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!

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!

Melbourne Nightlife Guide: Part One

One of the things I love to do when travelling is checking out the local nightlife. It’s always interesting looking at the way people act, dress and drink compared to home. Having lived here in Melbourne now for 10 months I’ve had the chance to check out plenty of different nightlife areas. The one thing I can say is that generally Australia’s nightlife if pricey compared to other parts of the world. If you’re looking to have a full on night expect to drop $150+ for dinner drinks and cab (and that’s being conservative!) If you’re planning to drop by, here’s a small guide on some of the different areas and my fav bars.

St Kilda:

If you’re backpacking, you’re more than likely going to end up here in St Kilda. Here you have a plethora of bars that cater to backpackers with relaxed dress codes and usually offering at least one night of cheap drinks. As a result, the crowds at certain bars and clubs will be largely backpackers. Singlets, thongs (not the good kind... flip-flops here in Oz), and shorts will be the dress style. I hate seeing flip-flops in a club, and singlets are just as bad - they look good on NO ONE!

Anyways, while you’re here be sure to check these places out:

La Roche Cafe - 185 Acland St, St Kilda
This place offers some of the best prices on pints in town. During happy hours (usually 4-6 then 9-close) you can get $5 pints last I checked. Great place to sit and hand with your mates, maybe even pre-drink before heading somewhere else.

Barkly Hotel - 109 Barkly St, St Kilda
This place is both a bar and club. The club is located on the rooftop of a lowrise building and best known for it’s Friday nights which cater to the backpacker crowd. Fridays they have no cover charge and $10 buckets of vodka red bull. As far as I know, no overt dress code.

The Espy - 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda
This bar is legendary and caters more to a live music crowd. Many acts play here on all nights of the week and is definitely a must visit while in the area. More of a rocker bar, dress code is relaxed but I wouldn’t wear thongs or a singlet. I love this bar but the only downside is that it’s a lot pricier than the surrounding bars ($18 for a jug, which is smaller than a North American pitcher).

Chapel Street

Chapel Street is probably THE place to see and be seen here in Melbourne. This area is easily accessible via public transit, but be sure to have cab fare home. Dress codes here can be quite strict as it is the IN place. Guys be sure to have a pair of dress shoes and a collared shirt, girls I suggest a dress and heels. While there are a few places that have cheaper food & drinks, expect to pay top dollar in a lot of the bars and clubs here.

Lucky Coq - Corner of Chapel and High St, Windsor
If you’re looking for a good cheap feed this is the place. You can get $4 pizzas and hot dogs here which is a great deal. This bar is a lot more lax than the others in the area and has a more sort of hipster vibe. Great place to lounge and have dinner as there are a lot of couches, a few retro arcade machines and a pool table. Drink prices are average, $7 schooners - nothing fancy.

Temperance Hotel - 426 Chapel St.
I’ve stumbled into this place randomly one night and had a great time. The crowd here is dressed really well, saw a lot of suits and dresses. Music is top 40s but with an accent on techno/electro beats as this is the norm for clubs out here. No cover charge, nice dance floor and plenty of room to sit. Can’t remember too much about drink prices as it was a messy night but I still highly recommend this place if you’re looking for a posh night out with some dancing.

Electric Ladyland - 1/265-267 Chapel St, Prahran
If you’re looking for a place to lounge, this is it. This bar has plenty of red leather couches all over the bar and provides a really cool atmosphere. This is a more posh venue, so be sure to dress accordingly - especially you guys as they are strict on shoes and shirts. They play awesome music here, mostly top 40s but also rocked some classic hip-hop which pleasantly surprised me. Drinks here are top dollar, beers are decently priced $6-$11/bottle but martinis can be over $20. No dance floor here as it’s not really a dancing venue but on the plus side there’s no cover.

Revolver - 229 Chapel St, Prahran
If after all the other bars close you’re still looking to party, this is the place to go to. There are 2 rooms (from what I can remember) one lounge area and another dance room. As with most afterhours techno is the music in the dance room. Dress code here is lax, arrived wearing a shirt and tie as I was at an awards ceremony earlier in the night and was told by the doorman to remove the tie for my own safety. He even went to great lengths to show me how my tie could be used against me. Had a laugh but he was serious! Cover is $10-$20 and this place only gets busy after 2am.

