Let's go to work
Thursday, 17 March 2005
Catherine didn't manage to get us an upgrade for the flight with her injured ankle. Unfortunately, after a proper doctor looked at it in KL it's got a hell of alot better and she's not far off normal walkdom. This did not do our case for an upgrade any good at all. Oh well, still we have made it to Melbourne.
Woo! YEAH! This is the first time I've been to the Southern hemisphere ever and, well, it's so similar to the UK here in Melbourne that it's freaking me out slightly. I have to say that I was getting quite used to the Asian way of doing things and as we walked out of the airport I got struck by the weird paranoia that bystanders could once again understand what I was saying. It's sounds odd but you kind of get used to basically loudly blurting out all kinds of stuff when you know that not many people will understand. Catherine however has not yet grasped this and keeps shouting out Alf Stewart quotes at high volumes. "You big gallar!"....and so on then she creases up. People look. As yet we've not got into trouble because of this but I'm sure we will and that it will make an entertaining bowelwatch. Also, we are used to people trying to sell us their services because they think we, the scruffy foreigners, are rich. In the airport drivers didn't even bother asking us if we wanted a taxi cos they assumed we were to cuffy (meaning cheapskate, for the non-Staffordites). I was offended frankly. We actually are too cuffy though. We got the bus.
Melbourne itself is nice. Not amazing and dazzling but just very pleasant and quite cosmopolitan seeming with lots of little cafes and nice looking bars and resturants all serving food from around the globe. It looks like a good place to live it does.
Also, it's set up like a motherfunker for backpackers. We have our own hotels, our own bars, our own bloody resturants. It's like being a member of a particularly low quality underclass. I asked our reception dude about some recommendations for going out just and he goes, "What do you want? Backpacker stuff?". I respond, "No, I would not like to have an 18 year old vomitting on me thank you very much. Can I have proper person recommendations please?". I mean, it's not like I can't speak the language...I don't need to be ghetto-ised thank you very much. He's a nice bloke though, as is the general style of the place. People on the whole are very nice and socialable in a very straight up way...that is apart from the HOONS! Yeah, people like Revhead from Home and Away do walk the streets and they seem loud but largely harmless I think. We saw an Angie Rebekki type woman this morning as well. How good is that?
I don't actually feel the desire to do anything touristy in Australia at all to be honest. It's just not different enough from home to bother really. I suppose we should see that rock thing and I do have a huge soft spot for anything Neighbours related (Ramsey Street here we come) but aside from that I just want to chill here. There's a remarkable amount of good gigs and club nights on here too. Tomorrow Plantlife are performing with a 10 piece band!!!!! I'm very extremely excited but I suspect no one reading this as heard of them and will not share my excitment.
We are on the trail of our wayward mates Seb and Trent who claim to live around these parts and am looking forward to meeting them and doing a bit of real stuff rather than drinking in pubs that have huge model backpacks stuck to the front of them. I'm getting a bit pissed off with being a backpacker recently and have been thinking of way to avoid backpackerness. I mean, I agree, backpacks do have the upper hand practicality wise but I tell you what - I have seen the future. The future is Holdalls. Oh yes, I'm seriously thinking about getting a great big massive Head Holdall. I'll keep my insect smiting bat in the tennis racket compartment and everything. I will be a Holdaller! Ha! No more stigmatisation for me!
A few days ago I got a big gay tax bill a bit out of the blue which has made our finances look less rosy than before so we are actually considering a change of plan to the original change of plan and we are on the look out for jobs here for a few months. I've updated my CV and it's been sent to some agencies. Hopefully, if theres interest then we'll be getting a flat sorted and staying here. Catherine is going to be going for class room assistant jobs so if she's successful she'll have nice short working hours and she'll get to do colouring-in which we all know is what she really does teaching for.
Also, we are trying to find my Dad and Barb who are lost in the outback somewhere. I'm hoping Skippy will come and take us to them at some point soon.
On March 18, 2005, Dad and Barb said:
Hi Dan and Catherine
Know what you mean about the backpacks... we've already been and bought a holdall... jolly good it is too... we needed it for all the "extras" we have acquired. Glad to hear Catherine's leg is better but sorry you didn't get the upgrade... have gmailed you.
From the lost in the outback
On March 21, 2005, Dan said:
What's that, Skippy? My Dad's beaten me to my own new travelling trend? Damn!
Respect to you though for they are the best luggage item!