Melbourne - Australia's European City

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So it’s been a long time since I last wrote on this, in fact too long. Life has taken many twists and turns in the last few months from working as an office manager for a campervan company to working as a waiter on a tropical island (not as fun as it sounds) Anyway I will try and start at the beginning from memory.

So one beautiful car journey and over 2000 km later, Becky, Hannah, Matt and I arrived in Cairns from Brisbane. These characters which I might have not spoken about in previous blogs were all good friends that I met in Sydney. Cairns had become my home away from home. Most of my time was spent either working as an office manager at Wicked campervan (which is a campervan hire company that prides itself on its obnoxious but somewhat amusing slogans on the back of their vans) or its family-like atmosphere. It is here that I made some of the best travelers so far. Every night would be a group social night from watching films in the TV room to mass nights out ending in some kind of nudity.

The actual town itself is very small and has a hippy type of atmosphere about it. It is surrounded by tourist attractions from skydiving to small shops selling "authentic' didgeridoo’s whilst remaining the party capital of the north. Within the first week of arriving I had steered a boat around crocodile infested waters whilst be slightly intoxicated to diving into the deep depths of the great barrier reef meeting clown fish, who seems to be living on its previous reputation as being one of the funnier marine life.

Bad jokes aside in Cairns I met many people who I think I will be in contact for many years to come. In addition to these people I met a kindering spirit in the shape of Ric. At a lofty 6ft 3, the Scot and I shared similar views of life and even more amazing we both share the same birthday! From there we decided to travel together until we return home. From Cairns I decided to follow Ric to a tropical island in Queensland called Dunk Island. For reasons I won’t get into Ric needed to leave Cairns and I had felt that my time was coming to an end there. With two weeks to go I was ready to go with Ric and lead a simply life on a tropical island serving and making cocktails to millionaires (that’s right I am now qualified in making cocktails).

Suddenly there she was...Abi. Within a week my week my life was suddenly turned upside down. It seemed she left as soon as she arrived. After enjoying the week with her I had decided to make a similar decision that had brought me to Australia the first time and follow her as she was due to move to Brisbane. One short flight later I was in Brisbane trying to convince her that Dunk Island was for her and an equally short phone call to the HR manager, she was coming to dunk with me.

All was not as it would be imagined. Living and working on a tropical island is not a dream come true. All we wished for was just to have a pizza delivered or just the sliver of a big mac (oh yeah that reminds me for the majority of you out there we be happy to learn that I have been converted back to eating meat. Partly due to being told what to eat on Dunk and mostly to do with Abi). We all got island fever and although there were a few days we could get off the island we were not going to surpass the average career length on the island which is three months. Finally after deciding that this was not for us we embarked on a journey to Melbourne.

Now in Melbourne I have taken the same position with Wicked campers after being asked to take the role in the Melbourne depot. We found a flat for Ric, Abi and I which is possibly one of the worst places to spend a 44 degree day like it is today.

Not much has really happened here as it has been much work and no play. We spent Christmas day on the beach and news year nearly ended up with us paying a visit to the hospital due to a driver driving too fast as we were entering the tram and after quick reactions we were able to jump out of the way of it as it hit the tram and mounted the curb. New years was spent in Fed square where we were greeting the New Year in the rain. In addition to news of me returning home, most of you might have noticed I should have been home over a month ago, I have had my second year visa accepted and now able to stay until 14th Jan 2011. Travel plans are to visit New Zealand with Abi and then Asia after so with regards to when I am to return home, not even I know when I may return. I will try to maintain these blogs better now that I have a laptop and regular internet. Speak to you soon.

In addition if anyone who doesn't have me as a friend on facebook they can view my photos via these links. I will add new photos soon.

Dunk Island Folder: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=328944&id=560720547&l=2bc971ad59

Cairns 2: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=313082&id=560720547&l=e0b08e4790

Cairns 1: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=283758&id=560720547&l=0b6b6d400e

Road Trip: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=277207&id=560720547&l=51a6538c7a


Dan

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