Last post of 2008

Hey All!
Well it is December 30th at 11pm, the last time I will go to bed in 2008. Tomorrow is the last day of the year so I am trying to think of a New Years resolution. So far I haven't come up with one. I think I would like to be healthier in 2009, but those resolutions don't seem to stick too long. In 2007 I gave up soft drinks and since I have been in Australia that has sorta "died in the ass" meaning I haven't done so well with that since I got here. I think I will try and give that up again. And since I got so much chocolate for Christmas I will NOT be giving that up. But I would like to eat more fruit and veggies and less sour cream and mayonnaise. I would like to do more yoga and not be scared to take tours with hiking for fear I will be out of breath and embarrassed. Losing weight is one thing, but being healthy is something totally different. I guess I just don't want to be lazy and eat crap foods. I have also thought that "letting go" of all my ridiculous fears would be another great resolution but I worry that it is just too big to take on at this time. If you can believe it I'm already worried about what I will do when I get home. I am sure this need to worry is just something I have in me that I will never get rid of. I also don't want to be jealous or envy people. I want to be fortunate with what I have and who I am. This is one of those things I reckon (he he) people forget daily. I am constantly jealous and envious of people and things around me. I forget that I am perfect where I am and who I am. There is no one in this world exactly like me so I don't need to change one bit. Yet that sort of contradicts the whole resolution thing. But really I don't want to change, I just want to enhance my goodness and decrease the complaining, soft drinks, and jealousy. So tomorrow is my last day in 2008, and I plan to go out with a bang! I sure do hope 2009 starts with a warm sunny day so I can forget about how my head hurts from my 2008 exit.
Happy New Years all, and make sure you read my next post to see exactly how I spent my new years.
p.s. I'll let you know what 2009 is like since I will experience it first.

Until next time in 2009,
Cindy

For some reason...

For some reason the date is wrong on here. I wrote that last post on December 27th. Sorry if this confuses anyone.

