I supose I should do an end of year review or something.
I should write stuff like: I've learn't a lot about myself this past year, I've become a lot less squeamish and I've imporved my people skills.
I've become a better liar and feel alot less guilty about doing it in order to get what I want (I don't know if thats good or bad). I'm still shit with money though and I'm still single which sucks. But that's probably got a lot to do with me still being overweight.
I have become a lot less inhibited and can now happily change into or out of my pyjamas in a room full of other people. I have learnt some new skills and re-discoverd some old long forgotten ones. I have recently discoverd a love of bubble tea.
It's been a strange and wonderful year and I'm glad I made the decisions that I did.
Friday, 30 December 2005
Thursday, 29 December 2005
Sydney or Amsterdam ?
I met a Dutch guy last night. His name was Rat - I didn't ask why.
He told me about his night out in Kings Cross. He wasn't that impressed.
He said "There was a hooker on every corner and all the bars were seedy. I see enough of that at home..."
He told me about his night out in Kings Cross. He wasn't that impressed.
He said "There was a hooker on every corner and all the bars were seedy. I see enough of that at home..."
Wednesday, 28 December 2005
Things to do in Sydney when you're bored
I've done every (free or cheap) tourist thing there is to do in Sydney and I am now killing time until after the new year when the recruitment agencies open up again. I need a job and I need one now.
I also need to find an apartment, but that's not such a priority. I've lived in hostels for the past 6 months I can live in one for a few more. It would be really nice to be in a a house or apartment for a while though.
The hostel I stayed in in Surfers Paradise was apartment style (ie: it was a block of apartments that had been converted into a Backpackers Hostel). We has our own kitchen, and lounge room with TV & DVD player.
I can't tell you how nice it was to have such a nice living space and to be sharing it with only 10 other people instead of 100. Bliss, shier bliss, it was, I guess as nice as Surfers was it's not the town that made me stay there so long it was the apartment.
I also need to find an apartment, but that's not such a priority. I've lived in hostels for the past 6 months I can live in one for a few more. It would be really nice to be in a a house or apartment for a while though.
The hostel I stayed in in Surfers Paradise was apartment style (ie: it was a block of apartments that had been converted into a Backpackers Hostel). We has our own kitchen, and lounge room with TV & DVD player.
I can't tell you how nice it was to have such a nice living space and to be sharing it with only 10 other people instead of 100. Bliss, shier bliss, it was, I guess as nice as Surfers was it's not the town that made me stay there so long it was the apartment.
Monday, 26 December 2005
Sunday, 25 December 2005
The kindness of strangers
I met Christmas Boy at my hostel. He recognized me from Byron Bay although I didn't recognize him. We got chatting and he invited me to the beach with him and his friends on Christmas day.Being all alone in a big city is never easy. It's even harder at Christmas, but thankfully Christmas Boy and his mates welcomed me into their makeshift celebration with open arms and I had a truly lovely Christmas day.
Saturday, 24 December 2005
Christmas Australian Style
Instead of Ice sculptures they have Sand Sculptures.
Santa doesn't come on a sleigh, he arrives by Jet Ski.
Friday, 23 December 2005
Seasons Greetings
"From me ("the wishor") to you ("the wishee"), please accept without obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, politically correct, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
We wish you a financially successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but with due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures or sects, and having regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform or sexual preference of the wishee.
By accepting this greeting you are bound by these terms that:
This greeting is subject to further clarification or withdrawal.
1. This greeting is freely transferable provided that no alteration shall be made to the original greeting and that the proprietary rights of the wishor are acknowledged.
2. This greeting implies no promise by the wishor to actually implement the inferences contained in this correspondence.
3. This greeting may not be enforceable in certain jurisdictions and/or the restrictions herein may not be binding upon certain wishees in certain geographical locations.
4. This greeting is warranted to perform as reasonably as may be expected within the usual application of good tidings, for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first.
5. The wishor warrants this greeting only for the limited replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wishor".
Have a nice holiday.
