My travels across three continents with two suitcases. Although *already* I possess more stuff than will happily pack itself into two suitcases. Unless the suitcases have also expanded, in which case, result!!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Sydney - watch out here I come.... again.....
I thought I could do with a change, so I'm taking some time out in Sydney.
I'm off next Thursday I hope, for five days and I might spend some time working out if it'll be possible to go back for New Year. Can you be in Australia and not take the chance to see the fireworks on the Sydney Harbour bridge??? I just hope that fate deals me a good hand for this one, because getting a hotel room is going to close to impossible. But all things being fair, given that my first encounter with a spider in this country was with a KILLER, it seems only fair that in return I get to see New Year in Sydney.
Today I am feeling waaaay hot. It's meant to be 26 degrees but even the BBC Weather people observe the current temperature as 31 degrees. And there's not a drop of wind, so consequently it's schorchio. Ooooh, I've just looked up The Fast Show and discovered they've got an online game, check it out here.
Nothing else to report, except I'm off to the beach today..... it's a hard life, but I'm doing my best to cope with it. :))
Yes, as those of you who know me, I'm not good at keeping my hair the same for very long. So what was once blonde is now brunette. And actually it looks quite good, even if I say so myself.
It's good to know that some things - such as my inability to keep the same hairstyle/colour - are constant across time and space.
Currently in Adelaide, I've not managed to rustle up any work yet, although all the agents are now my best friend. So thinking of poodling off to Sydney for a bit and seeing what happens there. Got a few irons in the fire there as well, so you never know - as they say.
In other news, I applied yesterday for (get this) a debit card from the bank. I know! The excitement! I was trying to think how long ago it was since they were introduced in the UK. I know I've had one since I was 18, so that's been 3 years (ha ha ha ha). But seriously, it's been for-sodding-ever surely??? But apparently here in Oz, it's new fangled technology. So they fitted me up with what was basically a glorified cash card to start with, but it didn't take me long to figure out that my gallavanting around Australia would be hampered somewhat, by having to purchase flights in UK₤ every time. It's weird how some things are so different around the world. Honestly, what with the debit cards and the TV schedules, it's like going back in time about 30 years but without Abba, the flares, the afros (a la Jackson Five) and the disco balls.
However, in more positive news I have discovered 'surface spray' which is the work of geniuses/genii - whatever - clever dudes. You spray it on the walls/carpet/wherever and nasty crawly critters walk on it and then DIE!! Marvellous. And it works. And it smells like listerine. Could be a coincidence, but it's quite nice to think that you're killing every crawly critter and leaving the room smelling all minty fresh. Love it!
Although I am currently sitting here with the laptop in front of the telly and watching the cricket, the first test in Brisbane, I don't really have that much interest in cricket. I know, I know. There are prob a gazillion brits who'd die to be in Oz right now to be able to watch the cricket - prob even just to be able to see it on the telly LIVE!, otherwise you just get the scores the next morning and of course the replays.
But today I went even one step further, I actually went to see the little urn they call The Ashes. It's 'on tour' from the UK and will be all around Australia. And boy, is it little. It's only about 3 inches high. Quite unimpressive really. The Ashes exhibition said that the aussies are all worked up about it saying the urn should kept in Australia because they've won the Ashes so often, but apparently, it's an unofficial prize and is no more valid than anything else. And besides, it actually belongs to the MCC, so I guess they'd have to agree where it would actually 'live'.
I have to say, the exhibition was actually quite interesting, even for a cricket numpty like myself. So if you get the chance and you're in Oz, go!
Sunshine with bells on. Not a cloud in the sky. It was very hot.
I went down the beach for a walk, as you do as an unemployed bum in Australia. It was very pleasant but very hot.
On the way home I caught the bus, as you do. As I was sitting there I had this feeling that someone was looking at me, you know how that happens?? So I look over and see this guy sitting across from me leering and ahem, massaging his crotch. Oh great. I thought for a bit, it might have been the two girls sitting behind me, but alas they got off the bus and the dude was still there giving me the eye.
D'you know the worst part of it was that I must have looked like a total scumbag having had suncream all over my face and being all sweaty and salty, and yet here I was gaining the attention of someone who feels the need to have a wank on the bus. I must have bad karma.
And I think that was confirmed this evening, when I went to hang out my washing on the line but was super alert for the critters when I saw a spider in the corner. At first I thought I might be able to be bold and just get on with the hanging out the washing, but really I was only kidding myself and had to come in. Chopper had to go out an investigate and then he tried to call me out to see it. Erm hello? No way jose. After much abuse and hassle I went and had a look from a safe distance of about 5 feet away. He says, do you see this spider? And I'm like, YES!! And he says, do you see the red spot on it's back?? So you can imagine I was away from there like someone had lit a fire under my ass. I don't need to see that shit, I want to be as far away from that as is humanly possible.
