Last Week In Sydney

The past month has been something of a blur as most of my time was spent at work or walking to and from work. Late nights turn into late mornings which never leave enough time to do anything other than wake up and go right back to work the next day. I'm a bit sad that after finding a job I like and developing a base that I have to hit the road again. But not sad enough I guess.

In all honesty it hasn't been all work and no play as that would make for a very dull boy. The crew I work with never seems to offer a dull moment or a dull personality. As in any restaurant you have your interesting characters and the not so interesting ones. So maybe there is one or two dull personalities there but overall I'm a fan. The other night we had to clean the beer lines from the keg cooler which involved staying after and making sure the excess beer was 'properly' disposed of. The only downside to the job is that on Tuesday mornings I have to get up at 5:30am to restock the keg room. Carrying full kegs down two flights of stairs at daybreak is quite the rude awakening and has proven to be rather exhausting after a late night. But on the bright side, I am in better shape than I used to be so that ain't bad. I also got a nice work shirt which is the uniform and would actually be a shirt I would, and probably will, wear out one night.

I've also been doing other stuff in my time off. Seeing a movie here and there or simply buying bootlegged DVDs from a shady Thai movie store for $2.50 a DVD. I've got a nice little collection now and I'm sure they'll come in handy on the trip north (The Hurt Locker, Couple's Retreat, Year One, The Road to name a few). It's really too bad that I can't bring them home with me as they are not compatible with American DVD players. I went to a conference with some men from the church I've been to and they're a great group of guys. Today, I have a poker tourney lined up and although it's been some time since I've played maybe it'll all come back to me.

There's also another job that I occasionally work. I'm basically the guy on call whenever he needs someone to fill a shift. It is at a breakfast cafe in Circular Quay in an office building in the lobby. It is fairly small and the best part is that I get paid under the table or, as they say here, it's cash in hand. The guy who runs it is a Vietnamese man named Martin. Every time he calls me he leaves a voicemail saying his full name and where he is calling from (Mirebelle Cafe). It's quite funny every time I listen to it because I can't say there are many people with a Vietnamese accent who call me. Much less someone with a Vietnamese accent named Martin. Much much less from Mirebelle Cafe. In fact, I believe he is probably the only one. But without fail he never neglects to fully identify himself to perfection so that there is no way I could ever mistake him.

But with a week to go I've finished making preparations for the trip and will board a bus next Monday, March 22. A friend I used to work with in Melbourne is coming to travel with me so I won't have to ask random strangers to take a picture for me. Won' t that be nice? I also can't wait to move out of my flat as one of the roomies is really testing my patience. One more week though. One more week.

Biding my time

Like most backpackers that travel through Australia when you stay in a certain place for a decent amount of time it becomes necessary to get a job. So after being the quintessential tourist for a few weeks and getting my fill of surfing, beach and barbecues I decided it was time to get a job. However, the job I did ended up with was not ideal.

We've all been stopped on the street at one time or another by a young guy or gal in a brightly colored shirt and told about the terrible situations going on in the world. They always make eye contact when you're about ten yards away in order to get your attention and then give you a sob story. Then they hit you with the donation part and, if they've done it right, you feel obligated to pull out your wallet and fork over some cash (that is unless you've dealt with them before). Yes, I was one of those people. However in my case I didn't want your cash, I wanted your bank details. Needless to say most people are unwilling to give out credit card numbers and bank account details on the street so my tenure working for the Australian Red Cross did not last long. Sales, which it basically was, just wasn't for me. And the worst part about it was, besides getting rejected all day, 95% of the monthly donations for the first year actually go to the marketing company. We're instructed not to mention that part.

Anyway, after the boredom of unemployment set in again I decided to get another job. It's not the easiest thing for a backpacker in Sydney to find a job but when you speak fluent English it sets you above some of the others. Lucky me.

I have just over a month left here in Sydney before I hop a bus and start my travels up the east coast. I've got 45 days to travel via Greyhound from Sydney to Cairns. Along the way I'll make stops such as Byron Bay, Brisbane, Surfer's Paradise, Whitsunday Island and Townsville. I hope to do some scuba diving on the Barrier Reef and throw myself out of a plane for some skydiving along the way. So it goes without saying that I am really looking forward to the next leg of the journey. But for now, I wait.

