Home Sweet Home via Asia for 4 weeks

well where do i start?! so much has changed in these few weeks, firstly I'm home sweet home from travelling and working abroad for 2 years, I'm in a relationship, i have a job, I'm looking into further education which is something i never imagined doing in a million years. before i surprised everyone when i came home a week earlier than expected i spent an amazing 4 weeks by myself travelling Thailand for the 2nd time, i had such a wonderful time and brought home an amazing suntan! lots of swimming, snorkeling, diving, boat trips, scooter riding, pad Thai, Chang beer, elephants.. loved it.snorkeling at koh toa, near koh samaui.
Portugal with mark, sun, sand and sangria x
so what will be the next adventure? japan? new zealand? devon? hmmm.. i have the trtavel bug, its addictive!

out of the outback

After nearly 2 years of independent travelling and I still have no idea what I want to be when I’m older. I just want to be happy. I know what makes me happy; travelling.

But travelling isn’t a career. Maybe I could take holidays from work and travel for week or two? This would be a break from working , but wouldn’t be travelling. I’m a person who wants to get accepted in a country, befriend the locals, taste the food that makes me queasy, find the hidden places, loose myself, to get this you must relax and enjoy the ride. Its not to be rushed. Life isn’t a destination; it’s a journey.

Always seem to me back at square one. Maybe my next face book status should be asking for career help. Guidance wouldn’t go a miss, if anyone is out there listening to me ( or reading this) its good to know someone is. The whole feeling of a problem shared is a problem halved. So true.

Life is strange, I remember times when I would think too much about it and get so upset that I couldn’t find the answers. Why are we here? Why me? What’s behind space? What’s the point? I’ve found peace, I still don’t have the answers but I’ve accepted that I wont find them.

I have recently finish the best seller ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ and truly felt like I had a connection, as I left love, friends, family to go travel and find myself; but I had just turned 19 unlike the write who was 35. She described the feelings I felt being ‘trapped’ at home, and the discoveries beyond words which travelling brings. I now want to eat in Italy, pray in India and find love in Bali which is what happened to the writer Elizabeth when she went travelling for a year. it’s a real eye opener for people who haven’t read it, I really recommend it. I haven’t yet seen the movie, but have been told its not as good as the book (as people usually do say!) Have you read it? Any comments appreciated! I’m now shopping for the next book ‘commitment’ in the sequel.

Ok I admit it I’ve had enough living in the outback. I’m sick of it. Its making my skin break out, I’m depressed which is causing me to eat far too much Milo and vegemite on toast. Also I’m homesick. So I’ve handed in my notice and back to back packing, I’ve saved a few $$s so I’ll be able to travel until my visa runs out in July. But it would be nice to have some ££s when I’m home, so I’m thinking of getting a reception/ cleaning job in a hostel which will pay for free accommodation. Or I might head to Bowen to do some more fruit picking as a friend I met at the snow has offered to put me up until I get a job which is brilliant, and obviously I’ve offered to do the same to her if she decideds to come to England.

So decision time, where should I go.. Townsville is the nearest city on the coast to me, so I’ll get a flight there and see how it goes. Its on the Whitsundays coast so its going to be beautiful. Tempted to head back to Sydney to see Izzy and Adrienne but its bloody freezing down there.

Cant wait for my next adventure, lets see where it takes me…

Its funny how things work out, I always follow the saying ‘everything happens for a reason’. I’ve started to worry less about what the future holds for me. I still have mixed feelings about going home, but I am really excited to see what the next chapter in my life is.

At the start of the year I said goodbye to my sister after an amazing visit from her. I was left felling really alone and down after such a high. ( I hid myself in a book my sister left for 12 hours) I started to look for jobs the day after she left; internet, job centre, posters on the notice board in the hostel I was staying at, contacted all of my friendly Australian friends, face book help status ‘I NEED A JOB ASAP, HELP?’ etc

Within a week I was offered 4 jobs. One in New Zealand, three in Australia; Sydney, outback Queensland and outback Northern Territory. It is a great feeling to be ‘wanted’ and I was extremely happy feeling as if the weight had been lifted. I stress so much when I’m job hunting, although I don’t show it.

As I had 6 months left of my Australian visa I wanted to make the most of it and stay in the country so this ruled out the job in New Zealand. The interview is Sydney went well but it didn’t feel more than just an option. I declined the offer. Now I was only left with one job in Northern Territory which sounded great and I was looking forward to visiting another Australian state. As I was waiting for my cousin I had a phone call from a lady offering me a job in outback Queensland, she had seen my profile and resume online and phoned me after she had a look. It was a surprise but I had that amazing butterfly feeling on my stomach and I knew this was the job for me. The job was in a settlement in McKinlay, their claim to fame is the Walkabout Hotel which was the set for Crocodile Dundee.

That evening the hostel I joined my 5 mixed dorm room mates down stairs to the outdoor/indoor smoking area where usually goon, cigarettes and a lot of bodily fluids are shared. I spent a while chatting to a guy who was planning to hitch from Sydney to Perth. After a few hours I noticed his t-shirt. An image of the Walkabout Hotel which I educated him on. This was my sign.

