Brisbane

I haven't really been up to much lately in this big small city. Mostly I just have been handing out job applications and talking to people about my job searches.  Other than that I have been taking care of myself as best as I can on the smallest amount of money as possible.  It's not so exciting or eventful but with that said I am enjoying Brisbane.  The city has a sort of "Getting started" feeling.  Like it is a city in its beginning, if that makes any sense. It's culture is in many ways the same.  There is much eastern Asian culture as well as British and German culture.  I talked to an Aussie about this and they agreed.  "Pretty much everyone in Australia is at least 3rd generation Australian".  Well I'm not sure how valid that was (she was a bit tipsy) but none the less, it does show how young this country is.  

Green Peace

So I was finishing my rout of handing out job applications yesterday and there were a few people walking around the sidewalk talking to people.  By the amount of green on their shirt and the way one of them was sheepishly trying to talk tot people I assumed that they were Green Peace.  I went up to the girl who seemed distressed due to the job which obviously did not fit her and just talked to her for a bit.  Her affable counterpart came up to us and told her to keep trying while he talks to me.

We talked for a bit.  I explained that I was looking for a job and after he asked "What are you passionate about" I responded with "Technical theater"
"Well I hate everything theater related.  Tell me what's so great about theater"
I then passionately spilled all of my knowledge and feeling about why theater is great and when I was done he said "Well actually I'm an actor, I was gunnu be a hippie but then I decided to be an actor.  I was lying to you before.  I think I have a job for you doing what we're doing if you are interested.  If you are I think you will be good at it"
This took me a little off guard.  I thought I was just talking to someone.  I kind of got the hint that there was a job involved when he told me that he hated theater.  But not only did he just offer me a job (which I'm typically used to asking for) but he said that I would be good at it.  "Why would I be good at this job?" I stupidly asked.  I saw the hippie in him come out a bit when he told me "It's all in the eyes man, I can see it in your eyes"

It is now the next day.  I am kind of expecting a call but I will beat them to it.  He also mentioned that they were short on people so I am going to apply on their website for a position in Brisbane to up the odds.

50+

Handing out job applications isn't easy.  Especially if you have to walk to each location and seem energetic and dedicated every time you hand your summarized life to someone.  Yesterday (I looked it up today on Google Maps) I walked more than 50 miles from place to place handing out resumes and getting lost in the city.  Getting back to the hostel I just passed out on my bed and took off my shoes.
A funny thing happened when I was handing out my last resume that day.  Just before I decided it was time to head back, I was in "The Valley" (which is actually called Fortitude Valley) and I handed my resume to a guy behind the counter at a Mexican themed restaurant.  Looking at my resume he got a curious look on his face.  "Oak Park... is that anywhere near Forest Park?"  and he followed that up with "What did I say?".  I was finding it hard to answer as I was busy picking up my jaw from the floor.  "Yes" I managed "The OPRFHS is actually Oak Park River Forest High School.  Oak Park and River Forest are right next to each other.  How did you know?",  he said "It seemed familiar, I have a friend from Forest Park and he talks about his home a lot".  I was a little too flabbergasted to cope with all this so I politely thanked him for considering me for the job and got out of there.  I had to get a little air so I found my way to a stoplight. Leaning myself against it I took a hot second to take a breath.
I curse myself now for not getting the guys name but now I know one thing is for sure.  I will head back to Fortitude Valley and continue that conversation... tomorrow.  Today I will rest a bit more.

