The Ashes...

Had a fun day yesterday at The Ashes in Melbourne.

There's a 18-20 year waiting list to be a member at the cricket ground. Thankfully a guy I met camping last week has membership. Even better, his mate (who is also a member) didn't need his ticket. So free entry for Pete! Sweet! Thanks Joshi!

The only bad part was having to watch England win!
Have a few snaps from the day in the photos tab.

Christmas In Australia...

I think this pretty much sums it up:

Carols By Candlelight...

My last experience of carols in the park was so disturbing that I thought I'd better try again.

Every year there is a big performance on Christmas Eve in the Sidney Myer Music Bowl- a huge outdoor amphitheater in a park in the city centre. It's a massive occasion that thousands of people go to. All the "big" stars from Australia's X Factor perform and theres a choir of about two or three hundred people performing Christmas Carols. Tickets cost $50 for people who go on Chrimbo Eve, but the good news is there's a dress rehearsal on the 23rd. Tickets on the 23rd? $5!!

So a group of friends and I (along with 7500 other people) brought a picnic to the Music Bowl to listen to the choir and performers practice before the big show on the 24th.

The doors opened at 4 and the singing didn't stop until 10:30pm. Six and half hours of Christmas juice is enough to get EVEN ME in the Christmasy mood! We had a fun time stuffing our faces with picnicy goodness and sang all the classics at the top of our lungs. A few pics are on display on my Photos page.

Merry Christmas and God bless us, every one!
Too much?

A Long Weekend's Camping...

If you've read the previous post you already know the start of the story- a strange series of very fortunate events.

So on Saturday we headed off to Wilson's Promontory, one of Victoria's best kept secrets. It seems like so much happened that I'm only going to be able to give you the abridged version:

Saturday: We arrived in the evening, quickly set up tents before heading off to the beach to go fishing. But these Aussies don't use a rod like any normal person! They prefer a barbed spear! Seriously. Those of us without wetsuits decided to observe from the rocks seeing as it was getting pretty cold. No fish caught this time.

Sunday: One of the girls had been telling us about a cave that we should all go sleep in one night. We decided to go scope it out (see pics). Unfortunately I don't have any pics from inside, but the rock I'm climbing into was almost completely hollow!

Monday: Spent a rainy day at the beach while the guys tried to catch more fish with their spears. This day was even more cold so there was no way I was going into the water. The rain didn't stop and kept falling into the night. At 1:30am I realised that the floor of the tent felt a little like a water bed. We jumped up, realising that we were in the middle of a flash flood- we had about a foot of rainfall in a matter of hours. The water camp up and over the zip of our tents! Everything had to be evacuated and moved to the one tent that was high enough up the hill to stay out of 'the lake'. Some people slept in cars, others piled in together to stay dry. It was quite an adventure!

Tuesday: Thankfully most of the water had drained away by the morning and it was sunny enough to dry EVERYTHING. The tents were full of water and all had to be drained and dried. As the sun kept shining we headed off on a 20k round hike to Sealer's Cove, a beautiful beach at the other end of the park. Got plenty of pics of this beautiful place. That evening it was time to try spear fishing- wetsuit or no wetsuit. To cut a long story short I didn't see a single fish!

Wednesday: This was our last day and there was one sight I had to see. We were camped beside Mount Oberon and the views from the top were supposed to be stunning. So after breakfast we set off. It's only a 7k round hike but it's steep enough that the view from the tops is spectacular. I took a 360degree panoramic from the top that I'm yet to upload. There was time for a quick swim and a game of beach cricket before we had to pack up and get going.
It was a great week. All extremes of weather in a few short days. I had a great time and made more new friends. Good times! 

A Strange Chain Of Events...

Sorry I haven't posted here in a while- I've been all over the place (literally). All will be revealed:

Last Thursday I was invited to go along to 'The Road To Bethlehem'. This is a big play telling the story of the first Christmas, but rather than one stage there are about 10 spread out in a park. You start off with Mary and Joseph and then walk along to the next stage where you meet the Wise Men on their journey. It was pretty fun but I wasn't able to get many photos cos it was too dark. (See photo tab for a few pics)

I had gone along with Jared and Naomi (friends I'd made from church) and they introduced me to other friends they had invited. One of them was having a birthday party the next night (Friday) and invited me along- sweet!