There still is one place here in New South Wales that I need to visit before I go which would be the Blue Mountains. They're just to the west of the city proper and I believe they're Australia's version of the Grand Canyon. Although Australia has got more than one version as the inner parts of the country have Ayer's Rock and a crater from a meteor impact a long long time ago.

So for now I'm just working in a cafe/restaurant and, as of late, eating a good amount. Boredom will do that to you. It's pretty hot here now and every time I take a shower not more than 20 minutes will pass before I feel like I need to take another one. I'm actually looking forward to the New Zealand winter if you can believe that.

Surf Camp at Crescent Head

The #1 rule


The camp


Surfing

When I decided to go on a surf trip I immediately started to have preconceived notions of what a surf camp would be like. I pictured a secluded cabin next to the beach, lawn hammocks and camp fires, surf boards nailed up on the wall, surfer girls in bathing suits all day, etc. And of course experience would tell you that it is never as you think it will be. I think I can safely say that this trip was the exception to the rule.

The name of the camp was Mojo and I'd have to say that it lived up to its name. A coach bus picked up the group from Sydney and we set out for Crescent Head which was a 6 hour drive north. There were about 20 people heading up for some surf and sand and a good portion of them were from Holland and Norway. But on any trip you'll always get a good mix of nationalities and this trip was no different. Canada, England, Italy, Germany and of course the US of A were all represented.

We stopped a couple times on the way up to get supplies for a good old fashioned beach party and arrived in the camp around 2pm, plenty of time to hit the beach and give this surfing thing a try. We all strapped on the wet suits and made our way down to the beach. What's funny is that I thought it wouldn't be all that hard. I expected to stand up the first time and be a natural. I was dead wrong. I worked some muscles that haven't been moved in decades. And then you have to deal with the waves crashing down on you and throwing you around like a rag doll, at least the big ones. But wow was it fun. I was able to stand up a few times on the first day and throughout the trip I progressively got better. It's a good thing the food was tasty because I was starving after each go-round.

We ate in an open air hut and slept large common rooms. Between surfing, eating and sleeping I dusted off my ping pong skills and played Canadian Phil in a friendly game, read my book in the hammock or laid in the sun on the lawn. Sometimes it gets old exchanging my story with every new traveler I meet but it's always fun to hear about other people's cultures. I found out all about the Norwegian accent from a girl named Cecilie as she bravely demonstrated it for me. I'll usually ask them to see if they can imitate the American accent and Cecilie did pretty well. My Norwegian accent on the other hand is lacking.

As for the actual surfing though the trick is to keep your head up and stay low and centered. The hardest part is getting up fast enough to actually be standing in order to catch the wave at the right time. Everyone got the hang of it though. By the end I had some wear and tear on the body as blisters were forming on my hands, my chest was sore from laying on the board, my feet ached, my neck was tweaked and my shoulders were hurting. It was a good pain though as it was all worth it.

Unfortunately for me I was only on a 3 day trip while the rest of the group was continuing on to Byron Bay on a 5 day trip. On my last night we all gathered around the camp fire and exchanged stories and jokes. I initiated a little impromptu karaoke with Taro, an English chap, and the Dutch girls tried to top us each time with a song of their own. Phil and I had a good laugh over Taro's last name as we were convinced it sounded just like an English butler's name. The name was Hallworth but we thought it sounded better with an S in the middle, effectively changing it to Hallsworth. We then proceeded to put on corny British accents and ask "Hallsworth" to carry the beer over to the fire as it was simply not going to carry itself over there. All in good jest.

All in all, it was one of the best trips I've been on over here and although I am not going pro in the surfing racket anytime soon I hope to try it again. So.............. surfing: check. Next up: scuba diving and skydiving.

Settling Down in Sydney

The New Year has come and it's no longer new anymore so now I have to get used to writing -/-/10 when I had gotten so used to writing 09. As for getting used to Sydney things are coming along at a smooth pace as I am easing my way into a routine. I've moved into the apartment on Harbour St. and have just been enjoying my days pool side or reading on the roof. When I get somewhat bored I keep reminding myself that this is apart of what I came here to do......nothing. It's quite nice.

I watched the fireworks over the Harbour Bridge from Macquaries Point. There were a few trees in the way but overall it was a good spot. I had to wait in what was probably the longest line I've ever seen. It went about 400 yards down a side walk and then snaked down a hill and then coiled in and around itself at the bottom. There were two sets of fireworks, one at 9 and then one at 12. I went with some folks from the hostel and we all enjoyed a good show.