Brisbane

So I have been in Brisbane for about a week and a half now and I am really enjoying it.  When I have talked to other backpackers about Brisbane, most of them spoke ill of it saying that there weren't that many clubs or there was no beach to surf on or hang out at.  These claims are only half true.  There are many great clubs in Brisbane they just didn't know where to look and it is true there is no beach but to complain about that is stupid.  My reasoning for that is that there are beaches (beautiful beaches) all up and down the east coast of Australia and they get to this one city and start complaining about the lack there of.  Well whatever.  I am enjoying my stay here to the fullest.  That said I have been trying to be cheap in every regard until I get a job.
I have handed out a total of 34 resumes and I am now keeping my fingers crossed that I get a job.  The critics are also very wrong for criticizing Brisbane so heavily.  The lagoon (like a giant communal pool) here is giant.  Bigger than any other I have encountered on the coast and it is open 24 hours.  The Valley is also a great place to visit for it's China Town and various clubs, the libraies have amazing free WiFi (which I am currently using) and fantasitc views of the river, and the Queens Street Mall has huge variety of shops and stores along with its giant Myre Center which contains 6 levels of food courts, super stores, small shops and even a cinema at the very top.

Internet

I know I keep complaining about internet again and again.  Unless you haven't noticed in which case I will complain to you now that it is the most annoying thing ever.  It is always a boring story of "I tried this time and it didn't work and then I tried another time and it didn't work and then I asked a few people and they told me to go here and now I finally have internet".  But this is just how it is. There aren't any Starbucks with free wifi, there is hardly anywhere with free wifi.  Usually I have to stumble around a town for a week before I come across decent free wifi, but here in Brisbane I got extremely lucky.  My hostel is a mere three blocks away from the main library for all of Brisbane, and the internet here is AMAZING. The are maybe 70+ people on it and it still works smoothly.  Like a YouTube level of smooth.  Which is amazing.
I don't think I have ever appreciated internet as much as I should have until I got here.  I think I appreciate good internet even more because most of the internet over here is pretty crappy.  During a trivia night at a nearby bar the question was asked "Which country invented wifi?    A. Japan   B. Australia   C. America"
When the announcer announced that it was "B.  Australia" that invented wifi, someone in the audience responded, "Then why does it suck!".  And he was right.  There wifi over here is expensive, slow and hard o find.

Fear

Well I have talked much about my travels and adventures not only on my blog but to individual people such as family friends and even people who I have met over here.  It is nice to see people being so supportive and happy for me.  I also suspect many of being secretly envious of my travels.
I confess I have been filtering out much of the less thrilling or less tell-able stories.  There is also the fact that I am usually tense every day whether it is managing money, making sure I have a place to sleep, or making sure I have another meal that I can put in my stomach.  There is also the fact that I can be totally alone yet surrounded by people every day.  That said I wouldn't want to be stranded with any other people.  I have found backpackers to be some of the most friendly and giving people in the world despite them having almost nothing but what is on their back, on their plate and underneath their head.

Keep On Movin On

Noosa is such an amazing place and I'm sure that I will come back here eventually but I have recently lost my glassie job and I must now move on.
In a few ways this is good and in others it is bad.  It is good because after looking for a job and not finding one anywhere in the area asked around and apparently it is incredibly hard to get a job in this are because everyone wants to work and live here.  So after looking tirelessly I decided that I would try again to work in Brisbane.  So the good is that now I am going to Brisbane and can be financially steady.
There is the bad that I no longer can no longer stay in Noosa for free.  The good is that I didn't pay for a single day to stay here and I still have a few days left.  I paid for staying here only using vouchers and the work for accommodation.
The bad is that I have lost my job and the accommodation that came with it.  The good is that I lost a really crappy job that didn't pay that well.

The guy who fired me was the same guy who hired me.  Named "Joep" pronounced "Joe" he is a really nice guy.  He was obviously uncomfortable with firing me so I didn't make it any harder for him than it needed to be.  He explained that I was let go because I skipped a few hours early on in my employment which was true.  But in my defence; Getting used to a new sleep schedule at a literal moments notice was not easy for me.  That lost me my job along with the shift in ownership here at the Noosa Nomads hostel.
By the way I do mean that the hour I was offered work for accommodation here was the same hour I started training for my job.  That "literal" was quite literal.

Anyways I optimistically am looking forward to my stay in Brisbane.  I was told that there is a man at the hostel I will be staying in who's job it is to find backpackers jobs.  I will get a job in Brisbane.

Where I got the "Keep On Movin On" title.  (By the Spoons)

Independent Job!