This covers part one of my nightlife guide to Melbourne. As you can see there are big contrasts to the clientele and prices depending on the district, but that’s what makes this city so great is that you have so many options. Be sure to tune in next week when I cover Fitzroy/Brunswick St and the CBD/Southbank.

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!

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.

Hiatus Househunt Firestorm

I must say, this blog is a lot of fun to write for. So far my posts have touched 6 continents and my articles read almost 2500 times since I started the blog in December. I’ve been bringing you guys a dedicated 2 posts per week now for 16 weeks. Just to give you guys an idea to the dedication to my blog/readers, for the last 6 weeks I’ve still been churning out 2 posts a week despite working 45hrs/week and commuting 2+hrs a day. Unfortunately due to circumstances you’ll see below, I now need to prioritize getting a more permanent place to stay. At the same time I’m very thankful for my mates who’ve allowed me to stay while I look for housing.


This past weekend I couldn’t help but be enraged, and here is my story. Recently, after moving out of the hostel and staying with some friends in the West End of the city, I’ve started looking for more permanent accommodation. A friend of mine sent me a lead that someone was looking for a roommate to share her house for a decent price in a good suburb.  I phoned her up and set up a viewing, the place was nice and had everything I’d need. Everything was looking good, phone manners were good, friend of a friend, all signs pointed to yes. Set up to move in over the weekend after my camping trip. Well to my surprise my phone buzzed on Saturday with the following:  

Useless...

A text? Are you serious? I’m not so much mad at losing the place, but more at how I’m being let go. Why is she thanking me for wasting my time? In a way it’s a blessing in disguise as with this lack of class I could just imagine how things would have been living with her. While I can imagine the effort and hard work at trying to write this obscenity, it still doesn’t cover up the lack of respect. In the end I suppose I was lazy as I went into this without having a plan B (my bad! lesson learned!). Anyways now I’m in a tailspin as I need a place, and soon. Hunting mode engaged! Thankfully I came across a place Monday afternoon that fit all my criteria and more!

There it was, a place in the city centre, minutes from the trams that take me to work within 20min (rather than >1hr of trains and trams), fully furnished, 30 floors high with nice views. All that for $600/month holy shit it’s on like donkey kong. Within hours of sending my message with my number and a request to view the place, I get a message asking me to send them an e-mail to their private e-mail. Weird? Yeah, but I’ll go with it. E-mailed her my number and asked for a viewing, instead I get an e-mail with more info about the place, more pictures, but nothing on viewing the place. Reply again, here’s my number, when can I drop by to view the place? Then I get the following:

Dear Matthew,

Thanks for writing back again,, i would have really love to show you the  two vacant rooms in my three bedroom flat  in person but  am presently in Philippine on an honey moon with my husband that is why i need just two decent flatmates because i don't want to leave my apartment empty before my arrival by of  April,2012

My property solicitor who is a busy person advice me to package my apartment keys and made the deposit of keys at the FEDEX OFFICE .There is a car space which has already included in the bills including water and there is no extra fee in the $150  per week for  you and $600 for bond per room with no extra charges in the electricity, gas, cable, phone and internet.

Since you are really interested i can contact my property solicitor to make arrangement  for you so that you can proceed on how to reserve the room for yourself before my arrival

Attached is the pictures of me and my husband in our lovely honey moon over here.

Regards

*Redacted*

Wow, this looks just as legit as my winning the UK Lotto every other week (according to them I’m a BILLIONAIRE). Seriously where to start? In a previous e-mail The girl mentioned that she was looking for a “gay-friendly” housemate yet she’s obviously not gay if she’s on a honeymoon with her HUSBAND. Gay marriage isn’t legal here in Oz so it’s obviously not her female partner (she also sent pics of them making out? she’s ugly so no it wasn’t pleasant to look at.) The “solicitor” and FEDEX key deposit are key scam indicators. While I can’t help but feel angry about all this, in the end it’s part of the experience that I signed up for. Oh well gotta keep hunting...

As much as I love writing for you all, and the feedback I’ve been getting, I have to take a break. I’m not necessarily going to stop altogether, but for the time being posts will not be regular or as frequent. On days where I post I usually get to bed at around 1am or later. I can’t help but feel as if the quality of my posts has suffered in the last little bit. So bear with me while I get my shit together. I’ll be active on twitter and the comments section. Do you have questions about my posts? Want more details? Leave a comment, I will reply!