As for the apartment I never thought I would find myself in such a situation but for the rent it is well worth it. And then I just have to remind myself of the pool and it really helps. I share a room with 2 Korean guys and 1 French guy. Yes, 4 people in this room. There's a few other roommates in the next room as well and I do have to say that although the language barrier poses some obstacles it really isn't that bad. The Korean guys are some of the nicest people I've met as they offer me to share in their dinner and are always very courteous. I went out with them, the Japanese and German roommates as well, one night to Jay's (one of the Korean roommates, not his real name but an English substitute) restaurant and ate Korean food and drank Korean whiskey. We played a Korean drinking game called 0-0-7-bang! which was actually pretty fun. We played another called Titanic but I am not sure where that one came from.

They were very excited to have me as a roommate because it gives them a chance to practice their English. Jay especially is filled with questions about how to pronounce certain words or what a word means when it is in a tense he has never seen. The Japanese girl, Nobu, is very funny and one of the most outgoing Asians I've ever met. She is addicted to Desperate Housewives as one of the roommates has all the seasons. Overall, I'm enjoying my new surroundings, especially the pool, and the location is perfect (right next to George St. which is the main street running through downtown).

I have a 3-day surf camp trip booked for next week and the forecast is supposed to be rain for two of the days. Hopefully they are wrong as usual. I've heard it is extremely tiring as the swimming alone wears you out, not to mention the paddling. I've done some site-seeing around the city but have yet to go to Bondi Beach. They really scare you about skin cancer here, and rightfully so, as there is some grossly large number of people who get it each year. I mean they really hammer it home with billboards, commercials, previews on movies, radio, etc. I got burned the other day after spending just about 30 minutes in the sun. That hole in the ozone is pretty big I think.

In the next week though I'll start looking for jobs and see what's out there. Evidently, in New South Wales, the only state that requires it's own special certification, you have to take a class to get certified to serve alcohol. Another way for the gov. to make money if you ask me. But it is essential and after planning the rest of my trip up until May I know it's necessary. First however, a little surfing is in order.

And they told me I wouldn't like Sydney

Sydney Opera House


Me in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge



A view from the pool at my hostel


Well, they were wrong!

My last day/night in Melbourne was marked by a lack of sleep that carried over into Sydney. Not even fatigue though could stop me from taking in the sites, sounds and meeting so many people within the first day.

After finishing work Sunday afternoon in Melbourne I packed my stuff and went to Andy and Oscar's flat (the English blokes I worked with) and we had a few going away drinks before I caught my plane.......... at 6am. Needless to say I didn't go to bed that night as I knew it would be harder to get up at 3am than simply not to go to bed. So I caught the flight and headed for Sydney.

About an hour and change later, and with about as much of sleep under my belt, the plane touched down to an utterly disappointing sight. I would compare the feeling to the one the Mcallister family had in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York when the family went to Florida, sans Kevin, for Christmas and arrived to a very un-Florida type reception. It was pouring rain. So, without much sleep but a healthy dose of excitement I got a shuttle bus to my hostel and settled in. Still unable to get sleep due to preparations I had to make for the next few days (lodging because the hostel was booked for New Years and still is, look for an apartment, exchange formalities with my Canadian, French and Finnish roommates, etc.). Managing to get maybe an hour of sleep in the midst of this I decided to hit the town with a new acquaintance and see a little bit of Sydney. After a late night I was finally going to get some good sleep. It had been somewhere in the neighborhood of 35 hours without REM sleep.

The next day I got to see what everyone comes here to see and doesn't leave without getting tons of pictures of. The Harbour Bridge and the Opera House came into view from behind the skyscrapers as I came closer and then into full view as I entered Circular Quay. To try and describe the amazing view wouldn't do it justice but the pictures would have to suffice. The bridge, a massive mesh frame of steel, arched over the harbor and the Opera House, with its white tile covering, reflected the sun to look like a snow covered field on a sunny day. I felt like the quintessential tourist as I asked strangers to take a picture of me standing in front of the rising structures but everyone else was as well so I wasn't alone.

After some hard searching and following up I found an apartment in Regis Tower on Harbour Street right below Darling Harbour. When I saw the view from the roof I knew this was where I was to live for my stint in Sydney. My apartment is on the 17th floor and the pool and hot tub, yes, pool and hot tub, are on the roof on the 18th floor. The work out room is also on the roof. This aspect of the place easily compensates for cramped space of the room. But before I move in I am in the hostel for another four nights, one of which (New Years Eve) I don't know where I'll be because the hostel is booked solid. But not knowing is half the fun.

