"I Max Fraser Donelan do solemnly swear..." So yesterday was the first time that I had to put my left hand on a piece of paper, raise my right hand and solemnly swear that I am who I say I am, and that the above statement is correct and true. It was only a statutory declaration that my name was actually my name and that I am in Australia to live and work, but it did carry a certain aura of importance and seriousness. I was however a bit peeved that I have to solemnly swear. It wasn't a particularly sad occasion (although the JP at the cop shop did seem pretty bored), and I was actually quite happy to finally be getting this Medicare business sorted. Why couldn't I ecstatically swear? Or at least bring some kind of mild optimism to the event?
Apparently I was wrong about my name being Max anyway. My flatmate's mother came round yesterday, and I let her her in the door. When I introduced myself she gave me a quizzical look and asked me with some confusion "Your name's Mix?". I guess I need to work on dropping the Kiwi twang.
I have made some more observations of Perth, which you might take interest in. In fact for the most part they're more gripes than observations, so stop reading now if you couldn't give a rat's about my feelings on the price of lollies. Because seriously, they're expensive here. A dollar mixture will have maybe 6 lollies in it, and they're not even good. You end up spitting half of them out. I saw a self-serve lolly bin in a 'convenience store' yesterday. Lollies that should have been 5c each were 20c a pop (and they even have 5c coins here still, so there's no excuse!). What the hell is convenient about that I ask??
I was also horrified when, walking down the street minding my own business, I looked up to find that I was standing outside the Croc Shop. Yes, they have a shop devoted to Crocs. And what's worse, from what I could see from my vantage point on the footpath, Croc is diversifying its stock. I am unimpressed.
My 6 years at New World Metro have given me, other than of course valuable life experience..., a good understanding of what the words 'customer satisfaction' mean. Supermarkets here close at around 8pm, even earlier on Saturdays (don't even try to go on a Sunday). I would try and give you more accurate times, but I haven't yet seen a supermarket that has its hours of operation displayed outside the store. This is something that has been getting me quite worked up actually, and something needs to be done about it.
That's it for now. I feel like Peter Griffin when he's telling Quahog what Grinds His Gears. Next time I'll try to be less, well, solemn I guess.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
"Whispers through my Gran Torino"
Here's something you probably don't know about me. When I go to a movie at the cinema I get an irrational fear that I am going to need to go toilet during the movie, and will embarrass myself by having to squeeze past people, while also missing part of the movie, and having to embarrass myself all over again when I come back into the cinema. Sometimes this ridiculous feeling is so strong that I simply am not able to enjoy the movie and spend and hour and a half sitting there worrying that soon I might need to go to the toilet.
And every now and again I end up in a movie that is just so good that I forget I am even in a movie. I forget that I am in Perth, I forget that I paid $15 for the flick and $6 for the popcorn, I forget that I am stressed out about not being able to find a job, and I forget about the illogical angst that so often manages to ruin a movie for me. I get absorbed in the film and when it finishes I sit through the credits in silence and awe reflecting on what I have just seen. Gran Torino is one of those movies, as I discovered on Saturday. I highly recommend that you watch it.
I did not know anything about the film before going to it, except that Clint Eastwood had directed, produced and starred in it. I did not know the setting, the story line, or even how long it would be. And this is how I want to watch all movies now. I will not give anything away about the movie here, suffice to say that the characters are wonderful and the story is gripping. Go see it.
And every now and again I end up in a movie that is just so good that I forget I am even in a movie. I forget that I am in Perth, I forget that I paid $15 for the flick and $6 for the popcorn, I forget that I am stressed out about not being able to find a job, and I forget about the illogical angst that so often manages to ruin a movie for me. I get absorbed in the film and when it finishes I sit through the credits in silence and awe reflecting on what I have just seen. Gran Torino is one of those movies, as I discovered on Saturday. I highly recommend that you watch it.
I did not know anything about the film before going to it, except that Clint Eastwood had directed, produced and starred in it. I did not know the setting, the story line, or even how long it would be. And this is how I want to watch all movies now. I will not give anything away about the movie here, suffice to say that the characters are wonderful and the story is gripping. Go see it.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Perth - first impressions
I like Perth.