St. Kilda Cheap Eats

Another way to stretch that Australian dollar is to take advantage of daily and happy hour specials. As I explained in my post My City, St. Kilda has plenty of bars and restaurants with daily specials. Thanks to some friends who’ve pointed me in the right direction I’ve been able to come across some amazing cheap eats in my neighborhood. There’s two particular cheap eats I want to focus on in this post, parmas and steak. Both make fantastic meals and are a great treat to have for cheap on certain days of the week. When on the noodle diet these two meals are a luxury you can treat yourself to as it won’t break the bank.

Village Belle Hotel - 202 Barkly St. Saint Kilda, VIC, 3182

Lets start off with parmas. What’s a parma you ask? Don’t be embarassed as I had to ask my friends when they first brought me out. Parma is short for chicken parmigiana, but unlike back home they don’t serve it with pasta. Here parmas are more of a pub meal with many offering specials of $10 pot and a parma. The best so far has to be at the Village Belle Hotel located at Barkly & Acland. On Thursday nights the special of the day is $13 parmas which seems like a rip off compared to the $10 pot and parma specials, but boy oh boy you get your meals worth! Upon entering you go to the kitchen counter and you have the choice of 5 different parmas: Traditional, Hawaiian, Bolognese, Hot Mexican, and Aussie. I’ve had the chance to enjoy 2 of these, the Hot Mexican (topped with ham, mild chili sauce, jalapenos and cheese) - pictured above, and the Aussie parma (topped with bacon, grilled egg, cheese and gravy. The parmas themselves are gigantic, but that’s not all you get! Your meal is complete with two sides, fries and salad. It’s definitely a massive meal so only come if you’re hungry. Regular prices on these range from $19-$21 so at $13 a pop you’re saving a bundle!

The St. Kilda Branch - 204 Barkly St., Saint Kilda, VIC, 3182

Steak is a meal that’s usually reserved for a fancy night out. Back home a steak dinner is average $25. Here in St. Kilda there are plenty of places that offer $12 steak night on different nights of the week. Of these, the best I’ve had so far is at The St. Kilda Branch which funny enough is located across the street from the Village Belle Hotel. Now you’d think that you’d be getting some sort of cheap bottom-of-the-barrel steak but no, you’re getting a porterhouse which here in Oz is a Striploin for you North Americans. You also get your choice of 3 sauces to go with the steak: garlic butter, peppercorn, and mushroom. Your meal comes complete once again with both fries and a salad. Now drinks are a little pricier considering they’ve hooked you in with the cheap steaks, but $16 jugs aren’t so bad, there are worse prices in the neighborhood. With this deal, despite the more expensive drinks you can have a steak dinner and be travelling on a shoestring budget. I highly recommend you give this steak a shot!

Thanks to these deals you can enjoy great meals at low prices. These were a godsend when I was running out of money not too long ago. I hate the noodle diet so thankfully I was able to take a break and have a decent feed with meat, veggies and beer. Even though the meals are at low prices, you’re definitely getting a high quality plate. Whether you’re craving for a parma or a steak, while in St. Kilda be sure to drop by either of these bars for a fantastic meal.

The Many Flavours of Poutine

Yeah so I wrote an article a few weeks ago about how to integrate into a foreign society. While I make some great recommendations on how to set some roots down in another country, there’s nothing wrong with indulging in a little nostalgia of your motherland. Be it watching a taped hockey game at a bar, reading my hometown’s news, or indulging in some dishes from back home, there’s nothing wrong with that. While travelling my curiosity is always aroused when I see poutine on the menu. From personal experience, any poutine made outside of the general French Canadian area of Canada is garbage. Lets take a look at some of the poutines made outside this area:

Vancouver Poutine

This was my first ever experience having poutine outside of the safe zone. After an evening of watching the HSBC Festival of Light and walking back to realize that there was a bazillion people waiting at Granville Skytrain station, me and my friends made our way down the street and saw that the Roxy was quiet and still serving food. Low and behold “Genuine Montreal Poutine” was on the menu, how can you screw that up? Well folks what I got was not poutine, more like fries swimming in gravy with a token piece of cheese here and there. The amount of gravy I ingested made me sick. Hence a precedent was set, poutine outside of French Canada sucks. Took me years to be brave enough to try it again outside the poutine safe-zone. Strike 1.