So after extensive searches I came across a guy by the name of Henry who had a job that I could work.  I sent my application and a little letter explaining that I "Love construction work!".  He then sent a reply explaining that his add was about  4 months old... BUT he did have a small job that I could do. It would be $100 for 5 hours work and it didn't conflict with my glassy job.  

So yesterday he picked me up at my hostel and we drove about 10 minutes to his giant shack next to his tiny bribes house.  He worked along with me which was nice.  It made the work feel much faster.  As we worked he explained that we would be working on multiple pedestals for displaying his wife's jewelry.  I sanded the pedestals I painted the pedestals then we got rid of some scrap wood that he had.  Easy money.  

At the end of the day as he was driving me back he offered me another job on Friday that would be just painting the pedestals and getting rid of more scrap.  I happily took him up on his offer.  

So I am working a paying job but i still don't have a job.  

Oh and it rained today. Which was nice.  

Victims of the Boot

Despite my room not being pleasant and clean everyday like a typical hostel stayer would expect, my room does have a lot of nice things.  We have a toaster, a restroom, two showers, to fridges and a electronic kettle.  In addition we have two tables, a few milk crate (that act as chairs) and 3 couches.  This spot is great for people to socialize.  And that's what many people do.  Some are my roommates, there are other people that stay in the hostel and even a few young adults from town, they all hang out in that spot.  Many of them out there smoke cigarettes and weed as well as drink.  But during the night they can get kind of rowdy.  They talk, they laugh and they wake others up (not me, I'm working at that time).  So they rudely awakened tell management the management tells security and security tell the people outside my room to get out.  That is how 3 of the people in my room and a few people in other rooms were kicked out over the course of two days.  It wasn't as bad in the past, but this hostel now has a new owner and he has a no faffing about policy.  One of the people in my room was kicked out just because his bosses friend didn't like him.  Many of the people in my room are leaving because of the new rules put in place because of this new management.  He is taking away many of the perks that this job has.  It is weird having a half empty room.  

It is also quite scary.  Imagine being told on a days notice that you can no longer sleep in your bed that you have been resting on.  The hostel is also fully booked for the next few weeks.  Meaning if I were to be kicked out, I would have less than 16 hours to find another place to sleep, find a way to get there and then get to that location.  I'm not going to lie; I could do it.  It can be done, but that would also mean an immense amount of stress in that short period.  Also all of the jobs that I spent time applying to would be void because I would not be able to work them being so far away.  

I don't like to think about this too much. It stresses me out.  I hope you guys don' mind me using this blog as a public diary of sorts.

 

Advice

I got some advice from an Australian in my room who apparently used to work in a recruitment office.  He says that he used to get hundreds of online applications for jobs and he would just toss them out one after another.  He told me that if I really wanted to get a job then I should hand in a resume TO the manager him (or her)-self.  He told me that those are the only ones that they would ever look at because it was in there hands.  He also told me to sell myself in the first 10 words or else the chances for my resume getting canned were very high.  He took one look at my resume and said "Your name should be bigger, and so should your phone number.  Also make sure to get a sharpie and highlight those two things too".
I'm still looking for a reliable job here.  I have this glassie gig but I've been seeing my peers drop like flies.  Most of them are noisy drinkers and pothead.  That's pretty much the reason they are canned and then curbed.  Even though I'm not like them I could still be accused of doing such and them be kicked out.
Goal #1: Find a job
Goal #2: Find an apartment
Goal #3: Find a job to pay for the apartment

Work for Accomidation

The guy who checked me in at this Nomad hostel in Noosa was very friendly and I talked to him telling him that I was looking for a job.  He told me about a few local places that might be looking for work.  I'm still looking around but in the meantime he offered me a two week position for work at this hostel.  

This was perfect. I could look for work and not waist money staying on the same place.  So I took him up on being a "Glassie".  It isn't the most glorious job.  I work 3 hours from 10 to 1 each night and I get free accommodation.  

