G'Day Mate - Sydney and Moving to Melbs

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Hi Bums who don't comment (mum excluded!)

First thing, whilst waiting in Singapore airport (for forever as I managed to arrive crazy early as some sort of balance for arriving at Jakarta far too late...) the Fulham football team walked past me, kept me entertained for a while!

Flew to Sydney via Adelaide and arrived eventually on 4th July about 10am. Australian immigration is generally regarded as being completely brutal and after I collected my luggage and saw the tremendous queue to have luggage x-rayed and for everyone to make their declarations I was a bit worried (even if I had cleaned my boots with a toothbrush). However, after making my way through most of the queue and showing someone that my arrival card had only one 'dodgy' item on it, a yak bone necklace from Nepal, I was told to go straight through. After passing through I really really wondered if I'd missed something there, very smooth if slow.

On walking out of the airport I had a very strange feeling and I started to shake uncontrollably. Oh hell, I'd forgotten what's its like to be cold. Must be around 12 centigrade here, but after 8 months of Asian sun my body was rebelling. I decided the only thing for it was to wear even more clothes than I would ever wear even in the height of British winter and put on a jumper, fleece a coat and my scarf. I still wasn't warm.

Jumped on the train to Sydney Central Station after finding flights to Melbourne to expensive and booked my ticket as soon as I got there. Decided to leave the same day as the money situation is slightly crippling. Unfortunately for me, as soon as I had booked the ticket I picked up a paper and found out from the 5th Jet Star were starting flights to Melbourne for less than half of my train ticket. To say that I was pissed off would be a alight understatement.

Anyway.... Spent the day totally jet-lagged and wandering across Sydney in a very similar fashion to a day when I went with Ines to see her off on a flight to Portugal and we'd been up all night watching tv. Made it to the Opera House, not so impressive from right next to the entrance, but one hell of a sight from on the Harbour Bay Bridge (the one where the fireworks are set off at the Olympics and New Years). After that I took a wander through the parks, they were absolutely stunning and had various natural wildlife that we'd have to see in a zoo in England.

As I mentioned, I was completely jet-lagged and decided whilst lying in the park facing the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, that it was a damn good place to have a nap, so I fell asleep for about an hour.

Walked back across the city and thanks to a rumbling stomach and the invitingly named Bikaner Restaurant (people with truely incredible memories may remember that Bikaner is where I did my camel safari in India) I had a decent Aloo Ghobi.

A few hours later back at the station I had my first Hungry Jacks, which for you and me is generally known as Burger King (mmmmm) and after talking to some homeless people I caught my train.

Normally I seem to get seated next to someone who speaks absolutely no English and placed nowhere near any Westerners on any trip - it's just bad luck. Having made a point of this to my mum only earlier that day I knew there would have to be some consequences.

No-one sat next to me BUT, behind me was an American from California. After making some very strange questions to a Vietnamese lad ('so what do you think of American's who visit your country now?') who had clearly been living in Melbourne for almost all his life (very Australian) he decided he wanted to join me. I slightly reluctantly said yes and sat next to possibly the slowest speaker of all time and he could barely understand me even when I spoke as if I was stuck in some of gravitational pull where time runs slower for me than him.

I bailed this as soon as the train lights were put out and I decided I needed sleep, this was my 3rd night sleeping on transport out of 4). The usual attempted sleep positions ensued, leaning this way and that, trying to lie across two seats, considering lying in the aisleway...

Alas I eventually made it to Melbourne and the city I hope to call home for the best part of a year.

I figure if there is still anyone who reads this, then they might be wondering why Melbourne and not Sydney. Well, a few simple reasons. Having met endless Australian's during my travels, I can only remember one from Sydney, possibly why Melbourne is regarded as a younger, 'cooler' city and the cultural capital. It's also regarded as 'edgier' and 'grittier'. Clearly not my words, but it does make it sound interesting. I have also been told that the job situation here is better and I have met plenty of people who have lived here whilst travelling and loved it. Two of my Laos friends are already here, Ciaran may move here and the always entertaining combo of Gemma and Lyndsay should be here before the end of the year as well.

Sydney is a stunning city, like a supermodel who's high maintenance and a pain in the ass, whereass Melbourne looks more like a hip gorgeous college chick chilling in a bar sipping a decent ale kinda city.

Checked into a dorm room straight away, sharing it with 13 others. We have kitchen facilities so I can actually cook for the first time in 8 months; I am not at all ashamed to say that the first meal I cooked was....... drumroll please....... baked beans on toast. I was genuinely surprised when I got the gas after, I seemed to have forgotten that that happens. If our dorm didn't smell like cheesy feet I'm fairly sure people would hate me.

Took a wander around some of the city on the first day and it is exactly how I hoped it would look. Wandered past a circus which had just finished, good to see so many happy faces leaving. Saw the Rod Laver stadium (centre court for the Australian Open, named after the legend). Saw a giant poster advertising Mebourne FC vs Fulham FC, yup they were coming the same way as me it turns out!

Admired the coins and notes with good ole Queenie Elizabeth on them, surprised myself by getting told off by the police whilst crossing a road. Was an Aussie Football League (AFL) game on and even though it was a green man I shouldn't have been crossing. There was a tram coming, I fear that may have had something to do with it!

In sum total, since being in Melbourne I have wandered a bit, researched work, written my CV and looked for share houses. All of this I should've done before arriving but I guess I was just too reluctant to consider the idea of going to Australia and leaving Asia which had felt like my home. Now I am here I really cannot wait to get started properly, find that first job (no matter how crap) and to get my own place, my own space and not have to continually pack and unpack my bag. To have a regular group of friends and not have to go through the 'textbook travel questions' quite so often! From what I gather of all the people in this hostel, I am probably one of, it not the best travelled. Most are just living the English to Australian dream which I now hope to be part of.

Better head out to buy shoes and to get my ass into gear...
Alan

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Photos

CBD
Central Business District.

Fruit Bats
Royal Botanical Gardens.

Friendly Parrots
Royal Botanical Gardens.