welcome to cairns

Why hello there. Have you missed me??

Yeah yeah, I know, I'm getting lazy. But, I attribute the lack of blogging to the fact that I am in a country far to similar to my own, so I really don't have a whole lot that is super interesting to write about... I mean, I'm not the kind of person who would have started a blog about my daily life in Canada, and daily life in Australia isn't so far off at the moment... but I suppose you still deserve some updates on my whereabouts... you know, to make sure I'm not dead or something.

Lets see... I have been in Cairns for a few weeks now... it was funny when we finally arrived here, we had spent so much time trying to GET to Cairns, that when we actually ARRIVED in the city we had no idea what to do... none of us had looked into where we would go (hostels or campgrounds, in the city or outside) or even what the city was like... So we just drove until we found ocean (it actually reminded me of when I first arrive in Victoria eight years ago.... My friends and I had been driving around western Canada for months in search of a new home, and when we got to our last stop, we didn't know where to do with ourselves... so we drove until we found ocean, the “end of the world” we called it (Dallas Road)). Then we go out of our vehicles and just sat. We were SOOO overwhelmed by all of the PEOPLE! I mean, after four weeks of driving around in the middle of nowhere... all of the sudden (bam) there were hundreds of people everywhere. (and I SWEAR they were staring...like, who are these dazed and confused backpackers and what do they think they are doing in a city!) We pulled it together and decided to go to a campsite, it was a little cheaper than a hostel and at least we would have our own space.

This is around the time I realized I was broke. Literally. No money. Maybe $100 left (which is good for a few nights camping and a bit of food). So we promptly went out to find work. Luckily work was not very hard to find, and after our first day we were with a recruitment agency (Signature Staff) who had work for us the next day. (which was TERRIBLE... we had to wear AWFUL uniforms and walk around for hours with trays of drinks). So the next day we went out to find REAL jobs, and I got a trial at a local restaurant (restaurants and bars make you work for a few hours for free to see if you ACUTALLY have experience, or are just lying) So, naturally, I got the job (cuz I'm awesome) and now I am working at Paddywhacks... it's a neat little place that serves local stuff, like crocodile, emu, and kangaroo. And they have AMAZING steaks (too bad I can't afford a steak dinner).

first day of work... we look like flight attendants....

Life on the campsite was getting on our nerves... we actually started pulling an air mattress out to the camp kitchen to watch TV on, you know, so we could pretend we had a couch. We searched for a house share, but everywhere here wants a bond (you have to pay rent weekly here, and when you move in you need three weeks upfront, which is around $400 each... which wasn't gonna happen). So, when some random guy drinking at my bar gave me his number (he said I could live in his driveway) naturally, I called him (sure, maybe a little dangerous, but he was Canadian so it seemed like a good idea). Coincidentally enough, there were three rooms available in his share house, and NO BOND needed (it was meant to be). Obviously, we moved in the next day.

our pretend living room

Life is relatively normal now, I sleep in a bed in my very own room (with a closet for my clothes!!! ooooh, the little things make me so happy now!!!) wake up to an alarm, and walk to work. I say it is RELITIVELY normal because I am living in a house with eight other people (all around my age, and all fellow travellers... we have two Canadians, two English guys, two Germans, a Kiwi, an American, and an Australian) and that means there is always something going on (aka always someone drinking). I do responsible things like jump off the deck into the pool, drink in the middle of the day, sleep till noon, show up to work with a WICKED hangover, and steal shopping carts from grocery stores (yes, I am 19 again). Somewhere in all of this I am going to have to find time to save money.... 

volleyball in the pool!!

the family around the table for Canadian Thanksgiving :-)

eventually reality comes a knocking

FINALLY. We are almost in Cairns. Hahaha, haven't made it QUITE yet... still another 150km to go... but currently we are camping in a woman's yard (whom we met in a pub). She lives in the most beautiful part of Australia that we have seen so far... its got lush green hills, cows grazing in the distance... and the best part is it's FREE. Perhaps we will stretch this out as long as possible.. as we all know as soon as I make it to the next stop I have to work my butt off for a few months.

