Day 165
Trip Start
Sep 14, 2006
1
145
169
Trip End
??? ??, 2007
Fremantle,
Australia
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
I was up at 7.30am, for my extra breakfast of pancakes and I watched the customs and quarantine guys board. Their duty was to check everything was on order with the cargo and everyone was fit to continue. These were real Australian blokes talking with rough accents and I got even more keen to get into Oz. A while later an agent boarded and told me that the immigration official would be another half hour or so. When she arrived I got my passport stamped and left the boat. It felt a bid sad to leave. The week on board had started with excitement, then a bit of quiet and even a depression, then there was the ferry tragedy and then it picked up to the middle and end of the week. I'd been through the whole cycle and felt a bit attached to the ship. My agent drove me to the port gates and then, after I'd passed through another immigration check, he picked me up again and kindly drove me to my hostel.
That hostel was full, dammit, and it looked good too
01 I saw dolphins swimming in Fremantle Harbour
. I'd read up from a book-store Lonely Planet where to go and had made my choice. The receptionist suggested the YHA place around the corner. That place had a dorm available for 24 dollars a night - a dorm! for 10 pounds!! jeez! So I checked in. It's bigger than all hostels I've been to before and I've spend the day doing some things you might do on arrival in a new country. You know, money exchange, phone card, phone sim card, and internet. I was delighted to learn that Liverpool had beaten Barcelona 2-1 in the week and then gone on to spank Sheffield United 4-0! Roll on Man Utd at the weekend! Fremantle is a culture shock. It's lovely - don't get me wrong, but everyone is white, everyone speaks English and a white person under the age of 30 is not necessarily a backpacker that you can just spark a conversation up with!
I have a one year working visa for Australia and I've no idea how I'm going to use it yet. Do I get a serious job in an office that I'd consider putting on my CV? Do I get a job using my brawn not my brain (heavens, please, no!), Do I get a job at all or can I just whiz around seeing the sights and leave in a few months? . I had thought on the boat that if I can spend a similar amount to what I earn in Australia then I'll be in good shape. That's become even more clear now I've had time to look at the prices of things. Bottles of water are 80 pence where they'd be 40 pence in England and bread in the supermarket starts at a pound!
Comments
Working in Aus?
This when your gonna get stung if your not carefull rob. i spent a months thailand/china/malay money in about a week and a half. Your gonna have to cook for yourself (number one priority). Keep restaurants to a minimum(my downfall)(one of). there are plenty of jobs there. but obviously the labour ones are hard. although some can be very well paid. i cant remember what you did in england but im sure you could find a temp job doing that. but it could restrict your travels somewhat. If you really want the true ozzy experience then its all about working in the backpackers for free rent etc. and doing odd jobs here and there. However, the only way to travel is with money. if youre nearly skint then youre gonna have to stay somewhere for a while to get youre finances back together. Or if youre still flush then travel but work as often as you can to top up the cash. its also a great way to meet people. (ozzy and travelers.) Or just blitz the place and come back when youre skint. i liked ozz but its nothing like asia. i couldnt justify spending to much time and money there if i had my time again. but you might love it. anyway good luck mate. oh and try the Castlemain xxxx bitter. its in a black bottle. my favourite.
i forgot.
tpod is Lobey. in case you were wondering.
Congrats Rob!!!
Hi Rob,
Well done on making it all the way to Oz, the boat trip sounds interesting!
I would agree here. Oz is a big shock money-wise after spending time in Asia. You can't get accomodation for much less than a tenner. There is a lot of fun to be had though and cool trips to do. You want to be able to go home thinking you've done everything you wanted and haven't missed out because you couldn't afford something.
Good luck with the decision making...
Katy (ps i am leaving Alex this Friday!!!!)