claireblackman

Been a few weeks I think since last update. Well, I'm still working on the same tomato farm, they've said I'll be able to do my whole 3 months there which is good! Not done much else here in Atherton, as just saving money but this weekend I went to Cairns with an English friend of mine to look at a camper van for Adam and myself to travel in, and I bought it for $3,200. So I'm mobile again which is awesome! It's an old Mitsubishi but it's done less than 300,000km and is fully working, just no power steering which I'll get used to. Did another job with Gerhard, the guy from Yungaburra, earnt a few extra dollars, and he wants me to work for him again this weekend being a surveying assistant for ... read more

Here are some of the pictures taken so far from my travels!... read more

So apparently I'm not posting enough on here because of the stupid 3 hours internet a week soooo... I'm writing this on Thursday 9th and saving it until I next get some internet and get online! So will be a few days out of date, but it's better than nothing! :D Working hard at Beula Sun doing the tomatoes, done 7 days now and my back is killing me being bent over the bench for 8 hours a day. But if it enables me to get my 2nd visa I just gotta grin and bare it. Also driving to and from work every day which is different! Exactly the same, as in same side of the road (all single track though, no dual carriage-ways!), right hand drive, but the indicators and windscreen wipers are switched around ... read more

Well I have a job! I'm now in Atherton which was a 1hr 45min drive from Cairns. Arrived this morning, and just got myself a little settled in, unpacked a few bits etc as I'm going to be here to 3-4 months hopefully! Only getting 3 hours internet a week so contact with everyone online will be minimal! Mostly phone calls. I'm doing pretty good, up in the tablelands which is beautiful :) missing everyone lots! Little jealous you're weather back home is better than mine here, and here in Atherton it's not as warm as in Cairns, but still pleasant enough! Anyway just a little one to say I'm OK and whats new, doubt much will happen until I start working, it's quite a small town, the other backpackers here have been telling me how ... read more

Well, not written for a while, been really busy! I have scuba dived on the Great Barrier Reef with a company called Tusa, which was for the whole day, and was amazing! Went down twice, and really enjoyed it! And on the way to the reef, a humpback whale decided to follow the boat, and my instructor got some stunning photos of it! Was very choppy and lots of people were very sea sick... I'm really pretty good on the water but it was that bad I nearly got sick but held it together :) I went on a rainforest trip called Uncle Brian's which took us all day as well, showed us some different parts of the area and some waterfalls, rapids etc and we went to Millaa Milla which is the waterfall they used ... read more

Hello from Cairns! It is currently 4.30am here, after all the travelling and lack of sleep I fell asleep at 5pm and I'm now wide awake, but going to try and get a bit more before 9am then head over to the mall get some breakfast from the supermarket. Flight from Tokyo was ok, about 7 hours, got some sleep on the plane. Landed from Tokyo about 6am yesterday, got stuck behind about 100 Japanese students at passport control so that was fun! Eventually got the shuttle bus to Gilligans where I'm staying, dropped my bags off, went online for a bit to talk to people, then had a mooch about the town. Got few bits sorted and had a wander about the mall, then headed back, thinking it was 2pm ready for check in when ... read more

Well I've left England! I had my last night with my best friends and boyfriend and had an emotional morning yesterday! Got to Heathrow in plenty of time, had an hour and a half to burn before I could even check in. Saying goodbyes wasn't nice, especially seeing my Mum so upset. Kept myself busy mooching about the shops and 12 hour flight later, here I am! Tokyo Narita, sat in terminal 2 waiting 5 hours til check in then another 4 until the flight leaves! When we came down from the clouds, the city wasn't what I thought it would be like, very green and the fields made a particular impression as they're so perfectly organised and divided, unlike our fields in England where they're all at angles. Not that I'm bothered about the shapes ... read more

So this is my first entry... I've made this for my Aunt who doesn't have Facebook but wants to keep up with me and what's going on so thought I'd just put my first blog up now. Not long to go now, 26 days! I'm really looking forward to it but not so much saying goodbyes to everyone! Still selling up everything in the house, think I've sold my car which is where I'm getting majority or my travel money from so that's good. Not sure what else to say now, will post again at the airport or in Japan inbetween flights... read more