TravelStream™ news feed for member rosswilson82 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/rosswilson82 en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:56:35 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1223654400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1223654400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1223654400/tpod.html Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:56:35 -0400 First Stop, Dubai....

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London, England, United Kingdom

How is everyone going? Hope you are all well and enjoying the increasing temps, while its getting cooler and cooler here!

Things here are good and getting better. I am finally out of the pub and are doing massage again. I'm running my own business, sub-contracted, working for a company traveling to all the 5 star hotels around London. All is going well so far, although, its still early days as Tuesday was my 1st day! My first day was amazing and if i get more days like that, i will never be board in this job! My Very 1st Client was a music Legend.... He enjoyed the treatment so much i saw him 3 times in two days as well as i got tickets to his show and back stage passes... If i could tell you more, i would!

I had a week off between the pub and my new job. It was well spent relaxing at home, sleeping in and seeing sights around London, doing the tourist things. And of course, some drinking! Went to a Australian pub with karaoke... Sam was OK, where as i kicked ass! LOL...

Sam has been here just over a month now. After a tense 1st few weeks, getting to know each other again (after 4 months apart) and living together, things are going well now. Sam also started work this week, at a Hospital and she is also learning the role of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. She is understudying a friend who is due to give birth in the next few weeks. So she is a little stressed as the 1st show is tomorrow and she has only had 2 weeks to learn the role. Not helping the fact when she received a sms today with details of labor pains starting late last night!

Sorry its been so long since i have been in contact but things have been very tight lately, both money and time. Things are better now and i finally have Internet at home.

Don't be strangers and send me an e-mail telling me what i have been missing out on at home.

Ross
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1216571400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1216571400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1216571400/tpod.html Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:35:11 -0400 First Stop, Dubai....

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London, England, United Kingdom

Ok guys,
I'm sorry for the long wait and me not getting in contact with you all since I have arrived in London. I did make it safely and I'm slowly getting settled. After staying at Darren's (the base jumper) place for a couple of weeks (maybe a week or so to long) I finally found a place of my own. Nothing special but apparently, for London, it's a good size room. The location is good (Shadwell), only a 25min walk to London City, were my job at a bar currently is located. Yep, I'm working in a bar! Exciting I know, but until I find a real job, it's paying the bills, just! Finding work doing massage is a real pain in the ass but I finally had a job interview and have found out that I need to get my course recognised hear and that will help me out.

Anyway, I suppose you all want to know what I have been doing hear, what I have seen etc. Well, to be honest, not that much!! I went to Tower of London the first week I was here and saw Tower Bridge, that was cool. My work is just down the road from St Pauls. I have a really cool view of it if I stick my head out the front doors. I have put pics of everything I have seen on my facebook page if you want to see. I would have put some more up but someone stole my camera! Not happy! Thank god I did get that travel insurance!
I'm loving all the history that here. The fact that just about everywhere you look you can see a piece of history that is older then Australia is very cool. I know history was a bore at school but it's so much cooler when your here with it surrounding you. I enjoy going for walks threw the city on my days off. I just catch the tube to a station and walk home, hoping im heading in the right direction! Yes, i have been lost a couple of times! But hey, its all good fun!
The guys I'm working with a really good fun. I get along with them all really well and we get together on the weekends for BBQ's and drinks. Iv maybe been drinking a little to often, but hey, 'When in Rome.....' (or London even). And I am working in a pub! Speaking of drinking, the first few times I drank, I got really drunk really fast. They only sell beer in Pints hear. Now, i now we sell pints back home as well, but when that's all you drink, you have to get used to it! What else can i tell you.... Oh, the sell Cider on tap! Strongbow amongst others. And I have to admit, some are really nice! Yes, that right, i do drink Cider... Im with you Nath.... at least while im hear!

Ok guys, im off now. If there is anything you want to know or anything you think i have left out, let me know! I cant remember everthing i have done but if you want something specific, im sure i can remember.
I'll try not let it be so long before my next entry.

Hope everyone is well and not missing me to much....!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210989600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210989600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210989600/tpod.html Mon, 19 May 2008 05:11:10 -0400 First Stop, Dubai....

