Reboot!

Well folks, my year in Oz is nearly up. I’ve had the chance to explore Victoria and New South Wales, experiencing unique events like New Year’s Eve in Sydney, cheering for my footy team during the premiership, seeing great sights like the Twelve Apostles along the Great Ocean Road. I’ve had an awesome time over here but unfortunately all great things must come to an end.

It’s been a fairly tough time for me in the last few months. Getting work when your visa is running out is quite tough, even more so if you restrict yourself to office jobs like I did. There is stuff out there but you have to be aggressive. If you see an opening, apply! Then wait a few days and call! Especially if dealing with an agency you’ve got to track down the person in charge of the job posting and make sure they know you’re up for it. Thankfully I have something for the moment.

At this point in time I need to concentrate on work and budgeting, planning and booking my next travels as well as forecasting my finances for those travels. I hope to reboot the blog at some point towards the end of 2012 - early 2013 from a new location. Where? Who knows? I’m quite excited to start travelling again. Expect the following in the coming months:

- All the fun stories I DIDN’T want to write about while in oz
- More airline reviews
- More culture shock wtf articles

Stay tuned, more is yet to come.

Fighting Homesickness

When you’re travelling for so long you’re obviously going to get homesick at some point. Regardless of how “strong” you are, how determined you are, or hard-headed, at some point you’ll wish you were with your friends or family back home. Unfortunately there’s no real cure for homesickness other than getting a flight home, but there are some ways to cope. Obviously I’ve dealt with homesickness, mostly over holidays. Over time I’ve found ways of watching TV back home, getting food from back home, as well as meeting people from back home. These three things can definitely help you cope and get your home culture fix.

Getting a care package from home always helps as well - bug people to send you one!

Watching TV

Thanks to the internet I’ve been able to watch stuff like local/national news from back home, as well as sports. TV here in Oz is ok, has most shows that I would watch back home (all if you have Foxtel). Obviously there won’t be any NHL, CFL, or NBA, nor any news. It’s just a matter of searching online and finding a stream. Sadly local Canadian sites might not let you access live streams (CBC Hockey Night In Canada) if you’re outside of the country. Thankfully there will almost always be a stream (especially if it’s a major sporting event). Getting newscasts is a lot easier. I’ve had no issues finding local/national newscasts for Canada. Hopefully these links help you out if you’re on the road and want to watch some tv from home:

NHL & NBA: Use google to find a stream.

CFL:  http://watch.tsn.ca/cfl-games-on-demand/ *Games won’t be live but you can still watch

News:

Global News: http://www.globalnews.ca *Good for local news
Sun News Network: http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca *National News

Food

I’ve already done an article on poutine - you CAN get it here in Oz. But say you want something else like root beer, high sugar cereal, or some high powered hot sauce. Thankfully there are some shops here in Melbourne that do specialize in North American products. It did take me a while to find these but they are awesome. Just keep in mind that you will be paying a premium for these products such as $10 for a box of cereal or a box of pop tarts, or $20 for a 12 pack of A & W root beer. There are at least three places that I know of here in Melbourne where you can stock up on North American goods:

USA Foods - http://www.usafoods.com.au - 110 Cochranes Rd, Moorabin VIC

Amazing Savings - 162 Carlisle St, St Kilda VIC

Americandy - stall at Vic Market.

Meeting Fellow Canadians

Poutine on Canada Day

Nothing beats a bit of homesickness than getting together with some fellow people frome your home country. When you move away from home, try searching for clubs catered to your country. Here in Victoria Australia there is a Canada Club which puts on events throughout the year, usually coinciding with Canadian holidays. I had the pleasure of celebrating Canada Day with them at a bar in Melbourne’s CBD. It was a lot of fun as the bar served ceasars, poutine and beavertails. I also win a bag of goodies playing name that Canadian song buy guessing correctly Rush’s Closer To The Heart. So be on the lookout for local clubs near you!

My prize for guessing correctly at Name That Song.

Hopefully these tips help you fight your homesickness blues. It gets all of us as we travel the world - so you’re not alone. So just get online, search for TV, stores, or clubs near you. Also don’t forget to keep in touch with everyone back home.

Getting Around Melbourne

If you’re coming to Melbourne, most likely at some point or another you will need to use public transport. There is an extensive network here composed of trains, trams (streetcars), and busses. The fares are based on how far you go and divided into 2 zones. I do hear a lot of my local friends complain about it but for the most part I’ve never really had any issues. For example you don’t see stories in the news about public transport that I see back home like this... or this... I’ll give you a rundown of the essentials you’ll need to know about each mode of transport.

Trains

One of Melbourne's trains.