So on Friday I went along to the birthday party where I met LOADS of people. It was really good fun. They're all musos and singer/songwriters so naturally they had an open mic night. This was great up until the point where the people I had just been chatting to said I'd go up and perform!! GROUND.OPEN.SWALLOW.ME.NOW (I didn't sing. I just stood there and talked for a while and told them all it was a 'poem'.) :o)

Later that night some of the folks I'd met told me they were going camping the next day (Saturday) and invited me along- sweet!

For the past five days I've been camping at Wilson's Promontory- one of the most beautiful Nation Parks in Victoria. It was gorgeous, but more of that in my next post...

So in the space of three days I recon I met about forty new people. Good times!

Joseph looking like he's about to dive off the stage and tear me to shreds. 

Holidays Have Arrived...

Schools here don't officially finish until this Friday, but the chances of teachers being off this week (and hence me working) are almost zero. So I think it's safe to assume that my holidays have begun.

To celebrated by buying a copy of Bill Bryson's 'Down Under'. A few people back home had recommended it to me (thanks Tomkiss) and since arriving I've had roughly 900 people encourage me to read it. I'm 150 pages in and so far it's brilliant.

Now that I'm 'free' from work for a while I've been enjoying exploring. Generally I hop on the tram and go and find a coffee shop where I can sit and read for a while. I only leave when the need to go find another coffee shop arrises.

 Today I headed into the city on another (rainy) adventure. I wandered aimlessly around the city giving myself a running commentary as I imagine Bill Bryson would. (What a nerd!) You can look forward to the release of my memoires some time in the next 80 years. :o)

Many touristy postcards display images from a street caller Hosier Lane in the city. It's famous for being covered in graffiti, so I decided to go see and hopefully get some pics for myself. I took loads of pics, but you can see a sample on the photos page. 

Carols In The Park...

Glad to hear that the snow is clearing back home and that life is returning to normal for most people. I'm not sure if it's going to be a white Christmas over there in the UK but it certainly sounds like winter has truly arrived.

It feels so odd to be preparing for Christmas without the cold, dark nights setting in. Correction, it feels downright wrong! But Christmas approaches never-the-less and people here are laughing at me as I try to get my head around the idea of snowmen decorations in the summer holidays. Surely I'm not the only one who thinks that's odd! :o)

To try and get in the mood I went to sing Christmas carols in the park the other night. I was supposed to be there with our church group. I was going to be maning a spotlight from up in a cherry picker, but alas, the rain that had fallen through the day had pretty much wiped out 75% of the electronics they were using. After checking over the lighting equipment it was decided that I wasn't needed. This suited me down to the ground 'cos the whole experience was beginning to weird me out. I honestly couldn't hack it and ended up leaving early! Ha! "Way to jump in and try a new experience Pete!" I hear you say.

I'm sticking to my guns- it was wrong, you hear me. WRONG! 

That lens flare makes it look a lot sunnier than it was, trust me.

A Blustery Day At The Beach...

I've been getting a lot of 'unsavoury' comments as I continue to point out that I'm getting sun burnt while home is under snow. So I promise not to say anything about our trip to the beach yesterday with the youth group from the church I've been going to.

I won't mention the fact that 40 of us headed off to one of the most popular holiday destinations in the area.  You may like to know that when we got there it was freezing and rainy, but I definitely won't mention the fact that it soon warmed up and we went swimming in in the ocean.

There are absolutely no photos for you to get a glimpse of the day so don't even bother looking at the photo tab.

All you need to know is that it was a horrible, horrible experience and that I would rather be frozen to the bone in a cold, wet winter!
;O)

Pleasant Plants...

The trees here are a lot more considerate than the ones back home.

Grrrr....

I was kissed today...


...by a mosquito...


...on the forehead....


...twice...



ouch. 

To Work Or Not To Work...

Today I turned down an offer for a full time job teaching Grade 5/6. Was kinda cool though- no interview or anything, just a straight-up offer.

(I've been paying the kids to say they like me. It's costing me a fortune!)

Quiet Weekend...

Today I went to a 70 year-old birthday party!

Nuff said.

(A party for someone who is 70 years of age....Not a birthday party that has been going on for a period of 70 years.) 

What's In A Name?

As a teacher, I'm exposed to all sorts of weird and wonderful name choices (and spellings), but today I had one to remember! I taught a boy whose surname was Wong (or something) but whose first name was:

"DRAGON POWER"

That's just awesome. 

Rain Rain Rain...

Spent ages waiting at the bus stop today. Can you tell which areas of my raincoat need to be re-waterproofed?