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Ok guys, like I promised, I have finally done something touristy. What could be more uniquely Dubai then snow Skiing in the Desert! Yep, I went to 'Ski Dubai' today and had an awesome time! I have never been skiing before but figured I would be fine without a lesson. So when the guy at the counter asked if I had skied before. I said yes. When he asked if I could stand I said yes. And of course, when he asked if I could stop, I said yes. So I paid for 2hours, got my pass and went to get my equipment. Everything was included in the price, suit, boots and ski's or snowboard. Everything except gloves. After getting dressed and heading up to the field, the adrenalin started kicking in and I started to question my own insanity after bypassing the skis and opting for a snowboard. With me i had a girl staying at the hotel, Britney from USA, and she had skied before but neglected to tell me she had never snowboarded. So now, you have to imagine, we walk through the doors, onto the snow, and put down the board to strap one foot on so we could make our way over to the lift. Neither of us could work out how to put it on! After 5-10min of trying all sorts of stuff and trying to get some idea from the skiers around us, we finally worked it out and moved over to the lift. Up we went and decided to get off half way. Since neither of us had snow boarded before we figured it would be the best start. How wrong we were! Right at the start of the second section was a steep drop. Well, it seemed steep at the time! Watching the other boarders around I got some idea of what to do and didn't do too bad. Ok, I probably went a total of 10meters at most, in any one time before falling over. I was pissing myself laughing each time and was immediately having a ball even though I wasn't really going anywhere. Finally made it to the bottom and jumped on the lift to go back. After 3 runs, I was going ok. Getting a little confident. Smashing into the snow when I lost control. To the amusement of other skiers at the bottom of course! By the 5th run, I had made it! All the way to the bottom without falling! Victory is mine! I must have looking like a looser for celebrating my little victory but it was an awesome feeling. After her 1st run, Britney had decided to ditch her board and opt for skies, which she had many years experience on and was flying past me ever run. After a few more victorious goes, it was time to go all the way to the top and have a real go. It was actually much easier up the top because it was more open and less people around, not that the place was busy anyway. It was a little steeper but it was so much fun. I even had to jump Britneys skis so i didnt wipe her out, as she stood in front of me to tak a pic, which to my utter amazement I landed successfully. Anyway, I slowly got better and better and was doing pretty good. A couple of 'controlled' falls (as I like to call them) before I lost control. Their was also some nice big face plants as well which I always covered me in Snow. Including down the front and back of my top, which I tried to empty when it was needed. After just about every run, my hands were freezing and I tried to get the circulation to them again each trip back to the top. Next time I go snowboarding, I'm getting gloves. The last few run before out time ran out were so much fun. Making it from the very top to bottom without falling. I had such a fun day and it will be something I will be doing again in Europe, even though I left bruised and battered after my falls. Not looking forward to being sore tomorrow!
After we left 'The Mall of the Emirates', the shopping centre home to Ski Dubai, we were very close to the Bur Al Arab, so we made our way down. Even though it was slowly hurting more and more to move. Finally, I got to see it. My second last full day hear and I got to see one of the most identifiable buildings in the world and something I had been keeping my eyes out for since I got here.
Tomorrow will be a day of rest and recovery so the next time you hear from me, I will probably be in London. Despite having failed in getting work, and not really doing anything, it's a great place and I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking of coming. Their are a few little tricks to the place but if you want to know anything, I'll be more than happy to try give you some answers.
Speak to you all soon from the next Country in my Travels, The United Kingdom!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210883400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210883400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210883400/tpod.html Thu, 15 May 2008 09:09:54 -0400 First Stop, Dubai....

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Well, its done... the wheels have been put into motion and im heading off to the UK. I leave on Sunday. Didnt even cost me anything to change my flight from October to now so im really happy with that. I have been getting responses from Jobs, even from Fulham FC. Now that would be a cool job to get! You might have to watch the soccer just to keep an eye out for me! Anyway, you all have to cross your fingers and wish me luck at the next country!
I'll try and see if i can do a few things before i leave so i might have some pics and stories for you over the next few days....
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210388400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210388400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210388400/tpod.html Thu, 15 May 2008 07:51:14 -0400 First Stop, Dubai....