The train network is pretty useful if you need to get to the outer suburbs. Trains do cross between Zone 1 and Zone 2 so be aware of where you’re going and be sure to have the appropriate fare. The likelihood of you going to Zone 2 as a tourist are pretty minimal. Trains are quick and efficient in getting you where you need to go and do run late in the night on weekends. Morning and evening rush hour can be a bit of a challenge as the trains can be tightly packed, and not having a seat for a 40-50min ride can be quite a pain. Also, during these times be sure your train goes to your station as there may be limited expresses which only stop at selected stations along the way. Lastly, during rush hour, there may be delays arriving into the main stations which are Flinders Street and Southern Cross stations due to congestion.

Trams

One of the newer trams here in Melbourne.

As a tourist you’re most likely to hop on a tram as these go to most of the tourist attractions. Trams also only travel in Zone 1 so no need to worry about buying the wrong fare. Speaking of fares, be sure to always have a valid ticket! While it may be tempting to get a free ride, getting caught means a $207 fine. Trams suffer the same issues as trains during rush hour, being excessively filled. Morning rush hour can be an especially frustrating experience trying to hop on a tram at Flinders Street Station as there are hundreds of people trying to get on at the same time. If you’re visiting, be sure to hop on the City Circle Tram as it’s free and brings you around the CBD pointing out different tourist attractions.

Buses

You’re probably not going to need a bus while here in Melbourne unless you go visit one of the outlying shopping malls, or go somewhere with no access to trains or trams. In my time here I’ve used them a handful of times, maybe 5 or 6. Busses can be handy very late at night when the trains and trams have stopped running. Nightrider busses run throughout the night, but be sure to plan ahead as the stops are infrequent, and the run maybe once an hour. Also be sure you’re awake and aware otherwise you could wake up in Frankston!

Paying Your Fare

The fare payment system here in Melbourne is called Myki. This is a coded card based fare system where you store value on the card and it gets deducted as you use it. This is taking over from the previous system called the Metcard, a paper card system. While Myki is cheaper, as a tourist it’s a bit of a pain that you have to buy the Myki card for $6, wiping out any savings you’d get. If staying in the CBD you can purchase Metcards on trams, but that’s it. To buy a Myki, there’s a Myki store at Southern Cross station where you can buy special tourist packs. Otherwise you can buy the cards at 7-Eleven or any store that has a big Myki sign displayed.

Getting around Melbourne is too easy! Compared to the stories I see about public transport back home, there’s nothing to complain about. Be sure to check out Public Transport Victoria’s website for all the details on routes and schedules. Enjoy your trip!

3 Things I Don’t Miss About Canada

In last Thursday’s post I covered 30 Things I Miss About Canada. I thought it would be fair to also mention a few things that I DON’T miss about back home. I did get a reminder of some of these things when I went to Hawaii in August which just reinforced my dislike for these things. Here we have 3 things that I could honestly do without for the rest of my life:

Tipping

In Hawaii these "reminders" were highly annoying...

Man...fuck tipping! Honestly when you think about it you’re really paying someone extra for doing the job that they’re ALREADY paid to do. I once got lectured when I was younger by a dick waiter because we had left him a bad tip once (1c) because he was a complete ass. I was educated how it stood for To Insure Proper Service. Why should I bribe someone whose already being paid by the restaurant to do his job better or hell in this asshole’s case - correctly? The situation is so bad in Quebec you have to tip the bartender to bend over and pull out a beer from the fridge. If you don’t you’ll get yelled that “SERVICE IS NOT INCLUDED” and potentially have a few bouncers kick your ass out. In Hawaii I was reminded of this “practice” with polite reminders on every receipt, in some cases you’d also have a giant table with prices and your suggested tip (15%-20% in Honolulu, 18%-20% in Maui). First off I hate the fact that I’m being reminded to bribe my waiter and secondly asking for such generous amounts? For the most part they got 10%. In my budgeting and expense tracking back home I kept track of tips and some times it amounted to $30-$40 per week... for NOTHING! Here in Australia tipping does exist - but it’s never demanded and never required. Fucking brilliant!

Surprises At The Cash Register/Taxes (GST, Food, Liquor Taxes)

One of the things I absolutely LOVE here in Australia is the fact that when I go to a cafe, restaurant, the grocery store, or any shop for that matter, the price I see is the price I pay. Taxes are included in the listed price, but then itemized on your receipt so you know how much tax you paid. Here, if my coffee says it’s $3.50, it’ll be $3.50 when I get to the cash register. In Canada if it says $3.50 for a coffee on the menu, I really have to do $3.50 + 13% to figure out what I pay at the cash register. Try doing that calculation quickly in you head! The total then comes up to $3.95. When I explain this practice to my Aussie friends the usual reaction is something along the lines of “That’s bullshit!” I recently was explaining this to a friend of mine and she made the comment that you would need to walk around the shops with a calculator to know the exact price. That made me remember as a kid that...  WE HAD A GROCERY STORE WITH CALCULATORS ON THE SHOPPING CARTS! I much prefer having no surprises at the checkout as here I tend to pay stuff with exact change. Why do we need to make things so damn complicated back home... I don’t know...

