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Jolene Stone
SIx months break from Hilly X-ray for some fun in the sun!kobungledownunder
Travel Blog Posts
The Final Chapter!
Published: February 28th 2012Europe » United Kingdom » England » Greater London » Heathrow Airport
February 28th 2012
I arrived in Melbourne after a very short (only 3 hrs) flight at 10:30pm, and in true backpacker style, decided to sleep in the airport that night. Didn’t see the point in paying for a bed for the night plus the shuttle bus fare to the city, when, if I waited until the morning, I could get reimbursed. (This is the kind of thing backpackers take advantage of.) My plan didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. The airport made very loud, hourly announcements, so sleeping was pretty difficult, but there was a coffee shop open all night so I did get to drink lots of coffee. Spent the next three days looking for jobs and handing out CV’s to local restaurants and shops. Melbourne hostels are quite a bit more expensive than up north, so ... read more
February 11th 2012
As I haven't had much luck finding work, and having done what I came out to do, I'd decided I would probably go home A.S.A.P rather then staying out here for the full 6 months. I'd got some quotes to change my flight dates and got a bit of a shock when I found out the price. It was cheaper to stay here for another 3 months than to go back home. So I applied for some jobs on the dive boats. It's quiet season now though so wasn't expecting much. Went to Cape Tribulation the following day. It took a couple of hours to drive up there, and then when we arrived we went to some lookout points and drove throught the rainforest before going on a crocodile spotting river cruise. We only saw 1 ... read more
Done the East coast
Published: January 30th 2012Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cairns » Cairns City
January 30th 2012
My last night in Rainbow Beach was spent walking up to the sand dunes, about a 45 min walk from my hostel. Unfortunately it was overcast (and very hot and humid) so we didn't see much of a sunset, but we made up for it by having a go at sandboarding. Great fun. Our guide had taken a bodyboard along so we all took it in turns climbing up a very steep hill before surfing down. You're supposed to be able to see the coloured sands from there but because of the weather the view wasn't too great. It was still pretty cool though to see such a vast amount of sand, and some of it had swirls of white in so it looked just like coffee and vanilla icecream. The next morning I went to ... read more
January 10th 2012
Spent my last morning in Brisbane with Caroline at the lagoon before having a bbq with the rest of my dorm in the evening. Was the best bbq I've had since I've been here, so much fun. NYE went to Mooloolaba where it rained pretty much all day (it did stop for the evening luckily though). Have never seen so many coffee shops in one place, definitely spoiled for choice. In the evening I had drinks with 3 Brisbane girls staying there just for the night, giving me lots of advice of where to go on my way north (of course with my memory though I'd forgotten most of it the next day, should've written it down). Went down to the beach to watch the fireworks for midnight, have never seen so many people at the ... read more
December 29th 2011
Spent my last day in Byron lazing either in a hammock or on the beach reading my book. Was very relaxing. Had new roommates that night (2 Aussie dudes, a German girl and a guy from Reigate), and we all sat out in the garden with a few drinks (tried goon for the 1st time, cheap boxed wine, pretty nasty as it was red which I don't like anyway), before all going out to a bar for some pool (which I won amazingly) and dancing. Was a great way to spent my last night there. Was a shame I was leaving just as they all arrived as they were a cool bunch, got on really well with the English guy. Got the bus up to the Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise, the next day and was staying ... read more
December 18th 2011
Went to the Blue Mountains for a couple of days which was brilliant, the views were amazing, although it wasn't as blue as I'd expected. It was quite an overcast day though. 2 hours on the train from Sydney, and then 7 hours of hiking around the rainforest and cliff edge walks. Was knackered by the end of the day but was definitely worth it. Was quite muddy with difficult paths in places but I got to walk right under some of the waterfalls and see some sights that I wouldn't have seen if I'd stayed on the main paths. At times I didn't see anyone else for an hour. Was a pretty cool experience. I went on the worlds steepest railway, went to the famous Echo Point and the Three Sisters, and walked down the ... read more
Now in Glebe, Sydney
Published: November 29th 2011Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Sydney » Glebe
November 29th 2011
This week has been the hardest, trying to motivate myself and keep myself occupied. The weather's been pretty awful, been raining everyday and quite cold. (Didn't come prepared for that so constantly chilly with wet feet. Not what I signed up for!) Have given up on the radiography front, realize now that there's even more paperwork to do on top of what I'd already done, more letters from employer and copies of HPC certificate emailed over. Seems like never ending stress for what would only be a couple months work. On the plus side though I've moved into a house with a really nice woman a bit older than me but we get on well and have lots to talk about (it's nice to be able to talk English normally to someone without having to speak ... read more
Sydney (part 2)
Published: November 16th 2011Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Sydney » Kings Cross
November 16th 2011
Have been quite busy since my last entry, looking for jobs and an apartment. Not having much luck with a job, think I'm giving up looking for now. Hopefully I've got a job for Jan and Feb though in a place called Dubbo NSW, doing MRI, CT and generals. (When I first found out about the job I kept calling it Guppo, and was getting a bit concerned when no-one had heard of it that it was in the middle of nowhere.) Fingers crossed for that one. Have also found an apartment, I move in this weekend. A friend of someone in my dorm, lives just outside of the city centre in Glebe, has a spare room so I'm moving in with her. Very excited, I'll get to have my own room for a few weeks ... read more
1st week in Sydney
Published: November 8th 2011Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Sydney » Kings CrossNovember 8th 2011
Wow, can't believe I've been in Sydney a week already, it's flying by. I went to Bondi and loved it, although did get cold as quite windy. Lots of surfers there so was trying to pick up some tips. Can't wait to go back. Thought I'd be spending all my tine at the beach but I love just walking around finding new places and sitting in the gardens reading and relaxing. Actually starting to learn my way around the city now so don't always need my map anymore which makes me feel less like a tourist and more like I'm actually staying here for a while. (Still have to keep telling myself that I'm not just here for a short holiday and don't need to rush to do everything). Had my 1st Kangaroo burger the other ... read more
Now in Sydney
Published: November 7th 2011Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Sydney » Kings Cross
November 2nd 2011
Had an 8 hr overnight bus journey to Canberra on Thursday (didn't manage to sleep so felt like I'd done a night shift next day). Arrived at 4am nothing open. Not even an internet cafe to pass the time. One of the guys the on coach was also staying in same hostel so we both walked there together to find it was closed during the night. Luckily the cleaner was there so let us in to sleep on the sofas. Later that day met with some people in local hospitals about MRI jobs. Not much going on in Canberra though and couldn't have stayed there for a few months which is what I've had needed to do so only stayed one more night before coming up to Sydney. Day 2 spent walking around the museum (pretty ... read more
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