We wish you a financially successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but with due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures or sects, and having regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform or sexual preference of the wishee.
By accepting this greeting you are bound by these terms that:
This greeting is subject to further clarification or withdrawal.
1. This greeting is freely transferable provided that no alteration shall be made to the original greeting and that the proprietary rights of the wishor are acknowledged.
2. This greeting implies no promise by the wishor to actually implement the inferences contained in this correspondence.
3. This greeting may not be enforceable in certain jurisdictions and/or the restrictions herein may not be binding upon certain wishees in certain geographical locations.
4. This greeting is warranted to perform as reasonably as may be expected within the usual application of good tidings, for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first.
5. The wishor warrants this greeting only for the limited replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wishor".
Have a nice holiday.
Thursday, 22 December 2005
Booked it, packed it, fucked off
I met a really interesting bloke the other day.
He was from a small village in the South of England and before he arrived in Sydney he had absolutely no idea where Australia was. He literally could not point it out to you on a map of the world.
Some time last year he broke up with his girlfriend and called his mate who was backpacking round Oz for some consoling. His mate told him the best way to forget about her would be to pack a bag and get on the first plane to Australia. So he did. It wasn't until he got to the airport and realized that he was facing a 24 hour flight that he realized how very far away it is.
The traveler, for that is what he has now become, had led a very spoilt life up until that point. He was an odd combination of typical East Sussex boy-racer/car mechanic and spoilt mummies boy. He had never cooked a meal in his entire life, he could make toast but anything more complicated than 2 slices of bread in a toaster and he was stumped.
His mother brought him breakfast in bed every morning or else he'd never get out of bed in time for work. His mother made him his lunch and dinner was always waiting on the table for him after work. Laundry, was a complete mystery to the traveler. His dirty clothes magically disappeared from the dirty clothes hamper only to appear a day later clean and ironed and hanging in his wardrobe.
His metamorphosis from boy racer to hard core traveler is total and stunning. I doubt anyone from back home would recognize him now. After spending a few weeks in Sydney with his mate he decided to buy a VW camper van and drive round western Australia. So he did.
He used his skills as a mechanic to keep the old girl on the road and make himself a few dollars along the way. By necessity he learnt the basics of cooking and can now fry an egg, boil rice and make a mean packet of instant noodles (among other more daring dishes). He grew out his chav haircut (think bryl cream curtains a la David Beckham before he met posh spice) and got himself a woolen beanie. He ditched the wheelie suitcase for an army surplus kit bag and when the time came to final part with his van he hitch hiked his way across the Northern Territory.
He could never go back to the way he was. He doesn't want to.
Wednesday, 21 December 2005
I'm liking Sydney more and more every day
I always hate every city I go to on the first day, it's weird, but then, so am I.
I've been a busy little bee and plunged myself into the city and so far I have; taken 10 million pictures of the Opera House, walked the botanical gardens, signed up with 2 recruitment agency's, handed out 2 thousand CVs, walked the length of the 2 main shopping streets, found 2 places where I can use the internet for free, found a church (well a cathedral) for midnight mass on Christmas Eve, lost my shower gel, spent $15 on phone calls trying to find a flat share (yes $15!!!!!) and signed up for speed dating at the bar next do to my hostel. Not a bad tally for just under 3 days.
Monday, 19 December 2005
Sydney
I've been here for 4 hours so far and I'm not impressed.
Firstly finding a payphone in this city is impossible. I mean how am I supposed to job hunt when my mobile is out of credit and i can't find a flippin' payphone?
Firstly finding a payphone in this city is impossible. I mean how am I supposed to job hunt when my mobile is out of credit and i can't find a flippin' payphone?
Sunday, 18 December 2005
it's UnAustralain
I was talking to 2 Australian blokes in the pub last night and inevitably the conversation turned to Crunella and the repeat that's anticipated this weekend.
They took it all in their stride and made a big joke out of it in the typical Aussie way. they were just as horrified and disgusted at the things that went on as every one else but stressed that it's a Sydney problem. You just wouldn't find that kind of attitude anywhere else in Oz.