The worst part of it is that it's still out there. It could be there tomorrow, the next day, the day after. Oh god, no one understands my absolute terror. SHIT!!!!!
These are some of my observations about the weird stuff which goes on here:
- When you get a sandwich, say something like chicken salad, the aussies idea of salad includes: cheese, carrot and avocado. I'm not sure what's weirder, cheese or avocado. Carrot, I guess that makes some sense. But I do know that avocado is the food of the devil on a particularly bad day. Yuck.
- Loads of people when they're leaving work have their trainers on. It's like Working Girl, but without the shoulder pads and without the 1980's. And often it's the boys as much as the girls.
- There was this letter in the local paper, and no word of a lie, it was a guy writing in to say; could the person who found his lost lamb please return it. And so far as I can gather, he actually meant a lamb, he wasn't just coining a christian phrase.
I'm probably far too old to be galavanting around the world, but y'know. That's life.
Well, for now it is!!
Today I was taken out for dinner and delighted with a gift - perfect birthday activities! I went down to the coast earlier and although for Oz it wasn't that hot, it was actually quite pleasant for a foreigner like myself! And the flies laid off, maybe it was a birthday special?!!
As you read this, most likely wrapped up in something warm and bitching about the cold, you won't believe what I'm going to tell you.
It's actually happening to me and I barely believe it. So......
They have flies in Oz. No big surprise.
They are about 1/3rd the size of the ones we have at home and they are *totally* psychopathic. They fly in your face, in your ears, up your nose, in your eyes, in your hair, up the sleeves of your t-shirt, and dangerously, in your mouth if you happen to talk - or laugh.
And I'm not talking dumb-ass fly unable to work out where to go, oh no, this is a mission. This is a fly intent on making your life a misery. Honestly, one day I was sitting at the bus stop and there was this fly persistently trying to get on my face, trying to get in my ear and anywhere else it could drive me nuts. Imagine now you see me from the side of the road waving my arms up and down, trying to flick this bastard out of the way, but it just comes back and cue more waving around. Yes, that's right, I look like an imbecile having some kind of attack.
OK, so flies, evil flies. Whatever. Now can someone explain to me how exactly, there are more deadly spiders in Australia than anywhere and yet they're clearly making no effort to kill the flies. I mean come on. That's the only argument anyone has come up with for having spiders. I bet if you saw a spider/fly combo the spider would be using all it's legs to bat away the psycho fly.
It's just wrong.
Oh, and if anyone knows of some potent anti-fly thing that drives them away (aside from the silly hat) please, please, please email me!!
OK, you're a sucker for punishment...... it's HOT!! And to be honest, it's not even *that* hot. 30 degrees. Toasty. The beach is calling my name, oh yeah!! Tomorrow it's 33 degrees. Don't hate me!
They have this thing going on over here where they sound an air raid siren when there are bush fires. Well, one has just gone off. Can you even imagine such a thing??
I went supermarket shopping today for the first time since I arrived. If you could see me, you would be able to tell straight away that I'm not native. I swear I was walking around in awe at the place.
Things which may (or may not) interest you: - 95% (I'm estimating) of the fresh produce (fruit and veg) was grown in Australia. (This is significant, imagine you couldn't get your bananas or tomatoes flown in from Spain.....) - The options in the cereal line are limited. (The americans agree.) - They don't go in for frozen food in the same way as we do (although to be fair, it could have just been because it was a smaller supermarket.) - They still do that thing where they put the veggies at the start of the supermarket - which I've never really understood, but it's the same the world over, so I'm guessing it works.
Today I've been trying to find myself a netball club. It's not as easy as I thought, although I saw them playing down in the city yesterday night, so it's obviously going on somewhere.
Other than that, just trying to get myself a job. Hey, I wonder, did knitwear boy go on his trip yet???
I've just read the Secret Diary of Adrian Mole age 13 and a bit. I thought it might be a witty review of teenage life.
I didn't find the writing funny and I didn't like Adrian Mole. He's got his head so far up his own arse. Who would like him? Is that the point??? Maybe it is. But I don't get that either. Surely in order to encourage you to read the next book there ought to be something in the first that makes you continue??
Maybe it's funnier to boys?? Feel free to let me know.