The last week or so has been interesting.... in a way that makes a good story for others, but really sucks for me. Remember that boiling sound we heard coming from the van?? Well... it got worse. It started as us just having to fill the coolant every day, and never go over 90km so the sound didn't get too bad. After a couple of weeks of that, we noticed that the coolant was POURING straight out of the van when we stopped.... So we took it to a mechanic (don don don) and found out that (hold your breath) we are FUCKED. Basically. Totally Fucked. He informed us that we either have a cracked head or a blown head gasket, which he estimated would cost around $2000 to fix (remember we only paid $2800 for the van in the first place, and the people we bought it from only actually got $1800 for it after fixing the oil leaks and replacing the tires). CLEARLY we don't have $2000 right now (frankly I don't even have $500 right now) and we were still about 700km from Cairns (awesome). The (very nice) mechanic said that we could make it to Cairns, as long as we pulled over when it gets hot and wait for it to cool down so we can refill the rad. And, since he was such a nice guy, he didn't charge us for the bad news.

puddle of coolant under the van

Sooooo... it's been really awesome for the last week. We get to drive for about 50km (sometimes 70 if we are lucky) then we have to find a place to pull over (which is REALLY easy when you are driving on roads that only have one lane paved with gravel on the sides) sit for half and hour or so (in the excruciating Australian heat) fill the rad back up, then drive for another 50km (did I mention we are driving with the heat on full blast as well to try and help the engine stay cool?). Needless to say, it takes us all day to get 200km. So if you think we were going slow before, this is a snails pace. The first day we were really sulky about it (grumbling and swearing each time we pulled over) but we have since accepted our fate, and are using the time to relax and learn new skills. We even finally named the van (Beppe... and Italian nickname (since we bought him from Italians) which I can't pronounce properly) and then he drove for 100km without getting too hot!!! (or maybe that had something to do with the fact that it was shady and later in the day... but lets go with the theory that we loved him so he loved us back)

patiently waiting for the van to cool off... luckily in the shade this time

Tina balancing a stick on her finger

Soon (very soon) we shall be in Cairns, and that means we will be getting a reality check (as my father put it) and finding a place to live (so we can park the van) and jobs (so we can fix the van... or sell it and buy a new (to us) one). Hopefully we can make enough money to deal with our van issues and have enough to resume our travels on time (we want to travel (and enjoy) the east coast and end up in Sydney by Christmas) and then probably work again in the new year.

Oh, and I finished my hair. Two weeks, blistered hands, sore fingers, and 66 dreads later... I am finally done. I think they turned out ok... time will tell I guess. Now I just have to maintain them, and ensure that I do that properly so I don't end up will smelly hair and a bad scalp!

Look at that... a short one.

the looooooong road to Cairns

Woohooo I can plug in AND have internet service... lucky you, that means I get to write.

Unfortunately, since we left Litchfield there really hasn't been much of interest... yet it has still taken us two weeks to get halfway to Cairns. Currently we are in a little hole in the ground called Camboweal, just on the other side of the Queensland boarder (woohoo another state!!). This place is AWESOME... in the sense that when we drove into town there was a horse standing in the middle of the road. What you ask? Why wasn't it tied up?? Oh... it was. It was tied up and had enough room to walk into the middle of the road. ???? We had to drive over the rope to get around him (or her... I didn't check) oh how I wish I took a picture for you.

Lets go backwards (cuz it's easier for me to think of what has happened today and then the day before... and so on... I am feeling lazy). The fun thing of the day (besides the horse of course) was the run in with the police (don't worry I'm not looking for bail money). We pulled off in a rest stop to fill up our water (we buy big jugs of drinking water and fill our bottles) which just happened to be across the street from a police station (seriously... in the middle of nowhere... I suppose they were bored... that is all I can think of to explain the following happenings). So, we get out to stretch our legs and there are two police officers about ten feet away, standing by the side of the road. My friend (one of the British blokes) walked over to them to ask how far it was to the next petrol station (or gas station. Whatever). He was carrying a pouch of tobacco and rolling a smoke. (Cigarettes are way too expensive here so we are forced to roll our own... oh yeah... Yes, I am smoking again. I hear that sigh. Shut up. My body. I'll quit again when I feel like it... if you haven't gathered, the theme of my life at the moment is to do whatever I want whenever I want.) So one police officer says he smells cannabis (no, we don't have any) and checks his pouch. (Really, like he would walk over to talk the them CARRYING drugs with him!!!???) Then he proceeds to breathalyze him (because we were clearly intoxicated at 1pm) and then he comes over to us to ask us if we have any cannabis and smells the van. (Maybe it was the butterfly van, maybe it was the fact that I have half a head of dreadlocks... oh yeah, I am also dreading my own hair as we drive... may not have been my brightest idea ever.) We laugh, tell him we are on our way to Cairns, and he informs us that is the cannabis capital of Aus (sweet) and then he breathalyzes Tina. (REALLY?? do you think we would have stopped in the rest stop with the police if we were drunk and stoned?? REALLY?) So then we are about to drive away, and I smile and wave (like the cheeky girl I am) and they stop us again (darn my cheeky ways) and look at the mismatch between the decal on our windshield (an old registration sticker from another state) and the state on our license plates (which has no decal or anything whatsoever to say whether or not it is still valid) and helps me take the expired sticker off. (And doesn't even ASK to see proof that my rego is valid!!! OR check our drivers licenses... We could have been driving stolen vehicles that weren’t insured without a drivers license, but all they wanted to know was if we were carrying drugs or drunk.) I was VERY relieved, because we don't actually HAVE proof that the van is ours (it's in the mail). Then (and this is my favorite part) he asks if I am Canadian (why yes I am) and then asks me to repeat lines from the TRAILER PARK BOYS (in my Canadian accent it was apparently amusing) which I do, but first I make sure he is not going to arrest me if I say I am on my way to smoke pot (hahahha). So, since he is a fan, I of course pull out my claim to fame... you know, my “celebrity” cousin (fyi Mr. Layhey is my mom's first cousin) and he is SO excited that I am related to someone from the Trailer Park Boys (why yes, my country IS that small) he calls over his partner to share the news, and then checks that I’m not messing with him (to which I reply, as I always do, if I were going to lie about having a famous cousin, don't you think I’d pick a different show, or at least a different character from that show?) Then, thankfully, with smiles and waves they let us drive away (as I make another cheeky comment about NOT having pot even with my cousin being who he is). Oh, and the funny part was, we haven't seen ANY police on the road yet (in about 1500km) until this incident...

