Tag Archives: Australia

The six-month recap

by davemccreery

Wow. It’s been over six months since I arrived in Australia. That time has flown by and I’ve done and seen so much, and this trip still has so much to offer – not to mention what happens after.

I did mean to write this last week but, you know, life gets in the way. I’m currently lying in bed, suffering from a cold (along with half the hostel) catching up on everything.

I figured that it was time to take a look back at the last six months; the things I’ve done, seen and encountered, what I’ve learnt, the highlights and such. Overall, I can say right now this has been the best decision I could have made and while I probably could have done things better, or smarter, I’ve gotten by just fine (with a little help) and I’m glad with how things have turned out.

So far.

Hostel life and backpackers

As someone who spent four years prior to this trip living alone, moving into hostel life was probably the biggest shock. Suddenly I was sharing a room with six, eight, ten or twelve people every night – and most of these people changed every few days. The constant turnaround of people was hard to get used to, especially when you got on with someone really well.

That’s the life, though. A day or two or three of time together then goodbyes. I’ve seen my fair share of people who got upset over it at first. I’ve spent time in hostels before but never for this long a period.

I’ve settled into a routine now, and I’ll pay extra to be in a smaller room (usually six people) with a private bathroom. Maybe that’s my age showing through but it does make things a little easier.

Backpackers are a different kettle entirely. They’re as diverse as anyone else you might meet anywhere but the biggest thing we all have in common is the place we’ve chosen to visit. That gives you a chance to start a conversation and 90% of backpackers I meet are incredibly social.

That being said, and this isn’t an insult or dig but an observation, a lot of backpackers I’ve met have been very focused on drugs. That’s all well and good but it does stop me from getting too involved in everything going on as it’s not really my scene. They’re all cool people, though, so I’ve found myself in that borderline area. It works well but I have other priorities right now.

The standout moment(s)

Lake McKenzie on Fraser Island

Lake McKenzie on Fraser Island

Oh geez, where do I begin?

Of all the places I’ve been, things I’ve seen and done, the best has to be Fraser Island. That was three days of stunning scenery and jaw-dropping sights, such as Lake McKenzie and the Champagne Pools. A lot of driving and a really good group of people made that one of the best trips I’ve made. The best moment of the whole thing was the view of the stars around midnight each night. We’d head to the beach and, being away from light pollution, were treated to clear nights with stunning views. Even if I’d had a proper camera with the right lens, I still couldn’t have taken a picture to do it justice. I’d love to see that again.

The skydive in Cairns has to be up there, too. Jumping/being thrown out of a plane at 15,000 feet wasn’t exactly something I would say to people was something I wanted to do but when the option came up, I knew I had to. I’m scared of heights as it as but being treated to a sunrise skydive was incredible. I would like to do it again – but I’d be just as scared, I know it!

Help! I'm falling out of a plane!

Help! I’m falling out of a plane!

Other memorable moments include the Australian F1 Grand Prix weekend, Penguin Island over on the West Coast, Magnetic Island, SpotX surf camp and meeting some very good friends who I’m sad to have had to say goodbye to – for now.

Always learning

This trip hasn’t always been plain sailing. Things haven’t gone to plan all the time – such as my Greyhound from Agnes Water to Airlie Beach being cancelled and missing the Whitsundays tour – and that knocked my confidence a little. I felt like I was out of control and when money got a bit tighter I couldn’t find a job.

I’m impressed I managed not to work for five months or so – that’s money management! I had a little freelance money come through but I did need to borrow some to get myself back to Melbourne where there are more jobs and now I’m settled and sorting finances for future plans.

If I could go back and use some of the free time at the start to get a casual job, maybe I would but I wouldn’t have gotten to meet and do all the things I did. It’s a catch 22 and one I don’t regret. Yes, I could probably have been smarter with the money I did have but that’s something to keep ready for the next trip, and I will.

Looking forward

Minus small trips, I’ll be based in Melbourne for the next four-to-six months and working solidly to build some money while I work out my next moves into 2019. What those ideas are, I’m keeping close to my chest right now but they’ll become public soon enough, I’m sure.

Anyone who was hoping I’d be coming home after this year out, brace yourself for disappointment; I’m not planning to come home any time soon.

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The end of the honeymoon period

by davemccreery
Vineyards at a Hunter Valley Winery

Vineyards at a Hunter Valley Winery

Since getting back to Melbourne, I’ve not been doing much except job hunting and working. I’m in a better place now than before, but not quite where I’d like to be in an ideal situation. Still, the whole thing is proving to be an eye opener and proved that coming back here was the right move.

