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Published: April 30th 2006
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I have started some work for the call centre job - which I was assured will start for real on May the 1st. This has now been postponed again!! All I have been doing is entering peoples phone numbers into an internal database - incredibly boring but also very easy. 8hrs a day of this does screw with my head but it is easy money. The call-centre isn't selling or any of those ******* telemarketing things. Its for a company who require us to contact/recieve calls from their shareholders about an upcoming takeover or something like that anyway. Luckily the people I was working with all seemed a good bunch.
On Saturday Mikey, Chris, Hovis and myself went to the famous Victoria Markets. Unfortunately it was closing up just as we arrived but looked like it was quite good - i'll have to go when it opens next time. It was a big evening for myself, Mikey and Chris. Spurs were playing Arsenal in the North London Derby and Hearts (Chris & Mikey's team) were playing Hibernian in the Edinburgh Derby. We went to the Charles Dickens in town which was absolutely packed. Charlie Ds is the home of the Melbourne Oz Spurs (Australian Spurs supporters club) so was packed with Spurs fans. There were a few Gooners in there as well but we easily outsung and out did them. The first game was Arsenal v Spurs and my nerves were wrecked again. I thought we deserved the win and were unlucky not to have score more than the 1 goal. You have to laugh at Wenger and his post match comments though - "they are liars for not seeing that 2 of our player were down" (Arsene being famous for 'not seeing particular Arse incidents). I was content with a point at Highbury but knew 3pts would be ten times sweeter. The next game was Hibernian v Hearts and Mikey was in very verbal mood. Hearts were awful and this and the fact Mikey was being wound up by Hibs fans didn't help his mood. There were a couple of times when the verbals seemed like they might turn violent. Hearts lost 2-1 and thankfully the drink had helped quell Mikey's anger (yes i know drink usually exacberates it). The FA Cup between Liverpool and Chelsea was up next but we decided against staying as it was already 2am - we hadn't been to McDonalds yet.
The Comedy Festival is on in Melbourne at the moment and i may go and watch some of it. The strangest thing happened when Ritchie and I were walking through central Melbourne (Swanston Street) and the comedian/actor Pauly Shore was standing in a shop doorway with his minder. Nobody appeared to notice him apart from Ritchie who then proceeded to stop and stare at him. Eventually he got his autograph. Pauly seemed like he couldn't give a damn and had a slight hint of arrogance - he just said "have fun kids" as we walked away.
This Wednesday I am due to start my 4th job in Melbourne. This is as a labourer in a sign factory - I cant wait, this is what I have dreamed about since I was a young boy. I really dont care what I do at the moment as long as it brings me in a bit of cash!
My Travel Plan For a start I am getting slightly sick and tired of Melbourne now. I have been here for 2mths with the intention of saving money and I have saved next to nothing. This isn't through want of trying, its just proved to be very difficult to get work. The weather in Melbourne is also not the sterotypical ideal you get of Australia. Its now away with the shorts and t-shirts and on with the jumpers and trousers.
Initially I set out from London with the intention of travelling for ~6mths and returning to watch the World Cup. It is almost certain I will not be back for the World Cup and for at least another couple of months.
Whatever happens I will be on the road at the beginning of June. Mikey and I will be hiring campervans through a relocation company ($1 per day to hire). Due to the distances involved we are hoping to recruit at least one more driver but are happy with just the two of us.
End of May (22nd has been proposed) - June:
- Melbourne - Adelaide (via Great Ocean Road).
The Great Ocean Road is a breath-taking coastline road of south-west Victoria. It claims to be the world's most scenic road through an extended area that includes the Twelve Apostles, the Otways rainforest, Bells Beach, on the Surf Coast. After slowly covering the GOR we will try and make good time on the highway to Adelaide. There is talk we will be joined by Amy from her fruit picking in Adelaide to continue on the road trip. We will spend a few days in Adelaide (
- a 3 day journey covering 1100Km/680 miles
- this is equivalent of driving from Southampton to John O' Groats
- Adelaide - Alice Springs (via Coober Pedy)
Towns along the route are sparse. It is likely we will stop off at Port Augusta, Coober Pedy followed by Alice Springs. There are a few other dusty little towns along this route which we can stop at for a fleeting look at outback life. Coober Pedy is an underground town in that all the buildings are set below the ground to escape the heat. We will continue onto Alice where we will meet up with Katie who is a nurse there at the moment. From Alice we will sight see places such as Uluru (Ayres Rock) and Kings Canyon.
- a 4 day journey covering 1690km/1050 miles
- this is equivalent of driving from Stansted (London) to Madrid.
- Alice Springs - Darwin
This will be the sparsest of routes and possibly the worst to travel. The Northern territory and Darwin is called the tropical north and as I write this it is being battered by a huge cyclone. Luckily when we get there (if it still remains) the cyclone season will be over. Darwin is the gateway to the Kakadu national park.
- a 4 day journey covering 1525km/950 miles
- equivalent of driving from Cambridge to Berlin
- Darwin - ?
Altogether the total distance from Melbourne to Darwin = 4320km/2680 miles
- equivalent of driving from London to China
From Darwin I will say my relecutant fairwells to everyone and goto Cairns to work my way down the East coast and back to Sydney. Mikey, Reece, Katie and Amy are supposed to be going down to Perth (adding on Perth would make the total journey equivalent of driving from London to LA). From Sydney I fly into Tokyo and spend a couple of days there before heading back home. I reckon I will be back in mid July at some point (alot is dependant on my financial situation and my credit card).
As I have already sussed out, alot can change in a small space of time while travelling so this is all provisional for the time being.
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Victoria
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hey hey, it;s been ages since i've heard from you, but then it's been ages since i've written. Love the look of your travel plans, didn't realise the distance was that far, driving all the way to China sounds like a major mission. all i can say is thank goodness for planes! i got home 2 days ago and it sucks! Don't come back (er...in the nicest way) coming home is a real let down. Don't get me wrong i appreciate the hot showers, fluffy towels and the bed i never want to leave after a month camping in Africa, but that's about it. If i though it was feasible i'd be emigrating to South Africa straight away!! Anyway, hope you're now on the road experiencing more that just Melbourne. I loved Alice and Darwin so hope you will too. remember, when driving, keep to the left!! xxx