Today it's another pearler. Literally not a cloud in the sky (we've had a few days like this). Directly overhead it's a beautiful deep blue, getting paler towards the horizon. Just earlier I looked up and high overhead was a flock of about a dozen white birds circling and cartwheeling. Pretty damn cool.
Well, there are things about Perth that I think are pretty cool, some not so cool. Here's a bit of a run down on some of those things.
Taxis
Our first experience of Perth, after the train station, was the taxi to our hostel. The driver was in a shitty mood because he missed out on a $120 fare and instead got us, for $10. Then he took us to the wrong street because he was all worked up. Whoops. The next time we caught a cab it was the same company. The driver didn't know the way (and our street is hardly a back alley) so relied on his GPS. Of course this took him the wrong way and we ended up on a one-way street heading in the wrong direction. We got out and walked the rest of the way. We were assured by friends that this was still the company to cab with, so we tried them one more time. We gave the driver $22 for a $12 fare, and he gave us a 5er change, instead of a 10er. We had had a few drinks so didn't realise 'til the next morning. Damn you Swan Taxis!
Beaches
On our first day in Perth we went to Cottesloe Beach, and headed to Scarborough beach on the second day. GREAT beaches here. Good for body surfing (or just surfing, but I'm not doin' that just yet). Warm water (and that's not Oriental Bay warm, I'm talking hopping in a bath warm) and great sand make them ideal for almost anything. Well done the beaches.
Roads
I mentioned a one-way street earlier - there is an extensive one-way system in Perth, which seems to work but would be confusing for new drivers here (or some taxi drivers, apparently). I don't like the phasing of the traffic lights (an odd complaint I know), and drivers are pretty bad with letting other cars change lanes etc, and someone seems to be honking their horn at every intersection. There are cycle lanes everywhere which is really good, and in some less built up areas the speed limit is 60 rather than 50.
Public transport
Is good inner city. Buses are free in the inner city, and there are 3 loop routes in the city (the CATs) that have dedicated buses on them. They have a screen that tells you the next stop coming up, and even a friendly robot voice that announces the current bus stop in an inoffensive manner. At the bus stops there is a display telling you when the next bus is expected (and the CATS run every 7 minutes, so it is very easy getting around the city). I have not caught a train or bus out of the inner city yet, although I am told it is not quite as good as the inner city transport. To get to the beaches you really do need a car, but I guess it is worth it. I caught a ferry across the river the other day, and it is only $1.60 for the 7 minute trip, which I thought was pretty decent.
Food and beverage
You can not buy dozens here. You buy either a half-doz or a carton (2 doz). It is a bit odd I find. Booze is also dearer, which I think everyone probably already knows. They love their flavoured milk here. There are lots of brands and some random flavours (spearmint...).
Accommodation
Our hostel is not brilliant for the price. I have a few complaints but will not bore you with them here. We used the interweb to find a flat, posting ads and searching other people's ads. We were contacted by a guy that had 2 rooms available - one for $265 and one for $295. We went and met him and looked at the 295 room. It was a bit of a shitter. We found it odd that the landlord was finding tenants rather than the flatmates looking for people. It would seem that he looks for people new to Perth and rips them off, basically. We didn't bother looking at the 265 room. Tell him he's dreaming. On the way back to the hostel we looked at a room for 175 incl power and gas. It was great, with nice flatmates, so on Tuesday we move in. Yuss. And screw you Rolf with your overpriced dumps.
Yeah so that's Perth in a nutshell for me so far. A lot of that was negative I just realised but I actually do really like the city. We are in an area with lots of crazy Vietnamese supermarkets, and heaps of restaurants. The city is quite compact and there seem to be a few nice parks around. I haven't met many Aussies yet, but people seem nice enough. The weather is usually sweltering, and the sun is piercing, so you have to be careful not to burn. I will take some photos of a sunset over the Indian Ocean. They are absolutely off the hook.
'Til next time.
Today it's another pearler. Literally not a cloud in the sky (we've had a few days like this). Directly overhead it's a beautiful deep blue, getting paler towards the horizon. Just earlier I looked up and high overhead was a flock of about a dozen white birds circling and cartwheeling. Pretty damn cool.
Well, there are things about Perth that I think are pretty cool, some not so cool. Here's a bit of a run down on some of those things.