What I have learned is that the honeymoon period is over. It’s lasted longer than it probably should have and to go the best part of five months not working is a surprise but, while it’s been stressful at times and brought a couple of dips, I wouldn’t change it.

There’s so much more to see but there’s plenty of time left!

Getting back into work…sort of

So, I have two jobs right now. I started working at my hostel for free accommodation shortly after I got here. It’s not glamorous – just cleaning up, changing beds and such – but it does the job. That’s definitely helped. Since then, I’ve been put on the books so while I still do some of that, I also get paid for doing night shifts in reception a couple nights a week, as well as adhoc work when it comes up. This last week has been my “training” shifts but tonight I start my first full shift, alone.

Interestingly, a lot of the backpackers think I’m too soft for this. Boy, are they in for a surprise. There’s no reason I can’t be nice but strict when they go too far when I’m working. Night times are generally quiet but issues do arise and since I’ll be on alone, managing that and them (when they’re usually drunk) could be interesting.

I also do bar work in between this in a RSL/concert hall. It’s very quiet in the members lounge but the concert hall can be busy. They’re all really cool guys and I enjoy the shifts I do get, so it’s nice to see more people who aren’t backpackers.

I’m still hunting for something more stable but I can get by like this. I’m considering expanding my freelance client list, too.

Winter isn’t that bad

Apparently, it’s REALLY cold in Melbourne, but coming from a UK winter, it’s not bad at all. The mornings and nights can be chilly but that’s mostly the wind. The days are quite nice, usually hitting around 15 degrees. I remember summers in the UK colder than that!

That said, due to not knowing my money and work situation, I haven’t done much. I haven’t been writing much but setting time aside for this in the future – more on that in a bit – and there are a lot of exhibitions and such I want to see. Hopefully soon I’ll have more fun stories for you. Picture spam is also incoming on Facebook, just an FYI.

Using my free time better

Vineyards at a Hunter Valley Winery

Vineyards at a Hunter Valley Winery

In my low moments, saving money is everything – not that it always worked well! I found myself watching Netflix for hours simply because I could, even though there are plenty of free things to do here.

I had a plan to have written the first draft of my next book before this month even started, but that didn’t happen (I’m about a third of the way through). So, after a lot of thinking, and realising I haven’t been swimming in months, I thought about how I used my time.

The answer was not encouraging. Downtime is great and all but I still have things I want to do. So, I cancelled Netflix and looked at my shifts to set aside some time each day to do some writing, to read a book, take a walk and generally go to things that I’ve been putting off.

I actually took a short trip to Sydney at the beginning of the month to see a friend and go on a wine tasting day around Hunter Valley. Too expensive but it was a nice way to refresh and see exactly what I was here to do; work hard, earn money, go see/do something new. I’m not the biggest wine drinker but I did find more than a few I enjoyed and it was all local to the area. Shame I only had hand luggage to fly back to Melbourne with! More of this to come.

I’ll let you know how this works out. Until then, ciao!

The highs and lows of travelling

by davemccreery

Getting back to Melbourne was definitely the right choice. After the failed attempt at farm work, and with nothing else for me in Cairns – other than things that cost money – I wanted to get back to a city with some opportunities.

Sunset in Melbourne's Albert Park

Sunset in Melbourne’s Albert Park

That’s what I did. It’s been a few weeks since I got back, and they haven’t been easy. While it’s silly to assume so, I was thinking, or perhaps hoping, to find a job within a couple of days of arriving back here. What I didn’t take into account was that it’s winter here so while a lot of backpackers leave for warmer areas, the hours vanish too, to an extent.

At this point, I do have a job but it’s not many hours, and that’s an issue. Thankfully, I’m helping out around the hostel I’m in and that’s cutting down what I’m spending on rent each week so it’s not all bad. The problem is, if I want to move into my own room at some point, I need consistent hours so I’m still searching for those. Hopefully they’ll turn up soon because I also need to get back into saving mode for upcoming trips and plans!

Now, these last few weeks have been hard, the hardest of my trip to date – and that’s keeping in mind how I felt in Cairns when I was in limbo for so long.

I’m impatient, we all know this (but better than I was during my younger years) and seeing people with less experience get a job before me was tough. I found myself wandering aimlessly at times, after applying online and at the places I knew and could find, in the hope of finding somewhere I hadn’t given a CV to.

The nights were spent in my room, watching Netflix or ranting to my dorm mates and friends online (thanks guys, you’re all awesome!) and I felt stuck in a rut. There was plenty of advice, but nothing I hadn’t done. I knew it’d work out in time but that’s not helpful in the moment.

