Well! Again, I've been very busy in the last few days. I've got an Australian mobile number (which I'll post on my Facebook profile for anyone desperate to hear my voice!), sorted myself somewhere to live, got in contact with various people about cars, started a job and got an Australian bank account! Presumably, somewhere in the ethos, there is also a tax file number trying to find its way to me, although it's not yet found its way to either my email address or my hostel!
As always, I'll start my story from the start! Which, I'll pretend, is when I arrived in Brisbane - although a lot of this had already happened when I wrote my last update! After a long a boring coach journey, at least made far more tolerable by the fact that Frolicking (a nickname based on her German surname, which I won't reveal for some kind of privacy reason, as that seems to be what people do on the internet!) was with me for most of it, so I had someone to chat to. It was also made more interesting, although probably more infuriating, when an old Aussie guy (in his mid-late 60s I'd guess) started chatting to me from across the aisle (completely ignoring the fact that I conspicuously got out my book and kept trying to read it instead of giving him proper replies). At least he was nice and quite knowledgeable about racehorses, and wished me good luck with it (as did a random woman that'd been sitting behind him, as we got off the bus, which was nice - she'd obviously just overheard the conversation!) The frustrating part though, apart from not being allowed to read, was that he somehow (I'm still not sure how) got onto the subject of: racism (he was against it, although he sounded less convincing when he started talking about muslims), the Chinese/Indians and rich/poor people! Apparently, although global warming is a myth (sigh), we will - within 30 years or so - all be forced to wear gas masks permanently, due to the pollution caused by China and India who (combined I think), in the last 10 years, have caused 'more pollution' than the rest of the world did, put together, in the last 100 years. Although the Chinese government will be found out for the dictators and liars that they are and overthrown by its people within the next 10 years (possible, but I think it'll take longer!) The muslims are also going to cause world war 3, I'm guessing through the terrorist acts that all muslims perform as part of their religious duties. I think what he was most passionate about though, was his idea that the poor (i.e. not rich) people of the world will rise up as one (I think he was saying within my lifetime) and overthrow the world's governments, because the distribution of wealth is unfair. Kind of like in the new Batman film, which I have FINALLY been able to watch! I do kind of wish I'd probed further into who and how this would come about, but I finally got a chance to read my book, while he fell asleep!
I got to Brisbane fine though, and on time after my 9 hour coach journey, and found my hostel (Brisbane Base Central - which was booked for me by OutBackPackers). Once I'd checked in and walked up to the 3rd floor, as the (presumably oldest in Brisbane - it even still had a manually opening grille) lift wasn't working, I dumped my stuff and went for a nice meal ($19 for a nice pizza and beer from somewhere in the centre, don't remember the name - but it's got about 15 different stalls serving one restaurant, a strange set up!) before going to bed and, for once, managing not to slip into a coma for half the next day, after doing some washing and getting some overpriced internet. I would NOT recommend this hostel, to anyone! It's overpriced ($28 for an 8-person dorm), the laundry's standard ($3 wash, $3 dry, although quite old machines), the internet's overpriced ($4p/h, although that is the same as my current hostel), the aforementioned lift barely works and the toilets were literally a few minute's walk from my room (annoying, after attempting to rehydrate that day by downing loads of water). The toilets and showers were also very dingy/dirty, I think I may have caught AIDS when I went in without shoes on. So I booked another hostel (Bunk, in the Fortitude Valley area, right next to Chinatown) - which is much, much better! Not without its faults, but it's cheaper (for a 6-person dorm), the lift works, the rooms are nicer (with clean, modern toilets & showers ensuite) and you get a (small) free meal from the bar 4 nights a week and $1 spit roast on Sundays, along with a free cocktail on arrival! That's where I've been based since Sunday night (tonight being Friday) and I would definitely recommend Bunk - as would many others, as it's been voted Queensland's hostel of the year 4 times I think, and named Australia's 4th best hostel! Oh, it also has a small, free swimming pool/jacuzzi for guests!
From that base of operations, I've successfully managed to sort my life out over here - sorting out accommodation (I'm to be a lodger, close to my work, with someone else my kind of age coming in soon hopefully, in a nice, modern little townhouse with a pool, $160 + around $20 utilities, double room and a lovely resident dog!), I've listed it as my address for both my SIM card activation and for my new bank account (they don't mind passing on post) and have also been searching Gumtree for a 2nd hand car (for less than about $700, which is difficult if you want it to work!) I have also looked round Brisbane and seen some of the main sights, although it's not really a sightseeing city, including chilling on the city beach a couple of days (nice, but only just warm enough to sunbathe a bit), seeing the botanic gardens (meh, not that impressive actually!) and the Roma St Parklands (much nicer!) But I shall be moving into the house tomorrow afternoon, so I'll actually be a little sad to leave the hostel!
Yesterday, I also started my job - although that was just a little trial shift, I only did an hour and a half - and had my first real shift today, working from 6am to about 12.30pm (half of that I was the only one on the yard with all these expensive racehorses, so my criminal record check must have been clean!), which was absolutely fucking knackering, as I basically mucked out 6 large beds of shavings, half of which hadn't been done properly in a few weeks, meaning I removed and re-made the best part of 6 hot beds (where the pissy bedding is allowed to build up to the point of decomposition to provide more heat). This, as I'm sure anyone who's done it before, is not an easy task to do in 20 degree sun on not a lot of sleep (I got up at 4.30am) on your first day at a job! But, I did it, and I've earned about $90 today, cash-in-hand for the first month, which is a trial period for us to see if it's working out. I did though, spend an hour's wages on travel (almost anyway, it's $7 each way!) and another hour and a half's wages on food when I got back (a massive KFC bucket with a banana nutella crepe for desert at the local food court). I've also spent about half an hour's wages today on other food and a book, and my hostel last night cost $29 (as I just renewed the night before I was due to check out). So, really, I've only come away with about an hour's profit for the day, which is rather depressing! But it'll be much cheaper once I'm living in the house, as I'll spend less on travel (hopefully nothing if I get lifts/a bike, very little if I get a car) and food (not eating out helps!) So I should save up a decent amount and hopefully extend my stay to go see the rest of Australia once I finish the job (although I think he wants me to work for the full year of my visa, and just transfer me to one of his other 2 companies when my full allowed 6 months with 1 employer is up, although I can't see that happening!)
I can't think of anything else I want to say, so I'll say what I always do: stay tuned for the next update! Although there probably won't be that many more after this for a while, as life will probably get a little monotonous while I'm working and saving. But I will update it when I feel I've got enough to say!
Much love to everyone,
Andy xx
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