Hmmmmm.... other interesting things you ask??? (was that even interesting for you?? I mean, it was for me... but it may be one of those “had to be there” stories). We were attacked by an army of ants at Barkly Homestead last night. Do yourself a favour and NEVER stop there. There were ants EVERYWHERE. I know, you're giggling, silly Heather, little princess, can't handle a few bugs (surprisingly I am not the prissiest among my group... in fact, I would go as far as to say, as the Canadian I am actually the most SEASONED camper among us.. that's right... wrap your head around THAT). But this was INSANE. I actually had to stand on my bumper while trying to put the dishes away in the kitchen. We couldn't stand in one spot without being swarmed by the little ass holes, and I SWEAR they were biting me. Needless to say, I hung out in the van watching South Park on my laptop and went to bed early (screw sitting out in the dark waiting to get ravished by bugs).

Before that we spent a fear inducing night at Tennant Creek. This is yet another place you need not stop. Ever. For anything. First of all, the campground (Juno Outbush Camp) was gated with a sign that said to keep it closed because of TUBERCULOSIS. (yes, please can I spend the night?) So we get to the campground and there are horses just walking around, shitting everywhere (like, EVERYWHERE, the place had piles of animal droppings everywhere you looked). We choose a spot and realize there is literally ONE other person there (clearly the rest of Australia knows better) get out of our cars and step onto the needle grass (which was the bane of my existence, poking me every minute). The entire place was in disrepair, I was TERRIFIED to use the bathrooms (and I refused to in the dark) the ants and the spiders had taken over the place. All night we heard the sound of the windmill creaking, horses neighing, and a lone radio playing in an empty room. I was waiting for a man with a shotgun to come open my van door in the night... or at least a GIANT man eating spider to crawl in and finish me off.

yes.  that sign is really there

mmmm clean

creepy windmill.. with the radio sound coming from that general area

random crap everywhere

biggest spider as of yet

Before that was.... Banka Banka. Not half bad, nothing really to say about that place. It was kinda neat, there were lots of older people in their motor homes there, sitting around the communal camp fire. It made me think of my parents... that's them. I think. It's strange, that is a part of their life that I am not a part of.. so I watched them converse around the fire and wondered which ones my parents were... the man telling the dirty jokes perhaps?? I think so.

The night before that we were in Mataranka (seriously, I can't make these names up). The campground at Elsey National Park was delightful. We decided to spend two nights there since we enjoyed it so much. The caretaker was really friendly and even had FREE chopped wood for us. AND the road out there was COVERED in Wallaby’s and we saw a snake (a big black one slithering across the street) and a bull. A freaking bull, just hanging out it the street. Oh, AND a Wallaby hit Gareths truck (it actually ran INTO the truck as they were driving... I really don't know how these intelligent animals aren't extinct). There was BEAUTIFUL thermal springs there too, with crystal clear waters, I would absolutely recommend a stop there. Although the nights there were a little creepy... I felt like I was in prehistoric times... with all the sounds in the night... I can't even describe what they were (besides the donkeys having sex)... but it was straight out of Jurassic Park.

Katherine was the town before that. There is the Katherine Gorge, which is supposed to be beautiful... we were going to rent canoes to go up, but it was way too expensive. We opted for the free excruciating hike to look over the first gorge instead. Since we had been wanting to go for a canoe trip (we had been talking about doing it for a while) We canoed down the river further upstream (far cheaper) and looked for croks (apparently there are only fresh water ones, not salties... which are the dangerous man eating ones) but, unfortunately all we saw was half a dead baby. But I did get to tan on the canoe (and apparently Jack was NOT very impressed with my never ending energy to paddle). 