A Weekend Away...

My job description seems to be changing a lot these days. I didn't think I'd ever be applying for a job in an aquarium! (No word on that yet.) Today I became an 'Italian' teacher, and this past weekend I was full-time nanny for 11 kids.

I spent the weekend at a camp centre about an hour away for the O.M. (Operation Mobilisation) National Conference Australia. Someone at church knew I was a teacher and asked if I was free to look after the kids of the families who were coming to the conference. I don't know much about O.M. except that I've heard of the Logos and the Doulos, but I thought it's be fun to go along.

The camp centre was beautiful and had a 150 METRE water slide, a massive, zip-line, canoeing, climbing etc. etc. The kids were great fun and we had a blast while all the 'adults' did their boring 'adult stuff'. Fun fun.

Tomorrow it's back for more Italian teaching! Yikes! Do you think I can just get away with shouting "CIAO BELLA!" at the kids every time they ask a question?

Victoria Night Market...

Last night the ladies (!) and I headed into town to check out the Victoria Night Market. During the day it's full of fruit and veg, but every Wednesday night it changes to food vans and clothes stalls etc. They have food stands from all over the world and other stands with all sorts of fun junk. Pics are ready for your viewing pleasure. On Sunday we met two German girls who are volunteering for an aid organisation for a few months, so they came along too.

We had a great time trying on hats, sampling the different foods (emu and croc were a particular low-point) and people watching. The locals have been so good at showing me around and we've already made plans to go bouldering and for a road trip to Uluru (Air's Rock). Cain't Wait!

Changing Plans...

My plan originally was to spend term time working in schools, then spend holiday times (when schools are closed) travelling. Soon after arriving here, however, people seemed to agree that summer is not the time to go travelling. Apparently its too hot and wet up north in Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns etc.

So I began formulating a different plan... spend my summer working some dead-end, minimum-wage job over the and then travel later in the year. That Sunday I was at church and got to talking to a girl (she's married Mum) and she said she works at Melbourne Aquarium as an Education Officer. Interesting, eh?

She explained that over the summer they're always looking for short-term staff. FUN! So, this week I applied for a summer job in Melbourne Aquarium. I won't hear anything for a few weeks but I'm definitely excited about the prospect. Not only is it a fun job (I hope) but it'll also help raise some travelling funds.

I had a day off yesterday so decided to check the place out. See pics. I went with Josh (som of the people I'm currently living with)- That way, I can suck up if I get an interview!

:o)

Summer's Comin'...

Spent a warm afternoon in the park with some friends from church. Nice place to try out my new lens. FUN! See photos tab for a few snaps.

Something Fishy...

I didn't eat this much!

Today I ordered sushi for lunch from the school canteen! Love it!


People over here go mad for their sushi. It's everywhere! I'm sure I've seen more sushi bars that fast food restaurants. 

Yeah!

Five days work this week. Sweet!

A Fun Weekend...

Ha! Found a pic of him/her on Google!

Since the day I arrived here people have been so warm and welcoming to me. Work has finally started to pick up and the weather is warming as summer approaches. It all sounds great, but the one thing I have been hoping for is to meet some folks (my age) that I can hang out with.

Well this weekend was an answer to prayer. Saturday was a meal out at a groovy veggie restaurant followed by drinks at a bar with a sweeeet ten-piece funk band! They were awesome- playing all the old James Brown and Stevie Wonder classics! And on the way home I even saw a busker in a full size bunny costume. No joke, a human bunny playing electric guitar.

Sunday was spent with more friends from church. Big burger BBQ, playing Taboo, seeing some sights and going bowling. Good times.

They're great folks and I'm looking forward to hanging out again!

House Numbers And Post Boxes...

While I was in Tasmania, I was struck (for some strange reason) by the cool and quirky house numbers and  post box designs that seemed to be everywhere. I started taking pictures of them just for fun and ended up with a fun little album that I've just uploaded. Check it out in the 'photo' tab. 

Another Day Another Dollar...

Sorry I haven't had a post on here in a while. There's been little to comment on really. I'm not complaining, it's actually because I've been working nearly all this week. The weather is finally beginning to warm up as summer approaches. I really started feeling it today- I'm not sure how many days I can wear a shirt and tie to school when its over 30 degrees! And tomorrow is to be even hotter! Do they make a shirt with an integrated cooling system? 

Work Rolls In...