I've been here now for a couple of days. I'm looking for work. I tell you what, you forget the hassles of job hunting when you're in a full time job. It's a royal pain in the ass. It's just sell, sell, sell and really I'm no saleswoman. But hey ho.
But, I've got an interview next week - I'll not go into the details - and I've also got an agency on the scout around for me. Which reminds me, I should charge my phone in case they are trying to contact me.... doh! The only good thing about an interview is having been on the other side of the fence I know it should be easier. But on the other hand, I've got no idea what goes on over here and what they expect. Can you tell, I'm mostly bricking it?!
Today I'm doing a whole lot of nuthin, some surfing and some emailing, you know, all the important stuff. I should be going to see some other agents, but really it can wait until tomorrow.... I think all the insomnia has started to catch up with me - or at least that's my excuse.
Yeah, so pretty much the most boring blog yet, for which I can only apologise.
I was organised. I set up the bank account months ago. It all looked a bit too easy to be honest. But maybe when things work as they're supposed to it is as easy as it looks. But when I go to collect my bank card from the 'bank's agent', guess what.... oh yes, the safe won't open.
My patience in these matters, in case you didn't know, is limited at best. I mean, this 'safe' is surely something you open every day. Announcing to the world that you're going to get some more batteries to help resolve the problem with the safe doesn't inspire me with confidence that you have the problem under control. What kind of safe, exactly, relies on batteries or remote power of any description to allow it to open. No, I think you're a twat making excuses to go and get breakfast. What's more, when you come back from the shops, faff around for half an hour and then send me to the bank itself, I'm beginning to think about banking elsewhere.
So I get to the bank. The one where they're meant to have been told that there are three people wanting bank cards created for them because of aforementioned safe issues. But no, we can't issue cards on the spot, and no we don't care if you need to catch a flight to canberra (not me, some other victim). You need to come back this afternoon. Did I mention we couldn't give a shit?
Well bingo buddy, neither do I. If there's anything I've learned it's this. There's more than one bank on the high street and if you're not happy with whatever aspect of the service you're getting, or not getting, move on, find another.
So Citibank. You can keep your account. We're done.
I arrived in Sydney along with pretty much half of the population of the world, all here for god knows what. Could be cricket, but there's a lot of Americans here as well and to be honest I imagine their interest in a cricket match between Oz and the UK is pretty much the same as mine. Zippo - in case you needed that explained.
So yeah, we get sent up and down the coast of Sydney for 20 minutes or so before we can finally land. When we land, they send us to some remote part of the airport where there's no gate and you have to do the whole, get off the plane, onto the bus thing. Once off the bus we had to queue for customs where they put all these secret codes on my immigration form, but I think it was to do with the fact that I was carrying in my luggage the most deadly of weapons..... chocolate. They've got serious 'concerns' about the immigration of all sorts of things (in case you're planning a trip - it's meat, dairy products, poultry and eggs, vegetables, fruits and anything made of wood). However, my chocolates were declared 'safe' (well duh) and after having queued up for nearly as long as in T3 at Heathrow they scanned my luggage for the umpteenth time and I was free. (Hey, how come they don't scan the luggage before releasing it to the pick-up carousel - then we don't have to queue up the length of the terminal....??? I'm going to have to find a native who I can quiz....)
So yes, I'm here in Sydney and the weather is HOT! My arrival (coincidentally) brought with it a heat wave. Drove past Bondi (in a very very cool black Lexus - oh yeah, check me out!) and it was seriously packed. Before I'd only even seen Bondi in the 'winter' and it had been empty. Personally, I prefer the empty version - this time it just lived up to it's reputation. The intention was to drive on to another beach, but there was some art event going on combined with toasty weather and no where to park. Mission aborted.
I can report to you that I have seen no *actual* spiders yet, although I have seen a load of nasty looking webs and have discovered from a local that they have the big bastard spiders down in the south as well as in the north. Way to make me sleep at night.
So tomorrow I'll visit the bank, see what hoops I've got to jump through to get a cash card. No money actually transferred yet, figured that it might be better not to give them any of my cash until I was happy with the service they might offer. If they're anything like the banks in the UK.... well, let's just say that banks aren't far from spiders in my list of things the world could do without.
And that means: a) packing (arse) and b) flying (double arse).
It doesn't even mean sunshine at the moment. Weather in Oz is decidely not summer-like. But having been blasted into insigificance by the turbo air-con in HK I won't mind averagely warm weather.