Canadian Winters

HA you thought I’d forget about this one? Sure I mentioned last week that I miss having a white Christmas, but I’m talking more about the January-February deep freeze. Explaining the whole concept of -30C to -40C temperatures to Australians is tough as here the coldest you’ll see is maybe -5C in Canberra. The best way to explain it is to have people imagine locking themselves in their freezer and it being twice or three times as cold. Even then it’s something you have to experience to learn the true value of my hatred for it. It’s nice being free of snow storm warnings, flight delays and frostbite warnings. Oh I also forgot to mention shovelling, scraping ice off your windshield, having to get your car unstuck from the snow, public transport nightmares, etc. Winter? I QUIT WINTER!

30 Things I Miss About Canada

1. Harvey’s burgers - Oh so good!

2. Authentic poutine - even though I can get some around the world, it’s not the REAL thing...

3. Hooley’s Happy Hour - $4 pints and 1/2 price appetizers, just won’t happen out here

4. TV - Unless you have Foxtel (pay tv) you only get maybe 20 channels here in Australia, and 5ish of those are home shopping networks.

5. Late night shopping - everything here closes at 5:30 or 6 unless it’s a Thursday or Friday. Need to buy something like a gift or a suit after work on any other day? Forget about it!

6. Driving - I refuse to drive out here after getting a ridiculous speeding fine

7. Reasonable speeding thresholds - Here in Victoria if the speed limit is under 100km/h you get a 3km/h grace threshold for speeding, do 4 and it’s a fine! Over 100km/h it’s 10%.

8. Central heating - As far as I know houses here don’t have furnaces. We do get winter out here where the mercury drops to 1C or 2C so it does get cold!

9. Canadian beer - I miss my Alexander Keith’s!

10. Breakfast restaurant chains - There’s no such thing as Perkin’s, Cora’s, or IHOP out here... bloody shame!

11. North American sports - While I love my footy, I miss being able to catch baseball and hockey on TV here.

12. Fiery political debates about CANADIAN issues - boy did they ever get fiery!

13. 24hr News media - We do have ABC News 24, but unless you have Foxtel you won’t get CNN, Fox News or Sky News.

14. Reasonable fast food breakfast prices - I miss paying $4.02 for a McD’s BLT Bagel, 2 hashbrowns and a large coffee. Here I can pay $7.50 for a coffee and a donut

15. Urban music - Not popular here, miss hearing rap/hip-hop on a regular basis in the clubs.

16. Canadian holidays - While I’ve had the chance to celebrate Canada Day here in Oz and had the opportunity for a Thanksgiving lunch, just not the same as being back home.

17. Bacon - You can get bacon on your burger or parma but it’s back bacon and not the strips

18. Wal-Mart - The one stop shop for anything you could ever need.

19. Ketchup - Feels weird calling it tomato sauce...

20. My videogames - They’re gathering dust...

21. Tim Horton’s coffee - Oh how I miss paying $1.50 for an amazing large double-double, here a large coffee will set you back $4-$5.

22. Being able to plug all my toys in - I only have one power adapter for Oz so I have to balance out charging my toys

23. Coins - I still get frustrated with the fact that the smaller the coin the more valuable it is. Our $2 coin is the largest and easiest to find when you’re fiddling around for change. Also we don’t roll our coin here, we bag it!

24. Table service/running a tab - The honor system is a rarity here, usually you have to pay everything up front, including food.

25. My birthday during SUMMER! - I’m a winter baby here, was 2C on my b-day... :(

26. A White Christmas - Feels absolutely wrong slapping sunscreen on and walking around on a 32C Christmas day... totally wrong!

27. Cinnabon - Terrible yet so delicious! No such thing here in Oz.

28. Quizno’s - My main meal for years at work! Only Subway and their terrible toasting oven here.

29. Country music - BARELY exists here - not on the radio, tv, nor in concert unless it’s Keith Urban...

30. Last but not least, my friends, family and loved ones!

Where Do I Buy...?

Moving to Australia can be a big adjustment. As I’ve covered in the past, there’s quite a learning curve, even though things are quite similar. One of the things that I had a bit of trouble with was knowing where to buy stuff as many of the chains from back home don’t exist over here. Quite frankly the one stop shops that we have back home (aka Wal-Mart) aren’t here so sometimes you really have to explore. Hopefully this guide helps any of you if you’re planning on coming down here, whether for a week, a year, or even permanently.