Christmas in Australia

Merry Christmas Everyone!
I was awake early this morning. Unfortunately it wasn't in hopes I would catch Santa in the act. I must have been really tired since I didn't move all night. I ended up awake at 5am with a stiff neck. Nothing seems to be going my way this Christmas. I had a fight with the potato peeler yesterday. I was making a potato salad to take with us on boxing day and I slipped and cut my pinkie real well. I was panicking because it hurt so much and wouldn't stop bleeding. I knew it wasn't big enough for a stitch but it is very deep. I called Monique to help me, since I wasn't sure how to get it to stop bleeding and wanted to know how I should wrap it up. I am also missing my family so I had a little tear with Monique about missing Hailey and London and everyone else. She made me feel much better, thanks Monique! I called Helen to see if she had any peroxide and they didn't, so I had to go to the pharmacy and grab that and a few other things to bandage it up. The rest of Christmas eve wasn't so bad, but definitely not one of my best ever. We BBQ'd steak, potato's and veggies. It was just like summer at home. Then we just sat around and chit chatted all night. In the morning I decided to get up because I heard Helen get up. It is not normal for her to get up early or even first. Apparently all three of us were having trouble sleeping. We each grabbed some coffee or tea and opened our Santa sacks aka stockings. I have enough chocolate now to last me the rest of my trip. We then got showered and ready for the girls mom and partner to arrive. Once the introductions were finished we started opening presents. I was very glad that the girls enjoyed the presents I gave them and I loved what they gave me. I got a Lulu Lemon gift certificate. I guess all the talk about the clothing paid off. Once we finished with the gifts we started on Lunch. Diana and her mom did most of the cooking. I made the veggies on the BBQ. We had roast lamb, roast potato's, pumpkin and sweet potato, as well as the veggies I BBQ'd. It was not a traditional meal for me but it was yummy. After we got the dishes cleaned up we decided to go to the beach for a little bit. It was a gorgeous day outside. Not too hot not too cold, water was a little cold to go swim in. I have some great pictures of the beautiful color of the water. It seems to change every time I am there. Diana and I went into the water just past our knees. It was so cool to think it is Christmas day and I am on the beach. Once we got home from the beach Diana made the desert. We had Pavlova, which is an Australian dessert named after a Russian ballerina. It is a meringue base with whipped cream (no sugar added) and fruit on top. It was interesting but it sure doesn't beat mom's mocha mud pie, or her drumstick dessert. After dessert we played a game of "Smart Ass" Helen got it for Christmas from Diana. It was a real fun game. At 7:30pm Christmas Vacation was on TV so we watched that. I stayed up and watched another movie and then went to bed.
We had to be up early on Boxing day because we were going for breakfast at a cousins house. We arrived at Maria and Gerry's house just after 9am. They had a beautiful place. They have horses and chickens and three dogs. The smell of horses reminded me of home. We had bacon and eggs for breakfast and then us three girls went for a swim in the pool. I was telling Maria and Gerry about wanting to go to Perth and they were showing me some pictures of places I needed to go see. They were so nice and hospitable. After breakfast we drove to their other cousin Elissia's house. She is Maria's sister. Once we were there I met Elissia, and her parents Carmell, and Jack. Jack was so delightful! He was anxious to talk with me. He must have noticed the wheat tattoo on my foot because he wanted to talk farming. I felt bad since I am not the best person to chat with about farming. He was a dairy farmer for 35 years. He moved to Australia when he was 18 from Holland. I just kept thinking dad would have had a blast talking with him. I also met their uncle Jim and aunt Kerry. For lunch we had the potato salad I made, it was actually very tasty. In the afternoon we decided to go with Elissia to feed her horse. So Helen, Diana and I jumped in the car with her to go down the road. The girls loved the horses, I did as well but I didn't get as excited since I have seen a horse or two in my day. The owner of the stables came out and invited us in for coffee and tea. His name was Ray and he was so friendly and entertaining. Inside he told us how he loved to shop and asked if he wanted anything to eat. We all said no thank you but still he brought out food. First it was a tin of Kit Kat bars, then a few different types of cookies. Then he walks out with a whole tray of chocolate bars. I almost died! His wife was then telling us about all the many things he got her for Christmas. It was shocking, and very obvious he wasn't lieing about loving to shop. We ended up there for about and hour, being thoroughly entertained by Ray. We headed back to Elissia's house and then snacked on a few more things. We then said our goodbyes and headed home. On the way home we played the game "When I go to grandma's house..." My siblings know all about this. All five us enjoyed it. Once we arrived home we played another few games of smart ass. I was exhausted after that and went to bed. I had a good sleep in too. Today Helen, Diana and I are going to the beach. Ann, their mom, and Jim, her partner, are going to the old Melbourne Goal.
I hope everyone else had a fantastic Christmas as well. I look forward to the next Christmas with snow.
Until next time,
Cindy

On the 9th day of Christmas...