One of the best parts about the first few days in Sydney is the people I've met. I went to karaoke with a Finn named Heidi, a German named Christian and some Dutch girls whose names I can't remember. My selection of Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond to end the night rocked the house even if my voice didn't. And of course I added the lyrics so common to every Bostonian singing them at one point or another in bars, concerts of Sox games ('Sweet Caroline.......Ba Da Daaa'). The Germans though are everywhere and about 1/3 of the people I've met are from the motherland. The English and French come in second and the Americans a distant last. I've probably met less than 10 Americans since I've been here in Australia.

Now I just have to find a job and start over again. I don't know how long I'll be in Sydney but if the first couple days are any indication of life in Sydney (which they probably aren't) I'll stay as long as I can.

Rockin Around the Christmas Tree

Slowly waking up on Christmas morning, the realization of what day it was took some reinforcing as I sluggishly gained consciousness. It was a round 9am and I did not want to get out of bed due to the fact that in two hours I had to be at work. Needless to say it was a very nontraditional Christmas for me but in my case working was actually better than sticking around the house with absolutely nothing to do. Whatever Christmas celebration I was going to have had to wait until work was over.

The restaurant was strikingly empty for the first few hours of the day but as mid afternoon came around the place got packed. Everyone exchanged 'Merry Christmas' and I actually received the only physical gift of the Christmas season. It was a little jar of Nutella. It is basically a creamy chocolate spread about the consistency of peanut butter. Upon hearing that I had never tried this much-loved spread a French girl (Marine) decided that I simply must try it. So, a jar of Nutella was my Christmas gift and I must say that it was very good.

Later on I met up with some blokes from work (Oscar and Andy) and had a feast of massive proportions. It was actually more of miniature proportions but it was exactly what the doctor ordered. Finger foods and such covered the coffee table in the living room of their 3rd floor apartment in St. Kilda; brie, humus, vegies, crackers, smoked salmon, prosciutto, sausages, stuffed capsicum, olives, caviar..... And while I was hesitant to try the caviar I actually kinda liked it. It tastes pretty much like tuna.

With plenty of food and drink I winded down the evening with a call to the fam at around 4am making it 2pm back in Boston. Overall it was a good Christmas and I enjoyed spending it here in Australia. I did kinda miss the snow though.

Great Ocean Road

This one is called London Bridge because it used
to have an arch to the mainland but it fell.


These are the Twelve Apostles (even though
there's not twelve of them).

My first real dose of some good old fashion Australian flora and fauna came two months into my trip as I travelled the Great Ocean Road. The road was built during the 1920s by returning servicemen from the first World War. The road is 243 K's which roughly comes out to be 150 miles long and stretches to the west of Melbourne along the southern coast of Victoria. The scenery was amazing and could best be described as a mix of the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California coastlines. Tall cliffs rise strait out of the waves crashing against the jagged rocks that seem to be still rising out of the ocean floor. You can almost see the tectonic plates in action as the slabs of layered rock diagonally jut out towards the cliff from the waves.

The road itself winds up and down and around the cliffs along the coast and is full of long views of distant rock formations stretching out into the water. There were a couple light houses and oddly designed houses perched on the cliffs that look as if they will crumble at any moment. The tour guide was knowledgeable about the road the history behind it but his ability to tell a story was lacking, which he attempted several times. We became buds though as the trip continued and shared our experiences of traveling we'd done, the jobs we'd worked, the people we'd met and yada yada yada. I also had some German friends on the trip as well who came in handy when an extra hand on the camera was needed. They were good company too.

The best part off trip though was easily the Twelve Apostles. The Twelve Apostles are a group of limestone stacks that rise about 150 ft out of the water. The area is a massive tourist attraction and the fly's love it. I have never been so surrounded by swarming flys in my life and it really tested my patience. Every time I would pause to take a picture and hold the camera steady there would be about 10 flys that would bombard my head. Despite the fys though the views were amazing as we could look out from the overhanging cliffs down to the beach and go down to the beach to view the rock faces from below. And although there is a lot of driving time involved in the trip the Great Ocean Road is a must. And while I leave for Sydney on the 28th it was a good last trip for my time in Melbourne.