Katherine Gorge

Wallaby and her baby!

me... paddling my little heart out

the only crock to be seen

Oh, Edith Falls. BEAUTIFUL place. My favourite swimming hole of the trip is just a short hike from the campground... it was... well... you had to be there. It was a nice hike to. The campground wasn't so great. We actually got a complaint before 9pm!!! (yes... it was my laughing... apparently I sound like Popeye when I have been drinking).

what beautiful forests they have here....

most beautiful swimming hole EVER

There. A short(ish) summary of the last week. And again, my ability to prattle on astounds me. Hahahah. (just last night I told my mother I would blog but I didn't really have anything to say)

on the road again

I have finally left Darwin... it took us just over a month. A month of sitting. Sitting, drinking, sleeping. Part of the reason for the lack of blogs in Darwin is due to the fact that there was really nothing to write about... I spent my days at the beach, and my nights in a hostel parking lot. In retrospect I really should have used that time to work (I may say that I looked, but the truth is I was overly picky and very lazy about it... I had the opportunity to have at least 3 jobs, they just weren’t “right”)... my financial standing leaves much to be desired (arrived with $4000, down to $1000) but, that should be enough for the petrol to Cairns (they have me using words like “petrol” now... it's just easier than saying “gas” no one knows what I'm talking about... oh! And the Aussy's call a cooler an eski... wft?) and as long as I eat cheap (hooray for $1 cans of spaghetti) and stay in inexpensive campsites (you'd be pleasantly surprised how often you can get away with not paying at some) it should be okay. And I will have to work as soon as I get to Cairns (or I could just start taking donations from friends and family back home who don't want me to come back to the country and sleep on their couch... ... ... ... yes. That means you) I will survive.

bye bye Darwin!

We left on Wednesday, the destination is Cairns which is just over 3000 km. I am traveling in the van with my friend Tina, and two British friends who are traveling in their truck (which we are hoping doesn't break down... they took it to a mechanic and were told it needed $2000 of work... oil leaks, break fluid leaks, broken brake something... they didn't have the money, so we are taking it slow and crossing our fingers...)

Jack and Garith, the British blokes in their sketchy truck

This experience (traveling a long distance while stopping at campsites along the way) brings back memories of my childhood. My parents used to take us on these two week trips where we would travel around from campsite to campsite. At the time, I remember being old enough to know I didn't want to spend that much time with JUST my family, and still to young to appreciate what an awesome experience it was (I have seen some amazing sights on those trips). If I had known that I would myself embark on such adventures, I think I would have laughed in disbelief. Yet, here I am... driving by day, hunting cheap campsites, and enjoying the road. One significant difference, however, is that we do not have a route planned, and we do not know how long we will take to do it. We are basically winging it.. we wake up in the morning and then decide if we feel like moving, then take a look at the map and think about how far we feel like driving, and if there are any sights on the way we feel like seeing, we stop. (and I wonder if my parents current adventure is more like my own, or structured as my memories) It sounds easy, but we are four people with four different opinions. Thus far there has been no disagreements... we seem to be a laid back group... but we are only three days in... (don don doooooon)

So, where are you Heather and what have you been doing?? What?? I thought you enjoyed my ramblings... but I suppose I should add in things about the sights that I see... since I am sure that is what most of you want to hear about (or you just wanna hear me ramble cuz you miss me).

We haven't made it far... maybe 150 km from Darwin (hahahah, you can laugh now... we travel at a snails pace). Litchfield National Park was the first stop. We spend two nights at the Buley Rockholes campsite. The sight itself wasn't much to see (I swear, it is IMPOSSIBLE to find shade in this country... all the trees are these little sticks with a few leaves) but we got away without paying the fees (we would have if someone had asked us too, but it was a place where there was no one there to ask... you know, just put the money in the box. I guess you could call it stealing... I prefer to look at it as “borrowing” a sight for a few nights and mindfully leaving everything as it was when I got there). What really gets me is that you actually HAVE TO go out and find your own wood from the PARK. Maybe I don't really pay attention (hehehe, we all know I NEVER pay attention), but I am pretty sure your not supposed to go around and ravish the provincial park grounds in Canada (correct me if I'm wrong) As I remember, you either bring your own wood, or buy it from the camp ground attendant. You can't do that here because you are not allowed to bring any outside wood into the park (Australia has a very delicate ecosystem, so they are afraid that if you bring wood from another area you may bring in alien bugs or something). So, there are some beautiful places to swim here... with waterfalls and wonderfully cold water (which is a little piece of heaven when it's so freaking hot all of the time). And there are some pretty cool termite mounds to see. I would absolutely recommend a stop there if you are in the area. Unlike Kakadu National Park (did I forget to tell you of the Fuck You Kakadu adventure??? Lets just say it was two mosquito filled days driving around a park only to find out that you need four wheel drive to get to any of the good spots. Not to say that you shouldn't go to Kakadu... go there, but go there with four wheel drive. Actually, if you decide to drive around Australia, get something with four wheel drive... there are lots of back roads with free camping that we can't get to).

thats me in the middle tanning at the Buley Rockholes

more buley rockholes

our first attempt at cooking on the campfire...