Groceries:

Main Chains:
- Woolworths/Safeway
- Coles
- Aldi
- IGA

One of the big things here is the so-called grocery wars, better yet the price wars between all the big grocery retailers (more notably between Coles and Woolies). Aldi wins hands down in terms of pricing, but most if not all the products (including beer) will be an Aldi brand. As well produce selection is quite limited. Coles and Woolworth’s/Safeway are your main everyday shops. They’ll have all the main brands as well as your usual selection of produce, meat, and grocery products. Quite frankly preference between these two is more personal choice as I think they’re the same. Lastly there’s IGA, which I find the most expensive and really only go to out of convenience.

General Department Stores:

Main Chains:
- Target
- Kmart
- Big W

These places are all handy when it comes to picking up stuff you may have forgotten to pack, need cheap work clothes, or any general household item. Kmart wins in terms of price. Here you can get a $15 pair of dress pants, $18 dress shoes and $12 work shirts. The only thing is that sometimes the quality may leave a little to be desired, but for those prices you can easily replace them. Target may not have the best prices but the quality of their products is by far the best. I paid $20 for a pair of dress pants and they still look brand new after months of wear. Big W is also good in terms of quality but is also quite good in terms of selection. Who knew you could buy home brewing (making beer) products at a dept. store?

Hardware/Reno:

Main Chains:
- Bunnings Warehouse
- Masters
- Harvey Norman

Why am I covering Hardware/Home Reno? Well put yourself in this situation... Say you’re at a mate’s place taking a shower and then all of a sudden the shower head drops and disintegrates. Shit son looks like you’ll have to replace/fix it... Where the hell can you get one... and for cheap! Google was no help at all, it only led me to Harvey Norman’s website where the price ranges for shower heads was $100-$900 and I knew that the one I broke wasn’t THAT great. Bunnings and Masters are basically the equivalent to Home Depot. Here you can find $15 shower heads, or any sort of home improvement product you may need (lumber, drywall, paint, etc.)

Electronics:

Main Chains:
- JB Hi-Fi
- Dick Smith
- Harvey Norman

When travelling, sometimes your gizmos will break down on you and you may need to either replace them or get some sort of accessory. One of the first things I picked up when I landed here in Oz was a mobile phone charger as I only have one plug converter and several electronics that may need to be charged at the same time. Dick Smith is probably the best in terms of small electronics, headphones and chargers etc. JB Hi-Fi is the place if you need any sort of electronic item big or small (computers, TVs, video games, music). I would say it’s the equivalent of Best Buy back home down to the colours. Lastly there’s Harvey Norman again. They do sell cameras, TVs, and computers, but they’re more of a furniture store. I’ve never actually made it into one of their shops because... well I just have never had to.

Hopefully this guide can be of some service to you if you make your way to Oz. Even if you may not be staying here for long you may still need to go to one of these shops. Face it, you may need to buy food, clothes, repair a mate’s house or replace your earphones. Just remember that you may have to shell out a bit more here in Oz than you would back home.

Unemployed Life...

Oh boy, I never imagined being without work so long! After coming back from Hawaii I started my hunt for work fairly confident I was gonna land something quick. Boy was I wrong! Every week that went by I would become more and more unemployable. Part of my difficulty was that I was concentrating on corporate jobs which is probably the most difficult to get on a working holiday visa - even more so when your visa is running out.

Between applying for jobs and waking up at 2 in the afternoon I did get to catch up on my blogs, attend some wild parties, and brush up on being frugal. Hell even my cooking skills have been greatly improved (hey I had A LOT of time on my hands...). But after two months, money was getting tight and shit was getting boring.

It was coming to a point where it looked like my trip might come to an early end! After weeks of applying and boatloads of rejections (even Kmart rejected me!), rent was coming due and wasn't an attractive investment considering I could still be unemployed. While it would be nice to be home at Christmas, it would suck to just be finishing winter here and get back just in time for Canada's winter! I started to plan my way back...

As of last week my phone has been ringing non stop! Interviews and offers galore. Thankfully somethings come up and now my trip is saved! Fingers crossed I can outlive another Canadian winter!

Melbourne Nightlife Guide Part 2

As I’ve mentioned in part 1 of my Melbourne Nightlife Guide, having a full-on night out here can be quite expensive. You’re definitely looking at $100+ for a good night (dinner, drinks, and cab). Here in part 2 I’ll be covering two different districts where you can hang out the first being the Brunswick St./Smith St. areas as well as the CBD/Southbank. As covered before each district has it’s own culture and as such the dress codes or the way people dress can vary wildly depending on where you go. Let’s start off with the more accessible CBD/Southbank area as if you’re visiting this is the second most likely area you’re going to be staying in.