Job

Job hunting is the worst, especially when you have no experience in the matter.  I have heard much advice from any of the people I have met in the hostel as well as the community.
Speaking of the community, the people here are very nice.  There is a great bakery with a sweet old lady in it who still seems very active for her age as well as a thrift shop with a woman working reception that I could talk to for hours about everything, and finally the mango vendor down the road is the most awesome of all.  He had countless tenacious tattoos and a great sense of humor.

The new staff room that I just moved into is pretty cramped but I kind of expected that from people who have been staying here for so long.  The room has a totally different feel from the rest of the rooms that I have been staying in.  Many of my new roommates have their stuff strewn about, not to the degree that you would think, it is just hard to find my own space among the rest of what is there.

Fraser Island

I just got back from a place called Fraser Island. The largest sand island in the entire world.  When they present it as the largest sand island ever they really mean it.  We ha to drive 4x4 down this stretch of beach that seemed to go on forever.  Oh yea. That's right I got to drive a gas glugger on a sand island.  

The bad of it: I didn't rent a sleeping bag for the night so the first night I was freezing and had to take a sleeping pill to knock myself out.  The next night was fine though.  There are these tiny flies that get everywhere that they call poo flies.  The gross little guys would land all over your skin and when you smacked them you got a pleasant squishy thing on your neck.  They totally filled the bathroom at night making it impossible to even walk in there without feeling uncomfortable.  And the toilets were just awful.  

The good of it:  There are just so many amazing sights accosts the beach.  There was plenty of jungle  and a few fresh eater lakes despite the fact it was on sand.  It is just a great example of how nature prevails. Also the fact that we were in the middle of nowhere was very relaxing.  My second night I just sat under the stars and looked out into the vast night sky.  It was amazing how many stars one can see without any light pollution.  Speaking of nighttime I impressed everyone with my dancing.  

In past years I would just crank the speakers in my house while everyone was out and dance.  I just took that and applied it to some crappy pop music.  

I also met a non-backpacker named Nick who is in the Australian soldier.  Just one of the coolest guys I have ever met.  And I know it feels a little creepy but I honestly saw him as an older brother for the short time we were on the island.  

After Fraser I was just totally wonked out and burned from tannin in he sun for.a little too long.  I just got back to Rainbow beach Hostel and passed out.  

Today I arrived at Noosa.  I have to say that this place is beautiful.  I was originally thinking of going to Brisbane and starting work there but Noosa is just so nice that I might just start work here.  

Just a thought

I wish I could not just record an entire experience, not just a picture or a film.  Being able to document exactly how you feel and express that to others would be just the best thing ever.  

Just a thought.  

I'm on a boat!

So I have left Magnetic Island an made my way to Arlie Beach where I then stayed and went on my Witsundays Islands tour.  The tour was so relaxing.  The people on my boat were incredibly chill.  We did a lot of sun tanning and snorkeling.  On the second day out we went to a beautiful beach.  The sand was almost as white as paper and squeaked under each step.  I saw a sting ray and a shark that was later identified to me as a lemon shark.  The views were breathtaking.  On the second day I paid $60 for a 40 minute dive. There we saw a giant fish witch had an am ward lump on its head and giant blue lips.  The fish were swimming all around the scuba instructor.  It was a colorful vortex of fish just going around and around.  The rest of the scuba diving was cool but that was the highlight of the dive.  

Now that I am on land everything seems like I'm still on the boat.  I was reading earlier and the book seemed to move even while nothing around me was.  I guess being on a boat for two days and two nights will do that to someone.  

Reception

Booking my stay at Magnetic Island I was told that there was a full moon festival in the middle of the nights I had booked.  In other words there was no room and I would have to book another hostel in town after staying on the island for one day and stay at the new place for 3 days.  This was troubling because I had a voucher that I would not be able to use unless I spent about $100.  The lady on the phone at Magnetic Island wasn't sympathetic either.  My plan was to got from the island to shore and spend the 3 nights off the island so I could use my voucher.  

