owner who asked me some questions and then on the spot said, "I don't have any hesitations so do you? Would you like the job?" And I heard myself say Yes! He wanted me to start the next day but I told him I couldn't because I had another appointment (interview), and I could start Friday.
So I came back to the Hostel and couldn't believe I said yes when I had another interview the next morning and the job was only paid on commission! They definitely made me feel comfortable by noting that I wouldn't have to worry for about the first week or so since I'd be training. I talked with Jelena (my Danish/Yugoslavian roommate) about whether or not I should call the other company--that I was supposed to meet with in the morning--and cancel. I decided I would just sleep on it and see if I wanted to get up early and go or not. Also, the Next Generation Group finally called me when I was in Maroubra about a 2nd interview. I had to call them back and tell them I couldn't meet with them at 9 because I had another appointment at 8:30am! The guy was weird about it and said, "okay well I'll have to get back to you." So I thought that was done.
The next morning I got up at about 6:30 and left before 7am to get to the 8:30 interview. I had to take the metro for at least a half hour to one stop, then get out and wait for another metroline to take me to another stop where they told me I would get off and walk for 20 minutes until I found the building. I could see my breath it was so cold! So I got off at this stop (Camellia) which was literally in the middle of nowhere. There was a horse racetrack that I had to some how walk around. I started out going the wrong way for a minute which ended up being cool because I heard the weirdest sounds and I couldn't figure out where they were coming from. I looked up and in the palm tree in front of me, there were some of those Kiwi birds! New Zealand's national bird! Ha! I took pictures so hopefully you'll be able to see them. Anyway, so I got turned around and ended up finding a cab to take me since I had no idea where I was. By the time I made it to the office it was 8:15! So I met with the Marketing Director for Allied Transport about a Marketing Assistant position and she basically came out and said, "After looking at your resume, I don't think this is the right position for you." She went on to say that I was young, probably wanted to travel, should look for event marketing in the city and that this particular job was more of a long-term commitment and probably not what I wanted. Haha, so much for making the hour and a half commute! But she was really awesome and made me promise to call her in two weeks and tell her if I'd found something (she gave me suggestions), or if I realized I would like to work for her in a stabilized environment. She had another girl working there take me to the train station so I wouldn't have to take a cab or walk. So nice!
Whew okay, so then I went back to the hostel and started getting my little things done so Jelena and I could go out and sight see...
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
2 interviews down...
Wow, what a day! I got up this morning and had an interview with "George St. Marketing Group" which is a combination of two different marketing companies. The office was awesome! The people were very friendly and my interview was very quick. The owner asked me to come back for a full day/on the job kind of thing where I could see what the position would entail and what the company was all about. He asked if I could come back later today or tomorrow! Since I already had another interview lined up, I told him I could come back tomorrow (12:30 to 8:30!!!). We'll see how that goes...
Then I got a prepaid vodafone since all of the companies I'm applying to want a phone number. So I was sitting on my computer checking out some other things when my first roommate came in. She's extremely nice and her name is Yelena. She's also traveling solo and is from Copenhagen, Denmark. She just finished her Master's and she actually spent 6th months on an exchange program in Maryland!
Okay, so then I left way early for my next interview with Next Generation Group (another marketing/promotions company) in order to find the place since I was having trouble keeping a connection on the pay phone earlier with them. I finally found the place after wandering around...it's weird here because the street numbers on one side of the street don't automatically correlate with the numbers on the other. I was looking for 32 York street and on the opposite side of the street it was like 175 York street or something. Anyway, I had a cup of green tea while I waited to go to the interview. Then I went up to their office and filled out some paperwork and sat for quite awhile before the receptionist finally told me that the owner wasn't there. She wrote down his number and told me to go get a coffee and waste 20 more minutes before I came back. By this time my feet are already aching and the first job already looks better...so finally I meet with the owner who is very energetic and he said he'll call me tonight about whether or not he wants me to do a whole day interview on Thursday.
Whew...so I finally head out and try and find something to eat on the way back to the Hostel. I opt for, yet again, another bad sandwich. But, luckily I bought a fruit salad too. I don't know why but I've been burned on 2 sandwiches and 1 salad so far...
So now I'm back in the room and resting my feet. A 3rd company wants me to interview on Thursday so I don't know what I'll do if I get the second round for the other company...reschedule!
Anyway, the first part of today was sunny and it was nice and dry for the whole day, so that's a plus. I extended my stay at the Alfred Park Accomodation for another 3 nights and I'm happy to be busy!
-Lisa
Then I got a prepaid vodafone since all of the companies I'm applying to want a phone number. So I was sitting on my computer checking out some other things when my first roommate came in. She's extremely nice and her name is Yelena. She's also traveling solo and is from Copenhagen, Denmark. She just finished her Master's and she actually spent 6th months on an exchange program in Maryland!