Taxis
Our first experience of Perth, after the train station, was the taxi to our hostel. The driver was in a shitty mood because he missed out on a $120 fare and instead got us, for $10. Then he took us to the wrong street because he was all worked up. Whoops. The next time we caught a cab it was the same company. The driver didn't know the way (and our street is hardly a back alley) so relied on his GPS. Of course this took him the wrong way and we ended up on a one-way street heading in the wrong direction. We got out and walked the rest of the way. We were assured by friends that this was still the company to cab with, so we tried them one more time. We gave the driver $22 for a $12 fare, and he gave us a 5er change, instead of a 10er. We had had a few drinks so didn't realise 'til the next morning. Damn you Swan Taxis!
Beaches
On our first day in Perth we went to Cottesloe Beach, and headed to Scarborough beach on the second day. GREAT beaches here. Good for body surfing (or just surfing, but I'm not doin' that just yet). Warm water (and that's not Oriental Bay warm, I'm talking hopping in a bath warm) and great sand make them ideal for almost anything. Well done the beaches.
Roads
I mentioned a one-way street earlier - there is an extensive one-way system in Perth, which seems to work but would be confusing for new drivers here (or some taxi drivers, apparently). I don't like the phasing of the traffic lights (an odd complaint I know), and drivers are pretty bad with letting other cars change lanes etc, and someone seems to be honking their horn at every intersection. There are cycle lanes everywhere which is really good, and in some less built up areas the speed limit is 60 rather than 50.
Public transport
Is good inner city. Buses are free in the inner city, and there are 3 loop routes in the city (the CATs) that have dedicated buses on them. They have a screen that tells you the next stop coming up, and even a friendly robot voice that announces the current bus stop in an inoffensive manner. At the bus stops there is a display telling you when the next bus is expected (and the CATS run every 7 minutes, so it is very easy getting around the city). I have not caught a train or bus out of the inner city yet, although I am told it is not quite as good as the inner city transport. To get to the beaches you really do need a car, but I guess it is worth it. I caught a ferry across the river the other day, and it is only $1.60 for the 7 minute trip, which I thought was pretty decent.
Food and beverage
You can not buy dozens here. You buy either a half-doz or a carton (2 doz). It is a bit odd I find. Booze is also dearer, which I think everyone probably already knows. They love their flavoured milk here. There are lots of brands and some random flavours (spearmint...).
Accommodation
Our hostel is not brilliant for the price. I have a few complaints but will not bore you with them here. We used the interweb to find a flat, posting ads and searching other people's ads. We were contacted by a guy that had 2 rooms available - one for $265 and one for $295. We went and met him and looked at the 295 room. It was a bit of a shitter. We found it odd that the landlord was finding tenants rather than the flatmates looking for people. It would seem that he looks for people new to Perth and rips them off, basically. We didn't bother looking at the 265 room. Tell him he's dreaming. On the way back to the hostel we looked at a room for 175 incl power and gas. It was great, with nice flatmates, so on Tuesday we move in. Yuss. And screw you Rolf with your overpriced dumps.
Yeah so that's Perth in a nutshell for me so far. A lot of that was negative I just realised but I actually do really like the city. We are in an area with lots of crazy Vietnamese supermarkets, and heaps of restaurants. The city is quite compact and there seem to be a few nice parks around. I haven't met many Aussies yet, but people seem nice enough. The weather is usually sweltering, and the sun is piercing, so you have to be careful not to burn. I will take some photos of a sunset over the Indian Ocean. They are absolutely off the hook.
'Til next time.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Training days - from Sydney to Perth on the Indian Pacific
On Wednesday 4 February our train pulled out from Platform 1, Sydney Central Station, bang on time at 2.55pm. It was the start of a 3 day adventure across the biggest island in the world, the great southern continent, home of that swagman sitting by the billibong, Australia.
I first heard about the Indian Pacific train journey in Bill Bryson's The Lost Continent. It immediately struck me as something that I would rather like to do, and as it turns out Grace was keen on it as well, and so we planned our trip to Australia around it, with 3 nights in Sydney before heading off an a trip that would get us into Perth on a Saturday morning, which seemed a logical arrival time to explore some of the city and have some fun before the impending yet inevitable job/flat hunt.