Hey Everybody,
Last week I ended up working the whole week answering the phones for the company Helen works for. Thursday and Friday weren't very busy and we ended up going home early on Friday. Before I left they asked if I would still be around on the week of January 5th. They said if I am to let them know so I could come back in to work if I want. I haven't decided yet, and have not booked anything to go see the great ocean road yet. So I guess we will just see how things go. Helen was very excited to leave early on Friday since they were having their Christmas party that night. We got home and Helen and I gave the house a little tidy since the girls dad and fiancee came for the weekend. Also one of Helen's co-workers came over to get ready with Helen. After cleaning the house a bit I helped the girls. Their dad, Micheal, and his fiancee Robin arrived shortly after 6pm. Diana drove Helen and Chrissie and another co-worker John to their party. I stayed home and visited with Michael, and Robin. Once Diana got home the three of us went for a birthday supper for Diana. We went to a nice little Italian restaurant. The food was great and the servings were huge. We then came home and Micheal had a gift for each of the girls but wanted them to open them separately. So Diana opened hers that night. It was clearly a DVD from the shape of the gift, and Robin had mentioned the movie "the Grinch" several times throughout the evening. Diana laughed because she figured that was what it was. The look of surprise on her face was priceless. Michael had old film clips of the girls when they were babies up until they were two put onto DVDs for them. It was the kind of gift you only think people in the movies do. The four of us had a great time watching it and laughing. It was a great evening.
Saturday, since Helen didn't get home till late Diana and I decided we should take her dad and Robin to the shopping mall so as to not wake up Helen and have her grouchy with us. We caught the bus so that we wouldn't have to worry about a parking spot. We all went for brunch at the pancake parlour. It was delicious. Diana even said it smelt like America, I just laughed at that comment. After that we wondered around the mall and eventually came home about 2pm. Helen was awake and thanked us for leaving so she could sleep well. We then watched Helen open her gift and also watched it with her. I wasn't feeling very well at this point ( I had a sinus headache and getting a sore throat), so I went to lie down. The rest of them looked at old pictures and worked on supper. We had BBQ, of course. I had a nice nap and felt a bit better after it. Supper was delicious. After supper they exchanged their Christmas gifts. The girls also gave me a gift since they wanted me to open something too. I got a Hamish and Andy CD. They are some Aussie comedians who are so so funny. Check them out on youtube if you want a good laugh. We then decided to play a game of chocolate trivial pursuit that Diana had. Basically if you answered three questions correctly that were written on the chocolate you got to eat it. We didn't do so well and ended up playing for like 2 hours. We had a bit of a chocolate high once we were done. We didn't even eat all the chocolate. After that we decided to watch a movie and then we went to bed.
This morning was looking good since it is a beautiful day outside. We decided to go down to the beach and check things out. Once we got there we got some fish and chips from one of the shops and ate on the grass. It was really nice. We then walked around checking out the pier and beach. It was such a perfect day to be out there. There were kids playing in the water and teenagers jumping off the docks. I enjoyed myself. On the way home we stopped for ice cream. This made me miss DQ since it was just a crappy ice cream bar from the store. Oh well, I don't need DQ anyway. Now here I am updating my blog after my ice cream. I was hoping to have a nice tan after spending the afternoon in the sun but doesn't look like it. I am feeling a bit tired since I still am having some sinus issues and haven't been sleeping well at nights. Since I don't have to work at all this week I can sleep in a bit everyday. I am planning on making some perogies for Christmas and also a potato salad for Boxing day. I will also spend the week keeping the house tidy since the girls mom and partner are coming for Christmas day. I also want to do some research and book my great ocean road trip and a place to stay in Adelaide.
I hope everyone is having a great Christmas season and will be blessed with a happy new year.
Until next time,
Cindy

