Still in Sydney...

Well it's the merry month of May and I am still in Sydney, New South Wales...5 and a half months into a 12 month visa! It all started so well doing OzIntro (check out ozintro.com) by far and away the BEST 449 pounds i had ever spent...i had the best week of my life, up there with Lancaster Univeristy's freshers' week, I made so many friends many of whom will be friends forever I hope. We had 7 nights accomodation in Surfside hostel and then 3 months in a flat in Coogee...I absolutely adore Coogee, so much better than Bondi, less commercial and more homely...and I think a far nicer beach, but it wasnt all fun. 7 people in a small flat that really suited 3/4 max left it's toll...Ste the Ten Pound Pom is now travelling solo and Im experiencing much more because of it!

One of the worst times was working for a charity fundraising company who we had a disagreement with over my pay...my advice would be that if you get shafted by anyone complain to the Fair Work Ombudsman...they investigated my complaint and Fair Work Australia this week have got me back every cent I was owed from January...so thinks are picking up. Speaking of picking up, ive also landed on my feet with my temping agency...im working filing and doing office work at a well known investment bank in Sydney...without a doubt the best, easiest and fun job ive ever had, particularly after my fundraising job, the worst and hardest thing ive EVER done! If you can get a 9-5 Monday-Friday job not dealing with the public, with no targets and a boss who is really nice, then I advise you to do because I LOVE IT!!!


Initially I thought Sydney sucked a bit and it felt a bit too much like London in terms of the mentality of the people being so busy (and occassionally rude), but having been to the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, a city I adore, I returned to Sydney re-energised and full of enthusiam for the place...Melbourne was beautiful and reminded me of home, rain, trams, 4 seasons in 1 day, friendly people who stopped to give me directions TWICE whilst looking at a map, but there is just something about Sydney that suddenly clicked...there is always something to do, somewhere to go...

New Years Eve down Circular Quay was one of the best experiences ever, cramed into Campbell's Cove by the ferry terminal in The Rocks, we were a few hundred yards from the bridge and across from the Opera House...the atmosphere was electric! Australia Day was another classic, and the harbour is fantastic, but the best thing about Sydney is getting to know my Aussie family!!!

Last week was ANZAC Day and my cousin's birthday and it turns out my great grand uncle, or great great uncle, something like that, was sent from Wrexham by my great grandad to Australia...he joined the army, the Australian Army that is, and fought as an ANZAC at Gallipoli...the meaning of what it is to be Australian suddenly hit me that day...before I had this vision of it being like home, when I got here though, it appeared to be almost the opposite, trying to be as different as it could from Britain just to be different...now all Australia is, is trying to be itself! It's the son that grew up and the father has to let live it's own life instead of living their life through their kids if you will...

Discovering I had a Welsh relative who was an ANZAC at Gallipoli the time when Australia discovered it's national conciousness was amazing...and he being the link to my Aussie family, it's been great to get to know them and hear all the stories...and it's great to know they are just over the Harbour Bridge if I need anything, or indeed just want a catch up. It doesnt feel like im 14,000 miles from home, if anything Sydney is beginning to feel like home and 5 months ago I HATED the city...how times change hey!?

But what for the future!? I have decided not to do farm work or extend my visa after my friends in Mildura got shafted by a dodgey farmer who didnt pay their tax or sign them off, so im just enjoying life in the city, saving up, and will soon have a manic couple of months doing Ayres Rock, the east coast, Fiji and New Zealand!!! Then we will see what comes...home for the footy season or stay till November! Still dont have flights booked home, havent thought about it until this week if Im honest, but I dont miss it...just my Saturday routine of getting a crate of beer, going to the game, singing songs, having a laugh, and stumbling in at daft o'clock...Australia has everything, except Man United (and FCUM)...and they'll be there when I get home.

The best thing Ive done so far was the other week, I met an Irish Red in Scruffy Murphy's in Sydney who was an actor, having watched a few footy games from the Premiership, I saw the play he was in down in The Rocks, hillarious! If you ever hear of the Walworth Farce, it's a cracking little Irish play...get on it!

Anyway this is a bit of a rubbish update it's just to let the fine people at STA Travel know Im still alive as it's so long since the last update,in fact this is the first this year, but I WILL update more I promise! It's been a bit manic getting down to the last 100quid, finding work, getting shafted, finding more work, working at Royal Randwick Races, landing a temp job at Macquarie, gooning it up and watching Neighbours...you know how it is! Im currently in a wicked hostel called 790 on George, it's more like a flat than a hostel as all the guys in our room are long stay, but we've got 1 month left or so then we're all pretty much hitting the coast together, so let the good times roll!