They took it all in their stride and made a big joke out of it in the typical Aussie way. they were just as horrified and disgusted at the things that went on as every one else but stressed that it's a Sydney problem. You just wouldn't find that kind of attitude anywhere else in Oz.
Wednesday, 14 December 2005
King Kong
We all know the story. Girl meets ape. Ape gets captured and taken to New York. Ape goes nuts and escapes. Ape gets killed at the top of the Empire State Building. End of Story. Sounds simple, but there is more to it than that.
The special effects are of course stunning, and the story is well written, but then you wouldn’t expect anything less than excellent from a film directed and co-written by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson. He even managed to get Jack Black in his role as the megalomaniacal movie director Carl Denham to tone down his performance enough to give his key scenes a much needed dramatic edge.
Naomi Watts shines as Anne Darrow the perpetually screaming blond bombshell and object of everyone’s affection. But the true star of the movie is King Kong. He is utterly convincing as a larger than life Silverback Gorilla and not once did I have the notion that this was anything other than a real living creature captured on film.
Forget the romance between Anne and Jack (Adrien Brody) the love scenes are all played out between beauty and the beast. Kong laughs, he cries (well almost), he smashes things up in anger, her rips the tongue from a T-Rex and smashes its skull with one swipe and then stops to appreciate a beautiful sunrise. What more could any girl want from an admirer?
The special effects are of course stunning, and the story is well written, but then you wouldn’t expect anything less than excellent from a film directed and co-written by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson. He even managed to get Jack Black in his role as the megalomaniacal movie director Carl Denham to tone down his performance enough to give his key scenes a much needed dramatic edge.
Naomi Watts shines as Anne Darrow the perpetually screaming blond bombshell and object of everyone’s affection. But the true star of the movie is King Kong. He is utterly convincing as a larger than life Silverback Gorilla and not once did I have the notion that this was anything other than a real living creature captured on film.
Forget the romance between Anne and Jack (Adrien Brody) the love scenes are all played out between beauty and the beast. Kong laughs, he cries (well almost), he smashes things up in anger, her rips the tongue from a T-Rex and smashes its skull with one swipe and then stops to appreciate a beautiful sunrise. What more could any girl want from an admirer?
Tuesday, 13 December 2005
How are you today ?
Hmmm, re-reading my last post makes me think that I've probably made you all believe that Australia is a Nazi infested paramilitary urban war zone. It's not.
Australia for the most part is a melting pot of different cultures who all get along without any problems at all. Many Australians speak at least one other language (usually the mother tongue of an immigrant parent), foreign languages are taught in schools and you will see many non-white faces, not just in cities but in towns and small rural communities.
I have not experienced any racism since I arrived - I did have an odd question from an older Australian man who was a bit baffled about how such a 'dark' person could be English, but I expect that kind of thing from the older generations of every country and he was simply curious and didn't mean to be offensive .
People are constantly asking "G'day, How are ya?" and you can not enter a shop anywhere in Australia without being asked "Hi, how are you?" - it's not just customer service, they really do want a reply, they don't want to know your life history but a 'Yeah, good thanks" makes them happy.
Australia is generally a very nice and friendly place, but as with so many countries it's a minority who spoil things for everyone else.
Australia for the most part is a melting pot of different cultures who all get along without any problems at all. Many Australians speak at least one other language (usually the mother tongue of an immigrant parent), foreign languages are taught in schools and you will see many non-white faces, not just in cities but in towns and small rural communities.
I have not experienced any racism since I arrived - I did have an odd question from an older Australian man who was a bit baffled about how such a 'dark' person could be English, but I expect that kind of thing from the older generations of every country and he was simply curious and didn't mean to be offensive .
People are constantly asking "G'day, How are ya?" and you can not enter a shop anywhere in Australia without being asked "Hi, how are you?" - it's not just customer service, they really do want a reply, they don't want to know your life history but a 'Yeah, good thanks" makes them happy.
Australia is generally a very nice and friendly place, but as with so many countries it's a minority who spoil things for everyone else.