When I arrived at the hostel I was greeted my a very kind lady with huge hair.  I was exhausted from the bus ride and I told her my situation.  She listened very patiently and when I was finished she decided to find room for me. I would have to pay a little extra for the room and I would have to pay for the festival (let's call it the Full Moon Party 2013).  I ended up paying $80 for the extra night, the Full Moon Party and my room upgrade.  This was great because it meant I wouldn't have to go though moving hostel (moving hostel is the worst), I would have to buy a ferry ticket and I wouldn't have to miss this giant party.  

I felt on top of the world and that's when I saw the crew.  The crew was setting up the stage for the upcoming party.  Eager to pass on the good deed, I explained that I had previous experience with stage crew and I offered to help.  The man who I later learned is named Tim's face lit up.  He had been down two guys and he wouldn't be able to get all of the work that he had to do done.  He introduced me to AJ the DJ/ apprentice stage hand.  The work was hot and unforgiving but it didn't last long.  I was thanked profusely for my help.  I also met much of the hostels grateful staff in the process.  

Later that night after I dressed in all black and had my face pained skeleton style by a roommate. His is because it was Halloween themed.  The music was cool the lights were awesome but best of all were the costumes. I saw a really good Chuckie, I saw Sockum Boppers, I saw 3 Sailer Moons, I saw 2 Gokus, 4 Pikachus, I saw a Bender. Just amazing consumes and pretty much everyone was dressed up. It was like a mini drunken ACen with really loud music and lots of dancing.  

At one point on the dance floor I was stopped by a... friendly fellow and he pointed at me and yelled to his friend over the music "This guy! He's Like between a nerd and a lad" (lad=bro).  My skeleton self stood there and thought for a second and I kind of agreed.  Though still call myself a nerd I guess my awesome dancing makes me sort of a lad.  

Later that night I bumped into AJ and a photographer I had previously met.  They invited me backstage.  I happy accepted.  I was equipped with a special wristband and i proceeded backstage.  Nobody was really dancing back there but from back stage you could see everything.  The audience was goin hard putting there hands up an it mad me glad that I could participate in making something that so many people could enjoy.  The night ended for me at 3 am.  I didn't want to stay up much more.  I was tired and so was the party.  The DJ had started repeating tracks, which to me signals that I have already stayed up to late.  

This was all yesterday.  I'm just weighting all this after I went up to the bar and asked for a glass of OJ to combat the heat.  The guy behind the bar gave it to me for free and said it was for helping out with the stage.  

So a lot has happened since my last update.  I still don't have pictures from the Atherton Tablelands but I have gone scuba diving and snorkeling over the Great Barrier Reef.  I also stayed at a place called PK's Jungle Village overnight.
I went scuba diving 3 days ago and it was something magical.  They had us first do an introductory dive which I thought was fine.  On my introductory dive I was in one of the only groups that saw a turtle! Yea we swam with him for a bit and I also got two killer photos.  One with me in it and one of just the turtle.  These were taken by a professional photographer but I do have my own photos.  Most of my own photos are when I was snorkeling solo.
After the intro dive I was given the option to do a second dive.  We would stay under for longer and swim around a lot more... but after I got all geared up I learned that it costed $55 dollars.  I really hate spending money impulsively but this was one of those things that I just had to do.  I signed my money away and went down under down under.  It was far better than the introductory dive and I had plenty of time to do stuff like somersaults and barrel rolls under water.  I can only describe scuba diving as flying but really slow.  I saw a lot of fist and some interesting plant life.  The one tiny blue plant lived in the pores of another much bigger piece of corral.  When you pushed water at it, it would retract into the bigger corral.  And there was this giant clam that if you ran your hand through it,  it would close.  Just some amazing sights.  I'll be uploading my pictures to Facebook and I'll send a link to the page once it's done.

https://www.facebook.com/alex.gill.355/media_set?set=a.682723498412508.1073741827.100000245929693&type=3

The Great Barrier Reef was renowned but PK's Jungle Village was... not.  The day trip out to PK's was nice. We stopped at a lot of great overlooks and there was an ice cream stand that had the stuff of dreams in little tubs.  We also went to a zoo where we could take pictures of ourselves with a baby crock, a koala, or a snake, but the price was a little too much for me so I refrained from hugging a tiny sleepy bear.  When we got to PK's we first did a mini Jungle tour and a quick beach trip which were both okay.  When my group and I arrived at the hostel I quickly realized that there was almost nothing to do.  I went and checked out another beach and it was just filthy.  It was then that I realized I had forgotten my book.  In the end it wasn't really worth it.