Spent today in Chatham Primary, teaching year 1. Was fun to be back with the age group I'm used. More importantly, it was fun for them to offer me four days next week! Weeeeeeeeeeee!

P.O.S.H.

A mere ten minute walk was my commute to work this morning. Living in the middle of the 'school district' has it's perks! I was at one of the massive private schools today- Camberwell Boys Grammar. To get into the school I entered through gate SIX and walked through the 'Contemplation Garden' (seriously) to get to the junior school. There, I was introduced to Felix, a member of the Leadership Executive. I was told that if I have any questions, I should ask Felix. He's 11 :o)

It was a good day. Swimming in the morning, a trip to the library in the afternoon. Not bad. No photos I'm afraid- as that would get me deported immediately!

I got a call from another school this evening so have tomorrow booked in as well. Let's just hope it keeps going like this so I earn enough to enjoy the summer hols. Yipee!

Time Marches On....

Not much to report these days. I'm back in Melbourne (almost typed Nottingham!) and am hoping to get some work. I visited another 8 schools today. That takes the total to over 20, so here's hoping something will come from it. Today I went to a lot of the big private grammar schools (with junior school departments). They are flippin' huge and are easily the most impressive schools I've ever seen.

Thankfully today's effort is paying off already as I got a call soon after getting home. So tomorrow I'm in Camberwell Boys Anglican College. I'll be in year five. These big posh schools are super intimidating so I just need to make sure I don't screw up! :o)

I'll let ya know. 

A Day At The Races...

Today I went to Flemington Race Course for a dignified day at the races. The only problem is the weather front that has arrived:

If you can spot Melbourne then you can see that we're right in the midst of that....mess!

Perfect day for a black-tie day outside. NOT!

We did have a good time, trying to keep our spirits up as the heavens opened and threatened to drown us all. Seriously, I was close to building an ark and summoning the animals two by two. :o)

What was especially funny were the people around us. As the VIPs inside and on TV tried to maintain a sense of decorum despite the fact that everyone was soaked, the yobs outside decided to make a massive slip 'n slide from some massive sheets of tarpaulin! As I set off this morning, the last thing I expected to see was genteel ladies and guys in three-piece suits sliding across the ground on their stomachs! But alas, I guess thats how they do it down under!

Time To Move On...Again....

Today I fly back to Melbourne. I'm gonna miss this place.

Opps...

That was a long post. I promised I wasn't going to do that.

I sincerely apologise.

Port Arthur...

Australians and Americans don't have much in common, but one thing they share is their understanding of their heritage. I still remember everyone I met in the states trying their best to convince me that they were Irish too! One person even said, "Oh I love that irish movie, you know, the one with Mel Gibson!"

"Braveheart?"

"Yeah That's the one!"

Well thankfully the Australians aren't quite so bad, but a lot of them are very aware of their ancestry. Often this makes for interesting conversation because their ancestors were convicts from Ireland and the U.K.  Yesterday I spent the day at Port Arthur, the site of a famous prison here in Tasmania. It was fascinating! I started with a guided tour of some of the site by Joooaaaaaaaiiiiiimes. (Thats his own pronunciation for his name- James) He had the funniest accent, clearly Australian but mixed with a pinch of I'm-gonna-try-really-hard-to-annunciate-so-you-foreigners-can-understand. Brilliant!

I then took a boat ride out around the harbour stopping for a tour of The Island Of The Dead. Sounds promising doesn't it? Its a tiny island just off the coast where they buried 2000 prisoners and guards who died whilst at Port Arthur. This tour was from Shelly. If I thought Jooooaaaaaaiimes was a funny character, then Shelly took it to another level. The tour was supposed to be 40 mins long. She spent approx 37 of those precious minutes telling us about one of her convict ancestors that she'd written a book about! It sounds terrible but it was classic! She was one passionate woman! Some of the stories were remarkable. It's hard to believe how these people were treated, some of them as young as 9 years old!

I finished the day by taking an audio tour of the entire site (how many tours can I fit in one day!) Part of it told the story of a Sergeant Phillip Good who got punched by one of the other guards. Must go look into that further. There was also a Good convict (get it), Thomas. Maybe there's more to my family than meets the eye! This explains why I'm always checking for exits when lining up at the bank!

Altogether, it was a fascinating day. The site was basically beautiful gardens and buildings steeped in years of Australian history- what more tourist could ask for more? 

Scary Road Sign...

Another Day Of Stunning Views...