I've come to the internet cafe this evening (it is 8pm here now) to 'check-in online'. I know! How cool is that. Only one slight problem. In order to verify you're not an insane axe wielding maniac they need to have your passport number and expiry date. (I guess there is a hidden code in the passport number which means 'not-axe-wielding-maniac', but who knows for sure?) And guess where my passport is..... oh yes, safely locked up in the hotel..... Oh well, it will give me enough of a distraction to go back and get it, thus avoiding packing (ha!) and too much worry about the flying part. (ha ha!!)
Not much else to report. Some things I've discovered are the same the world over: - old ladies push in front of you to get on the bus/tram/ferry and then give you daggers like it's your fault that they didn't get on first. - taxi drivers will run you over as quick as look at you. Prob quicker if they sense weakness (i.e. if you are a tourist)
Oh and I've discovered lamingtons are yummy. Coconut covered sponge cake - mmmmm, tasty.
Ha! Not as easy as you might think. (blogger in chinese that is.)
All the buttons are in the same place, but they don't mean a lot, and if you're like me, paying attention to which buttons do what and their positioning on the screen doesn't take up a lot of your time.
But hey. Lesson learned. I came, I saw, I blogged and then I deleted the baby. Oh yeah.
Never mind, I was only rambling on about my jet-lag yada yada boring.
I am liking Hong Kong though. It is weirdly familiar, and yet utterly bewildering at the same time. I would have liked to have seen it before it was handed over to the Chinese and again after to see what the differences would have been, but there you go. Unless you're 'chrono-impaired' it ain't gonna happen.
I am currently at the top of the peak in yet another internet cafe. This one has the windows stuff en anglais for the dimwits (i.e. Me.)
I have just come from visiting the offices of 'The Company' where I work, and very nice they are too. I tried offering to make the tea for the next six months, but they looked at me pitifully and laughed. Oh well. Got on the tram which is like travelling on a giant credit card with seats - odd to say the least. Also tried to skip my fare, not even on purpose, but c'mon, who makes you pay when you get off? What's with that???? The tram-driver man had my number though and coughed loudly to get me to pay up..... which is fair enough, it will have probably only costed - like 4 dollars or something. If it's anything like the ferry which costs something extravagant like 25p per journey. Get in!
So off to Oz on Friday. Today is........ God only knows. All I know is that I'm not going tomorrow, which is a good job as I've got to repack. (rewind to previous posts to understand packing issues).
Ah, well enough already. Places to go, peaks to see.......
Well, it's been over 12 hours since I arrived and look how long it's taken me to get to the internet. Not bad all things considered - I've been asleep for most of that time, it's just now 11am in Hong Kong.
I am having mobile phone nightmares, basically it won't charge up. Not sure if this is because of the change in voltage from home to here (240 to 220) or whether it's because my phone is about to stick it's feet in the air and refuse to play ball. (Actually, someone might know this - I'm thinking email to mobile phone expert on the cards ) Hoping the former - obviously. I've left it with the people in the hotel hoping that they can do the necessary to make it work.
Oooh, they've just started playing Bob Marley in the cafe - reminds me of quiet friday mornings! (ie: before the rabble arrived and started on about the latest [fill in blank]!
Flight over from London was like nothing you've ever seen before. PACKED. Every seat on the plane was taken. So get there and there's a chinese dude (yes, dude) sitting next to me. Fine. But within about 5 minutes, he'd up and gone apologising profusely that he wanted to sit with his friend (dude huh?) - swapping with some other guy - who looked completely normal. Sounds OK. Until we head off. I tell you what, this is a man unique among men. Not only did he NEVER need the loo through the whole trip. but he could sleep. But not the usual sleep-with-one-eye-open-on-fear-of-imminent-death, oh no, this was proper sleep with PROPER snoring. It was that bad, that he kept waking himself up with the loudness of it. Can you imagine. Needless to say I had in my extra strength ear-plugs - usually for drowning out the sound of a very angry enfant. Who knew......
I found out *after* we got off the plane he was actually with someone else. Someone who had clearly been delighted at the opportunity to sneak some sleep away from this snoring maniac.
Anyways, I've got to get back to the hotel, see if they've fixed my phone......
Well, really, it's not called keyboardaddiction for nothing.
If there comes a point in my life where I have to sit and actually write (as in, with a pen) something down on a regular basis it's going to be a struggle. Anyone's who's seen me in action with a pen knows that the time spent writing something down is inversely proportional to the time spent doodling. Somehow these days a keyboard makes so much more sense. Although it is interesting that the people you now communicate with most often are the people whose handwriting you'll rarely see..... interesting.
Soon off to the airport. I have actually now finished packing. I had to repack at least twice though having forgot something or other. I have also synced up the ipod and am raring to go.
