Gold Coast has become Home

I have gotten very familiar with the area now...mostly by getting myself lost and then figuring out where I am. That's the way to do it! My first couple of weeks here were pretty lonely because I don't know anyone here and it is difficult to meet people in this town...Burleigh Heads is a quiet suburb. Surfer's Paradise (about 15 minutes away) is where all the action is and all the tourists tend to go. I do love Burleigh though because it is more laid back and is absolutely beautiful! But everything closes down at 9pm at the very latest...and I am a night person, so that combination doesn't mix very well. So there were definitely a few restless nights hanging around the house for me and a lot of good beach time...

Things have picked up big time though. :-) I now have two jobs and have made friends that are staying in Surfer's and have been making trips to see them quite often as well as hanging out with work friends. AND Sarah (my friend from SC) and Jess (my friend that I met at Muster) are both in Sydney now and flying up to see me tonight! They will be here until Monday and I am just so excited to have some company. And ALSO Robert (Kathryn's brother) and Paige (Robert's best friend's sister) are flying in from the US tomorrow to stay for a week! YAY!!

My first few days here were spent getting lost and passing my resume out to any place I could find to work. There are also quite a bit of horse stables around here, so Al (the house owner) encouraged me to print out something stating my interest in working at a stable along with my number so that I could put them up around town, which I did. The second day of doing this I was starting to feel pretty discouraged because no one was actually hiring and I kept getting the whole "we'll call you if something comes up" which is code for "you are never going to hear from us". Until I found this little restaurant on the beaches of Currumbin somewhat nestled back into a hotel called the Rock Resort. I almost walked right by, but decided it couldn't hurt to just stop in and say hello. Right away the lady that I spoke with was like, "oh! did you see our ad? we JUSt posted it!". It was clearly luck that I happened to stop by, seeing at I had no idea about the ad. So she sounded enthusiastic and then said she would call...

However, I am a complete LOSER and realized later on in the day that all of those resumes that I had handed out (literally about 15+)….they all had the wrong contact number on them! I swore that I proof read it, but I must have forgotten to check that part. So I quickly printed up some with the Correct phone number and took them to only the places that sounded hopeful. But I was pretty sure everyone must have thought I was an idiot. But when I stopped in the restaurant at Currumbin (The Point), she just said that she had just tried to call me and gave me the job! Friday at 5pm, catering a wedding party, can’t say that I’ve never done those before! It has really come in handy that I have had so much random work experience because it really opens the door to a lot of possibilities; hostess, waitress, catering, jewelry sales, child care, promotion, recording studio, artist management and bakery work.!

The Point Restaurant

It took me awhile to get used to all the fancy shmancy items on the menu, but I am

finally starting to get it. I do still occasionally have to ask the kitchen what something is though...

Never would I have thought that growing up around horses would lead to a job either, but that brings me to my second job. I am working for a trainer at the race course who trains race horses. She’s got 16 horses and so several times a week or whenever she needs me, I go work out there and clean the stalls, feed the horses, walk or swim the horses and prepare the feed for the next day. Its grueling work especially in this heat, but it pays!

Thank goodness for facebook or I would have no friends here. There is a group on facebook for people who are traveling Australia on a Working Holiday Visa and is a great way to talk to people who are doing the exact same thing as you. It’s a great way to get advice as to where to travel and finding accommodation and work and all that jazz. Sarah became friends with a girl from the UK who was staying in Sydney and got us in touch and then met up and she has met a nice group of people in Surfers and we have all become good friends! They are all from different parts of the UK and they are all so nice and welcoming. I have finally gotten pretty used to the Aussie accent so going from that accent to the British accent has taken some getting used to as well.
I have also made plans to meet up with several other travelers who are traveling the Gold Coast at the moment. But don’t worry! I will meet them when I am out with a group of friends and will meet at a populated area…I promise.

Halloween isn't celebrated here like it is back at home...in fact there seems to be a bit of controversy as to whether or not it should be celebrated at all because it is an "American" holiday. Some say it's just another way for the stores to try and make a bit of money. I did see a lot of Halloween decorations at the stores and a few pumpkins here and there, but they were selling for $25! Um, no thanks...I could buy them back at home for $5. So I decided that I would carve a watermelon instead. :-) I went to Surfer's Paradise for the night and there were actually a lot of people dressed up! I met up with my UK friends for a bit and then met up with some work friends...at a gay club. The bartender at work is gay and decided he wanted to take us to his favorite club for Halloween! I think most of them dress up in drag on a regular basis, but there were also all sorts of fun costumes...A LOT of angels and devils. It was definitely an entertaining evening.

That’s all for now….Sorry, I have been forgetting to take pictures again, but I will have a lot coming soon! I miss everyone terribly. Living alone here has made me realize how much I like having roommates. Well I’ll have some temporary roommates here very soon!!

All settled in on the Gold Coast

I've made it! I am all moved in and already calling this place home. Al and Helen (the couple who's house I am "sitting") left for Vietnam today. We spent all day yesterday going over what all I need to know during my stay here...so much information to take it! This morning I got up and drove them...yes DROVE them to Brisbane airport which is about 2 hours away. They had me drive all day yesterday and they are allowing me to drive their cars while they are away. It's so nice to drive again!