Okay, so then I left way early for my next interview with Next Generation Group (another marketing/promotions company) in order to find the place since I was having trouble keeping a connection on the pay phone earlier with them. I finally found the place after wandering around...it's weird here because the street numbers on one side of the street don't automatically correlate with the numbers on the other. I was looking for 32 York street and on the opposite side of the street it was like 175 York street or something. Anyway, I had a cup of green tea while I waited to go to the interview. Then I went up to their office and filled out some paperwork and sat for quite awhile before the receptionist finally told me that the owner wasn't there. She wrote down his number and told me to go get a coffee and waste 20 more minutes before I came back. By this time my feet are already aching and the first job already looks better...so finally I meet with the owner who is very energetic and he said he'll call me tonight about whether or not he wants me to do a whole day interview on Thursday.
Whew...so I finally head out and try and find something to eat on the way back to the Hostel. I opt for, yet again, another bad sandwich. But, luckily I bought a fruit salad too. I don't know why but I've been burned on 2 sandwiches and 1 salad so far...
So now I'm back in the room and resting my feet. A 3rd company wants me to interview on Thursday so I don't know what I'll do if I get the second round for the other company...reschedule!
Anyway, the first part of today was sunny and it was nice and dry for the whole day, so that's a plus. I extended my stay at the Alfred Park Accomodation for another 3 nights and I'm happy to be busy!
-Lisa
Monday, August 20, 2007
Gotta love the rain...
Wow, so it's my 2nd day/first real day here (Monday) and I have a couple of companies I get to call about a job! Hopefully that goes and well and I can start ASAP. I'm staying at a hostel right across from Alfred Park which is in the suburb of Redfern. My room, which is supposed to have 3 other girls and is all to myself (yes!!!), looks out at the park and the view is very pretty! Yesterday I found a fabulous grocery store "Coles" and fruit market and a bakery in this little enclosed shopping area. I can already tell this is the place for me...the papayas looked fabulous! I had to buy an umbrella too because it hasn't stopped raining yet!
Then, later in the afternoon and was wondering "North" and ran smack into Chinatown! YES!!!! OMG, that was sooooo cool...they have a mall, food everywhere and shops everywhere. And this one's for my Dad: I bought some shoes!!! If it keeps raining the way it is I definitely am not going to be able to get around in flipflops so I bought some nice shoes to wear for work or whatever.
Finally I started heading back, grabbed some Italian take-out and called it an early night because I was exhausted. 12 hours of sleep and I'm ready to take on the city!
-Lisa
Then, later in the afternoon and was wondering "North" and ran smack into Chinatown! YES!!!! OMG, that was sooooo cool...they have a mall, food everywhere and shops everywhere. And this one's for my Dad: I bought some shoes!!! If it keeps raining the way it is I definitely am not going to be able to get around in flipflops so I bought some nice shoes to wear for work or whatever.
Finally I started heading back, grabbed some Italian take-out and called it an early night because I was exhausted. 12 hours of sleep and I'm ready to take on the city!
-Lisa
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Sitting in LAX
So here I am, sitting in the Los Angeles International Airport (terminal 4 to be precise) and I'm completely ecstatic and exhausted! This weekend I was a complete mess because nothing was coming together for me in Arizona (except for the living situation with Laura) and I couldn't accept the fact that I might have to really look for a job somewhere else. But then, as I was talking to mom, she said something about looking for an international job since I've always been interested in working abroad. That was just enough to spark the idea inside my brain and put me into action. I started looking for overseas jobs online and found a ton in Australia. Well that would be a great place to go! For those of you that don't know, I've been to Australia once before one summer some time around 9th grade for a soccer program. I loved it!
So I have a free plane ticket that I got for graduation from Mom and Dad and some money to get me started. I called the airline assuming they wouldn't be able to get me out for at least a week since I would be flying on miles...well, think again! I could have left the next day! So I told them Friday (this was Tuesday) and ended up getting everything together and ready for me to leave on Friday at 1:30pm!
I leave here at Midnight (it's 10:45 now) and will arrive in Sydney at 7:30am on Sunday, the 19th. I have a hostel booked for 3 nights and one phone interview set up as well as another company that wants me to call them. And that's just from the 5 applications I sent in on Wednesday!
So the plan is to get some marketing job, have them help me get a visa, look for house-sitting jobs (so I don't have to pay for housing) and just live a fabulous Australian life!
Stay tuned for more!!!
-Lisa
So I have a free plane ticket that I got for graduation from Mom and Dad and some money to get me started. I called the airline assuming they wouldn't be able to get me out for at least a week since I would be flying on miles...well, think again! I could have left the next day! So I told them Friday (this was Tuesday) and ended up getting everything together and ready for me to leave on Friday at 1:30pm!
I leave here at Midnight (it's 10:45 now) and will arrive in Sydney at 7:30am on Sunday, the 19th. I have a hostel booked for 3 nights and one phone interview set up as well as another company that wants me to call them. And that's just from the 5 applications I sent in on Wednesday!
So the plan is to get some marketing job, have them help me get a visa, look for house-sitting jobs (so I don't have to pay for housing) and just live a fabulous Australian life!
Stay tuned for more!!!
-Lisa
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