So I've been in Tully almost a week and am staying another week... why? Not too sure, there isn't much to do, but there is something about it that I like. I haven't found banana work because it's the slow part of the season, but I have my new Tully friends vouching for me by asking farmers they know or work for or serve in the bar downstairs. I might leave in another week if nothing turns up... we'll have to just wait and see and sit tight!
I had a nice long blog post typed out on my laptop but alas, Tully doesn't have a single wireless connection and this computer I'm currently using has it's USB ports locked away.
The area is beautiful though; the backdrop to town is Mount Tyson that is covered in rainforest. Palms trees are everywhere. AND! AND! For being called 'A Pretty wet place' it hasn't rained since I arrived! Beautiful!
Oh and one more thing, this tiny town of 3,500 has a 50m outdoor pool.... whaaaaat?
For Realz.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Heading North is a Good Thing
Whoever thought that heading north would be a good thing? Only in upside down land, right?
So after 4 nights in Townsville I have finally found somewhere else to go. I spent my days here mostly wasting energy in a negative way on worrying and being hopeless about ever leaving and finding a fruit or veg picking job. But I think I need to appreciate that my search is just a little over a week old and probably relatively short compared to what others face. I've spent a far amount of phone credit, or at least more than I would normally spend in almost 2 months, on calling backpackers that offer work and transport to and from, but such is life. Anyway, that is all very abstract, so here are the real Ds: I've found a bed in Tully, Queensland, which is about 2.5 hours North of Townsville, about 1.5 hours South of Cairns. Part of the reason I have found a bed is because there is currently because there is no work to be had picking bananas (the major crop in Tully and area) because there was been too much rain. Oh, did I mention that Tully is one of the wettest towns in Australia? At least it will be tropical rain. haha.
SO tomorrow afternoon I head to Tully to wait for the work to start again, hopefully it won't be long, but for the time being I am extremely happy to be in a position that has plenty of potential.
Back to my time in Townsville- it wasn't entirely all bad. I actually think Townsville is quite a pretty place, it's too bad it's so dead. I took a hike up Castle Hill (only a few metres short of being a mountain) and got a great view of the city, surrounding suburbs, Magnetic Island 8km from shore, and the outlying hillside and country for miles. I ran along The Strand on the waterfront, which is quite beautiful, and exquisitely maintained. I experienced the cleanest public toilets EVER. I also got to check out the Sunday markets, which didn't quite compare to the Byron ones, but had some unique wares nonetheless. Unfortunately, the Rock Pool, was closed the entire time I've been here for maintainance. But it looked cool (a man made enclosure with pumps from Sweden that pump ocean water in and out of the pool. So it's like you're swimming in the ocean but don't have to worry about stringers ie jellyfish. They're bad here, there is even vinegar jugs set up along the beach to ease the pain should you get stung), and I'll check it out when I come back on my way to Maggie (Magnetic Island) where I plan to get my SCUBA certification after I've served my time in Tully.
The next time I post it will probably be from the home of the giant Golden Gumboot!
So after 4 nights in Townsville I have finally found somewhere else to go. I spent my days here mostly wasting energy in a negative way on worrying and being hopeless about ever leaving and finding a fruit or veg picking job. But I think I need to appreciate that my search is just a little over a week old and probably relatively short compared to what others face. I've spent a far amount of phone credit, or at least more than I would normally spend in almost 2 months, on calling backpackers that offer work and transport to and from, but such is life. Anyway, that is all very abstract, so here are the real Ds: I've found a bed in Tully, Queensland, which is about 2.5 hours North of Townsville, about 1.5 hours South of Cairns. Part of the reason I have found a bed is because there is currently because there is no work to be had picking bananas (the major crop in Tully and area) because there was been too much rain. Oh, did I mention that Tully is one of the wettest towns in Australia? At least it will be tropical rain. haha.
SO tomorrow afternoon I head to Tully to wait for the work to start again, hopefully it won't be long, but for the time being I am extremely happy to be in a position that has plenty of potential.
Back to my time in Townsville- it wasn't entirely all bad. I actually think Townsville is quite a pretty place, it's too bad it's so dead. I took a hike up Castle Hill (only a few metres short of being a mountain) and got a great view of the city, surrounding suburbs, Magnetic Island 8km from shore, and the outlying hillside and country for miles. I ran along The Strand on the waterfront, which is quite beautiful, and exquisitely maintained. I experienced the cleanest public toilets EVER. I also got to check out the Sunday markets, which didn't quite compare to the Byron ones, but had some unique wares nonetheless. Unfortunately, the Rock Pool, was closed the entire time I've been here for maintainance. But it looked cool (a man made enclosure with pumps from Sweden that pump ocean water in and out of the pool. So it's like you're swimming in the ocean but don't have to worry about stringers ie jellyfish. They're bad here, there is even vinegar jugs set up along the beach to ease the pain should you get stung), and I'll check it out when I come back on my way to Maggie (Magnetic Island) where I plan to get my SCUBA certification after I've served my time in Tully.