You're probably getting tired of photos of sunny coastlines, but today I set out for more. I had to work a little harder for today's pics- a three hour drive followed by a three hour hike up a steep mountain side.


After another gorgeous drive with photo opportunities all the way I arrived at Freycinet (fray-sin-ay) National Park. I was under strick instructions to get a view of Wineglass Bay, a beach in the area. The information centre said I had two options: Either an hour and a half return walk to a mountain saddle, or a three hour return hike up to the summit of Mount Amos- 1600 feet above seas level. Of course, I'm a MAN so I didn't really have a choice! Mt Amos here I come!

I drove to the foot of the mountain and climbed out of the car for the first great view of the hike- a kangaroo right beside the car! Thankfully this one was a little more reserved than the last one I met. He didn't even mind me taking his picture.


The warning signs at the start of the trail weren't kidding, it was a steeeeeeeep climb! A lot of the time I was on all fours and it wasn't long before the sweat was dripping from my nose! Thankfully, the higher I climbed the more the breeze cooled me and the better the views got. After lots of stops along the way, I made it to the summit. Awesome views and not another person in sight. I sat down for lunch overlooking the bay before snapping a few pics. After a nice long rest at the top I was ready for descent. Those slippery boulders, that were tough on the way up, seemed twice a slippery on the way down- some sections were better traversed on my bum!

I made it down with shaking legs and a soaking T-shirt but it was a lot of fun. After a brief look around some more of the park I headed home. 

Walking On Sunshine (Almost)...

Today I took a drive along the Huon Valley to a forest south west of Hobart. The drive was gorgeous. Water to my left, apple orchards and vineyards to my right. It felt a lot like Ireland, only sunny! :o)

The forest itself is made up of some of the tallest trees in the world (apparently) and while thats something new to see, it's not the reason I went. This particular forest has an 'Air Walk'- a walkway suspended 40 metres above ground level amidst the tops of the trees. Though the weather wasn't perfect, there were still some stunning views. The sun did come out for the second half of the afternoon and on the drive home I stopped at lots of spots to take some extra pics.

At the forest I took a two hour walk the was made up of the air walk, two swinging bridges and lots of forest paths. At one point the air walk reaches out on a cantilever which wobbled with every step you took. Let me tell you, that high up.... I was pooping my pants!

Some of the pics (see tab above) are obviously of the forest. The ones that seem out of place are the shots I took on the drive home. 

Sly...

Keeping all these animals alive may be trickier than I thought!

Climbed (drove) to the top of Mt Wellington to get an aerial view of Hobart. Pretty stunning view don't you think?

Arriving In Tasmania...

So just as I gear myself up for working, I find myself in Tasmania!

It is GORGEOUS here and the fact that I'm here for free is mind boggling. I've uploaded some pics of the house I'm staying in, the view of the harbour and the animals I'm here to look after (apart from the cats- they're elusive little fellas).

I went to the tourist office the other day and picked up approx 500 leaflets about stuff to do while I'm here. There's no way I'll get to see everything, but I'll give it a darn good shot!

Yesterday I took a walk around Hobart and mainly spent the day drinking coffee (it's a tough life). I went to the museum and to a number of galleries, I met a Scot who owns a fantastic little second-hand bookshop. The books we stacked form floor to ceiling! I'm gonna have to go back a get a picture of it. :o)

The weather here changes almost as quickly as in Melbourne so it's difficult to plan what to do. There are some fab views from the top of the mountain (I went last night but forgot to bring my camera) but only when the weather is clear. I just keep looking out the window....waiting. It the sky looks clear then I'm ready to dash out the door! But to be honest, the house here is so nice it's tempting to just flop into the bath and chill out.

As expected my phone has been ringing with schools back in Melbourne looking for me. Ugh... I have to force myself not to dwell too much on that. I must remind myself that I'm only here for a year and I have to make the most of it. Right?

Just Getting Going....

Heading back to Preshil School tomorrow. I'm teaching Year 1 so that should be interesting- I'll be able to make a direct comparison to teaching back in Nottingham. I hear they have saws and hammers just lying around for them to build with when they have free time. mmmmmmm....... 


Then on Friday its off to Chatham Primary for a day of teaching PE. I'll teach every year group from prep to year 6 so no doubt I'll be ready for an early night that night. Good job I'll have two weeks in Tazy to recover!

Work Work Work...

Today I had my first days work since I got here! It's been a long summer!