I can't remember the name... some lookout

Wangi falls

there is a cool little pool in the rocks to sit in... like a really deep hot tub!

magnetic termite field

Florence falls

Now we are in Adelaide River. We were aiming to see the crocodiles jump in the Adelaide River (apparently you can feed them and they jump out of the water) but we found out that that attraction is actually NOT in Adelaide River, but somewhere ON the river closer to Darwin (points for our amazing preparation and research into our trip). That's okay though, we are paying $7.50 each for a sight with power so we get to charge up all of the electronics, AND there is internet so I can post this blog :-) (oh, yeah, so... travelling though rural Australia means there will most likely be limited internet, so limited blogging opportunities)

Aaaaaaaaanyway. I am sure there will be some interesting adventures to come (the van was making an interesting sound today... sounded like water was boiling inside... overheating maybe??) The British blokes we are with are not what you would refer to as outdoorsy men (but they are doing their job... building fires and finding wood) and we are all terrible at map reading and general directions (seriously, those guys miss the turn EVERY time) And there are plenty of sights to see.

Jack is VERY proud of his fire

I am always amazed at how much crap comes out of my little noggin when I sit down and write. Seriously... I'm thinking... no, can't blog.. nothing to write... them BAM two pages of me prattling on. Hahhah... and your STILL reading these. Jeez.

my new home

I would like to apologies my lack of blog posts as of late, it seems that living in a van has created one (very large) unexpected difficulty: charging my electronics. If I have a day that my netbook is actually charged, I usually spend the time catching up on facebook and emailing... sitting down to write about whats going on is becoming a rare luxury.

So, here a one that was started a while ago... and it seems now I finally have the time to complete and post it!!

Buying a van from other backpackers is amusing to say the least. We bought our van from two Italian guys, so with them and my German friend I seemed to be the only one that could understand the previous receipts of work done or follow what the mechanic said. (oh how I could have used that to my advantage, but I am a fair person and believe in honesty) I got to explain little things, like the difference between the tire and the wheel (and had to actually physically touch the objects to get some understanding from my pupils), and then bigger things, like translating an entire conversation I had with a mechanic (hahah, we walked out of the shop and they all had blank stares... It makes me wonder how other travelers who don't have a fluent English speaker do it.... perhaps that's why so many people end up getting screwed with their purchases).

Our van should be good... it doesn't look too pretty, it's an 89 Mitsubishi express van. It has somewhere around 310 000 km on it, but the engine was rebuilt 40 000 km ago. It's white, standard (which is a Canadian term... there was some confusion when I was telling my British friend), with a bed in the back (with storage underneath) and an area that's kind of a kitchen out the rear door (it includes a pump water sink with a 10 gallon tank, a cooler, a small counter, two gas stoves, and all the dishes and kitchen junk you need). We have a small table and two camping chairs to put outside. AND it came with a guitar and a diseredoo (neither of which we know how to play). Some other gems were found when we cleaned it out: two hammocks, a wet suit, a soccer ball (or football is what the rest of the world calls it), playing cards, a poker set, a mosquito net, a sewing kit, tools, bungee cords and straps, sleeping bags, pillows and blankets, a GPS, a small fridge that plugs into the cigarette lighter, speakers for an ipod, an inverter, a radio transmitter for iPods, maps, maps, and more maps, a lonely planet guide for Australia, Camp 5 (which is the bible for camping spots around the country), a few novels (not all in English), and food (mainly instant noodles).

all the junk we cleaned out

kitchen

storage

I found the original add for the van when I was cleaning it out, they posted it for $4500. Lucky for us (but not for them) Darwin is a better place to buy then sell. The guys were both leaving the country and needed to sell it asap (when the transaction went through, one was already gone and the other was flying out the next morning). They were asking for $3500 when we responded to the add... we paid $2800 for it (go us!). This price included the cost of getting the oil leaks fixed (which were multiple) and purchasing two new tires (around $1000). So the previous owners only walked away with $1800 (if you ask me, they should have sold it in Sydney where they could have gotten their original asking price!)

When we went in to get our new tires, we had to get the mechanic to show us how to get into the engine (which is under the passenger seat) and how to check the water and oil (I swear I can do that on a normal vehicle.... but this one is so different!). He offered us a free roof rack (yay!) but when we tried to put it on, the rust on the (umm... not sure the word for it... lips? Along the top) broke through. He said we don't have to worry about any leakage, but the roof can't support any weight, so no roof rack for us (very disappointing). When we were there there were three girls (french maybe) getting their car looked at... prospects were grim for them: they had $2000 of work that needed to be done (something about one of the tires falling off imminently among other things). The girls were close to tears... they said that was their second vehicle, and they had put a total of $10 000 into their cars as of yet. They couldn't put any more money into it, so they were going to have to sell it (happy that's not the car I bought!).

the rust hole

hidden engine!

