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Published: November 7th 2007
Fancy dress house party
It's always good fun when you dress up as a cowgirl and a couple of red indians turn up!Hello all! After a many hints and a few outright requests I got the impression it was time I did an update. Since I have spent the past month or so flat and job hunting I started to think that I had nothing to update about but then I reconsidered and I have done a few pretty cool things lately and have a pretty good lifestyle to match!
Well after leaving sunny Perth I arrived in cold, wet rainy Sydney after a long flight and wasn't too impressed. I was instantly cheered up when my mate Andy who I've seen all the way along the east coast met up with me about an hour after I stepped off the shuttle bus and took me out with him and his mates. My first hostel was interesting, situated right at the train station I was sleeping in a converted train carriage right next to the platforms at Central station, admittedly a little confusing when you wake up to a final boarding call but unique to say the least! Sydney was really hot that week, full of bogan moths and with twice the number of people here last time. I spent quite a
My first bed in Sydney....
My dorm in the converted train carriage. bit of time by myself and was wondering why I'd decided to return. I seemed to wander around registering at secretary agencies and getting lots of early nights. On the day I checked out to move to a busier hostel I started to talk to two girls in my room, Rach and Annette, and ended up persuading them to move hostels with me. We celebrated with a trip to Paddy's Markets then a day sat outside an irish bar. The next day we went to Coogee Beach looking forward to a traditional Ozzie Barby but were soon rained off with thunder and lightning and gale force winds. Looking back in my travel journal now I think thats where the bad weather started, it's been raining nearly every day ever since!
The next week was the same routine, job hunting and secretarial agency registering all day then popping out for a few drinks at night. Met a few new friends along the way, including Bob the paper bag (!?!) and Katey who was in my rooms for a few days. Katey, Rach and I went up the Oz Tower for great views of the city and a trip on the
Oz Trek which is a simulator ride that takes you around Australia. Katey and I had bad heads after a good night out so had to hold on to our stomachs for that one!
Job hunting continued and I decided to start house hunting. This was the start of another long journey as I wanted my own bedroom after months of dorms (this thought was reinforced the night that someone started watching Dirty Dancing on their laptop with 3 of their mates at 1am the night before I had an interview!!). I went to view a room that day, got the train and realised it wasn't quite the area stated. I got there to find a whistling kettle, homemade studio and a toilet at the bottom of the garden behind a forest of weeds...I don't think so!! The next day I continued my flat search when one of my roomies came in with a bunch of his irish builder mates, next thing I know I'm at Bondi Junction with Rach with a huge group of irish builders! After an afternoon at the pub we went to Oktoberfest at our local hostel bar to watch cabbage bowling and stein lifting!
Cocktails in Scu Bar!
The evening after the day at the pub when I met Rach and Annette! The next day I went to a job exhibition then Sunday markets at The Rocks, walked under the Harbour Bridge too. After lunch at Circular Quays Rach and I went to Shaun and Flo's (mates from last time in Sydney) for a lovely BBQ on their balcony. Yum. The next day I registered with an agency and got about 16 calls in an hour after they sent my CV onto agencies that may have work for me. I arranged a day of registering with one agency after the other and went to view another room. The room was the size of a single bed, it was so small the door didn't even open, you had to open the door and kneel straight onto the bed. It was plain brick walls painted white like a cell. Apparently 20 people would be in that one kitchen / terraced house over Christmas. This has been a real eye opener! Went crab racing to cheer me up!
After registering with agencies I had an interview for a construction site secretary role. I got the job! After the interview I checked the websites and found a nice sounding flat and viewed it that
night. After the dumps I had been to before it was heaven! A nice big bed, queen sized bed and huge wardrobe. Clean modern kitchen, bathroom, living room and a balcony the size of another room. Sharing with a couple and one other girl with a bedroom each, 10 minutes from the city centre. I told them I was definately interested but they'd had quite a bit of interest so were going to pick who they thought would fit in the best......I got a call to say I could move in the next day that evening. A job and a room in one day - fantastic!
Moved in on the Friday, unpacking my bag was a great feeling, everything was hung up and I did a massive food shop and stocked my cupboards. Katey popped back for a night before her flight so we had a nice meal that night. The next day me and my flatmate Jenny went to get our hair 'trimmed'. Unfortunately we went to china town so I got a good few inches of my hair and a new side fringe....ahh well it will grow back healthy! Had a Saturday night out and a Sunday
Sydney CBD
The reason why the sun doesn't hit the city centre! at a packed windy Bondi Beach.
Started my job on the Monday, people there very nice but was taking me an 1 hour and 1/2 commute either way. Add 40 minutes of this walking down a dual carriageway with a million flies and early morning heat and I was walking to work melted. I got a huge blister on my heel and rained on without an umbrella which was the final straw. I told my agency and they stopped me there the next day. A brave / stupid move as would have been there 3 months but summer is coming with more heat and more flies which may have killed me off. Went to lots more agencies and waited for another call.
That weekend I went to see a show at the Opera House. I was very excited about it. I must say it was the most random show I've ever seen and the opposite of what I thought I'd be seeing there. To say it was risque, random or contraversial would be the world's biggest understatement! Think transvestite meets gay jewish orphan and it goes from there. We had a laugh and fun though and went straight
from there to a fancy dress house party for Halloween. Ended up dressed in my cowgirl outfit at a very quiet house party so escaped to a snooty bar with me in full dress, Rach as a french maid and two red indians!
I started my new new job the next Wednesday (only a week out of work). The weather was roasting on the Monday and I had a day sunbathing at Coogee Beach. My new job is at Circular Quays and I am a Personal Assistant for an IT Manager at a big bank. The view from my desk (if I swivel my chair around) is a grand view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge with all its boats and glory. I can see the top point of the Opera House from my desk too with a better view from the printer. It is 20 minutes door to door by train and when it's not raining I walk home. The other night I walked past the Botanical Gardens, past the Oz Tower then through Hyde Park with its kookaburras and water feature then buzzing Oxford St home - officially my nicest walk home from work ever and took about
Hyde Park
Not far from where I live.....the big shadow is the buidling we are in! 35 minutes walking slowly with my camera. Friday night saw drinks with my work mates and talks of the 1920s theme Christmas Party at an amusement park over the harbour - sounds fun! The weekend was another Halloween party, the largest hostel room party I've ever been too and a sunbathe in Hyde Park.
Yesterday was Melbourne Cup day which is like the Grand National so I helped organise sweeps in the office and we had a few drinks, nibbles and games. I got caught today taking a photo from my desk. It was very overcast as it has been ever since I took my camera to work - typical but you get the idea. I ended up with my manager offering to take photos of me for you guys! Tomorrow I'm going to floor 25 (currently on floor 5) to see the top of the Opera House!
Now I'm looking back I have done loads. I am settling in nicely, I just need to see an improvement in the weather. I don't feel Christmassy at all yet I must say but I'm sure it's going to be one to remember. I'm seeing The Killers in concert on
Oz Tower Pals
Me, Rach and Katey at the top of the Oz Tower Sunday and my friend Sonia is visiting the week after so plenty of plans still. Look forward to hearing from you all!!xx
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Jennie
non-member comment
Wow!
The view from your desk is absolutely amazing. You could sit and look at that all day and not get tired of it, it almost doesn't look real. The views from the oz tower look amazing too. I would imagine that working in oz is very much different to working back here, no comparison i'm sure! Keep in touch Lots of love Jennie. xx