Apart from the small matter of a fear of flying.
Found on another blog I read that some airline or other offers free broadband on-board. This would make it much easier to fly - I could MSN it the whole way - or at least indulge in retail therapy or games, or emails, or even a blog update. Now wondering if my keyboardaddiction should have been treated with a small laptop or other - but then having a laptop and no internet connection, would that be worse???
Ugh. I feel like crap. Will be glad to get on the plane drugged with a smidgeon* of alcohol and to wake up on the other side of the world albeit with the risk of the hangover from hell.
* for 'smidgeon' read '2 litre duty free bottle' or similar.
Well, strictly speaking, it's actually 26 and a half hours till I go.
I have this much to do: [--------------------------------------------------------------------------------] and this much time [--]
I was feeling all smug earlier with the packing, having managed to get it done - or so I thought. Then I realised that I hadn't considered what I might have to take with me that wasn't clothes. I mean, you know, stuff. And as anyone who has seen my desk will concur, 'stuff' I can accumulate, par excellence.
So far I have packed Zippy (courtesy of Quiggers, thanks mate) and my hair straighteners. And then I got bored and went out for a couple of drinks. All very impromtu and I met up with some people I'd not seen in a while, so it was very pleasant.
So I'm kinda OK with the cold feet today. Socks eh? Marvellous.
But I'm still thinking stuff over though and haven't slept properly in days. Usually I can give the 'incredible-sleeping-woman' a run for her money, so all this insomnia is a bit of a shock to the system. Hoping that'll wear off after a bit - either that, or I'll be spending the next 7 months in therapy trying to figure out what it is I've forgotton to do. But so long as I've fed the cat and turned off the gas, it'll all be OK.... right????
Well, much bullet biting on the cards in the next 24 hours I'm sure. Maybe next blog will be from Hong Kong - ooooooh, but it depends if I can find an internet cafe - last time I used the hotel TV/internet combo but I couldn't make the mouse work - duh, so I'll not be wasting my money on that again. Weather in HK promises to be good, so might be able to get some good pictures from Victoria Peak this time...... and of course there is the shopping. Did I mention the shopping???
When exactly would it hit me that I'm going. That really I just want to hide under the duvet with my ipod blasting something into my ears at top volume so I can't hear rational arguments about going.
Well, hello Friday afternoon. Bingo. Just over 48 hours to go and I've had enough now thanks. Too late to cancel the flights??? Cold feet - god yes. Cold enough that my ears are tingling with cold.
I think it was the post about packing that tipped me over the edge. Either that or ......................
I don't care what anyone says. This is a whole new level of packing, the like of which I have never had to deal with before.
This isn't just a capsule wardrobe to last a fortnight, oh no.
This is serious. I need to remember EVERYTHING, because there's no coming back for it. Yeah, yeah, so I'm not going to the moon, they *do* have shops in Australia, but it's not the same. That one item of clothing you really need. That's going to be the one trapped in a new dimension between the wardrobe door and the wardrobe drawer. At least when you're gone for a couple of weeks, it's not such a big deal. Plus, you don't have to work, or even be remotely smart when you're just on your hols. This time I'm planning to work for some of the time, I need smart clothes as well as the usual crap.
Gaaaahhhh!!!
I'm over this packing lark already and I've barely started.
So, currently trying to hypnotise myself into forgetting the thought that I actually have to get on a plane, although clearly writing it down here brings it back to reality. I guess it could be OK, as first stop in Hong Kong will be something to look forward to - or at least it will now that I've booked the hotel. Otherwise it would have been a rather uncomfortable stay in the airport eating the god-awful food. (Been there, done that - well the food bit.)
Yeah, so I've booked the HK hotel which looks good on the internet (here) and hasn't been totally slated on tripadvisor which is always a good sign. People seem quite honest on there and tripadvisor get nothing by saying somewhere's great if it's not (I assume....). Have just noticed on the hotel website it says the time currently in HK is 9pm and the temperature is 26 degrees C. Mmmmm, toasty!
Spoke to knitwear boy last night, who's off on his hols shortly to Malaysia (sans knitwear, je pense) and he's agreed to a guest blog entry - so watch this space...... (although, don't hold your breath, I believe it's at the end of this month).
Just looked up the weather in Sydney - somewhat unimpressive. Although perhaps a good thing to ease me gently into the scorching summer. Yes, actually that's a much better plan. Will already be stereotypical white-as-a-sheet pom without adding whinging-about-the-weather to the list of reasons they've got to hate me. Enough reasons already I imagine....