We immediately commenced on making it a “girls van.” New bedding, flower pillows, pink curtains (that was a duvet cover that I sewed into curtains), and butterfly stickers on the outside. I am very happy with my new home. I think it will serve us well (as long as I don't burn the clutch out! ... and my brother very GENEROUSLY offered to fix it for free if I flew him out here.... hahhha).

Now we are dealing with the daily life of living in a van... Darwin is a difficult city to live in, they have lots of laws and regulations making it difficult. Campsites are around $40 a night (waaaay more that we are prepared to spend) so we squat at night in a hostel parking lot (that our friend is staying at) and go to the beach during the day (a place where we can set up our chairs and make food... until the authorities come and tell us to put it away... then they leave and we take it out again). If we get caught sleeping in the van at the beach (or anywhere really) it's a hefty fine (over $100 each... fines are all pricey here.. $400 for not wearing your seat belt!). Life is pretty easy though... we have a friend who does our laundry for free, we use the public bathrooms (also a Canadian term... others just say “toilets” ... sounds vulgar to me) for our showers and to charge our electronics (we unplug the hand dryer and plug in our extension cord then sit outside with our most expensive possessions while they charge),and we spend our days sitting around.

I have said it before and I am saying it again... I must find work. My finances are getting scarily low... but as of yet we have not found anything (mango picking wont start for another three to four weeks). Ideally we would like to work for a month before we head out of Darwin, but if we don't find anything by next week we may have to move on to Cairns. Luckily, our daily cost of living is only food (and there are $1 cans of spaghetti that we currently live off of... have I mentioned how awful my diet is now?? cans of tuna, cans of beans, cans of veggies... basically, if it comes in a can that's what I eat) and gas (also a Canadian term... everyone else says petrol) so, we should be able to survive off of very little for the time being....

welcome to darwin

I knew I must be going to Australia when on the plane they informed the passengers that they have the right to refuse alcohol, and to ask you to abstain from drinking your own alcohol.  I laughed.  hard.  Out of all of the flights I have taken in my entire life,  I have never had the safety spiel involve responsible drinking!!!

I don't think I have ever seen so many people sitting in the bar drinking during the day... although, to be fair, where I am is full of backpackers, so it's not necessarily the Australians.   It livens up (even more) at night, there will be FULL night clubs on a Tuesday night... like, Tuesday?? really?  Don't you people take a day off?  Seriously, the drinking may kill me.

Other than the amusing spectacle of watching people fight on the street (you know, girls crying uncontrollably while two guys are fighting... or police outside the bar mid day breaking something up) Darwin is actually a sleepy city.  Well, compared to where I have been, anywhere outside of Asia would seem sleepy... the streets are so big and there is barely any traffic, people aren't all over the sidewalks in street stalls, eating, or just hanging out.  It just seems so quiet... almost unnerving... There really is nothing to do here but go to the beach and drink (which I am clearly taking advantage of)

I am enjoying living among numerous other travelers from countless countries.  I find it super interesting to learn the slang and talk with people. Did anyone else know that "bees and honey" means money? And "going for a Brad Pitt" is taking a shit?  That's the English... they have the most interesting way of saying things (and then insist that I bastardize their language). I cant, for the life of me, understand Scottish people... the language they use is NOT the same as mine!  It takes all of my attention to try and decipher what they may be getting at... and I still need to ask a couple of times (which gets funnier the more you drink).  I get  made fun of for some of the things I say... when I say about, it's apparently aboot (but not as bad as some eastern Canadians I am told), if I have two drinks I say I'm "double fisting" (don't say that abroad, just don't), oh and I also made the mistake of asking someone if he was "fingering me" (you know, giving me the finger) evidently that is something that elicits a comical response.  I also find it amusing to constantly be giving conversational English lessons (but only when people ask me to correct their word usage and grammar) and it can be tiring to always be choosing your words carefully, to ensure I don't use words like... well, ensure for starters.   And it's a constant effort to speak slowly (yes, I swear I a capable of speaking slowly... it just takes a lot of effort).  But it's still easier than trying to communicate with Vietnamese people...