Week of fun #2

At the beginning of the week before jumping out of a plain I book everything that was near Cairns.  The only problem I realized was that I booked everything so close together.  This all said I did leave a day out to rejuvenate and take some time off to do stuff like wright on this blog and get a better camera.

2 days ago (after skydiving) I went white water rafting. And it was the most fun I have had in water since ever.  Don't get me wrong I love doing a lazy day of kayaking but rafting was adrenalin packed fun.  That said the tour did have some relaxing bits.  There were a few times where they would have us jump out and just drift down the stream.

After receiving a brief but thorough crash corse on what to do in the raft as well as what to do when you fall out (when, NOT if).  We were equipped with helmets shoes life jackets and fashionable neon yellow thermal pants and shirts.  We looked like Peeps on water.  

We flipped a few times and I unintentionally was pulled off the raft once. The way that went down was the instructor decided to stop the boat in front of a Giant rock.  The rushing water kept us on the rock, but when my paddle was sucked away by the current, the T grip on the paddle that I was holding on to took me with if downstream.  I hit my left elbow and got a cut on my finger, the most curious thing though was that I had a nosebleed afterwards.  

I know that I held my nose when I went under and I didn't hit my face on anything.  I think that the rush I got from going under sped my heart up to the point where I got a bleed.  Either way it was just an awesome time despite still being sore two days later.  

Yesterday I hiked the table lands but I'm going to save this story for later, because I don't yet have pictures yet.  

Falling

So even though the Internet is scarce, I had to find some today to say "I just went skydiving". That's right, I jumped out of a perfectly good plain just for the thrill of it.  

We were just waiting to go up and my heart was thumping.  Getting on the plain I was fine but then we got up in the air and I got scared again.  The plain ride to the 1000 meter drop was enough to calm me.  We were instructed to put our goggles on and hold on to our harness.  The light turned on and people started literally dropping like flies.  My thought went like this; 

"I'm on a plain.  That's a door.  That door is open.  Why am I moving towards the door?  I should stop moving towards the door.  Why are my legs dangling OUTSIDE this door? In falling out the... Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit! Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

The feeling was something like a roller coster but without the rails.  The initial falling also takes all the water out of my face.  Totally dried me out. Just an overall adrenalin filled experience.  After the parachute was deployed the instructor attached to my back told me to do a bit of steering with the parachute.  Just ahhhh. I mean wow. Great great experience.  Just wow. 

I just arrived in Cairns today. I didn't entirely enjoy my first day.  Maybe because I stayed up all last night so that I could catch a bus at 4 in the morning so I could make a flight at 6:45.  I missed the bus that was going to pick me up from the airport and then after that the bus itself was late.  By the time  got to Calypso (the new hostel) I was starving.  The man at the front desk told me I could wait for a bus in to town or walk 20 minutes.  EVERYWHERE WAS CLOSED.  The only thing I could find was a pie and a bag of chips in a gas station.  The pie was much too hot for me to eat only furthering my hunger.
The wifi here is more expensive than it was in Sydney which vexes me. Aren't things supposed to be cheaper out of the city?  The hostel itself is luxurious compared to the Bondi Shores I was staying in.  Bondi shores was just... disgusting and decrepit.  Another thing about my room which is bittersweet is it is filled with people from my OzIntro program.  It's nice that I can spend so much time with them after we all part ways next weekend but at the same time I'm still hunting for a person to travel with.  It is not as easy as it sounds.  People don't just go traveling with a random other person.