Last week I travelled around lots of schools in the area handing in my CV. I wasn't expecting much but I've already had five phone calls. This morning I had given up waiting for a call when my phone rang at 9am asking if I was available today. YES!

I was at a school called Preshill. This is a 'progressive' school and nothing like my teaching experience. It's noisy, chaotic and unstructured! The kids don't raise their hand to speak, they just shout out until they're heard! They don't sit at a desk to write, they can sit where they like- even outside by themselves! Like I said...different.

That said, they were all lovely people and I had a good day. I'm booked in to go back on Thursday. Yipee! More chaos!

The bad news is that just as I hand out my CVs I'm heading off to Tazzy! (See post below) So a number of schools have phoned me asking me to work while I'm away!! Such bad timing! If I'd known I was going to Tasmania I would never have given out my contact details. It would have made much more sense to just wait until I come home. But who's gonna turn down a free trip to Tasmania?

It's Not What You Know...

Up until now I have been living with Rosemary and Paul out in Sunbury, 45 mins away from the city. They have been so kind and generous- letting me stay with them for free, answering all my questions and helping me find my way about. 

Yesterday I moved in with their son, Rowan, and his family much closer to the city centre. They live in an area with LOTS of schools and it is here that I'll begin my search for work. They have been fab and have even converted their dining room to make a bedroom for me! 

The great news is that Rosemary and Paul have another son (Nigel). Nigel and his family live in Tasmania (south) and are planning a holiday in Darwin (north). They have dogs and cats and birds and it's usually a hassle to send all the animals to kennels etc. It's such a hassle in fact, that it's more convenient (and cheap) for them to pay for me to fly over there and house sit for them for two weeks! Sweeeeeeeeet!

So on Saturday I fly over to meet them and learn where the dog food is kept. Then on Tues they fly off for 10 days and I have the house (and car) to myself. Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, is supposed to be beautiful with lots of beautiful countryside surrounding. So just when I was planning on getting stuck into work, I'm planning on extending my holiday! Oh well.....

Thinkin Of Home...

Standing In The Purple Rain...

Tonight we had a BBQ (again!) with lots of friends here at the house. We've had a ton of rain today with thunder and lightening all afternoon. All the evening rolled on and the sky became dark the lightening became more and more vibrant. The whole sky flashed bluey purple and you could see massive forks streak across the sky. 
I tried (unsuccessfully) to take a picture but, thanks to Google, I have a picture of what it looked like.

Awesome

This Is All Wrong...

Salt and vinegar in a PINK pack! Chicken in a GREEN pack! WHAT!?!
(Excuse the red face, I'd just been for a run.)

Back And Forth...

Well I had a great few days with Stefan and Tricia. I'm still waiting for schools to come back from holidays so it's been nice to be able to relax without feeling guilty about it. That said, I've now had about 8 weeks of summer holidays!

Fun at the garden centre

Another close call!

I spent my time with Stef and Trish taking little day trips into the city centre- just seeing the sights and becoming familiar with my surroundings. We worked in the garden and enjoyed a few BBQ's. Spring is settling in here and the temperature is up to about 25 degrees. People here still think it's cold but its perfect for my pasty white skin. :o)


Right now I'm back out with the folks in Sunbury. This weekend I'm moving house agin! This time I'm moving in with Rowan and Jude, son and daughter-in-law to Rosemary and Paul (Can you keep up!) They live pretty close to the city centre and it'll be perfect for work and for fun. They're lovely folks and have been really helpful as I prepare to start working here. Ideally I'd like to be living with people my age, but its so convenient and cheap to stay with them that I can't refuse. 

A Wee Day Out...

Back home a number of people told me that a visit to St Kilda was a must once I get to Melbourne. So today Trish (see earlier post) and I took the tram to St Kilda beach.

St Kilda is a suburb just 10 mins on the tram from the city centre. It's kinda the bohemian quarter- streets of coffee shops briefly interrupted by bars. And its by the beach! Perfect!

We had a great time looking around, drinking coffee and eating ice-cream. See photo tab for more. I've now been here for two weeks and have taken roughly 600 pictures. So I'm trying to cut away the chaff before uploading! I would love to try and find accommodation here but, having looked at some rental posters, the rent per week is about what I'd pay per month back home. Ah well.... Plenty more visits will have to suffice. 
Note to self: Australians have no idea what a 'black Americano' is. The woman in the coffee shop looked at me like I was a complete racist! Apparently a black coffee over here is a 'long black'. Whatever...