Life here is very different for other reasons... first of all I am staying in a hostel for the first time in my life... sharing a co ed dorm, sharing a bathroom with an entire floor... I have to do my own laundry (and pay $6 to both wash and dry) I have to go to the grocery store and buy food, then use the common kitchen to cook myself food (which has, thus far consisted of cereal, toast and peanut butter, and pasta with sauce... I am not ready to cook any gourmet meals as of yet).  Oh, and I have to figure out all of the technical crap to working and purchasing a vehicle. (opening a bank account, getting a tax file number, figuring out Aussy vehicle registration)

I am sure between drinking and sleeping I will find the time to accomplish these... It's actually ridiculously easy to find work, I already have two days of special event serving lined up (at $23 an hour for 12 hour shifts... woot) and there is need for some mango pickers (it's supposed to be six weeks... we shall see how long I last).  I even have a van already (once I move into it I will go into more detail). 

So, life really isn't that had... drink, eat, sleep, find temp work, sleep, drink, eat, and so on.

going down under

Alright.  The time has come to leave Asia. 

Honestly, I am going to miss it.  I feel a little weird going back to the developed world... a place where the food is familiar, I can drink the water, sidewalks are used only for walking, people drive in a way that follows traffic regulations I am accustomed to, I will be able to cross a street without fearing for my life... and this will cost... a lot.  Everything.  I hear its even more expensive in Australia that in comparable countries (like my own).  I suppose I started it off right by paying over $1000 to get there...

I am going down under with no planning... no idea what exactly I am going to do.  I have done little to no research on the place I am about to go.  There is talk of buying a van and living in it, there is talk of finding work (farm type work, or fruit picking... something I have never done... I suppose I may have to file my pretty nails down so I don't break one!) there is talk of spending New Years in Sydney.  I am flying into Darwin... that is all I know for sure.

I have a working travel visa which allows me to stay for a year and work while I am there.  I do not know if I will stay for the entire year.  I do not know where I will be going when I leave.

I am full of excitement.  Words can't describable the feeling I have now...  I love this.  I love that I have no idea where I am going or what I am doing. I love that I am unemployed, homeless, and living out of a backpack.  I love my life.

I have the world in my hands. I am weightless. I am free. I am happy.

bla bla bankok

I am sorry to say that Bangkok hasn't left a very good impression on me.  I think I will definitely have to come back to Thailand, so I can give it a fair chance.

How about I start with what makes me smile.

I LOVE that the traffic lights have countdowns.  Big numbers saying how much longer you will be sitting at the light (or conversely, how long until the light will turn red).  What a great idea!!  I have spent sooo much time at intersections (like the one at Douglass and Hillside in Victoria) pulling my hair out waiting forEVER... it is nice to just know exactly how long you have,  Or when you are coming up to an intersection and it turns yellow at the point of no return (you know, going to fast to stop, but your probably gonna run the red now) the solution is big fat numbers beside the light to tell you exactly how much time you have.  Genius.  Pure genius.

One point for Bangkok.

Thai language makes me smile.  Have you ever seen it in writing... sooo much fun to look at.  Swoopy with little balls everywhere.  Backwards r`s and squiggles.  I love it.  And it`s fun to say out loud too! Sawatdee ka (greeting) korp khun ka (thank you).  (oh, but "ka" is what women say at the end of a sentence, and men say "krap" or something)

Two points for Bangkok

People don`t use their horns incessantly like in Vietnam.  I've heard that Bangkok is a chaotic and busy city... I say Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi were way worse.  I felt unhinged walking around there, but Bangkok... not so much.  I attribute that to the lack of horn honking.  Not that there is none, but it`s more like you hear in Canada.  Don't get me wrong... the traffic is still intimidating, there are still motorcycles driving on the sidewalk, crosswalks are still dangerous to cross, but compared to where I have been... it's not  so bad.

Three points Bangkok

Taxis and tuk tuks RIP YOU OFF.  (tuk tuk's are taxis that are kind of a motorcycle crossed with a wagon... or something like that)  You would think that the tuk tuk's would be a cheaper way to get around, since you have to ride outside and inhale exhast the entire time.  But, no. Every time  you flag one down they try to charge you two to three times more than it would cost in a metered taxi, and they try to bring you to shops to spend money (I think they get a commission).  But don't be fooled, you can't just wave down a metered taxi to get a reasonable price... most of them refuse to use their meter and try to charge an inflated price as well... it took us an average of six taxi's to find one that would use his meter!!

my very first tuk tuk

view from my room on the 22 floor

Lose a point for trying to rip me off Bangkok.  Two points.

Hotels aren't as cheap as they should be.  We ended up going all out and staying in (what we thought was ) a swanky hotel.  It had like 33 floors, two pools, bars and restaurants, big rooms with tv's and a fridge, a marble bathroom... bla bla bla.  It was 20 years old and smelled like mold.  The plumbing rattled every time someone took a shower on my floor (which is a terrible sound at 6 am when people start to shower... then again at 6:15, 7:00, etc etc).  Laundry was ridiculously expensive... like, $1-$3 per ITEM.  Oh, and they charged waaaaay too much to use the wifi... like $10 for an hour.