Paintball

Yesterday some folks from work and I went on a trip to the local paintball center for a little shoot'em up. Never having been before the only thing I was expecting was to feel a little sting when the ball hits you. I had no idea that the little sting was not so little. It was an indoor course with all the usual barricades and walls to hide behind. We grouped up into two teams and let fly. As much as it hurt getting hit, especially at close distance and repeatedly, it was made up for when I got someone in my sites and pelted'em pretty good.

I had no idea how tiring it was or how out of shape I am. Running around the course while ducking and hiding behind barriers required constant crouching and getting back up which has left my legs in 80 year old condition today. My body might take a week of more to heal the welts but it was all worth it.

Christmas Time In Melbourne

This was during my trip to the Yarra Wind Valley
in front of the Chandon Valley Vinyard.



A view from the Skydeck in the Melbourne city
central


It is now 11 days till Christmas and I could not be more out of the Christmas spirit. It's not that people around me aren't excited or that the city isn't decorated and signs saying 'Merry Christmas' aren't all around. It just plain doesn't feel like Christmas and it is simply because there is no snow. Even in Boston having a white Christmas is usually not so but there is a certain smell in the air that always reminded me of the Christmas season. It is the unmistakable smell of smoke coming from chimney tops. That smell is obviously absent here as no one, in their right mind, lights a fire in 70 degree weather. But Christmas it is, regardless of the weather, and I will spend my Christmas morning.........working. The restaurant is open Christmas Eve/Day and Boxing Day (which is the day after Christmas and a national holiday). I work all three of them. The compensation is that you get paid double time and a half so I guess I cant complain.

I was working the other day though and a little boy decided that he wanted to know everything about the food and started to ask questions about each item on the menu. After he finished he completely changed subjects by telling me that I had the coolest accent he had every heard. For most of the time I've been here I am very aware of how people sound to me but not so much aware of how I sound to them. While I don't think my accent is cool (or even think I have one: "My accent is neutral" is what I jokingly tell people) I get a kick out of people imitating it. The Aussies can do a pretty good American accent while the French and Germans have a very hard time imitating one. I can do a decent Aussie accent but only with certain words and only sometimes. I have to be in the right mood.

As for the Christmas season in Melbourne it will be interesting to have a Christmas morning away from family but I am looking forward to the unfamiliarity of it. And after Christmas I am picking up and moving on to Sydney for the New Year and on. I am excited to see the fire works from the Harbour Bridge as I have only seen them on TV as the first large city on the globe to celebrate the new year. And since the weather will be ideal for beach trips I hope to finally learn how to surf at Byron Bay. The city is going to be packed as travelers from all over flock there for the New Year's celebration and it is sure to be a sight. I just hope I can find a place to stay.

The 411 on Aussie Restaurants

So after working in the restaurant bizz for many years I have found many peculiarities about how the way a restaurant is run and even how customers experience it. And I have found that the basis for way an American restaurant functions vs an Australian restaurant is the system of tipping. From what I can see almost everything about customer service stems from tipping. Waiters over here obviously get paid a decent hourly rate which is why people don't tip here. I should say that there is not a total absence of tipping however but when people do tip it is usually anywhere from 1 to 5 percent (or they are American and don't know they don't have to tip over here, stupid Americans). So the first difference is that I don't even introduce myself to my tables anymore as there is no need to try and establish a personal connection to better your tip. But most of the time when you approach a table there is no time to introduce yourself because you would simply be interrupting the customer in the middle of his/her order. The customer knows there is not going to be a courtship by the waiter and is ready to go. It is very efficient this way but it certainly is something that took getting used to.The second difference is that the only reason you need to maintain a quasi-attentive attitude towards your table is to move along the meal in order to get them out and the next table in. The only reason, generally, to approach a table once they are eating is to clear their plates once they are done or hand them the bill. Most people, unless they are consuming adult beverages, do not get a second drink (maybe because there are no free refills on sodas). Of course sometimes people do order coffee and desert for which I had to acquaint myself with the way coffee is named over here: long black, short black, flat white, long flat white, short weak white, long skinny black, etc. But not too difficult once you get the hang of it.The third difference is that a table is not really yours since there is generally no tip that comes along with it. A table can be interchanged among the staff like a pair of designer jeans among teenage girls. If I have a section of the restaurant and my shift ends I don't have to wait for my tables to leave, I just leave. Someone else takes over and there is no need to update the new server or transfer tables. So, as you can see, especially someone in the restaurant bizz, there is a lot about an experience in an American restaurant that differs that of an Aussie restaurant. And it all stems from tipping.