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Alright guys, still nothing has really been happening. My days have been so uneventful you could almost run my day like clockwork. 9am, wake up. 9:30, have a coffee. 10:30, go for a swim. 11:30, sit in the sun and dry off, then shower and get dressed. 12:30, walk down to the internet cafe or public Library (depending which I can be bothered) and search the net for jobs and phone numbers of potential employers. 3:30, slowly make my way back to the hostel, stop and get dinner to save me having to go out in the heat again. Although my life is very relaxing, is very dull and I'm slowly going insane.
Today I decided to get out and do something. Something that would cost me any money. So being me, I decided to go to the beach. Bet you can't guess how I got there.... Yep, walked. Its only 4-5k's away and figured I would be fine. After my 45-60min walk, I finally arrived to one of the man made beaches hear. And.... well.... it's nothing like home.... In fact, I think, make that I know, I spent more time walking one direction then I did in the water. It was a very uneventful beach. With 60% of people still fully clothed! Yep, still in the paints, tops, jeans, shirts and even the woman in their burkers. So, I snuck into the park and avoided paying the 5UAE to get in and was surprised how salty the water was. Much more so the home. Anyway, after my short swim and walk around the park, it was getting dark and decided it was time to make my way back. Still hot, still humid, I couldn't be stuffed walking but decided to keep going and save my 20UAE it would have cost me to get home, about $6.40. I walked a different way home then I did on the way down and when I came across the entrance to a freeway, and have to run in the small gap in traffic to make it across the other side, I decided to never tempt fate like that again. The drivers are crazy enough without giving them a target to go for! Anyway, it was a day out that broke the monotony of the hostel.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210818600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210818600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210818600/tpod.html Thu, 15 May 2008 07:36:04 -0400 First Stop, Dubai....

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Today was just like all my others. Everything is so slow hear and it takes weeks to hear back from jobs, as I have found out from the other people hear in the same situation. I checked my finances today and got a big shock when I realised I have half the money I thought I had left! So the decision has been made. I'm spending 3 more days hear and then I'm off to the UK. So my 6mth stay in Dubai will have lasted 18 days. I guess that what happens when the job you had lined up, with accommodation paid for falls through. One of the guys staying here, from London, has offered me to stay at his place for a few weeks till I get a job and stuff sorted in London. You see, he's kinda stuck here. He has had his passport taken from him by the Police. He was arrested after being the 1st person to Base Jump off the Burj Dubai, the World's Tallest building/man made structure. Now, you won't hear about this on the news but I have seen the video footage that proves his story. Anyway, the new plan is to stay here for 3 more days and then fly to London. I guess my decision was made easier due to the fact I have started applying for jobs already and have had more responses in the past 24hr from jobs there then I have had from Dubai. Yep, 3 replies in 24hr in comparison to the 0 in 2 weeks....
I'll keep you updated as to more finalised plans when they are made tomorrow.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210129200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210129200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210129200/tpod.html Thu, 08 May 2008 07:52:27 -0400 First Stop, Dubai....

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Still only much of the same the last few days. I have made another new friends in one of my roommates who is Egyptian. Comes in very handy to have a friend who speaks the language and knows of a cafe with free internet owned by a friend of his. Today i smoked my first sheesha, you know those big bong looking things. Something i had wanted to do, smoking a traditional sheesha with the locals. And no, for those of you who are worried, its not something that i will be taking up. Today was also my first taste of some traditional food. Until now, i had been living on SFC, Southern Fried Chicken, Maccas and supermarket bought salad rolls. I have no idea what it was called but it was very basic, consisting of macaroni, rice, some dried herbs and spices and a tomato paste. It was surprisingly tasty!

Anyway, thats as exciting as my life has been over the past few days. Still swimming 2-3 times a day and I'm getting a nice tan. Haven't even had to sun bake. Not when it gets to about 35deg by 10am and 40 from about 12 till 4...
Hopefully something will happen someday soon worth telling you all about....
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1209947400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1209947400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1209947400/tpod.html Thu, 08 May 2008 07:43:02 -0400 First Stop, Dubai....

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Yesterday was a very quiet day. I spent most of my time just sitting around the hostel, using the internet and trying not to spend money. I did have a night out last night though. And what an experience that was! Has anyone ever been to an African club? And i don't mean the touristy ones. My Cameroonian roommate and i first went to the Irish Village for a couple of beers. Then, on our departure, Serge got to talking to a fellow country man and suggested a club for us to visit. After a short taxi ride and small entry fee, we walked into the club. Imagine my surprise when the only thing in there that was even close to my whiteness, was the teeth of room full of Africans. African music being played and booty shacking that would have rivalled a 50cent film clip. To both myself and my friends surprise, it was not long before the attention of the woman was all on me. I honestly had woman trying to get my attention before i even had the chance to knock back the previous one! Anyway, after a few more drinks and another cheep taxi ride home, it was only a drunken stagger upto my room for a good night sleep.