The departure from Sydney was slow. We crawled along as we gave way to the time-constrained suburban trains, slowly moving out of the inner city to the poorer and more run down suburbs in the west. It was a side of Sydney I had not yet seen. So far for me, Sydney had been a city of, basically, money. Now I saw that it was like any other city. On arrival you see the flashy, glamorous place you came to see. After a bit of digging you find the Cannon's Creeks and the Otaras.
The Blue Mountains came and went faster than expected, needless to say they provided some beautiful scenery. The first night was a rather sleepless one. The ride was not what one would call smooth, and everything in our wardrobe-sized cabin seemed to rattle and clang. And the cabin really was something of a wardrobe. There are 2 main classes on the Indian Pacific. We were in the Red Kangaroo class, which is separated into 'Daynighter Seat' - essentially like sitting in an aeroplane for 3 days, from what I can tell - and 'Sleeper Cabin', which we went for. The carriage had rooms on either side, separated by a winding corridor just wide enough to pass someone, provided you were comfortable with pushing past either their bum or front bits. The room itself was a feat of engineering. Floor space was at a minimum. We had a seat each, facing one another, and a little table in between that could be folded into the wall. Once you had folded the arm rests back on the seats the bottom bunk could be, you guessed it, folded down from the wall, and the upper bunk then lowered down from the ceiling. We also had a sink that had no drain in the bottom, but when FOLDED back the water drained down the back of it. I am sure that it must have been the work of German car manufacturers.
On Thursday morning we arrived in the old mining town of Broken Hill, home of BHP Billiton, one of the Goliaths of the mining world. As it was 7am, everything happened to be closed, which was very disappointing. I couldn't get into the museum, or even the local equivalent of Four Square. I was puzzled by the two women walking around with small branches in their hands, when I realised that they were in fact geniuses, as their makeshift fly swats were a necessity. The flies were relentless. Stop for a moment and they were crawling on your face and arms. I reckon I got OOS from the constant swatting. I knew they were all over my back, but rather there than my face. We had actually booked a tour of the town from the train, but the bus left without us, which put us out somewhat.
That afternoon we arrived in Adelaide, which was designed by the same man as Christchurch, which about sums that city up. It was stinking hot and getting back to the train after 3 or so hours was very nice indeed. Our train's crew switched over and we were on our way once again. Sleeping pills and earplugs made the night a bit more pleasant.
The following day saw us arrive in the 'ghost town of the Nullabor', Cook. At population 4 there is not a lot happening in Cook. It exists to serve trains that pass through, and there is an impressive array of postcards, tea towels and teaspoons available for purchase from the only shop. The school is probably haunted and every square inch of ground is swarming with ants. Once again the flies manage to distract the ambling tourist from the sheer vastness of the surroundings, and after a wee walk around and lots of photos the train once more provides a welcome refuge from the heat and insects.
Friday came and as we trundled west we were diverted along a hastily built piece of temporary track. A week earlier the area had been washed out and a freight train had been derailed. It was an impressive sight to see whole carriages crumpled and shipping containers strewn about like toys in a sandpit.
That evening we were treated to Kalgoorlie. The first locals we saw were a ute load of young guys hanging out the window pulling the finger and shouting at the new arrivals 'Mother f***ers! Suck my d***!'. I didn't expect much following this, and the hostile atmosphere in the pubs we ventured into was enough for me to label Kalgoorlie my Least Favourite Place in Australia So Far. At least there was a pharmacy still open to buy more sleeping pills. And impressive lightening storm closing in on the town provided an awe-inspiring sight as the train pulled away and we entered the final stretch.
We arrived in Perth just after 9 on Saturday morning. It had been an adventure for sure, but I think that one more night in those close confines would have been stretching it. I felt for the travellers in the Daynighter seats. I had seen an emu, camels, a wallaby, eagles and dingoes, and visited some of the most isolated towns the continent had to offer. I was sleep deprived and looking forward to a good meal, but I was glad that I had done it, and look forward to one day riding the Ghan, which traverses the continent North and South.
Next time I might save my pennies and go Gold service though.
(Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=77468&id=623332446&l=255af)
I first heard about the Indian Pacific train journey in Bill Bryson's The Lost Continent. It immediately struck me as something that I would rather like to do, and as it turns out Grace was keen on it as well, and so we planned our trip to Australia around it, with 3 nights in Sydney before heading off an a trip that would get us into Perth on a Saturday morning, which seemed a logical arrival time to explore some of the city and have some fun before the impending yet inevitable job/flat hunt.
The departure from Sydney was slow. We crawled along as we gave way to the time-constrained suburban trains, slowly moving out of the inner city to the poorer and more run down suburbs in the west. It was a side of Sydney I had not yet seen. So far for me, Sydney had been a city of, basically, money. Now I saw that it was like any other city. On arrival you see the flashy, glamorous place you came to see. After a bit of digging you find the Cannon's Creeks and the Otaras.
The Blue Mountains came and went faster than expected, needless to say they provided some beautiful scenery. The first night was a rather sleepless one. The ride was not what one would call smooth, and everything in our wardrobe-sized cabin seemed to rattle and clang. And the cabin really was something of a wardrobe. There are 2 main classes on the Indian Pacific. We were in the Red Kangaroo class, which is separated into 'Daynighter Seat' - essentially like sitting in an aeroplane for 3 days, from what I can tell - and 'Sleeper Cabin', which we went for. The carriage had rooms on either side, separated by a winding corridor just wide enough to pass someone, provided you were comfortable with pushing past either their bum or front bits. The room itself was a feat of engineering. Floor space was at a minimum. We had a seat each, facing one another, and a little table in between that could be folded into the wall. Once you had folded the arm rests back on the seats the bottom bunk could be, you guessed it, folded down from the wall, and the upper bunk then lowered down from the ceiling. We also had a sink that had no drain in the bottom, but when FOLDED back the water drained down the back of it. I am sure that it must have been the work of German car manufacturers.
On Thursday morning we arrived in the old mining town of Broken Hill, home of BHP Billiton, one of the Goliaths of the mining world. As it was 7am, everything happened to be closed, which was very disappointing. I couldn't get into the museum, or even the local equivalent of Four Square. I was puzzled by the two women walking around with small branches in their hands, when I realised that they were in fact geniuses, as their makeshift fly swats were a necessity. The flies were relentless. Stop for a moment and they were crawling on your face and arms. I reckon I got OOS from the constant swatting. I knew they were all over my back, but rather there than my face. We had actually booked a tour of the town from the train, but the bus left without us, which put us out somewhat.
That afternoon we arrived in Adelaide, which was designed by the same man as Christchurch, which about sums that city up. It was stinking hot and getting back to the train after 3 or so hours was very nice indeed. Our train's crew switched over and we were on our way once again. Sleeping pills and earplugs made the night a bit more pleasant.
The following day saw us arrive in the 'ghost town of the Nullabor', Cook. At population 4 there is not a lot happening in Cook. It exists to serve trains that pass through, and there is an impressive array of postcards, tea towels and teaspoons available for purchase from the only shop. The school is probably haunted and every square inch of ground is swarming with ants. Once again the flies manage to distract the ambling tourist from the sheer vastness of the surroundings, and after a wee walk around and lots of photos the train once more provides a welcome refuge from the heat and insects.
Friday came and as we trundled west we were diverted along a hastily built piece of temporary track. A week earlier the area had been washed out and a freight train had been derailed. It was an impressive sight to see whole carriages crumpled and shipping containers strewn about like toys in a sandpit.
That evening we were treated to Kalgoorlie. The first locals we saw were a ute load of young guys hanging out the window pulling the finger and shouting at the new arrivals 'Mother f***ers! Suck my d***!'. I didn't expect much following this, and the hostile atmosphere in the pubs we ventured into was enough for me to label Kalgoorlie my Least Favourite Place in Australia So Far. At least there was a pharmacy still open to buy more sleeping pills. And impressive lightening storm closing in on the town provided an awe-inspiring sight as the train pulled away and we entered the final stretch.
We arrived in Perth just after 9 on Saturday morning. It had been an adventure for sure, but I think that one more night in those close confines would have been stretching it. I felt for the travellers in the Daynighter seats. I had seen an emu, camels, a wallaby, eagles and dingoes, and visited some of the most isolated towns the continent had to offer. I was sleep deprived and looking forward to a good meal, but I was glad that I had done it, and look forward to one day riding the Ghan, which traverses the continent North and South.