How ya going mate?

The settling in process is almost complete for my new Melbourne habitation. I live in a town called Alphington about 10 min NE of the city proper. The landlord is rumored to be selling the house though so there might be another move in the near future. That would make 4 moves in 6 months. The house is a great place though as its kind of old and has a lot of those strange corners and angles in the ceiling that give it some charm.

My bout with hay fever is drawing to a close as well. My head felt like it was about to explode for about a week and I have never had to blow my nose so many times in my entire life. I'm assuming it is the pollen and heat which I have never been exposed to that triggered it as I have never had allergies in my life.

The restaurant that I currently work in is in the Crown Casino Complex which is the big entertainment area that people go to in the city. The Greco European Grill as it is called is owned by Greeks, run by French and worked by Brits, Asians and myself. Oh, and there are two Australians (kind of ironic that they are in the minority). But I think it safe to say that I never want to work in a restaurant again (although I probably will). The happiness I felt when leaving the restaurant bizz when in the States is matched by the depression I feel every time I walk into this place. So, I am now waiting word about a position at the Melbourne Aquarium for which I had an interview a couple days ago.

Other than the work aspect of my new life in Melbourne I've been sampling the local fair, been golfing at the Yarra Bend Golf Course (shot a 43 which ain't bad for me), went on a wine tour to the Yarra Valley, visited the Melbourne Zoo and the Royal Botanical Gardens. I also went to the beach at Torquay (pronounced Tor-key). My opinion of the local fair is that it lacks in flavor but perhaps its just different from what I'm used to. I can only assume that the golf courses are easy given that I actually played well but then again I've only played one course (the cheaper one too). The wines were quite tasty and very palatable as the array of melon, peach and oak were very pleasing ( I have no idea what I'm talking about). The Zoo was amazing as I saw a Kangaroo for the first time as well as a Koala and a couple others that only exist over here. Did you know: Koalas sleep for 20 hours a day and eat for the other 4. Evidently the Eucalyptus leaves are so low in nutrition that they have to sleep so long for their body to carry out all its functions. They will sometimes eat themselves out of their habitat by completely stripping the trees of their leaves.

The weather has been hot but thankfully not humid. It feels as if I am in an oven sometimes as the cement just feels like its cooking you. It rains very infrequently and Victoria has been in a 13 year drought. But when it does rain its really just a moderate sprinkle. What's funny is that there are very few really tan Aussies as most people will try to stay out of the sun rather than lay in it. And sun screen is always a must, it doesn't matter how tough you think you are.

I'm starting to miss some things though, especially Boston, friends and family but I know that's something I'll get used to. I wish I had brought more now that I've set up shop but I know it would have been hard to get anything more here. The snowboard and golf clubs were hard enough. I've already read 3 books as finding anything to do that keeps you out of the sun for too long is key.

My New Home

The settling in process is almost complete for my new Melbourne habitation. I live in a town called Alphington about 10 min NE of the city proper. The landlord is rumored to be selling the house though so there might be another move in the near future. That would make 4 moves in 6 months. The house is a great place though as its kind of old and has a lot of those strange corners and angles in the ceiling that give it some charm.

My bout with hay fever is drawing to a close as well. My head felt like it was about to explode for about a week and I have never had to blow my nose so many times in my entire life. I'm assuming it is the pollen and heat which I have never been exposed to that triggered it as I have never had allergies in my life.

The restaurant that I currently work in is in the Crown Casino Complex which is the big entertainment area that people go to in the city. The Greco Eauropean Grill as it is called is owned by Greeks, run by French and worked by Brits, Asians and myself. Oh, and there are two Australians (kind of ironic that they are in the minority). But I think it safe to say that I never want to work in a restaurant again (although I probably will). The happiness I felt when leaving the restaurant bizz when in the States is matched by the depression I feel everytime I walk into this place. So, I am now waiting word about a position at the Melbourne Aquarium for which I had an interview a couple days ago.

Other than the work aspect of my new life in Melbourne I've been sampling the local fair, been golfing at the Yarra Bend Golf Course (shot a 43 which ain't bad for me), went on a wine tour to the Yarra Valley, visited the Melbourne Zoo and the Royal Botanical Gardens. I also went to the beach at Torequay (pronounced Tor-key). My opinion of the local fair is that it lacks in flavor but perhaps its just different from what I'm used to. I can only assume that the golf courses are easy given that I actually played well but then again I've only played one course (the cheaper one too). The wines are

Navigating around Melbourne

After a week of maneuvering around the city I think I know my way around pretty well. My comfort zone is slowly expanding as I venture into new areas of the city. But since the city is on a grid it makes it pretty easy to know where you are at all times.

