Goodbye Sydney...Hello Melbourne

Before I get started into this post, take a look at this crazy awesome used book store that was in Newtown, where I lived for the last 5 weeks before I left Sydney. Every possible free space is taken up with piles of books. It's insane. So crazy!












Now...onto my updates... My last few days in Sydney were filled with mixed emotions. I definitely felt like it was time to move on and was excited to see a new city and meet new people. I also felt sad about leaving the people and familiarity of Sydney and anxious about going to a city where I knew no one. On the Friday before leaving I had some people over to my flat in Newtown and Tom made a deadly punch consisting of vodka, passion pop (cheap champagne) and juice. We had initially intended to go to a bar after having a few drinks but ended up just staying in and making our own dance party. It was super fun times.








My last official day in Sydney started with brunch with my friend Yvette who is Australian. We only saw eachother on a few occasions during my time in Sydney but we always had fun when we did.


Then I went on a 2 hour coastal walk from Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach with this German girl named Nicole, this Icelandic girl named Bee and Tom. It was so beautiful and the weather was perfect.

On the way we saw these pools that were right beside the ocean and were filled with salt water. Maybe for people who are scared of unknown sea creatures!?

It was a great ending to a lovely first part of this journey. When I landed in Melbourne I was initially overcome with sadness and felt very alone. I am starting to get used to the extreme ups and downs that come with being a lone traveller. At times I feel like I am on top of the world. I can do whatever I want, I am experiencing so many new things, feeling so independent, meeting so many great people and learning a lot about myself. Then at other times I feel so alone and it's so hard to meet great people who just leave and move onto their next destination a few days later. I miss my friends and bro. My heart actually hurts. Oh god how I miss you guys. I have the most amazing friends at home. A lot of travellers I have met stop communicating as much with their friends back home after they have been travelling for a while. This will never be the case with me. I am often calling/texting/emailing people at home every few days. and even if I am not calling/texting/emailing you, I am thinking about you for sure. You guys give me strength and inspire me to take this leap of faith. I MISS YOU and can't wait to see you! Ok...end of sappy interlude.

So before I got to Melbourne I had set up interviews with a restaurant called The Boathouse and a bar called The Red Violin. I worked at the restaurant for 2 days but then when I called a few days later to see what my hours were for the week, the Assistant Manager was very rude to me so I decided not to go back. The interview at The Red Violin was awesome. I clicked immediately with the two ladies who interviewed me. So much so that they didn't even ask me any of the interview questions they had on their list. We just chatted for 30 minutes and they hired me. Originally I felt really good about it but when I went in for the training I left feeling mixed. The people who work there are great but the bar is open until 6am and I would have to learn how to make so many fancy cocktails with a million ingredients and measurements. I know this would be a great thing to have on my resume but I just felt so overwhelmed with all the things I had to remember. Plus, the hours didn't seem like they would be consistent since I was new, the pay was $15 cash in hand (usually the standard is about $20/hour and when it's not cash in hand I am taxed at 30% and then I get that all back when I leave which is helpful) and I would have to work Fri and Sat nights. Anyway, long story short I have decided to look for office work (like inbound call center or office admin). Even though it's not my ideal job, I have a lot of experience with this kind of stuff, it will be consistent, I will get to sit on my ass all day and get regular breaks (as apposed to running around for 6-8 hours at the bar without food) and I will have weekends off. With any luck I will have something this week.

The first week I was here I stayed at a hostel called Cooee and it was a 10 minute walk from St. Kilda Beach...
I had some really great room mates (all of which have since left Melbourne except for Andrea from Chile who is right next to me). This pic was taken when we went dancing one night at this place called Big Mouth on the beach.

Even though hostels are great when you first get to a city where you don't know anyone, for me they quickly become annoying because you are never alone and you are constantly being woken up by people coming in and out of the room. So I promptly found myself a one month sublet and so far it's been so great. I live with Ann from Germany who is here doing an internship with a radio station... and Coco who is the most affectionate cat I have ever met...
and Elizabeth who is the Mother of the women whos room I am renting. It's a really nice house about 6 train stations from the CBD (Central Business District) and I feel very comfortable here. Ann and I spend a lot of time together and even cook together which is always nice.

Here is a pic of Flinders Train station which is the one right in the heart of the city. Much nicer then a Toronto Subway station eh?

Melbourne transportation is made up of trains and trams (like streetcars). Here's a pic of one of the older trams. I love them!

The weather is Melbourne is all over the place. One day it is 40 degrees and the next 18. One night 2 English girls, Claire and Gemma from my hostel invited me to go to a bbq with 2 other German guys down near the river. They have bbq's all lining the river for the public to use for free and everyone just has a bbq and eats and drinks after work. But then the temperature dropped and we were cold so we had to huddle under a blanket...

The next night my friend Thomas from Germany (did I mention there are a TON of Germans travelling in Australia?) and I went bar hopping on Brunkswick Street which is full of funky bars and cafes and $4 pizza.

Melbourne has a lot more character than Sydney. I think I will stay here and try and save some money (assuming I get a job soon) until it starts to get cold (maybe May or June). I'm not sure about my next destination yet. I might just head up the east coast which will likely mean I will stay warm the whole year but I also want to experience the outback and maybe go to Perth on the West Coast. Sydney and Melbourne are a lot like Toronto and I think it will be great to live somewhere unlike anywhere I have lived before (like on a farm or something).

Last week I sent home a box of stuff. I consistently have the biggest bag where ever I go and when I came on the plane to Melbourne it was over by 4kg and rather then paying the $50 they wanted to charge me, I had to take a whole bunch of crap out of my bag and put it in my carry on luggage. Part of the problem is that my bag itself is very heavy even without anything in it because it has wheels and there is no way I can ever get it on my back. People even had to help me get it on and off the tram. I've decided to sell it and buy a new bag while I am in Melbourne. As a traveller you really start to realize how little you need and it's refreshing.

P.S. Read so far:

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

The Life and Times of The Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson

About to start: On the Road by Jack Kerouac

xo