20/20 hindsight

Balcony view of south Melbourne

Balcony view of south Melbourne

So, while my situation isn’t perfect yet, it’s a step in the right direction and I’m grateful for that. I did have to start facing the fact that I might have to leave if the situation didn’t change. I knew that’d be a huge mistake and regret.

If I could go back and tell myself what was going to happen, would I change things? Perhaps. Getting a job first might have been a smarter move, or maybe being a bit stricter with my funds before the East Coast trip might have helped. In the end, I’ve been to some awesome places, seen amazing things and met fantastic people so I don’t regret anything. Part of this whole experience is how to deal with the lows as well as the highs.

I could have skipped Perth back then, worked from day one (okay, maybe day two) and then done the trip but even that might not have worked. At this stage, what if isn’t of any use so I’m not dwelling.

What I am dwelling on, however, is what’s next. I’m making plans for later this year and going into 2019. Those will become clear in the coming weeks when I’m a little more stable.

What I’ve learnt so far

A couple of things of the last four months have become crystal clear to me:

  • Money never lasts
  • Experiences are far more valuable than money
  • There’s no such thing as a great hostel kitchen
  • A dorm room where you like everyone is rare
  • Backpackers, generally but not all, don’t know how to clean up after themselves

I’m almost in my thirties and it’s a stark difference between my attitude and outlook on life compared to the majority of backpackers I meet, who are in the 19-23 range. Mostly, they want to drink, smoke and do drugs and that’s it.

Now, whatever floats your boat but consider it’s more expensive to do all three here compared to other places I’ve been, that’s a bit daft. They never stop though, and it’s tiring just watching them go!

I tend to look for quieter hostels if I know I’ll be staying a while. A couple of nights doesn’t bother me and I have met some great people in those short stays but after four months, I’m happy to have a bed that I know is mine.

There’s a lot of Australia left to see but Melbourne is a good base right now, and even though it’s getting colder, I feel more comfortable here than anywhere else I’ve been to, as much as other places have been great. Travelling is really tiring, guys, so giving myself a break from it is probably a good idea.

Forgive the slightly rambling post but its worth putting it down so you don’t think I’ve vanished just yet!

Cairns and the Great Australian Job hunt

by davemccreery

So, it’s been a little while and not much really happened, if I’m honest. When I first arrived in Australia, I wasn’t sure if I was going to do the second year of my working holiday visa. I’m still not, honestly, but what I am sure of is I need money, badly.

Just one nice spot as I walked my way through Cairns

Just one nice spot as I walked my way through Cairns

So, when I planned this trip up the east coast, it was after being told that there would be a lot of farm work up this end of the country that would pay and give me the days needed to fulfil the criteria for my second year. Oh, there are farms but not to the extent that I could just walk into a job, which is what I was given the impression of.

Cue two weeks of job hunting – and I mean any kind of job, as I’m that skint – to get me something. This wasn’t a fun two weeks. There are a lot of things to do in the area but with no money, I couldn’t even afford a beer on occasion. This meant a lot of walking around the city with CVs in hand, sitting at the lagoon and a lot of aimless wandering.

It was really frustrating, and while I knew something would come up eventually, it didn’t make me feel better at the time. Thankfully I had some good friends, both in and out of Australia, who helped me stay positive. You guys are legends, and I really appreciate you letting me rant and moan and complain.

I had to borrow of the parents and activate my overdraft from the UK bank, so there was money available to me but if I could go back and tell myself to be a little bit more careful, I would. Some of the money issues were out of my control but even so. The trip has been amazing and I’ve loved it all (aside from this low moment, the worst I’ve felt since those first few hours in Hong Kong where I was suffering from a lack of sleep) but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

My view on the Mango farm near Dimbulah

My view on the Mango farm near Dimbulah

I signed up with a job agency in Cairns and it finally paid off, so I headed to a farm near Dimbulah, pruning mango and avocado trees. The place was nice, a group of eleven stay onsite in pretty nice twin rooms (my roommate graciously let me have the bottom bunk!) with a huge kitchen that ACTUALLY HAS OVENS AND GRILLS! I didn’t have to fry everything for the moment. Its luxury compared to the last three and a half months.

Wow. It’s been that long already. That’s crazy – it feels like only a few weeks since I got here and I’ve seen some major spots of the country…read; cities and popular/obvious spots. There’s so much to see and do, and it’s so massive, that I’m wondering if I’ll see as much as I want to!

I digress, that’s a topic for another time. Here’s the important thing you need to know.