I flew up later that week and have been working in the outback of Queensland for 8 weeks now. Loving life, really testing myself with what I am capable of doing. Really enjoying this valuable experience teaching on the cattle station.

In the next few weeks the annual Dirt and Dust festival in Julia Creek is being held. Triathlon for all ages and abilities, country/western music and entertainment, rodeo, best but competition, etc. looking forward to getting dirty and dusty!

I’m planning a long weekend in Sydney in Easter half term to catch up with friends and cousins living there at the moment. Cant wait. As my horoscope said today; I need a well deserved break from working hard.

Getting back into the real world

I'm counting down the days til I come home! (20 weeks) Last Wednesday it was teh 26th which means only 5 months til I'll be home for my 21st! Cant wait to see family and friends.I was thinking of coming home sooner but I thought it would be best to save money so I wont have to worry about $$ around my birthday, Glastonbury, catching up with everyone etc. plus I really would love to have a holiday in Thailand or somewhere else in Aisa before I come home, just to reduce the jetlag hehe.

Hmmm, I've been thinking about a career when I get home, but I'm still stuck! Its really an eye opener listening to everyones stories, I met a lady who flies in a small airplane to rural villages and teaches art and craft once a month to adults and children. From being you knaround the baby I've found and been told I'm good around her, but I'm not sure I would be able to be a midwife, I have been thinking about work at airports.. maybe security/customs checking bags, one of those people who is always on a walkie talking making everything runs smoothly, still interested in massage therpy but I think its more I would like to recieve then give.. Speach thearpy? Classroom assistant? Some kind of teaching, I went through all my lessons at Pilton and they only class I think I would like to teach would be Textiles which is strange beacause I didnt really like Mrs.Miller.. Could I be the new Mrs.Recycle... Could team up with Mr.Recycle from Byron Bay but he might be a bit too excentric!

I feel like I'm behind everyone with uni, but I do feel I have alot more common sense/life experience then people who go straight into uni after college, and also I get told I'm very young to travel as usuaally I'm the youngest and everyone else is 24/25 or just left uni.

I've been thinking of things I was to join/do etc when I come home: get back in to D of E (I have 4 years left..) get back in to riding if I dont get too much hayfever, save for a car, visit my friends in wales, scottland, germany, italy, austria, me and em go and stay with grannie for a night/weekend- like we used to do when we were little, take mum dad and em to St.Ives for a holiday?! Also as I do have the travel bug... travel Europe, USA, Canada and South America.. And maybe another snow season..

I did an online career questionaire, here are my results:

Your test results indicate you are ESA

Artistic: Prefer work that is creative in nature. Like to write, draw, or produce skilled crafts. Prefer an unstructured work environment where they can dream and create.

Social: Prefer working directly with people rather than with ideas or things. Like to teach,, support, counsel and care for others. Like constant interaction with others and feel a sense of accomplishment from helping others.

Enterprising: Prefer managing the work activities of others. Like to persuade or influence others by selling ideas, thoughts, or beliefs. Like power and politics and the ability to delegate responsibilities to others.

The results didn't really help but I found it interesting, I've just read an email from my mum and it has made me smile...

'keep an open mind and positive, as long as your happy, healthly. enjoying life and have enough money to get by; does it really matter what you do?'

Outback Life

Well I've settled in well here in McKinlay, I'm really in the middle of the outback! McKinlay is a tiny settlement that would have been doomed to eternal insignificance had it not been used as a location in the amazingly successful movie Crocodile Dundee. I am now working as a Governess, I'm a home tutor for 2 children ages 5 and 8 and I also take care of a 6 month old baby. I work hard, long hours but the pay is very rewarding. I have my own 4 bedroom house with everything I need. I've been having lots of fun but I do missing having a busy social life!

Today I was Miss.Helen with Dylan and we made a long alphabet poster, (very colourful and all made from colourful scrap paper and card), read about 5 books about 3 times each, collected materials for sand and water play and played with small animal toys with the weighing scales. Then went for a swim with Dylan and Zara in their pool, lots of swimming, diving, swimming through legs which keep getting smaller and smaller, underwater handstands and playing with the volley ball and other inflatable toys!

Then after swimming we made banana smoothies and I had baby strapped to my tummy and I was Miss.Helen to Zara teaching and helping her with English, checking other work she did whilst I was teaching Dylan, fun maths games, etc. Also managed to make a wallchart for Zara which has lots of fairies, glitter, mushrooms, etc. very magical!

For rewards Dylan gets to play a online computer game for half an hour if he gets 4 stars. Zara will get to go for a drive with me to the road house (petrol station) for an ice cream and play tennis in the courts in the tiny settlement. I swear I've seen about 10 people who live here. So after school was over I did alot of washing and cleaning, I made three beds up for 3 school of the air teachers who have come to stay the night to meet their new students in the area.

