Sydney can be wet and windy just like Scotland
Trip Start
Aug 06, 2009
1
26
Trip End
Jan 01, 2010
Newport, New South Wales, Australia
Friday, February 5, 2010
The thing that we have spent most of our time doing is looking for jobs, not a day went by when we didn't look in the local paper or on the web, except perhaps for Christmas Day and New Years. It took us nearly two months to find work, whereas for others it takes a matter of days. We just don't know how they do it.
I'm working part time at McDonalds, usually 8.30pm until half midnight. I was very close to getting a top notch job in the centre for a successful company run by two entrepreneurs still at university. I would be offering discounts for telephone and internet door to door, I was accepted after the interview, attended the first day of training and it was so much fun. Then I get the phone call, "there's not enough vans for everyone to fit in, so I've had to drop some people, good luck with the job hunting." What sucks the most is not knowing why he picked me. But luckily I had Maccy Ds to fall back on. I get to work with a great diversity of cultures; one Brazilian, and most of the rest are Indians. They're really friendly, and very hard workers.
Ironically, Peter has to get up at 6.30am to get to work for 8.30am and gets home at about half five. We spend a lot of the time sleeping when the other's out working. He's been very fortunate to get a job in Terrey Hills, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, luckily there's a bus that even goes there, but it's once an hour, so if he misses it, he's pretty much screwed. He's a waiter in a cafe/restaurant in a garden centre, so it's all very civilised and the centre of rich society.
I'm hoping to fill up some of my spare time doing volunteer work. There's a local organisation that helps disabled children and young adults, something that I've never done before, I think that it would be a really special and rewarding experience. I've also been thinking about joining a Choir, I'd love to do some singing again.
Christmas feels like a really long time ago now, not that it ever actually felt like Christmas in the first place. Christmas + warmth just don't mix. We had a lovely assortment of food, mostly provided by the lovely Annie and Dave who live downstairs and we had it out on the balconey/deck type thing. Lots of meats, salads, desserts, cheeses and plenty of champagne.
Then Georgie showed up! And soon after that one of her friends came to stay whom she met on her travels, and guess what? She comes from Hawick! Watch out, for Hawick is slowly but surely taking over the world. If it wasn't for them we wouldn't have gone to see the fireworks at Harbour Bridge for New Years, and they went at about 10am to get a great spot at Observatory Point.
We arrived much later, something like 8pm, and then we snuck away to eat at the Observatory Hotel; a very fancy and upper class place, with the nicest waiter I have ever come across. We got to use their snazzy toilets with individual towels and mouthwash rather than the portaloos, an added bonus.
What else? We went to the first day of the Sydney Festival in which Al Green performed. We never actually saw him, and instead stayed at the circus stage. Got a glimpse of the Tom Tom Crew who are mind blowingly unbelieveable, this one guy was doing beatboxing like nothing else. They've performed in Edinburgh a fair few times, I have to see them again.
We've been to the Sydney Cricket Ground twice, both times Australia played Pakistan and both times Pakistan lost. We are very annoyed at Australia. The Australians are completely and utterly wild. You will never cease to be amused; people yelling at the cricketers, slagging off the opposition as well as their own, crying in desperation for a wave from the team, going crazy when they get one, making huge chains of plastic beer cups that are several metres in length, getting arrested for throwing things, jeering them on, mexican waves, beach balls bouncing in the air...
We also attended two days of the Sydney Juggling Convention, where I learnt a few more things with my poi and Peter was helped by the world master of diabolo and devil sticks, Tempei is his name. The best thing about the Convention was the Sirkus Circus show. One guy did the most incredible juggling with all sorts of things, and he was hilarious too. Another guy undressed himself whilst on top of a ladder in the air to Nelly's "Hot in Herre". And then there was Tempei. He ended the show with the diabolo, and practically defied the laws of Physics. He could leave the diablolo spinning in mid air of its own accord, spin around twice and then catch it again. It's a sight neither of us will ever forget.
Comments
congrats on getting jobs. work hard
Glad too see guys are having fun and working hard hope you a great time xx