The next time I post it will probably be from the home of the giant Golden Gumboot!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
On the Road Again
I have left Byron Bay. I repeat: I have left Byron Bay. Right now I’m sitting in the bus terminal in Brisbane waiting for my lovely 23.5 hour bus ride up the coast to begin. It’s already warmer in Queensland than Northern New South Wales (Byron). This morning was the coldest morning yet I think; I was awoken because I was so cold, even under two big blankets.
Anyways, I said in my last post that I was hoping to go to Bowen for seasonal harvest hard labor. Well it turns out that all the hostels in Bowen, as well as Ayr, Home Hill, and Cardwell are full at the moment, so why don’t I call back later? I have not experienced this much frustration and stress in months and it has come as quite a painful shock to my system. So after calling what felt like a million hostels looking for a bed and being rejected each time, I gave up, and decided that my efforts to find a place might work better if I am only a couple hours drive from the potential location rather than over 24 hours away. Thus, today, I head to Townsville, Queensland. It’s the largest town on the East Coast (North of Brisbane that is), with a population above 100,000. Maggie Island is a short 8km ferry ride away and I am hoping that it will be a good starting off point to find some work or at least be much easier to pop down to Ayr or up to Tully at short notice should a bed become available.
I’m definitely excited to be on the road to a warmer place with the possibility work in the form of a physical challenge that pays.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I come into work soon and with it have an address for a solid 3 months so you can all send me my belated birthday goodies ;)
So Update: I'm in Townsville now. The bus ride was long but not that bad. It is definitely warmer here but overcast today. Townsville seems pretty dead and I've only been here about 2 hours. Luckily they have free wi-fi at the Macca's near my hostel... speaking of- I'm in a 4-share room with a bunch of young Scandinavian girls who at 2pm in the afternoon were still in bed nursing hangovers. My favorite! I will hopefully be heading back down to Ayr or up further North to Tully on Monday. Oh, and somehow I managed to leave my raincoat on the bus, it was attached to my backpack with a carrabeener and now they're both gone- oh, fiddlesticks!
Anyways, I said in my last post that I was hoping to go to Bowen for seasonal harvest hard labor. Well it turns out that all the hostels in Bowen, as well as Ayr, Home Hill, and Cardwell are full at the moment, so why don’t I call back later? I have not experienced this much frustration and stress in months and it has come as quite a painful shock to my system. So after calling what felt like a million hostels looking for a bed and being rejected each time, I gave up, and decided that my efforts to find a place might work better if I am only a couple hours drive from the potential location rather than over 24 hours away. Thus, today, I head to Townsville, Queensland. It’s the largest town on the East Coast (North of Brisbane that is), with a population above 100,000. Maggie Island is a short 8km ferry ride away and I am hoping that it will be a good starting off point to find some work or at least be much easier to pop down to Ayr or up to Tully at short notice should a bed become available.
I’m definitely excited to be on the road to a warmer place with the possibility work in the form of a physical challenge that pays.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I come into work soon and with it have an address for a solid 3 months so you can all send me my belated birthday goodies ;)
So Update: I'm in Townsville now. The bus ride was long but not that bad. It is definitely warmer here but overcast today. Townsville seems pretty dead and I've only been here about 2 hours. Luckily they have free wi-fi at the Macca's near my hostel... speaking of- I'm in a 4-share room with a bunch of young Scandinavian girls who at 2pm in the afternoon were still in bed nursing hangovers. My favorite! I will hopefully be heading back down to Ayr or up further North to Tully on Monday. Oh, and somehow I managed to leave my raincoat on the bus, it was attached to my backpack with a carrabeener and now they're both gone- oh, fiddlesticks!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Turn up the heat, and turn off the rain
Still in Byron Bay. Still cold. Actually I think I am adjusting a little bit, the mornings don’t feel as cold as they did at first, but that’s not a good thing as I am going to head up the coast shortly towards the warmth. I’ve made the decision to go ahead and try my luck at harvest work and see if I can last for 3 months (88 days!) to get the automatic second year of working holiday visa and make some sweet moola. I’ve done some research and found a town that I think might work out well and will hopefully be warm enough for me: Bowen, Queensland, known as the Top of the Whitsundays. The town is right on the beach and my plan is to stay in one of the backpacker hostels there that assists its residents in finding harvest work. If Bowen ends up getting too cold for me or I don’t like/get bored with it I’ll go a little further North to Ayr or Innisfail. I’ve already decided that if I make the 3 months of picking that my reward will be bungy jumping at the AJ Hackett site in Cairns! Oh, and cashing in on my birthday present of getting my SCUBA certification on Maggie Island (Magnetic Island… a hot Aussie I met in Bali told me I had to go to “Maggie Island”). Now my only big decision left to make is how to get up there. Lifts up the coast aren’t really materializing of late so I might just book a bus, train, or plane up there and get down to it, rather than having some long road trip up with strangers being anxious to get started already the whole time.