CBD/Southbank

The CBD (downtown) and Southbank to its south has probably the second largest concentration of hostels in the city as well as where all the major hotels are located. The nightlife in these areas cater to pretty much everyone due to the wide variety of budgets and crowds that flock here. A lot of people from the suburbs come out here as the trains run well into the night with the last ones being around 1:30am on weekends. There are plenty of different areas here with concentrations on different bars. The most notorious area you’ll probably hear about is King St. where there’s a large concentration of strip clubs and warnings of fights etc. Haven’t been there myself yet and really can’t be bothered with that scene. The Southbank area, home to the Crown Casino, is much more posh with bars and clubs that cater to the more well-off. If you’re planning on heading there I do recommend dressing up to avoid disappointment.

Section 8, 27-29 Tattersalls Lane, Melbourne CBD
This bar can be a bit tricky to find as it’s tucked away in an alley, but it’s well worth it once you get there. This bar is essentially made up of shipping containers and is completely open-air. While it can be a bit chilly in wintertime they have tons of heaters to keep you warm. The vibe here is very chill as there’s no dress code considering you’re outside anyway. From what I’ve experienced here, the music is mostly hip-hop, dancehall, reggaeton which is great as I haven’t found many places that cater to this style of music. Great place to chill but not a place to be wearing your dancing shoes.

The Carlton, 193 Bourke St., Melbourne CBD
This is a cool bar that spans multiple levels. The first floor looks more like a pub with tons of stuffed (like real/dead not plush) animals on display on the walls, gives it a sort of fancy vibe. There’s also the Palmz rooftop bar which is a tiki themed rooftop patio. This is an awesome place to spend an afternoon on in late spring/summer. This is a pricier venue and be forewarned that there is a dress code at night - collared shirts guys!

Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex, 8 Whiteman St., Southbank
This place truly offers everything in one big nicely wrapped package! Bars, casino gambling, nightclubs, pubs, restaurants, shopping and even a movie theatre. This place also caters to all budgets as well, with 5-star restaurants as well a food court. I haven’t had a chance to explore the nightclubs here but do know that it is very strict for guys - nice shoes and a collared shirt are a must. Also guys, I suggest bringing some female friends along to boost your chances at getting in as groups of guys are always last on the priority list to gain entry. There are plenty of bars on the gambling floor and it seems to run pretty much 24hrs. I’ve stumbled in here a few times at 4-5am. While it’s nice that there’s a place where you can keep your night going - by that point it’s almost ALWAYS a BAD idea. I do suggest dressing nicely and don’t gamble your trip/life savings away!

Fitzroy/Brunswick St.

Fitzroy, or more specifically Brunswick St. offers a more casual atmosphere also more catered to those who fancy the hipster/alternative scene. Funny enough this is the area closest to home yet the one I go to the least. The neighborhood is easily accessible via the 112 tram, or the 86 tram if you fancy visiting the bars on Smith St. nearby. The crowd around here is definitely more hipster so expect to see a lot of stubble and ironic t-shirts on guys and sadly more skrillex shaves on girls (they look good on NO ONE...NONE WHATSOEVER). That being said it’s still a fun and funky neighborhood to explore the nightlife in.

Palookaville, 416 Brunswick St., Fitzroy
This is an awesome place to grab dinner and drinks. The menu here is pretty good and most if not all meals are under $20. Drink prices are ok - pints range for about $8-$9. There’s also a pool table if you fancy playing a few rounds as well as nice leather couches if you just wanna chill. While it isn’t the busiest place on Brunswick St. it’s definitely a good place to start. No worries about dress codes here, it’s more of a restaurant than anything else.

Bimbo Deluxe, 376 Brunswick St., Fitzroy
If you’re looking to wear your dancing shoes on Brunswick St., this is the place to be. The main floor is home to the restaurant and dance floor/lounge area. The restaurant is awesome and shares the same menu as Lucky Coq on Chapel St. (same owner). The crowd here is more hipsterish but not overrun with them. There’s some cool couches by the dance floor as well as a really nice rooftop patio. This place definitely has a more relaxed dress code but I wouldn’t necessarily show up in a singlet and thongs.

The Provincial Hotel, 299 Brunswick St., Fitzroy
This is a fun place and seems to have DJs over the weekends. I can definitely say that this bar has some of the best looking crowd on Brunswick St. Drink prices are average, with $8-$9 pints and the music seems to be your regular top 40s mix. This is usually a stop along the way on a Brunswick St. bar crawl. Not sure of any dress code, but it usually is a good looking crowd. Worth checking out.

Well hopefully my guides help you out if you’re planning a night out here in Melbourne. The nightlife is definitely varied here depending on where you go. Just be sure to bring lots of money as your bar tab will add up FAST here!