Today has been another of.... i wouldn't say relaxing, but inactivity. I don't think you can call swimming a few times followed by some job searching relaxing do you?
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1209668400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1209668400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1209668400/tpod.html Tue, 06 May 2008 09:49:01 -0400 First Stop, Dubai....

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Ok I'm sure you all know that the very first day of my trip was a long, stressful day with very little sleep. What I'm sure you don't know is how nothing you can think of comes anywhere near the truth!
After leaving Melbourne at 5:45pm, and getting very little, interrupted sleep between home and Singapore, then again to Dubai as you can imagine, I was very tired and probably a little smelly as well. Now imagine me spending the next 7 hours walking around Dubai before I could get access to my room. This, believe it or not, was not that painful. Yes, I was tired, yes, I had a headache and yes, I was still in the same underwear I had been in for over a 24hr period. Honestly, I'm a guy, it wasn't that bad!
That is until it got to about 12pm, 14hours since I left Melbourne, the 8th and 9th hour. If any of you are to visit Dubai in the future I have one piece of advice to give you. Never, ever, ever think about spending your first day walking in the sun. Once the middle of the day arrives and the sun and humidity are really cooking, run to the closest mall and stay there! I honestly thought I was going to pass out while I was struggling to walk back to the hostel carrying the same 10kg's on my back that had been all this time. Short of breath, check. Throbbing headache, check. Delusional, getting very close! I actually still think I'm a little delusional now!
Now I'm sure you all what to know what it's like, are people being nice, is it everything I thought it would be? Well, all I can say, is I'll have to get back to you on that one tomorrow.... I need to switch the brain off now and stop thinking for a few hours. Maybe even a siesta before I decide on which kebab place to go for dinner....
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210066260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210066260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/rosswilson82/1/1210066260/tpod.html Tue, 06 May 2008 09:25:23 -0400 First Stop, Dubai....

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates

A good nite sleep can do wonders for the body and mind and I awoke this morning feeling a lot better than I had been the day before. It's surprising how comfy a strange bed can be and that not even the big black man, from Central Africa, snoring (like only those of us who have had the privilege of camping with Scott can vouch
for) in the bed next to me could wake me. A new day and new country was calling and I decided to get out and go see the 'tourist' side of town. Oh, haven't I told you? That I am one of the only a few white people around here and everywhere I go I get stared at? Yeah, that's right, I even had someone take a photo of me tonight on their phone while I was eating dinner. Anyway, after slowly getting up, having a swim, kicking the foot with a local soccer team then deciding it was time for another swim to cool off, I took a walk down the street to see if I could catch one of the many unreliable bus services into the touristy area. I ended up meeting a couple of others trying to catch the same bus as myself. We waved for 45min at the occasional bus and ignoring taxi drivers for a lift. We decided to split the cost of a taxi as that way, we will get to where we want to go without all the stuffing around on the bus. After parting ways with my new travel companions, in a taxi ride that cost me 12drm (about $5) I soon found a park that had the many sky scrapers as a back drop. Zaabeel Park is what I had come across and although it is not yet finished, and the promise of a mini golf course that, to my disappointment, had yet been built, it was a very nice and relaxing park. Surprisingly green actually, hard to tell with all the haze that is constantly around. The park took you away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city streets and constant honking of horns from the crazed motorists. After finding my way from one side of the park to the other, coming across some many strange things along the way, one being the surfing Kangaroo and koala monument in the middle of the park! Very strange, but still, a nice reminder of home. Out of the park and into the concrete jungle that is Dubai. I walked past several, well, more than that, around the block and back again. Another hot afternoon of doing what I had said I would not do again, walking in the midday heat. By the time I had done a few little thing I had set out to do, and buy a couple of little things (like a map so I actually knew where the hell I was) it was time to wave down a taxi and take the inexpensive trip home. Although i hadn't really planned much, other then getting out and seeing some sights, the one thing i didn't come arcoss was the Burj Al Arab Hotel. You know the one, claimed as the world's only 7 star hotel, made famous by Fedora and Agassi playing tennis on the roof. Oh well, as long as i get a job in the next few days, i will have plenty of time to see it...


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