Tourist at Bondi Shores

I've been trying to see all the beaches in the area as much as possible in the time that I have here in Bondi.  And the beaches are amazing, and the parks are beautiful, but everywhere else has a certain grunge to it.  I mean this place is a tourist trap of sorts.  I have found myself paying too much for meals and enjoying the scenery but the town seems like it's not fit to be a tourist spot.  The streets are clean but the pavement is cracked, the advertisements are new but the billboards are old, the shops are bright with paint but the structures are crumbling.
Complaints aside the people in my room are great.  They saw I was nodding off last night and so they noticed, turned off the light and sat in front of the TV.  Boy does that room stink though.  I think that's the consequence of assigning boy only and girls only rooms.
I depart from this hostel in two days, which has me worrying because the OzIntro program has still not sent me an email saying that they have finished my summarized itinerary and I don't know if my laptop (which was newly fixed and sent here by my dad (thank you dad)) has arrived yet.  Whatever the case may be I really should stop worrying because I'm in a beautiful place and I should enjoy it.

Moving hostel

I recently book a stay in a hostel on Bondi Beach and I just moved today.  The place is called Bondi Shores and it is... Not pleasant.  The beds don't feel sturdy, the room smells and there is a certain kind of grunge to it.  

That all said the room does have a tv which is something that I haven't seen in a while.    

Itinerary

This past week we have been showed the best things to do while traveling the coast.  My current plan is to start in a place called Cairns (pronounced "Cans") an work my way down the coast.  This is called "Chasing the Sun" because the temperature will stay the same the whole way down if I do this.  Today I purchased my flight from Sydney to Cairns and booked a stay in a shabby hostel on Bondi Beach for the week.  

I've divided that I will be traveling before I work.  That said, I have filled out a résumé (it's called a "CV" here) so I will be ready for work should I need/ be offered it.  I feel like my odds are pretty good because the unemployment rate here is below 4%.  

I'm also thinking of transferring my money in America to the bank account I have here because the interest rate is all the way to 4%.

Rotating tower of awesome

Today was the final day of OzIntro and it ended in a grand way.  We went to the top of a tower in the middle of Sydney that rotated (kind of like the needle tower in Seattle). The first course of food was a little obscure, but the main course was amazing along with the desert.  Just renowned food with a great view.  

  PS, I need a better camera. 

FIRE

So last night someone's great idea of a prank was to pull the fire alarm. Everyone files outside and we wait half an hour till they start letting us back in. Here's a picture of the event

Some minor league rugby players blasted their entire room with a fire extinguisher and then pulled the alarm.  

Things I've seen so far

As I said previously, my laptop broke before my trip so I have been having to post on my tiny iPod touch.  It's not easy to type on and I have to manually upload one picture a t a time.  

That said here are some pics of things that I've seen.  

Nothing special

EXCEPT FOR SURFING.  That right I shredded some waves. Sure I fell a lot, got hit in the head twice and inhaled a bit of saltwater, but boy did I have a great time.  I never really realized how tiring surfing is.  While out in the waves everything is very relaxed even though your all tired and cold and wet.  And I know it's cheesy but I kept thinking of analogies about how the waves and the tide were like life.  It's truly a different experience from any other activity that I have tried (like jogging or swimming). The waves just clear your mind.  There really is no other feeling like it.  

Walking About.

Just walking around town may be tiring but it is also a very fun activity.  Looking up at tall buildings, finding alcoves and shady alleyways, and just seeing people about.  There is a whole different kind of... Zen? I'm not sure what it is but walking about in a foreign land has a nice feel to it.   

First Day

Today was the first day of OzIntro.  We went and drove about town to see many of the places that Jordan, Shamus and I have already been like china town and the super market.  We then stopped at the main big park in Sydney, I can't remember if I was told the name.  We then hiked through the park to the docks where we got on a speedboat and got soaked.  The boat would turn 180° and splash us from behind or stop quickly and splash us from the front.  All of us just got absolutely soaked in treat salt water leaving a uncomfortable residue once it dried.  