The Great Ocean Road: Exploring Victoria’s Southern Coastline

Travelling to Melbourne you’ll be able to experience all the great gems that this city has to offer. However no trip to Victoria would be complete without exploring the Great Ocean Road which follows the state’s southern coastline. This makes for a great day trip or even a weekend escape from the city. Many tour companies offer coach tours but be prepared for a long day as they usually leave early in the morning (around 7am) and only come back in the late evening. I’ve done the trip 3 times already, twice with one of my friends and once with my mom where I got behind the wheel. Renting a car is probably the best way to do it, but be warned that it’s not the easiest drive, as well be sure not to get distracted by the scenery. As well being in Victoria be sure to adhere to all speed limits accordingly, speeding by the tiniest margin (under 10k) will net you a fine of $153. These are enforced not only by officers but by speeding cameras which are well hidden.

Archway welcoming you to the Great Ocean Road

One of my trips was a fishing trip down in Apollo Bay. This is a great stop along the Great Ocean Road which offers plenty of restaurants and accommodation (including hostels for us budget travellers. If you’re fortunate to be in possession of a boat - as we were, there is a sheltered harbour here which is a great launching point for a fishing trip. I was able to catch a few flatheads as well as a gum shark. Just be careful as we did come across a stone fish which is quite poisonous, be sure to handle with care. Waters here are rough so be sure to check the forecasts as the weather can change in a heartbeat. Apollo Bay is about 3hrs away from Melbourne.

Johanna Beach

My last trip on the Great Ocean Road was for my mom’s visit. We rented a car through Budget as they were one of the few locations in my area open on a Sunday which cost us about $130 for two days. I took the wheel as I’d already been several times, as well as the fact that we drive on the left here which I’m more used to having been here long enough. The biggest frustration for me was the fact that I kept putting the damn wipers on instead of the turn signal! (The levers are reversed here.) We made our way all across the Great Ocean Road to the 12 Apostles which is a definite must see if you’re doing the Great Ocean Road. It’s quite a drive to get there, plan about 6 hrs to get there which includes time for lunch and the occasional photo/bathroom stop. Originally we were planning on spending the night out there but came to the conclusion that being the off season there wasn’t much to do so we drove into Warrnambool for dinner and took the Princes Highway back which takes about 4 hrs. It was a long day of driving but definitely worth it!

View of the Twelve Apostles from the lookout

If you are in the Melbourne area for at least a week, I highly recommend getting out of the city and checking out the Great Ocean Road. It’s a bit of a drive, and can be expensive if you’re caught speeding, but the sights and scenery definitely make up for it. Especially in the summertime this road brings you along some very stunning beaches. So be sure to get out there and explore Victoria’s countryside.

My New Love Of Footy

There’s no way I could do this sport justice in a single blog post. My choice of city to settle here in Australia was Melbourne which is also known as the capital of sport. The sheer number of stadiums here is astounding. The biggest passion here however is AFL footy - or maybe some of you may know it as Aussie Rules. Honestly it’s a fast paced sport that has all the hard hits like hockey but the constant action and scoring of basketball. Many of whom know me from back home probably wouldn’t describe me as the biggest sports fan - maybe I’d follow my home team in hockey, or an NFL team but not to the point of being a die hard fan. Boy did I ever get sucked into this!

Panorama of the Saints vs. Richmond Tigers June 1st

There are currently 18 teams in the AFL - but unlike in North America where teams are based out of a certain city, here most are based out of Melbourne’s different neighborhoods. What really got me into the sport is the die hard following each team has. Here you don’t necessarily pick who you support as families usually support teams through several generations (they even have baby jerseys and fan gear!). Each team also has a song which is then played whenever they win.

Melbourne Demons coming onto the field

I was in quite a predicament when I got here as everyone was trying to get me to support their respective team. The buddy of mine who introduced me to footy supports Melbourne and wanted to get me on his side. I soon found out they’re one of the worst teams, and quite frankly wasn’t drawn to them. Another close friend tried to get me on the Essendon Bombers but still it just didn’t feel right. My office had a strong Collingwood following - but you either love ‘em lots or hate them with a passion... too divisive! Finally I made my choice - the team that shared my Ottawa Sens’ colors and a catchy theme song - the Saint Kilda Saints. I get no love for my choice in teams, nobody I know supports them! But in all fun I can now shit talk my friends and co-workers after the barrage of jokes I get for my choice.

GWS Giants have a monks cheering squad - probably the most dedicated fanbase!

I’ve been to 3 live matches so far at both Etihad Stadium (seats about 53 000) and the MCG (seats 100 000) and spent countless weekends watching the matches on TV. The live experience is electric as fans from both teams show up decked out in their team’s colors - cheering and sometimes yelling at the umps or players. The best experience is when your team wins and you song comes on and all the supporters sing and clap along. Obviously it sucks when you lose - but hey you win some you lose some.

The season is now over - and it’s been a real nail biter! Sadly my team didn't make the playoffs, but hell I can still say it - GO SAINTS!

Jetstar No-Frills Experience - My Jetstar Review (Part 2)

If you’re just joining this program you’ve missed out on my excruciating booking experience, Amazing Race dash and my encounter with some special needs passengers. I highly suggest you go check out Part 1 to get the full story on my Jetstar Experience.