I've secured an apartment in Fairfield and I move in on Friday. Its actually a house as the apartments are actually more expensive especially when living downtown. But till then I've been doing the hostel thing which has worn me thin. I don't mind it for a short while (couple days) but sharing a room with anyone is not my thing, especially 4-7 other guys. And living out of my pack is hard enough as well.

The weather has been fairly seasonal as in any given day it can be sunny and 70 one moment and rainy and 55 the next. But I guess that's just their spring weather. The summer is right around the corner and I hear it gets fairly hot, but no where near as hot as it gets in Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns farther to the north.

I'm starting to plan some trips and see a bit of the city now that I am acclimated to the town. I went to the Yarra Wine Valley for a day and saw some amazing vineyards and tasted some great wines (as well as learned a few pointers on tasting). I went to the Eureka Skydeck which is the tallest viewing gallery in the southern hemisphere. The Melbourne Aquarium was not bad with the Arctic Penguins and the sharks.

But despite my growing knowledge of the city I still find myself in situations where I have absolutely no clue what to do. For example, I was on the train (different from the tram) the other day and when I went to get off the train the door would not open. So, for two more stops I am standing in front of the door trying to trip some imaginary sensor that I think will open the door at each stop. Finally, I figure out that you have to pull on the door to open it. How dare they make me actually exert myself to get off the train! I'm used to the doors opening up for me! But apart from looking like an idiot on the train I've been watching the World Series at the casino here. It's just about the only place that will show the game and on the corner TV at that. The Melbourne Cup was on yesterday which is a huge horse race here. It's slogan is "The race that stops a nation". And indeed it does. About two hundred people gathered round the TVs in the casino to watch the race. It's basically a version of the Kentucky Derby and just about everyone puts money on it. But at times during the coverage it was more a fashion show that a race as the pre-race festivities were kind of in the style of the Academy Awards ceremony as reporters go around to everyone and ask the Australian celebs who they are wearing. Olivia Newton John say the National Anthem before the race too. I can't imagine how many times she's been under the knife.

Arriving in Melbourne

I can safely say that the trip over here was the longest night of my life, going by the hours at least. It was dark outside for something like 14 hours. Surprisingly though it did not seem to take that long. I was able to sleep on the plane for a decent part of the flight and read for the rest. I sat next to an old South African couple and the smell was not all that pleasant. The gentleman's glass eye was hard to avoid when making eye contact. Overall, the plane smelled, the flight attendants were annoyed and the food, well, the food tasted like synthetic fabric that had been marinated too long and then spiced to cover it up. Don't even get me started on the eggs.

I had a short layover in Sydney before arriving in Melbourne and hopped a cab to the hostel. After 6 years of school without living in a dorm room setting it finally caught up to me. I am sharing a room with 3 other guys; my favorite being Ken, a 69 year old Scotsman. The room is small along with just about everything else in the hostel but the people are friendly, except for the Germans. The hostel is having an ad lib Halloween party over the weekend and the girl at the front desk requested that I be "the toking American" at the party. That was the first time I had ever been asked to be a toking anything. Needless to say I don't think they know all that much about Halloween here.

The city is amazing though. The architecture is unbelievable and very modern with many public squares and statues. I sometimes feel awkward and am sure I stick out as a foreigner as I am not sure exactly how things work. It was only by trial and error that I learned how to swipe the metro card on the trams, when to cross the road (people actually wait for the cross walk signal here, a waste of time if you ask me), whether or not you tip your server and simply finding my way around city. It's very big and the metro system is very extensive. It will be a while before I figure out how to properly use it.

The Aussies are very nice though. When I was at the cell phone store buying minutes I was telling the guy about my just arriving here. After he helped set up the phone he invited me for drinks with his "mates" sometime. I can't ever imagine my cell phone agent doing the same in Boston.

So many things are backwards here though: domestic calls are more expensive than international, bottled beer is more expensive than draft, they wait for the cross walk rather than ignore it, there is free Wi-Fi at McDonald's and they drive on the left side of the road (which can be confusing when crossing the street). I think I like it here though. Now I just need to find an apartment, which they tell me is pretty hard to find.