Seoul Poutine

My Korean poutine

Heh yeah you read that right, I had poutine in Seoul! I thought I’d save this story when I wrote Seoul Food. I found a Canadian bar in the Itaewon district. Itaewon is the foreigner district, better known for it’s seedier elements such as hooker hill and American GI’s starting trouble. This is also where you’ll find bars/clubs/restaurants that cater specifically to foreigners. Over here I found the Rocky Mountain Tavern, a bar catering specifically to Canadians. There was hockey on TV, Canadian beer, and poutine on the menu. Made my order of a Moosehead and poutine. I got this weird metal pot with a concoction that looked NOTHING like poutine. There were chives, chicken (yellow) gravy, and the cheese just wasn’t right. I couldn’t finish this abomination, I seriously thought I was gonna puke. Also throw in the fact that in Seoul in wintertime, Koreans love their heat, so it was like being in front of a hair dryer as well. Strike 2!

Melbourne Poutine

Doesn't look right, but does it taste right?

So the precedent had been set, poutine sucks outside of French Canada and had been pretty much wiped from my mind after the Korean experience. Once day at work, my manager brought up the topic of poutine and mentioned that there is a place that will do it out here. Well obviously there’s a story in it for me so I just HAD to go and try it. I made my way over to Lord of the Fries after work and ordered myself some fries with “French Canadian” topping aka poutine. What I got looked almost like the real thing! It had the right gravy, the cheese was ok, but shredded not in curds. Despite that, it was definitely a hit which surprised me. For $4.95 for a medium it was quite a deal (at least by Australian standards) for a meal. So if you’re around and wanna have a taste of home go check ‘em out!

In the end, I learned that I was wrong. Sometimes poutine can be done right outside of French Canada. Had it of not of been for the hit here in Melbourne, the world would have struck out when it comes to my opinion of their poutine making. It’s also nice to indulge a little in a taste from back home every now and then. Just be sure to try some local grub as well!

Travel Apps

Hands down my smartphone is probably the one most useful tool that I’ve brought with me travelling. The phone’s done everything from keep me into contact with friends, provide me with countless hours of wifi and skype, as well as guide me to destinations. For example tonight the closest grocery store was closed by the time I got home from work (late aka after 6pm shopping is only on Fridays here in Oz). Thankfully I whipped my phone out and found the next closest Coles. One of the great uses was using my phone to guide me using public transport, and there are plenty of apps to help! Here are three apps available on the Android market that have helped me get around certain cities.

Seoul Subway

Seoul’s subway is renown worldwide for its ease of use and tourist friendliness. Despite these titles and awards, once you’re on the ground it can be confusing...very confusing. Seoul’s subway system looks like someone dropped spaghetti on a piece of paper. Lines criss-cross all over the place and there are so many of them. The other source of possible frustration is that at some stations they’ve installed the turnstiles at the actual entrance to the subway platform and not in a more general area. This means that if you go through the wrong turnstiles you’re either taking that subway to a station with a middle platform, or use hand signs and bad Korean to get the station manager to let you through to the other side. Seoul Subway will help you map your journey, telling you which station to transfer at and more importantly which direction your new train is going. This app was so helpful getting me to the tourist sites all over Seoul as it’s a MASSIVE city! Also one of the greatest tools would be to learn a little hanggul. Also from firsthand experience I highly recommend you AVOID the last train of the night!

Tram Hunter (Melbourne)

Melbourne has an extensive tram (streetcars for you Torontonians) network that can get you all over the city. While they can be a little slow and extremely cramped during rush hour, they’ve gotten me to many of the tourist spots throughout the city. There’s even a free tourist city-circle tram which can be extremely useful for a newbie to get a feel for the CBD. Tram Hunter is an app that will let you know which trams come to your stop and how long till they pass. An extremely useful feature is the GPS functionality which will allow the app to locate the nearest stop. This app has ensured that I’m always at work on time as I always know when the next tram is passing, with pretty darn good accuracy!