Monday, 12 December 2005
Cronulla
Before I came to Australia I had specific and definite ideas of what I thought Australian society, culture and the mind set of the people were. Cronulla proved them wrong.
I didn't view Australia as a utopia, I'm not foolish enough to believe that any such place exists or ever will, but I didn't expect to find racial tension and outbreaks of violence on the scale of the Oldham riots that shook Britain a few years ago.
Yesterday a mob of young white Australian men descended as an angry and violent mob on the Sydney suburb of Cronulla Beach. The suburb apparently has a problem with Lebanese and Middle Eastern youths coming to the beach from other poorer suburbs (Cronulla is one of the easiest beaches to reach by train) and intimidating locals. However, no one has so far said what form this intimidation has been taking. Are they physically threatening people? Are they being openly hostile to locals or are they simply being intimidating in the way that large groups of young people getting carried away with themselves can be? I have no idea, but this intimidation seems to be the smoldering ember that caught light yesterday.
The spark that ignited the flame occurred the previous weekend when 2 volunteer lifeguards were beaten up on Cronulla beach by some young men of Middle Eastern & Mediterranean appearance (commonly known as 'Lebs' & 'Wogs'). No one has reported on the reasons why the life guards were attacked. For all I know it could have been a personal thing or possibly drug realted and not a racist incident as everyone assumes. But that is just speculation on my part because Australian journalists seem to have no concept of the word investigate.
The lifeguard attack was covered extensively in the media. Footage of angry residents confronting the state Premier and local Police Chief over their lack of response to the intimidation problem was shown in every news bulletin for days. The media also repeatedly reported that text messages were circulating urging people to turn up at Cronulla the next weekend to 'support' the lifeguards. Anyone who didn't receive the txt message surely found out about the 'rally' through the Tv.
Approximately 5,000 people descended on the beach on Sunday and started drinking heavily before the violence erupted - coincidently the violence subdued and the crown began to diverse voluntarily as soon as the 2 local bottle shops closed at 5pm.
The violence began with unprovoked attacks on any poor sod who looked like a 'leb' or a 'wog'. There was a graphic an disturbing clip on the news of a group of psychotic looking women battering a black haired lady who lay cowering on the floor unable to get away from the ferocious attack. At one point the police had to guard a pub to protect a man who had been chased inside by a frenzied mob and several men had to be taken into protective custody, simply because they had black hair and olive skin.
The police had no qualms at all about using their battons to try and restore order and they savagely beat back the baying mob. There were chants of "Ausssie, Aussie, Aussie", "No Lebs" and a hate filled rendition of the Australian National Anthem. Hooliganism isn't just confined to European Soccer.
It was later that night after the mob at Cronulla dispersed that the 'Lebs & Wogs' decided to retaliate with an attack on neighboring Maroubra. Gangs of young men of 'Middle Eastern and Mediterranean appearance' drove around the streets of the suburb with baseball bats vandalizing cars and smashing windows. In the suburb of Brighton Le Sands Police were pelted with bottles and 12 people were arrested at police road blocks.
The night of violence ended with 23 people hurt - including police and ambulance officers and another 16 people were taken into custody over night. Police say they are looking for a group of men of Middle Eastern appearance who stabbed a 23 year old man in Woolooware.
The mostmemorable moment for me was an interview with a middle aged local man. He was wearing a White T-Shirt on which had been written in black pen 'Ashamed to be Australian'. He said " I am a 7th generation Australian. I have never been ashamed to be Australian until today."
http://www.optusnet.com.au/news/story/abc/20051212/14/domestic/1528637.inp
http://mnly.blogspot.com/2005/12/sydney-riots-defending-turf.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200512/s1529041.htm
http://jafablog.typepad.com/man_of_lettuce/2005/12/unforgettable.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4519818.stm
The other view
http://spaces.msn.com/members/Labouche96/Blog/cns!1p-FkpVsFpbUAvusL7lm1E_A!161.entry
I didn't view Australia as a utopia, I'm not foolish enough to believe that any such place exists or ever will, but I didn't expect to find racial tension and outbreaks of violence on the scale of the Oldham riots that shook Britain a few years ago.