Lose another point for crappy hotels.  One point.

And the thing that annoyed me the most while I was in Thailand was the cell phone plans.  I got a SIM card (as I do in every country) so I could have internet on my phone and a local number (you know, just in case I need to make an emergency call).  Not only did it cost more than in any other country... it was the worst internet.  EVER.  They didn't have 3G, just 2G (which is annoyingly slow) and every time I wanted to use it I had to call a weird number, wait for it to text me back, then turn my phone off and on (and if you have an iPhone you know how long that takes) then remember to phone the weird number and wait for another text to turn it off again (or it would keep running and I only had 20 hours of internet).  So basically, the entire point of me having a local SIM was negated  (to phone home with Skype... can't on 2G, and to look up random things in the moment... takes to long to access the internet).

Lose another point for having crappy cell  plans and service.

So, in my opinion, Bangkok is neither good nor bad.  It teeters on the line of indifference... I could take it or leave it.  SO.... I must go back one day so I can tip the scale in favor of Thailand, because I am sure there were a lot of amazing things that I did not get to experience.  Besides, you cant judge an entire country based on the experience of one city.

a little more about vietnam

Ok, let's back track.  I got a little ahead of myself with that last post... but since one person's crisis is another person's funny story (thank you schadenfreude), I wanted to post it as it was happening!!

Back to Vietnam.  I realized that my only Vietnam stories were of not-so-great circumstances, and I don't think I made it clear how much I LOVED Vietnam (but really, what country DON'T I love?? I mean, I'm a hard person to piss off past the point of no return... I always forgive...)

Vietnam was SUCH an amazing country.  It has so much history, so much life, so much beauty.  It was  an exciting place to be... although the horn honking and lack of road rules made it scary at times it kept your adrenaline pumping... you have to feel ALIVE when you are the the midst of so much chaos.  People are always on the streets, eating, drinking, sitting with friends and family (like, literally, on the sidewalk...you have to walk around them... then dodge the motorbike that almost hits you).  And the FOOD ... yummy... pho, fresh spring rolls, deep fried wantons... sign me up!!

just hanging out on the sidewalk in the middle of the day

 

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi were both VERY busy and chaotic cities.  But it was interesting and lively... lots to see and do... and just wandering around the streets was an adventure.  When you want to cross, you have to go one lane at a time and stand in the middle of traffic whizzing by you... You can't hesitate, and you can't run... that's when you get hit.  Oh, and the power lines in those cities!!!  I couldn't stop staring at the FIRE HAZARD!!

power line in Ho Chi Minh

intersection in Hanoi

Hoi  An was my favorite.  It's a city in the central-ish area on the coast.  It has such a safe and neat feel to it.  You can walk the streets at night, shop in the market, take in the smells (incense) and sights (cutest little shops and lanterns lining the street) and feel completely safe.  Also (in my opinion the best part) you can get ANYTHING tailor made for you.  You walk into a shop and they have one of everything, you chose what you want and the fabric you want it in, and they have it ready the next day.  ALSO you can get anything duplicated, so I splurged and got a purse made for just for me (thanks to a certain generous uncle).

lanterns everywhere

made to order shop

Ha Long Bay was BEAUTIFUL.  We spent a night on a boat in the bay amidst the islands... so many of them, all like little mountains of rock and forests jetting out of the water.  The boat itself was on the shabbier side of things (moldy pillows, damp bed, chairs with missing legs... NOT what we had seen in the brochure) but the experience was absolutely worth it.  I would recommend staying on a junk boat (that's actually what they are called... just a coincidence that ours happened to be junky) for a night, it's a great way to see the bay.  Just don't have too high of expectations for the food or accommodation...

Ha Long Bay

my junk boat

I do admit, the beaches were not as nice as Malaysia or Indonesia, but they were still beautiful.  (Just missing the soft white sand and green waters.)  Really, I'm comparing them to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world... (I think I spoiled myself by having Bali the first place I traveled abroad... now everything will be forever compared to that paradise.)  They were still beautiful  beaches in a tropical country, you can't go wrong with that (unless of course there is garbage everywhere).

Mui Ne

Mui  Ne

Oh, and I love the houses here.  They are all really skinny and tall, and only the front is painted.  That makes sense in the cities where the buildings are right next to each other, but they are like that when they stand alone as well.  It looks really interesting... a beautifully finished and painted front, and then grey cement sides.  I kind of saw it as a reflection of the collectivistic society... houses are built to be joined with others, not stand alone.

notice the contrast between the front and the side

The main thing about Vietnam (and well, every country I have visited thus far) that makes me sad is the amount of garbage everywhere.  EVERYWHERE.  But, that is just the reality of these countries.  That's what happens I suppose when the government has more pressing issues, and the people are enduring a daily struggle of survival.

the kitchen in a small village we visited