Long-Haul Experience:

Well, short flight done, time for the big one! For some reason I had to go through security again which is fine and then just my luck I got “randomly” selected for an explosives test. After a basic rubdown and pat down, which was NOWHERE as intimate as the Canadians do back home, I got through to Sydney’s International Terminal. Having gone through immigration and customs in Melbourne, I technically couldn’t leave the airport without officially re-entering the country. Now I had 7 hours to kill inside the airport... Thankfully the airport in Sydney is pretty much like a shopping centre loaded with shops, cafes, different food outlets. Sat at Mc’D’s for breakfast and lunch while talking with folks online, and reading the newspaper. Explored the shops but unfortunately Coach, Burberry, and Armani weren’t on my shopping list. I also couldn’t help but notice the abundance of condom selection in the airport men’s rooms. Seriously... ribbed, glow in the dark, flavoured! Can't help but wonder why they're there. Anyways I spent a lot of my time reading and wandering but then realized that my phone’s battery was dying and as my sole source of entertainment for my long-haul flight this CANNOT happen.

**Where to find power outlets**:
There are little to no power outlets to charge your toys in the international terminal. Look for the massage chairs as the few available can usually be found there. I found mine by the massage chairs near gates 8 and 9. There are only 2 so be prepared to wait for them.

Anyways my flight was approaching and I knew that I had to go grab a meal for my flight. I found a sandwich shop and then ducked into a newsstand for a couple of bags of chips and a bottle of coke. Here I thought I’d be saving money but food is actually cheaper on the plane... $17

$17 something for all of this, what a deal...

The flight was fine for the most part. What you would expect out of any long haul flight. While it’s nice to have a leather seat for the flight, there was little to no padding in the lower back area so I constantly had some guy’s knees jabbing into my back. There are no screens on the backs of the chairs so Jetstar offers you the option to pre-book an Ipad loaded with movies, TV shows and games for your flight for $12. I know that next time I will go for this as I saw a guy playing GTA on the Ipad in contrast to my Angry Birds... I was damn envious. Oh and if you didn’t pre-book one you’re screwed, as unless there’s some spare ones you’re not getting one. Thankfully there’s always sleep right? For this overnight flight unfortunately sleep was not an option as I was serenaded by a symphony of screaming and crying children. It was agonizing as at any point where my body would go into sleep mode I’d be jolted awake by a shriek from the seat behind me. I’d take pizza-face and her boyfriend any day as they can be tuned out with earphones...

We got to Hawaii on time and breezed through customs and immigration. No complaints.

Coming back was a breeze. Arrived at the airport 2hrs before my flight, breezed through security and had the chance to do all my duty-free shopping and enjoy an amazing BK Breakfast. I also had the chance to grab myself a meal for my long-haul flight back which was so much better than the one coming here but just as outrageously priced...

The flight coming back was pleasant. After noticing that I was completely surrounded by small children I was expecting the worst. Thankfully these parents were in control of their kids and the screaming and crying was kept to a bare minimum of takeoff and landing. I enjoyed many episodes of GI Joe, read my newspapers and enjoyed my CPK sandwich.

A truly awesome sandwich - people were envious. Too bad the sandwich itself was $11.50

Overall, I can’t necessarily complain too much about Jetstar. Both my baggage and I made it to and from our destination in one piece. Being a no-frills airline they certainly lived up to it offering nothing. Would I fly them again? Well if I had the choice - no. But if the price was right, or there was no other option then the answer is not yes but - fine I’ll do it.

Jetstar No-Frills Experience - My Jetstar Review (Part 1)

Oh how the mighty have fallen! Having gone from flying business class to cattle class was absolutely terrible. Sadly this was the most economical way of getting from Melbourne to Honolulu as I had just missed out on a special from Hawaiian Airlines which would have been MUCH better. As the title would have it, Jetstar is a no-frills airline. I had to forgo my cookies baked for me on the plane, or eating my sumptuous filet mignon steak for well... nothing! Anyways lets start off at the very beginning with booking your flight.

Booking your flight:

When it comes to booking flights I generally like to go to the source, unless there’s a deal out there that I just can’t refuse. So I logged onto Jetstar’s website and set up an account and searched for my flights. MEL to HNL round trip totalled around $1400 which is not exactly ideal but it was the best price I could get. You choose your flights and pre-pay your luggage as it’s way higher paying for it at the gate. Everything was good up until I was bombarded with so-called add-ons for your flight. Do I want to upgrade to business class for $300 each way? NO. Do I want to choose my seat for $7 per flight (4 flights total)? NO. Do I want to pre-book a meal with my flight for $12-15 per flight? NO. Do I want an entertainment system/Ipad for my flight for $12/flight? NO. Do I need to get a hotel at my destination? NO. Do I want to rent a car at my destination? NO. Do I want to donate to charity? NO. OMG SERIOUSLY I JUST WANT MY F!@#ING CONFIRMATION ALREADY! I was very successful in booking my flight for the original price quoted with NO ADD ONS.

