after the rain...: Bad blogger on the buses

Ok, so it's been nearly 3 months since my last blog. I apologise for the tardiness!

The adventures have continued, although there have been a few bumps in the road, a lot of hanging about, waiting for the next step, as well as beach times and road trips.

The next adventure has already begun. I am now a bus driver for a hostel in Mission Beach, Queensland. I do 3hrs work a day and in return I receive free accommodation, free internet, free laundry and if I stay at least 1 month, there’s a free skydive on offer. Too good an offer to pass up! It also allows me to find some paid work as well and puts me in a good position for saving some money to do the fun stuff…and buy a flight home :-s

I have to put up with this view for the next month or so...

That perfect job still eludes me… in fact finding any work that isn't a sales role duping people out of their hard earned cash is hard to come by! I have been kept afloat by odd shifts here and there (thank you Gregg Peek – check out his free city tour of Sydney www.peektours.com), the generosity of family and friends who have put me up for a few nights and kept me fed and watered, but mainly the bank of Mum and Dad have been far too generous and have enabled me to stay here living the dream! Thank you kindly!

In the time since my last blog I have worked as a 'shepherd' for the aforementioned Peek Tours; worked as a nanny living on millionaires row right on Tamarama beach (just round from Bondi) looking after 4 kids for a very rich family; spent Christmas working for said rich family and then partied with my fellow orphans; had a fantastic New Year with some fabulous people watching the fireworks at Sydney Harbour and then watching the sun rise on Bondi with a lovely random Aussie bloke; campervan road trip to Melbourne and a 3 day Great Ocean Road tour with the lovely Katie Day; spent 5 strange days in Adelaide melting in 40 deg heat before hitching a lift back to Melbourne with Paul Atkinson. I then spent a week in Melbourne, hosted by the right honourable Dr Glassford (thank you kind sir for your unyielding generosity). I managed to take in the semi-final of the Australian Open Tennis between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. Great atmosphere, even though the outcome was not the desired one. I spent a day pondering the complexities of life in the Botanic gardens, getting emotional at the Anzac memorial and wondering along the Yarra river. I caught up with some long lost friends; Alisha, my favourite little Aussie, and Jamie and Sarah Anne, my favourite islanders from Skye! I wish I had stayed longer, but the promise of work was too tempting and I made my way back up north to Sydney. I spent a lovely long weekend in the Blue Mountains with my Dad's cousin, Marilyn, her husband Kevin and Milo the dog, who very kindly put me up and gave me a personal tour of some delightful towns, shops and cafes, as well as experiencing the worst hail storm I've ever encountered Blue Mountains Hail Storm! Thank you both for your wonderful hospitality.

Blue Mountain home

Milo

I also managed to find a volleyball club to train with while back in Sydney, as well as attempting some beach volleyball with Dirk and Megan. There was the Australian Open surf champs in Manly, free gigs on the beach, great music at Spectrum, skateboard comps, surfing with Jarrod and the Mojo boys, movies and meeting Mark Wahlberg with Piritta.

I am glad to finally be travelling and exploring again, but I will miss Sydney and the people in it. I have become quite attached to the place. I will be back!

When trying to recall everything I've done in the last 3 months, it makes me smile thinking of the fun I've had and the friends I've made, and I really wish I had the discipline to keep a diary/update this blog so I can look back and remember everything I've done. I must make a concerted effort to blog more often, but I fear they may become like buses... none for ages then they all appear at once!