She's A Gold Digga...

Yesterday was Steve's (See earlier post) birthday so we all headed off to Sovereign Hill in Balarat. This is an old gold mining town from the time of the gold rush in the 1700's.

We spent the day having a tour of the old caves, looking around the village and panning for gold. Melbourne has proven to live up to its reputation- four seasons in one day! Rain one minute, sunshine the next. I have to take my coat off as soon as I've zipped it up!

It was a great day. We had a lot of fun and found 'tonnes' of gold! I guess its a place that local kids go to on a school trip, but it was all new to me. It's strange to be learning about the history of a country that is as old as our house back in Ireland. 

First Day Of Spring

Paul and Rosemary- The folks that have been putting me up. (Or putting up with me!)

Footy Fever Sweeps Melbourne!

So it turns out I'm an Aussie Rules fanatic! 


The only problem is that I've joined the action right at the end of the season. Today was Grand Final day so we headed out to some friends to all watch the game together. I spent the whole game with people either side explaining what was going on! It was really close and ended up being a draw, which in Aussie Rules is almost unheard of. Fortunately these Aussies have never heard of the concept of 'extra time', so the match is gonna be replayed next weekend- MORE FOOTY FOR MEEEEEEEE! 


The build-up to today's game started yesterday with a big parade in the city. I took the train in to see what all the fuss was about. (Click the photos tab to see some piccies) I can't believe how big this sport is here! There were thousands of people out in the streets. All the roads closed and the footy players were driven past in cars. Everyone was yelping and screaming and here's this pasty Irishman looking around wondering what the heck was going on. :o) 


I'm getting into it though. A few days ago I went to the footy ground of the Essendon Bombers (sorry Matt and Tracey). I got a tour of the Hall of Fame from a friend who's a big fan- Margi. (She's 70 and has a nickname! What's up with that!) At the end I even got a free hat and scarf!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEHAAAAAAA! Pics on the next page. 

Not Much To Say

There's been little to comment on over the past few days. The folks I'm staying with are moving house tomorrow so we've spent our time painting walls and getting the new house all ready. It's been a hectic time but it'll be nice to get settled into the new place. (Listen to me- 'get settled' I sound like an old man!)

Well conveniently, I've made an appointment to go to the bank tomorrow so I'm gonna make myself scarce and leave them to it! I'm gonna take my first trip into the city and go exploring. I have a list the length of my arm of places that have been recommended to me, so I'm just gonna enjoy wandering around Melbourne and seeing the sights. (Lots more photos to come Anmonymous Commentor) 

This weekend is the footy Grand Final here in the city so tomorrow there's a big parade in town. It all sounds a bit cheesey- so I can't wait!! 

Last night I had dinner with two new friends, Stefan and Trish. We had a great time cooking up a storm and getting to know each other. (See photos on Facebook) They live in the city and have been really helpful as I get to know my way around this crazy country. The only downside is, they insist on calling me 'The Little Leprechaun". Well it's a small price to pay I suppose. And after the abuse I've put up with in England for the past four years I should be used to it!

Exercise Is Bad For Your Health...

I've been here for almost a week now and I'm still waking up at around 4am and struggling to get back to sleep. So today I decided a run was in order to help put me off to sleep tonight.

I set off up the street and it wasn't long before I saw a beautiful white parrot with a big yellow plume on its head. "I'm in paradise!" I said to myself as I kept on going. It wasn't long before I got to the nature reserve that is behind our house with this sign (see right) at the gate. I shrugged it off and told myself they'd all be behind fences out of the way.

As I jogged along the path I saw a group of kanagroos a few hundred metres off in the distance to my left. There was a fence running along both sides of the path so I assumed (!) all was safe. It wasn't until I rounded the corner to the left that I saw that these roos (check out my local lingo) we not behind the fense, but rather right in the middle of the path.  I stopped and we stared at each other in a scene straight out of a Clint Eastwood western. Apparently I don't look too intimidating 'cos one of them decided to have a go and came bounding towards me. It was around about this point that I wet myself and turned and ran. But did Mr Roo stop his pursuit? NNNOOOOOOOO!!!!

Now I know that you all back home are giggling to youselves about what I wuss I am. But you should know that the cuddly image we have of kangaroos is no reality. We've heard stories about how they punch, but yesterday I was told about how they have big claws on their hind legs! Apparently they hold you with their arms and then hack at you with their hind claws. Just recently a 9yr old boy was slashed down to his belly button! The only thing that saved his life was the fact that he was wearing a leather belt!