I absolutely love this house. The best way I could describe it is a cozy, yet spacious house with a view of downtown and the ocean...however it sits back in the trees on a little hill and allows much privacy. It is SO my style; the best of both worlds...country and beach!

This is the view from the back porch...you can see trees, downtown and then the ocean!

After returning from Brisy, I spent the day scouting out potential work places. I sent my resume to a catering company and stopped by a few restaurants and cafes on the beach. I found that it is pretty crucial for me to get an Alcohol and Gaming certification...so I have been working on that. You have to pay for the course, but you can do it online and print off your certificate. SO once I finish that (hopefully tomorrow) then I'll print those off along with my resume and pass those out. Hopefully it won't be to difficult to find work!

This is a kookaburrah that hangs out at the house...he's our little friend!

I have never been a huge fan of living by myself....I tend to let all the little sounds start to freak me out and shadows and reflections... It's my first night on my own and all that has not changed. SO anyone is welcome to come visit me! There is a spare room :-) Robert and Paige are planning on visiting me in November, so I am very much looking forward to that!

ps. I'll be here for a few months, so I am using this location as my postal address. Email me if you would like it.

---REWIND--- I forgot to put anything about my last few days in Sydney...

I did my last trip to Darling Harbor to say goodbye for now. And then decided to hop on a bus and go to a place I hadn't been to yet....a place called Coogie Beach. This is where my friend Sara is currently living and it is so fantastic!

And for my last day me and a friend (Axel) took a 2 hour train ride to get to the Blue Mountains...a trip I am so glad that I made! We spent the whole day there looking at the amazing views and bush walking and finding waterfalls...

The well know, "Three Sisters"

Incase you can't see what it says after DO NOT..." leave valuables, infants, or cameras loose on the seat beside you as they can fall off and may be lost or damaged". Geez, I hope they didn't learn that one from experience!

One week left in the Beautiful Sydney

It is so hard to believe that my time here is almost up! I have one week and a list of things that I must do before I leave. I am way to good at procrastinating...I even tend to procrastinate with traveling! So this week will be a pretty busy one.

I have been getting to know Elena (my roommate) better and have become good friends, so I'll be sad to say bye! She just got done helping to produce a play at her uni and invited me out to the celebration dinner and pub crawl in Newtown. We all met up and had Thai for dinner and then went to 4 different pubs downtown. We probably would have made it to more if it wasn't for the pouring rain that lasted all day! But I had never been on a pub crawl, so it was pretty exciting!

Elena taught me how to eat with chopsticks!! I thought it was impossible.

A very rainy Newtown.

Then the next day Elena and her boyfriend, Toby decided to take me to the driving range to hit some golf balls since I have never done it before. And I suprisingly really enjoyed it! I could totally get into it someday I think. Playing is much more exciting than watching, that's for sure. Later we went to Fox Studios to see a movie (Couples Retreat). Fox Studios Australia is not to far from downtown and is where a lot of local tv shows are recorded including Australian Idol. It is also the location for filming many Fox Films like the Matrix. It is a really nice place to visit and has shopping, several movie theatres and other attractions.

AND Today I met Sara (my American friend from Charleston) at the wharf in Circular Quay so that we could catch a ferry to Manly Beach for the day. So fun! We ended up renting cruiser bikes and riding down a bike path that led to a place called the 'worm hole'. It's a tunnel that fishermen created a long time ago. We chained up our bikes and went for a little adventure climbing over rocks and through the tunnel to the most beautiful outlook of ocean. Sara and I both agree that pictures don't do this place justice. But ofcourse we try! There were so many photo taking opportunities, so here are a few of those...

Kangaroos make me happy!

Here is a bit of interesting information provided by Kathryn Duvall.

(she is an encyclopedia for interesting facts)

The story goes that when the first European explorers saw these strange hopping animals, the like of which they had never seen before, they ask the native Australian people, the Aboriginal inhabitance, what these creature were called. They replied "Can-ga-roo" which in their language meant something along the lines of "I don't understand your question". The explorers thought this was an answer to their question, mistaking it for "kangaroo" and the name of the animal. So, henceforth the creature was called "kangaroo".

Wiki Answers tells me that this is only a myth, but I like to believe it's true because it is a fantastic story!

I had my first kangaroo encounter at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Apparently they spend a lot of time grazing there, so they are pretty used to people. I got close enough for a photo or two, but was a little afraid of getting kicked!

this one was my favorite becasue he was the smallest and least threatening

you cannot tell me that this face does not make you smile...here's a better look :-)

And my overall favorite...the baby roo in the pouch stickin his little hand out like he's sayin "wassuuup!"

Final days in the Sunny Sunshine Coast

So on my last day in the Sunshine Coast Allen and I decide to do all of the touristy things! This kept us quite busy all day. And I took a ton of pictures! First stop...Underwater World :-) The sea otters are by far my favorite. SO CUTE!!

Next we headed up to the Glass House Mountain lookout for a beautiful view and a little bush walk.

And then on to Ettamogah Pub which was built after a cartoon. We stopped off for a local brew.