Train Trapper (Melbourne)

More recently I’ve been using Melbourne’s train network as I’m staying a little further out of the city. The thing about trains during weekdays is that there are express trains that don’t necessarily stop at all stations. While the express trains have been a blessing for me since I go from one extremity of the line to another, for those that are going to a not so busy station at rush hour could be in for a surprise. Train Trapper will help you find out what time the next train is passing at your nearest station (thanks to GPS). The app will also go into detail as to which stops the train will make and how much travel time you’ll endure. This app has been quite useful over the last few days, I highly recommend it!

As you can see, these apps can make your life much easier. Especially as a tourist and being new to the city and its public transit system. Having a pocket guide can be a priceless tool. if you can, be sure to pack your unlocked smartphone when you leave the country. That way you can pick up a local SIM and use these apps to their full potential. If you don’t want to unlock your phone, you can still use the wi-fi functionality but just keep in mind that free wi-fi is not necessarily as prevalent as back home!

My City

So I’ve been lying to you all when it comes to the city I live in... I actually live in the city of Port Phillip just south of Melbourne in an area called St. Kilda. While my pants aren’t necessarily on fire, I did manage to have a hole ripped through my fav jeans...To be quite honest I have it quite good here. I’m within walking distance of 3 supermarkets, have a tram that takes me from door-to-door to work (in under 10min), and loads of nightlife. Oh and not to forget the beach a short 10min walk away. Over the weekend we had the St. Kilda festival main day which is the main event of the 9 day festival and inspired me to write about my neighborhood. Almost half a million people descended upon my neighborhood for a wild party! While I could go into specifics about the different tourist gems around here, today I want to cover the very basics. First we’ll talk a bit about the underbelly here, next the general areas and lastly I’ll touch a bit on the nightlife.

Liar liar pants on fire!

St. Kilda is well known for it`s underbelly. I`ll always remember when I first moved here, I was quite shocked at the levels of prostitution. Having grown up on the mean streets of Vanier I`m used to seeing a hooker or two... Here however you can see 4-5 in a one block radius ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON. I`ve gotten used to them now, and they`re pretty harmless so long as you don`t taunt or provoke them. A friend of mine witnessed a couple insult one and she (maybe a he) apparently went into a drug induced rage... not smart folks! At the same time you need to remember that the hookers on the streets here are mostly drug addicts. Prostitution (in brothels) is LEGAL and regulated here in Australia which means that the girls on the street are there because a) they can`t get hired in a brothel (drugs, STDs, etc.) or b) they`re hiding something of the penis variety (buyer beware!) Most of my friends here would laugh when I complained about the hookers, as it wouldn`t be St. Kilda without them. I now make a game of counting how many I see, most shocking was 3 on a Monday at noon!

Guess what's for sale... and no it's not someone's brother...

There are two general areas that I hang out in,  Acland street and Fitzroy street. Acland street is a fairly small street lined with restaurants, shops and small bars. It does cater mostly to tourists so prices may be a little inflated, but like Fitzroy street, the bars all have specials every night to attract the backpackers travelling on a shoestring budget. Walking along Acland street, you know you’re close to the beach, and it gives off a sort of small town feel to it. Fitzroy street on the other hand feels much more urban, full of nightclubs and restaurants. There’s definitely much more selection for food, drinks, and shops along Fitzroy. Along Fitzroy you also have access to Albert Park and some great views of the CBD’s (downtown for you Canadians) skyline. 

Acland st. during the St. Kilda festival

Lastly this neighborhood is well known for it’s nightlife, and I must say my weekends have been pretty action packed. All the bars in the area have at least one night that caters to backpackers as we make up a sizable portion of the potential clientele here in St. Kilda. You’ll often see Happy Hours advertised with $5 pints and $4 mixed drinks. My favorite so far has to be the Barkly Hotel which on Fridays offers buckets of vodka (2 shots) redbull for $10 (basically $5 per shot). Now you also have the other end of the spectrum over at the Espy which sells jugs(think a pitcher minus a pint) for $18... ouch! But don’t get me wrong it’s one of my favorite bars.

The oh so dangerous $10 buckets!

Hopefully this gives you a very general idea of my hood, and I hope to tell you a little more about it in the coming weeks. I’m sure you guys are curious about some of the places I’ve mentioned and some of the tourist sites around here. At least you all have a general feel for the area and what it has to offer (apart from the hookers). I actually love my new hood. Funny enough back home in Ottawa I’d be downtown every day, here I haven’t been to the CBD in well over a week! I was quite surprised when I realized this...