However, it didn’t work out. I won’t go into details because it’s long and boring but basically I’m not cut out for that kind of work. My hand is still incredibly messed up and painful, so I came back to Cairns and fly to Melbourne on Saturday. There’s more chance of getting a job there, I reckon, and I need to work for a while, get into a routine of some sort and start writing properly again.

Side note; I started my next project and that has helped take some weight off me. Bonus.

It’s going to be cold in Melbourne but I’m looking forward to going back. While I’ve liked a lot of places and seeing all these things, Melbourne already feels a little like home so it’ll be great to be back.

The job hunt continues.

The East Coast: Agnes Water, Airlie Beach and the Greyhound Disaster

by davemccreery

So, the Greyhound from Noosa to Agnes Water takes around 9 hours, with two 30-minute breaks. Thankfully, it was one of the nice buses I’ve been on with leather eats and plenty of legroom. That really helped.

Compared to some shorter bus rides (ie, the idiot who kept jumping in his seat for two hours), it was pleasant. I read a bit, had a snooze and just watched the world go by. Even now, I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why this trip wasn’t done as an overnight – or my next one – which would have saved a little on hostel fees but such is life.

The beach at Agnes Water

The beach at Agnes Water

Agnes Water is one of my last chances to surf, really – on this trip. After ruining my body, legs and hand at Spot X, I was ready to get back on the board. Unfortunately, adulting got in the way. I won’t go into details but I lost the morning talking to dumbass companies who have managed to screw things up and affected my finances so I decided to not surf, in case that money doesn’t come back to me.

I had a wander around the town, which is REALLY small, for a couple of hours then returned to the hostel to chill by the pool. I did want to go to 1770 but in the end bike hire got in the way and I didn’t fancy the 3-hour roundtrip walk in this heat.

Another time.

Then it’s a 9-and-a-half-hour Greyhound to Airlie Beach. Agnes was a nice rest spot, because an 18-hour coach journey really did not appeal AT ALL!

It felt like way too soon that I was back at the coach stop for the next long-haul, and the last one of this trip, thankfully. There were seven of us waiting and no coach.

Now, I’m telling you this because, as amazing as this trip has been, and still is, there are problems. This is one of the biggest so far. About fifteen minutes after the coach was due, I got a text message saying there would be a two-hour delay. Okay, not great but we went to a café for food.

After those two hours we returned and still no coach. This is when we started calling for more information, only to be told they’d be in touch when they knew more, as they were waiting for an engineer and that, in the end, took four hours! Of course, there wasn’t a mechanic closer, typically.

Finally, after five hours of waiting around, the coach was cancelled. We were all annoyed, understandably, as the lack of information then made it impossible to book any other transport for that day.

I was probably in the worst position because I had a Whitsundays tour the next morning, which I was now going to miss. Say goodbye to $500, Dave, because that trip’s gone. It also meant paying for another night in Agnes Water, which is nice but since the insects like me, it wasn’t the greatest thing for me.

The guys at Southern Cross were great, I got a bit of a discount and put back in the same room, where no one else was staying that night. My first night of actual privacy since January! A small consolation, at least.

The next day we got on the coach, and began the long journey to Airlie Beach, which is a nice place. It’s bigger than Agnes Water but there’s still not much to do, and without the Whitsundays tour, I’m a feeling a bit lost.

Airlie Beach Lagoon

Airlie Beach Lagoon

There are some really nice coastal walks to spend a bit of time doing but since there’s no real or great beach here, they’ve made an artificial one, on a similar idea to Brisbane but freshwater. It’s called the Airlie Lagoon and I’ll be there everyday till I leave.

The tiredness and stress over the last couple of days have caught up to me. The Base/Nomads hostel have been great, moving my bookings around so that I didn’t miss out on one of the two nights booked, which is a big help but now I’m working out what to do next.

A bit of downtime to recharge, I think, and I may head to Townsville a day earlier – not for fear of breakdowns, as these things happen, but just to put this stint behind me.

It’s a massive shame because this tour was one of the highlights of the trip. I was offered the chance to do a day trip, or a two-day/one-night trip but given what I’ve paid for already, that feels like a waste. Now I’m going to fight to get my money back and come back in the future to do it properly. It’s a reason to do some of the east coast again, at least!

Now, let’s be clear. This hasn’t been the best update, and maybe it’s a little bit of a moan (sorry) but it’s worth documenting and, like I said earlier, it doesn’t get rid of all the amazing things I’ve seen and done since being in Australia or this trip.

Let’s see what happens next, eh?