About 10 days before my flight (which happened to be my birthday) I got a call from the airline just to “confirm” my itinerary. Everything was going well right up until I noticed that the girl on the other end of the line started going through THE WHOLE DAMN UPSELL SPIEL AGAIN. With my Canadian patience gone but luckily my politeness still intact I advised the girl that I like my booking as-is and don’t wish to make any changes. I might of had to repeat this once as she tried to persist but she got it and ended the call. Whew what an experience...

The Domestic Experience:

Finally the day came where I’d be making my way to Hawaii. Woke up at 5:45am got ready and did a last minute frantic packing check as I normally do. Being a domestic flight I thought I had tons of time between check-in and getting to the gate as any normal person would assume you’d be leaving the country (going through immigration etc.) at the last port before departure. There was a massive traffic jam at Tullamarine Airport so I was a little nervous but got to the check-in counter and there was NOBODY! Safe! Well...not so much. I found out that I had to go through immi and customs HERE as well as go through airport security. Got through everything smoothly but what’s that on the screen?? FINAL BOARDING CALL FOR MATT’S FLIGHT... F!@#. Made an amazing race style dash to my gate only to find out that there’s still 40min or so before leaving... F!@#kers. Of course we also left 30min late... sigh...

The flight to Sydney was about 2hrs total - simple stuff. I planned on listening to a few tunes or play games on my phone (no laptop on this trip). Basically I got nothing to eat on the flight as I refuse to use a credit card on a plane - weird security paranoia. Anyways there was a darling couple sitting next to me composed of a failed jersey shore wannabe who was more flubber than muscle and his trophy pizza-face girlfriend. They spent the whole 2hrs nagging at each other in the form of thanking each other. Thank you so much (guy’s name) for being a condescending prick. Thank you SO MUCH (girl’s name) for being a nag. Thank you so much (guys name) for not moving your legs so I can go to the toilet. And so this went on...and on... My rage was burning but I then realized that these are probably the only four words in the english language they know. It’s never cool to yell at those with special needs.

Anyways we landed in Sydney and here I was pointed to the international transfer checkpoint. There were a few of us headed there. As I walked I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder constantly on the lookout for my two special friends from the earlier flight. No sign of them! Safe...safe for now!

Hiatus Over... For Now...

Well dear readers, I think it’s about time I remove my blog from hiatus and share with you some new material that I’ve come up with. It’s been a long time since my last post so let me bring you up to date on some of the past few months.

I’ve actually been living a very comfortable life here in Melbourne - essentially my life is now the same as it was before I left. I was working the 9-5 grind, well... 9-6 grind, pub on Friday night, watch the footy, and chores on the weekend. It really wasn’t that eventful. Oh what was I doing for work you ask? Well I was in a call centre working for a telecom company - which was a BIG switch from the live entertainment ticketing industry that I was used to. It wasn’t the easiest adaptation but thankfully the crew over there was top notch. Overall the experience I gained out here has boosted my resume, gained me friends for life, and opened up a whole new industry.

A few fans might remember my post on integrating into a foreign society, and I can definitely say that I’ve achieved this here. On the flip side though I have lost touch with a lot of my traveller friends in the process as I’ve been living the 9-5 lifestyle, living in the burbs and not going out on a schoolnight. Thankfully for social networks everyone can still keep track of each other’s movements around the globe.

A lot of you may be wondering where I’m at now? What am I doing? Well I recently had to leave my job due to my 6 month visa restriction. While a lot of my workmates were cursing this restriction, I fully understand it and accept it. And sadly all attempts to find any sort of loophole failed. I took a trip overseas which was a great way to escape the bloody winter here - but winter’s welcomed me back with a vengeance here in Melbourne. So for the time being I’m back at bat when it comes to the job search and living the good life for now.

Stay tuned - lots of entertaining material coming up...

Best Of: While Matt Was Away...

The hiatus is still in effect as the hunt for accommodation continues. The market here in Melbourne is a tough one with plenty of scam artists and morons that you have to be on the lookout for. While I’m not necessarily writing new content, there’s plenty of great posts you can check out. Here’s a list of the top ten most read articles:

Travel Apps

How To Book A Flight Like A Boss...

50 Things I’ve Learned In Australia

Matt The Conservation Volunteer?!?

Asiana Airlines Business Class Experience

The Australian Toilet Experience

Tips On Saving Up For A LONG Trip

Seoul Food

Australia - Quirky Things

The #1 Skill You Learn While Travelling Solo

Keep active on the comments and twitter, I am around and will hopefully be back to writing soon enough.