Next time I might save my pennies and go Gold service though.
(Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=77468&id=623332446&l=255af)
Sunday, February 8, 2009
More Aussie adventures
Well we made it to Perth. There was going to be a post between this and the previous one but the computer managed to wipe it. Bummer.
So back in Sydney I managed to do lots of touristy stuff. Went to the Wildlife World and saw a whole bunch of cool Australian beasties. Jealous of the fiddler-beetle! Went on to the Aquarium after that which was alright but I reckon I prefer Kelly Tarlton's (although that is based solely on childhood memories). Jealous of the fiddler-crab! Went and had a look at Chinatown, including a crazy bakery that sold things like chocolate and cheese rolls. I didn't try one. Fish and chips is way more expensive over here ($9 for a battered fish and a scoop!).
We went for a walk in the botanic gardens too and saw the bats hanging from the trees, which is pretty cool. This took us to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge where we did the mandatory photo taking. Caught a ferry on the harbour and decided to get off at Sydney Olympic Village - sounded pretty cool. Turns out it is just a big industrial area with sweltering heat, roads for miles and no shops to buy a drink or an icecream. We felt pretty jipped and saw other tourists that must've fallen into the same trap. Shame on us.
Will fill you in on the train ride across the continent next time!
So back in Sydney I managed to do lots of touristy stuff. Went to the Wildlife World and saw a whole bunch of cool Australian beasties. Jealous of the fiddler-beetle! Went on to the Aquarium after that which was alright but I reckon I prefer Kelly Tarlton's (although that is based solely on childhood memories). Jealous of the fiddler-crab! Went and had a look at Chinatown, including a crazy bakery that sold things like chocolate and cheese rolls. I didn't try one. Fish and chips is way more expensive over here ($9 for a battered fish and a scoop!).
We went for a walk in the botanic gardens too and saw the bats hanging from the trees, which is pretty cool. This took us to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge where we did the mandatory photo taking. Caught a ferry on the harbour and decided to get off at Sydney Olympic Village - sounded pretty cool. Turns out it is just a big industrial area with sweltering heat, roads for miles and no shops to buy a drink or an icecream. We felt pretty jipped and saw other tourists that must've fallen into the same trap. Shame on us.
Will fill you in on the train ride across the continent next time!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Sydney Day 2
Yeah so here I am in Sydney, sweating away in an internet cafe, drinking a hot coffee when I should be sucking on ice cubes. Flight over was all good, couldn't sleep and the 'wonderful' personal computer system in the back of the seats was, of course, broken. Cabbed to Grace's mate's place in Bondi - man, taxis in Sydney are WAY cheaper than in Wellington. It's a bit odd though, they obviously haven't had EFTPOS here for long and the minimum spend in a lot of shops is $10-12 which I find quite weird.
There are lots of posers. We walked along the coast from Bondi to Coogee and there are just tanned muscly people everywhere showing off. There are even 'exercise points' along the pathway where people can do pull-ups and stomach crunches for us all to see their manly manliness. A bit different. Nice to have a swim at Gordon's Bay to cool off though, and the walk is actually very nice.
We went to Grace's old workplace the Tea Room. Man it's nice. We had bubbly and high-tea and the service was mint and the building it's in, the Queen Victoria Building, is splendid. Real flash.
Gotta sort a cellphone and ATM card today, then maybe hit the Aquarium. And probably shower 3 more times. I'm sweating like a fiddler.
There are lots of posers. We walked along the coast from Bondi to Coogee and there are just tanned muscly people everywhere showing off. There are even 'exercise points' along the pathway where people can do pull-ups and stomach crunches for us all to see their manly manliness. A bit different. Nice to have a swim at Gordon's Bay to cool off though, and the walk is actually very nice.
We went to Grace's old workplace the Tea Room. Man it's nice. We had bubbly and high-tea and the service was mint and the building it's in, the Queen Victoria Building, is splendid. Real flash.
Gotta sort a cellphone and ATM card today, then maybe hit the Aquarium. And probably shower 3 more times. I'm sweating like a fiddler.
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