Yesterday a mob of young white Australian men descended as an angry and violent mob on the Sydney suburb of Cronulla Beach. The suburb apparently has a problem with Lebanese and Middle Eastern youths coming to the beach from other poorer suburbs (Cronulla is one of the easiest beaches to reach by train) and intimidating locals. However, no one has so far said what form this intimidation has been taking. Are they physically threatening people? Are they being openly hostile to locals or are they simply being intimidating in the way that large groups of young people getting carried away with themselves can be? I have no idea, but this intimidation seems to be the smoldering ember that caught light yesterday.
The spark that ignited the flame occurred the previous weekend when 2 volunteer lifeguards were beaten up on Cronulla beach by some young men of Middle Eastern & Mediterranean appearance (commonly known as 'Lebs' & 'Wogs'). No one has reported on the reasons why the life guards were attacked. For all I know it could have been a personal thing or possibly drug realted and not a racist incident as everyone assumes. But that is just speculation on my part because Australian journalists seem to have no concept of the word investigate.
The lifeguard attack was covered extensively in the media. Footage of angry residents confronting the state Premier and local Police Chief over their lack of response to the intimidation problem was shown in every news bulletin for days. The media also repeatedly reported that text messages were circulating urging people to turn up at Cronulla the next weekend to 'support' the lifeguards. Anyone who didn't receive the txt message surely found out about the 'rally' through the Tv.
Approximately 5,000 people descended on the beach on Sunday and started drinking heavily before the violence erupted - coincidently the violence subdued and the crown began to diverse voluntarily as soon as the 2 local bottle shops closed at 5pm.
The violence began with unprovoked attacks on any poor sod who looked like a 'leb' or a 'wog'. There was a graphic an disturbing clip on the news of a group of psychotic looking women battering a black haired lady who lay cowering on the floor unable to get away from the ferocious attack. At one point the police had to guard a pub to protect a man who had been chased inside by a frenzied mob and several men had to be taken into protective custody, simply because they had black hair and olive skin.
The police had no qualms at all about using their battons to try and restore order and they savagely beat back the baying mob. There were chants of "Ausssie, Aussie, Aussie", "No Lebs" and a hate filled rendition of the Australian National Anthem. Hooliganism isn't just confined to European Soccer.
It was later that night after the mob at Cronulla dispersed that the 'Lebs & Wogs' decided to retaliate with an attack on neighboring Maroubra. Gangs of young men of 'Middle Eastern and Mediterranean appearance' drove around the streets of the suburb with baseball bats vandalizing cars and smashing windows. In the suburb of Brighton Le Sands Police were pelted with bottles and 12 people were arrested at police road blocks.
The night of violence ended with 23 people hurt - including police and ambulance officers and another 16 people were taken into custody over night. Police say they are looking for a group of men of Middle Eastern appearance who stabbed a 23 year old man in Woolooware.
The mostmemorable moment for me was an interview with a middle aged local man. He was wearing a White T-Shirt on which had been written in black pen 'Ashamed to be Australian'. He said " I am a 7th generation Australian. I have never been ashamed to be Australian until today."
http://www.optusnet.com.au/news/story/abc/20051212/14/domestic/1528637.inp
http://mnly.blogspot.com/2005/12/sydney-riots-defending-turf.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200512/s1529041.htm
http://jafablog.typepad.com/man_of_lettuce/2005/12/unforgettable.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4519818.stm
The other view
http://spaces.msn.com/members/Labouche96/Blog/cns!1p-FkpVsFpbUAvusL7lm1E_A!161.entry
Saturday, 10 December 2005
More tales from the top bunk
Universal Soldiers comment reminded me of another story about a drunk boy on a top bunk.
This time the boy was so drunk he lost all bladder control.
Luckily the girl in the bottom bunk got up to go to the loo a split second before it started to drip through the thin foam mattress onto her bed . . .
