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Published: September 27th 2008
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24th
so today was spent saying goodbyes (mainly for Michelle!) and packing, last minute shopping and then taxi to airport for our flight to Darwin at 9.15pm. Amersham, Lori and Alison came to wave us off (well Mich really!), and then checked in at 7.15. Got in the airport and sat down for a coffee, looked at the menu and Michelle came out with the immortal words 'holy crap - how much?? i dont think im thirsty' at which some well dressed ladies looked at us in sympathy and offered to buy her a coffee haha.
flight was only 2 and a half hours (to Oz, haha, imagine that!) - and we were pretty excited, we giggled and did chicken impressions and managed to pertain 2 small jacobs creek each, i think we were a bit loud. We had no lonely planet or anything, so we thought we'd arm ourselves with some information to get around and tore a map of Australia out of the in flight mag. Now we felt prepared.
A couple of women were laughing at us (apparently) and when we landed we spoke with them, michelle asked which was the best way to get to
Mitchell St where the hostels are, as it was 2am by the time we would be through customs. They were Vicki (mum) and daughter Megan, they were such lovely ladies and we had a chat and they offered to give us a lift, so we met them once through all the duty free and immigration and the dad (Les) came to pick us all up. We went to Mitchell St but they didnt want to leave us so said we could stay at their place for the night. Les and Vicki are in the middle of relocating from Sydney so staying in hotel, but Megan shares a condo with Summer and Sandy (they are a couple and both lovely, altho Sandy away at the mo - she is in the army and will be back on sunday), and there is a spare room, so we went back and we were gobsmacked at how lovely the place is! we actually sat up and gabbed til 6am!!! had a glass of wine, and then we collapsed pooped.
25th
Summer actually rang in sick the next day haha! They all call us the 'Randoms' or the 'Back packers' - its pretty funny.
We drove to Vicki and Les's new place, the removal company was meant to be round by 12.30 but they were late. Vicki had already got herself stuck in the lift and she really freaked out. She had been in tears by the time we got there and was pretty stressed! she is the lovliest, kindest mum you could ever meet. She has some stories to tell! we found out she has taken in 'strays' before - one was a young woman she found unconscious in a park once! she stayed for 5 years and had a baby at their place!!!
Anyway, their new place is fab, but we left them to it and Megan dropped us in town and we walked around, went to Woolworths (which is actually a food supermarket over here - strange! no pick n mix or cd's or kids clothes!) and had a picnic in the car park of yoghurt and muesli. We had to buy the plastic spoons from a tight woman at a cafe, she wouldnt give them to us, honestly.
we spoke to 2 lads who were giving out lollipops for some promotion thing, and then we noticed the abo's.
There were lots of them wandering around looking homeless and shoeless and very smelly. The girls had already warned us that they may beg and its best to walk away as they sometimes get a bit insistent. They actually get welfare from the state and help, but seem to not be able to manage it too well. Its quite sad, we saw a few drunk ones and one was laying in the road on the way home from the airport last night (drunk). We feel dead sorry for them, but a couple of them did get a big aggressive on the begging and we did feel a bit intimidated, but its how it is.
anyway, we looked around and have been looking for jobs. Summer and Megan are helping with that too - they know lots of people in Darwin!
Megan picked us up later on and we went back to their place. Vicki and les came round and Vicki did a mean pasta carbonara with all sorts in it, was bloody lovely, then we had a chocolate bavarian thing for pud. Absolutely yummy!
That night, Sandy's dad was arriving, Summer had to go pick him up
from the airport at 12.30am, and so we were on the sofa (which is the hugest and comfiest sofa in the world!!) that night so 'Dad' can have the spare room. They arrived around 1am and the 3 of us stayed up gabbing til about 2am, then we all went to bed. Dad is only 47 and a really good laugh - he is soooooo typical aussie. He drives a big harley and has 3 daughters!! he is also job hunting cus he wants to live in darwin and be close to Sandy.
Fri 26th
Again, Megan dropped us off in town to continue job hunting, internet and general finding our way around. The main street here with all the nightlife is Mitchell St, we are having a bit of a de-tox tho so quite happy to wait a while to go out. Apart from that we need to make some money first haha.
So we gave out a lot of Michelle's cv's and people took our numbers. I may have a job in a cafe/bakery that Summer and Megan have arranged for me! just waiting for a start date and have fingers crossed, its not 100%
sure, just my best bet at the moment.
We spent the day in Darwin and then Megan and Ian (Sandy's dad) picked us up to take us to a bar called Kitty's where Megan has arranged a job for Michelle! brilliant! well - we then went shopping and back to Megan's for our first aussie barbie on the balcony! Sandy had made a surprise early appearance and Ian (her dad) was really emotional cus he hadnt seen her since last Christmas! Really sweet. Vicki and Les came round too, we had steak, sausages, prawns, squid, rolls and salad - it was bloody yumburger! Had 3 platefuls - fat blob.
They are really a bit bonkers, they all take the piss out of each other and wind each other up loads - its very close to the bone sometimes and sounds quite offensive til you get to know them - its just their sense of humour. i think a lot of people would be quite shocked haha, takes a day to get used to then you start to join in!! Well, we had a really nice night, but its a big footie match (aussie rules) tomorrow and so there
is another barbie, and some irish guys that Megan and Vicki met in Bali, coming over too. They sound like loads of fun so cant wait to meet them. Everyone went to bed around 11ish, so me and Michelle watched a Little Britain dvd!! it was really funny - we miss all that comedy stuff from home! we got the munchies and went on a fridge raid. we finished off the bavarian chocolate thing! i totally instigated it but alleviated our guilt by saying we'll replace it tomorrow. i did own up to Summer this morning and we will get a new one. she thought it was pretty funny.
Well, today, Michelle has started work in Kitties bar (12.00) and i'm gonna go see her and then find the others when the match is on, they are watching it at the pub - starts 2pm i think!
So far, im LOVING Oz and the Ozzies - how kind and generous this family has been to us is amazing. I cant believe how lovely they are to us Randoms!
Well, stewth bruce, i gotta go wrestle a croc and eat a kanga x see ya later ya mongrel - luv sheila x
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