In other news, Byron has been pretty fun despite the weather. The girls had a House Warming Party last week that was an awesome night. We had BBQ, fresh watermelon and pineapple, yummy salads, and plenty of booze and music. Dance parties happened as well, of course. Since then I’ve been getting the most out of my season pass at the pool and running along the beach plenty. I made a big pot of chili for everyone a few days ago along with homemade cornbread muffins (plain, pineapple, and jalapeno) that turned out prefect! A new reality tv series started last week called ‘Master Chef;’ it’s very similar to Top Chef from American Bravo. It was on every night last week and we all watched every episode. One of the hosts says “yeah?” at the end of almost all his sentences and we turned it into a drinking game. Last night we had a little birthday party for Katie (one of my fellow squatters… did I mention that last time? Laurie’s friends from home Justin and Katie are also squatting in the living room of this fine house. We’re one big, happy family). There was cake and goon and the most intensely focused and high-paced games of ‘Kings’ I’ve ever played. We even got through the entire deck- that never happens! After Kings we all walked into town, but Laurie and I ended up walking back home not long later: we were game over. When we were over halfway home it started pouring rain, like monsoon style. A friend of ours and former housemate of Laurie and Diva’s, Chris, rode by on his bike as we trudged drunkenly through the rain, we tried to take refuge under a palm tree but it wasn’t any help. Chris rode off after a while and then returned later when we were nearly home and the rain had stopped, with an umbrella. Greatly appreciated even though we didn’t need it, but it’s the thought that counts. We were soaked to the bone when we got back, it was quite the ridiculous night. Luckily I didn’t enter the Annual Byron Bay Ocean Swim that took place the next morning at 10am. I’d thought about it but just couldn’t justify the $50 entry fee because of the horrible shape I’m in swimming-wise right now.
Yesterday the big Sunday market was on in Byron and I briefly hit that up before walking out to Satori to see Diva in action and use their free wifi. The place was busier than I’ve ever seen it before but Diva handled it like a veteran manager. It poured some more rain in the afternoon but I managed to not get caught in it again. Phew. I had mild hungover-y kind of feeling all day so when I got back to the house I ran down to the beach and jumped in the ocean hoping for a shock from the cold water… but it was warmer than the air and actually felt kind of nice. Not what I was looking for but the run down and back felt very nice.
Tomorrow we’re celebrating Laurie’s 25th Birthday a few days early. The theme is ‘nautical.’ Should be interesting. I’m making devil’s food cupcakes with pink frosting!
They had Borat on network TV last night. I still sort of can’t believe it.
In other news, Byron has been pretty fun despite the weather. The girls had a House Warming Party last week that was an awesome night. We had BBQ, fresh watermelon and pineapple, yummy salads, and plenty of booze and music. Dance parties happened as well, of course. Since then I’ve been getting the most out of my season pass at the pool and running along the beach plenty. I made a big pot of chili for everyone a few days ago along with homemade cornbread muffins (plain, pineapple, and jalapeno) that turned out prefect! A new reality tv series started last week called ‘Master Chef;’ it’s very similar to Top Chef from American Bravo. It was on every night last week and we all watched every episode. One of the hosts says “yeah?” at the end of almost all his sentences and we turned it into a drinking game. Last night we had a little birthday party for Katie (one of my fellow squatters… did I mention that last time? Laurie’s friends from home Justin and Katie are also squatting in the living room of this fine house. We’re one big, happy family). There was cake and goon and the most intensely focused and high-paced games of ‘Kings’ I’ve ever played. We even got through the entire deck- that never happens! After Kings we all walked into town, but Laurie and I ended up walking back home not long later: we were game over. When we were over halfway home it started pouring rain, like monsoon style. A friend of ours and former housemate of Laurie and Diva’s, Chris, rode by on his bike as we trudged drunkenly through the rain, we tried to take refuge under a palm tree but it wasn’t any help. Chris rode off after a while and then returned later when we were nearly home and the rain had stopped, with an umbrella. Greatly appreciated even though we didn’t need it, but it’s the thought that counts. We were soaked to the bone when we got back, it was quite the ridiculous night. Luckily I didn’t enter the Annual Byron Bay Ocean Swim that took place the next morning at 10am. I’d thought about it but just couldn’t justify the $50 entry fee because of the horrible shape I’m in swimming-wise right now.
Yesterday the big Sunday market was on in Byron and I briefly hit that up before walking out to Satori to see Diva in action and use their free wifi. The place was busier than I’ve ever seen it before but Diva handled it like a veteran manager. It poured some more rain in the afternoon but I managed to not get caught in it again. Phew. I had mild hungover-y kind of feeling all day so when I got back to the house I ran down to the beach and jumped in the ocean hoping for a shock from the cold water… but it was warmer than the air and actually felt kind of nice. Not what I was looking for but the run down and back felt very nice.
Tomorrow we’re celebrating Laurie’s 25th Birthday a few days early. The theme is ‘nautical.’ Should be interesting. I’m making devil’s food cupcakes with pink frosting!
They had Borat on network TV last night. I still sort of can’t believe it.
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