 

Day of games

Tomorrow is the beginning of the OzIntro program. I don't know why but I just don't feel as excited as I shod for it.  I mean sure it's gunny be awesome but I'm not feeling anxious or excited or happy because of it.  

Be that as it may, I had a great day today.  Today I got up nice and early at 10 to meet the gamers at the shop a block away.  We sat down and began.  The Pathfinder deck builder game that we played was cooperative which was a reliefs to me.  After the game ended I was confused why they weren't packing up their cards.

"Isn't the game over?"

"No that was round one!"

Upon hearing that my day was instantly better.  We played till 5 which then we disbanded.  After all this I met up with my fellow OzIntro people. Jordan and I went out to china town and found an Internet cafe.  We mainly played League of Legends and it costed us very little to play for as long as we did.  

Saturday night

Went to Kings Cross today and I'm still not quite sure what it is. I think it just may be a long stretch of shops.  Anyway I stopped by a British imports place and they had classic A&W root beer! That was probably  the best thing I tasted the whole time I've been here.  On my way back I spotted a tabletop gaming store packed with people playing Magic the Gathering.  I found a small group of people in the back playing Lords of Water Deep. I was invited to join and so I did. Early game I was beating the snot out of the rest of them but in the last two rounds they all caught up. I got in second and that's good enough for me. I know I made some friends because they asked me to come back the next day at 11 and play a Pathfinder deck builder game. 

We received our OzIntro booklet today...

Hungry Jacks

Last night Jordan, Shamus and I went to a place called Hungry Jacks.  Now Hungry Jacks is interesting because it has almost the same logo as Burger King. Jordan who has seen Hungry Jacks before in the UK explained to me that they are similar and have a history.  I didn't entirely understand.  Anyway we get in there and I feel as though I might pass out any second.  To my satisfaction, they have a 5 dollar veggie burger.  The conversation went like this
"I'll have the veggie burger and a root beer"
"Um, we don't serve beer here sir"
"Ha! No i said root beer"
"We have Sprite, Fanta, Diet Coke, Coke Zero..."
"I'll just take the Fanta"
Sitting over my burger holding my head in my hands, and sipping on my Fanta that tastes like fizzy medicine I contemplate the fact that root beer isn't a thing in this country. 

Just arrived

I'm here in Sydney! The first day consisted of a quick drive around town and an introduction to my hostel.  There are two guys who were picked up with me one named Shamus and another named Jordan. We pretty much spent the rest of the day together hanging out at the beach talking about video games and how we kill time.  Eventually hiking to Bondi Bay I became absolutely parched and very hungry.  Lucky for me there was a tiny store selling huge things of ice tea.  

Day Before

Day before I leave! I appreciate all my friend and family being so supportive of me. I leave tomorrow. That all said I do have some bad news; 

Today after visiting some of my good friends at stage crew, I came home and promptly sat down and got ready for my daily post. My dad said something in the next room and so I got up, placing my laptop on the table top. Picking it up again I saw that it had frozen. It was only after this that I found the computer could no longer boot properly.  After a few hour of trouble I diagnosed my new computer as a lost cause.  I will now be blogging from my iPod henceforth. 

 The blog is being set up and the bags are being packed.  This post was mostly just me figuring out how to get pictures on the blog.  Still figuring stuff out but I'm still on track.

Starting the Adventure

So this is a quick test post as well as a post to tell everyone what's the happs.
I have set up this blog to document my gap year in Australia.  I have been packing today. I'm probably going to be posting pictures of my setup for packing. Which is exactly what I'm doing today; packing.
My Gap year will consist of me starting off in Sydney for the first month or so starting on the 24th this month.  I will be staying in a hostel for $30 a night.  The program that I signed up with will help me set up my whole stay there from setting up a bank account to making sure I can call people internationally.  After the program (named OzIntro) provides me with one week of fun they will then make jobs available for me.  Working the jobs will keep me fed and comfortable at night as well as help pay for travels.  I do have a small nest egg that I can tap into to help me with the more expensive tasks.  I don't plan on using too much of it but it is there if I need it.