So I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me. I kept looking over my shoulder only to see that he wasn't gonna give up easily. Eventually he decided I wasn't worth it and I decided I'm never going for another run again!

I know people don't enjoy reading big, long-winded blog updates. So this post will be much shorter.

See.

Birthday Greetings...

Ok so I'm a day late... sorry! It's been a bit more tricky to get internet access than I thought, but I think we're getting wifi next week so that should help.

I've had a few days in Australia now and I think the jet-lag is finally beginning to lift. It's been a time of running around trying to get stuff in place for work- new mobile phone and number, tax file number, looking for accommodation, visitng schools etc.

So far so good. The only hard part has been staying awake!

The folks I'm staying with have been fantastic. Driving me around all over the city and answering all my myriad of questions. They cooked a big birthday meal for me yesterday of roast lamb followed by mud cake! Delish! Thay have been so welcoming and friendly, I really dont know what I would do without them.

The only problem is that we're a bit too far outside the city. If I'm going to get supply work I need to be closer to the action (and closer to public transport). We've been to look at some places and are going back tomorrow to meet possible housemates. All very exciting! Just pray I don't move in with some psychopath and I'll be fine!

Yikes!

The stopover...

Two days in Hong Kong have flown by, but I've tried to cram some sightseeing in before I fly on to Melbourne tomorrow morning.

Ann- My tour guide

Day one: Arrived early and crashed as soon as I got to my guesthouse. Then it was on to meet Ann, a friend (thanks to Phil) who lives here. We had a great time- eating noodle soup with red vinegar, going up the world's longest escalator, taking the old tram up to the peak overlooking the city, visiting an 'ice bar' (fur coat much needed) and then running just to see my last ferry home pull away as we got to the dock! (Don't worry, the underground was still running.)

Day two: Up early (9am!) to get the ferry over to Lantau Island. After some noodles for lunch at the port it was just a short ride to Po Lin Monastery- the home of The Big Buddha! And big he is- 250 tonnes! (see photos on the next tab) Got the bus over to Tung Chung before a train ride back home. Ann and I went out for (you guessed it) noodles tonight. I planned on coming home to get an early night before tomorrow's flight but my body clock is all over the place. So I'll sit here and write to you instead! 

And so it begins... ... ...

A wise man once said, “Start as you mean to go on.”

Keeping this in mind I set off for Nottingham train station today. As usual, I had pre-ordered my ticket and collected it before getting on the train.

Checking my ticket I walked along the platform to the right carriage. I smiled to myself, happy with how well organised I was to have left home without a hitch.  (You can see what’s coming!)

Once outside the carriage, I checked my ticket again to see what seat I was in. So I climbed aboard and found my seat. It was around about then that I thought I’d get my ticket out for the ticket inspector.

*Then follows fifteen minutes of blind panic as I search EVERYWHERE for the ticket I had just been holding*

Without so much as a glimmer of sympathy, the ticket inspector told me that a new ticket would cost £66! What a BARGAIN- especially as my original ticket only cost £16. My only option was to hop off the train at Leicester and hope they’d do me a better deal. So I hobbled along to the ticket office with a year’s supply of junk on my back, round my neck and under my arm.

Eventually I got to London. And the whole way I have this phrase going round and round in my head:

“Start as you mean to go on.”

Please God no! :o)

Tick Tock!

So the count down is officially on. 

I'm running around like a mad thing trying to get all the last minute preparations in place before heading down to London on Thursday. Then its off to Hong Kong on Sunday. After a few days there I arrive in Melbourne on the 15th! 

Thankfully everything's running smoothly so far so lets hope that continues to be the case! Tomorrow night is goodbye drinks in town so I'm sure the reality of leaving will well and truly hit me in the face. It's strange to think that this time next week it'll just be me by myself- but at least I'll have the sights of Hong Kong to distract me! :o)

So please stop by here from time to time. I'm usually rubbish with keeping up with people when I move away (I'm sure anyone from YWAM or Lurgan are cursing me right now!) but hopefully this blog will encourage me to keep you all updated. I'm not really sure what it will contain- if I just end up teaching every day it may not be worth it. But I'll do my best to give you a picture of my life in Oz. 

Be sure to check out the 'photos' tab to see more of what I'm seeing!