This time the boy was so drunk he lost all bladder control.
Luckily the girl in the bottom bunk got up to go to the loo a split second before it started to drip through the thin foam mattress onto her bed . . .
Thursday, 8 December 2005
Mid Air !
After coming back in the early hours rather the worse for wear a guy staying at my hostel managed to locate his room and clamber into his bed, the top bunk. He then fell asleep, rolled over and fell out.
He woke up when he hit the floor and in his drunk and disoriented state decided to leave the room and wander off down the corridor, without his key.
Some time later and after banging on a number of random doors, a guy who was rather pissed off at having his sleep disturbed let him into his room and told him he could sleep on the one unoccupied bed in the room, a top bunk.
This time he woke up in mid-air.
He woke up when he hit the floor and in his drunk and disoriented state decided to leave the room and wander off down the corridor, without his key.
Some time later and after banging on a number of random doors, a guy who was rather pissed off at having his sleep disturbed let him into his room and told him he could sleep on the one unoccupied bed in the room, a top bunk.
This time he woke up in mid-air.
Wednesday, 7 December 2005
BFFN
I have just said good-bye to my latest Best Friend For Now.
It's weird the way you can get so attached to someone you have known such a short time. But its not surprising when you consider that these relationships come from a mixture of loneliness, fear, alienation and desperation.
It's comforting to have a BFFN every once in a while, even if you know that the relationship will only ever last a few hours or maybe days if you're lucky.
It's weird the way you can get so attached to someone you have known such a short time. But its not surprising when you consider that these relationships come from a mixture of loneliness, fear, alienation and desperation.
It's comforting to have a BFFN every once in a while, even if you know that the relationship will only ever last a few hours or maybe days if you're lucky.
Tuesday, 6 December 2005
Surfers Paradise
My thoughts upon arriving on main beach:
Oh My God, it's a tsunami ! ! !
Shit, Fuck, someones paddling out to the tsunami on a surfboard ! !
What the fuck, Someones surfing the tsunami !
Oh, its not a tsunami . . . just a really, really, really big wave . . .
Oh My God, it's a tsunami ! ! !
Shit, Fuck, someones paddling out to the tsunami on a surfboard ! !
What the fuck, Someones surfing the tsunami !
Oh, its not a tsunami . . . just a really, really, really big wave . . .
Friday, 2 December 2005
Brain teaser
You are traveling through a Forrest inhabited by 2 tribes; the Truth Tellers and the Liars.
The Truth Tellers always tell the truth and provide a safe haven for travelers during the night while the liars (who are fierce cannibals) never tell the truth and like nothing better than chowing down on lost travelers.
It's getting late and you come to a fork in the road; one path leads to the truth tellers village and the other leads to the liars village.
There are no signs to point you in the right direction, but there is a man from one of the villages who you could ask for directions. The only problem is you don't know if he is a truth teller or a liar.
You can only ask him one question. What question do you ask to find out which path leads to the truth tellers village?
The Truth Tellers always tell the truth and provide a safe haven for travelers during the night while the liars (who are fierce cannibals) never tell the truth and like nothing better than chowing down on lost travelers.
It's getting late and you come to a fork in the road; one path leads to the truth tellers village and the other leads to the liars village.
There are no signs to point you in the right direction, but there is a man from one of the villages who you could ask for directions. The only problem is you don't know if he is a truth teller or a liar.
You can only ask him one question. What question do you ask to find out which path leads to the truth tellers village?
Thursday, 1 December 2005
It's November !!!
Walking through the Queens St Mall I feel myself getting more and more wound up. By the time I reach Big W I am a seething mass of teeth grinding, jaw clenching fury.
I hate it when the Christmas decorations go up to early.
Everywhere you look Christmas lights and decorations are up and from every speaker Christmas Carols are blaring.
Do they not realize that doing this ruins Christmas?
I hate it when the Christmas decorations go up to early.
Everywhere you look Christmas lights and decorations are up and from every speaker Christmas Carols are blaring.
Do they not realize that doing this ruins Christmas?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)