Emma Stella Rose

My wonderful 18 year old sister came to visit me in Australia for a month over Christmas and New Year, it was a wonderful and a very tearful reunion after a year and a half. I made an 'Emma' welcome banner which I held up at the airport whilst waiting for her to come out of customs, I was told by a member of staff at the airport that it was a very beautiful sign and as she said those words I burst out in tears and managed to say something like thanks its for my sister who I haven't seen in ages! I'll let you guess how I was when I saw her! I showed her around my favourite places in New South Wales and Queensland. We met up with our cousin and spent Christmas together with her. I cant explain how good it was to see her and just hang out like we usually do..

Goodbye snow gear, hello bikini, sun sea and sand..

Whilst spending the snow season at Thredbo I became great friends with a couple of people, one which I decided to stay with and look for work in Byron Bay/Lennox Head area as I LOVE BYRON BAY! Byron Bay is Gods magical promised land, new age, laid-back, organic-fusion lifestyle, Byron is for healing, to tune in, tune out, tone up and tan up. Beautiful endless beaches, delirious nightlife and an ambling milieu.

Also after the snow I spend a week in Sydney with friends which was alot of fun. Once up at Byron Bay we found a house just outside which was only $80/pw, Bargain! I made good friends with my new housemates, alot of days spend at the Lennox Lake with beers in inflatable rubber tubs, at the beach for a swim/surf or just a coffee (as we lived litterally on the beach, bliss..) I did alot of hitching into Byron as I didnt have a car and its a safe area to hitch, the nights out were unforgettable and I spent New Years Eve in Byron which was mental with my bestfriend/sister! I was working at first in a juice bar but later quit to work more hours cleaning 5* holiday resorts around the area, a big eye opener!

Snow Snow Snow

Getting a taste of a snow season last year I knew I wanted to get back into another season, last year I learnt to Ski this year kept skiing but also learnt to Snowboard. I worked for the Thredbo resort in hospitality, working behind a bar. Handing out hot chocolates with marshmallows; decorated with hand made snow flake stencils, beer and pub grub! Thredbo has the longest runs in Australia and the village itself is eye candy, very cute buildings with designer boutiques and trendy coffee shops

I had the time of my life living getting out in the snow as much as possible, making great friends, alot of drinking!, hitching, house parties, nights out in Banjos/ LJs etc.

Also managed to save money which was a great bonus and my best friend came to visit and enjoy the snow!

BULA FIJI

I shared my amazing 20th Birthday in Fiji with a close friend, we both had a tight budget but that didnt stop us having an unfogettable time! We flew from Brisbane direct to Nadi which seemed very quick and it was nice to have someone travelling with me for a change! We arraived with little knowledge of the country and we hadnt made any plans. (Always the best way!) We found a cheap hostel/hotel with a pool to stay for the night and the next day we booked transport and accomidation on the islands. In total we visited over 10 islands in 2 weeks, they were all paradise. Beautiful sunsets, amazing tropical waters, colourful fish/ star fish and other sea creatures, boat trips, coconut cocktails, snokelling and cave trips, school visits, perfect 'holiday' .. Met fellow travellers travelling around the world either going to or just come form New Zealand and Australia. Always good to share thoughts and feelings about places you have visited or plan to visit, picked up alot of useful information!

Came back to Australia with an amazing tan just in time to change my bikini for skipants and thermals, Bring on another ski season 2010 at Thredbo!

Brisbane > flight > Sydney > Bus > Thredbo

Never frown; you never know who is falling in love with your smile

Thailand 2010, returning in 5 months and can't wait to get back to paradise!

My discovered photos

Above is a photograph I made in Fiji using slow sutterspeed and a small torch, it was alot of fun and I was really pleased with the results, I miss Fiji!

Just a Koala seen on the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne to Adelaide, such a cutie!

A pin to show where youre from in the world, alot of european travellers obviously..

Lifes a Beach

Brighton Beach, Melbourne

Stay Cool Melbourne

Lipton Ice Tea Promotion on St.Kilda Beach, Melbourne.

Tomato Picking, $10 a bucket

Ok, lets just say I will never look at a tomato the same way. The work involved getting up at 6 in the morning waiting for a farmer to collect you from the working backpackers accommodation usually around half 6/7. Then drive for a while until you reach the farm, and pick tomato's all day long!
$10 for a bucket...

Melbourne street performers. raw funky fresh new talent from Japan

Ron Mueck

Ron Mueck is an Australian hyperrealist sculptor working in the United Kingdom, I saw his exhibition in Melbounre recently and was amazed at the size of the scultures and how realistic they are. "Mueck increasingly wanted to produce realistic sculptures which looked perfect from all angles.

A Girl" by Ron Mueck (2006)

I LOVE YOU, Happy Valentines Day From Thailand

More Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is busy, colourful and noisy. I love tasting the new exciting foods and taking Tuk Tuk rides through the city. There is so much to see! The local markets I've been to are my favourite as you can sample daily life and the prices are so cheap! There was a very colourful bouncy castle which was cover in beautiful Thai children who were having the time of there life! The market brought the community together and everyone had a smile on their face. Wasn't very keen on the chicken feet soup, but spoilt myself with a coconut pancake which I watched being made and cooked. I will be back in Bangkok in a fortnight with more details and photos!