Jobs

I have been doing some temp work at the company Helen works for. I was there last week for three days and am working this whole week as well. I do not know if they will need me for the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of next week. I get paid really well to answer the phone and transfer calls. I occasionally get funny or angry and even dirty callers. It all makes me laugh. I even had one lady ask if I could transfer her to Australia. She assumed I was in North America and was just a telemarketer working for this company. I just laughed and transferred her to someone else, I guess she was struggling to understand my accent. I was supposed to be working at a kids store in a nearby mall. I got a phone call from them last week saying that my first shift is on December 23rd from 9pm till midnight. What kind of Christmas casual starts 2 days before Christmas? I have decided they can kiss it. I feel like I've jumped threw hoops and waiting for nothing. I was so ticked off that I went online and searched for a job. I ended up applying for a salon job. I told them I would only be here until January then I was moving on. They asked me to come in on Saturday for an interview and I ended up working the whole day. I was exhausted when I got home. It is a really busy salon. I also felt very frustrated. Things are just a bit different in the salon compared to home, so I am unsure of myself. I spent most of Sunday fretting about it. On Monday I went into work with Helen and expressed my concerns about the salon. First off they blow dry every client using a round brush which hurts my wrists terribly, and secondly, the salon was so big and open I struggled to hear. I have known I have trouble hearing but this really put it into perspective. I mean I can hear but I really struggle when there is back ground noise and when I am in an echoing environment. I have realized I read lips and have a hard time doing that with the different accents here. I always knew my hearing was bad but anytime I asked doctors about my ears they have said nothing is wrong, although I have never had a hearing test. So when I was working on Saturday I felt really stressed about the whole thing. It has made me realize, I don't want to do hair, at least not anymore on this trip. That was one of the reasons I came to Australia. So Helen and I decided I should just see what happens and go from there. Well today the place I am temping for asked me to work the whole week. I will not know about next week until Friday but either way I will be busy since if I am at home I can get the house looking nice and clean for Christmas. The girls mother and partner are coming for Christmas. So I called the salon right after work and told them I would not be taking the job. What a relief! I feel confident working at there and it is easy and I get paid well. Although, I don't' get paid until January it will be more than I would make at the salon, and yay! no stress! (just laughs from the dirty callers lol). I have decided I will move on right after Christmas. I plan to go take a tour to see the great ocean road and stay in Adelaide for a few days then go to Perth. It will be a ridiculously long (like 40 hour) train ride, but it will be cool to see some country after being in a city so long. I have already started scoping out jobs online. For Christmas we are hopefully going to go to the beach for a picnic since it is something I can't do in Canada. On boxing day we are going to their cousins house for breakfast. The girls have made me feel very welcome. I have gotten them each a gift and some stocking stuffers (they call it a Santa sack). I think they are worried since I told them I would get them things that I normally get in my stocking and bought everything at a grocery store. They are getting oven mitts, since they don't have any, and socks, and a can of smoked oysters and a few other nicknack's. I was unable to find them a Christmas orange but will keep looking. I also want to pick them up a lottery ticket each. I hope they enjoy it. I am also excited to see what they give me.
Today is Diana's birthday. It is easy to remember since it is the same day as my moms. So Happy Birthday mom! We sang happy birthday to her over the phone this morning since she was already gone by the time we both got up. For supper Helen made her mustard chicken, her favorite meal. I didn't like it since I hate mustard but I didn't complain. Diana received 2 bouquets of flowers and a BBQ as well as a few small things. I gave her a BBQ tool set. She is putting the BBQ together right now. Helen is making her a desert that she loves, some kind of dumplings. So tomorrow and the rest of the week will be filled with working. I will probably go to the mall after work tomorrow since I need to get some more credit for my phone. I will also look for some oranges and lotto tickets.
So things have worked out the way God intended them to. I figure the lesson here was that I need to do what I want and not what is expected of me. Also I need to not be so nervous about confronting people for fear I will disappoint them.
Merry Christmas everyone and hope your enjoying nuts and bolts since I am missing them. Actually I miss all the goodies people brought to the salon over Christmas. Oh and I miss the people too lol.
Until Next time,
Cindy

Figure it out!?

Life has been full of ups and downs this week. Monday I had a normal day. Just went to the store to get a few things. It was basically just some exercises. Tuesday Helen came home from work with news that the company she works for needed someone for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. She had volunteered my name and said she would bring me into work with her. I was excited to have some work since it seems to be taking forever for the kids store to get back to me. Also, on Tuesday I went to a movie in the afternoon. I was really wanting to see the movie "Australia", so I went. It was fantastic, I would recommend it to anyone. I will always remember that I saw it while in Australia. On Wednesday Helen didn't go to work since she has a bad cold and was loosing her voice. She dropped me off anyway and told me where to go. I went in and met her co-worker who explained what I would be doing. I get to sit at a desk and answer the phone. Once I have asked the client a few questions I then transfer them to someone else to help them. Sometimes this is hard because people jump right into their questions and I have no answers at all! Normally when someone calls this company they are greeted by a recording and have to push buttons to get to the consultant. They decided to do this experiment because they seem to be loosing people along the way. They didn't know if it was wrong numbers or just no patients on the customers behave. Once I transfer the client I then have to mark down where I transferred them to. It is really a simple job, but since there are two of us doing it, it doesn't seem like there is enough for both of us to do. Most of the days I am just sitting watching the happenings around the office. Today I asked if there was anything else I could do. I was lucky enough to be assigned another job. I got to fold some letters and stuff envelopes. It only took me about 30 minutes before I was outta work again. I am hoping tomorrow they have some more odd jobs for me to do while I wait for phone calls. Yesterday I called into the kids store on my lunch break. At the training we were told to call or stop by the store between the 5th and the 10th of December. I went into the store and was told she would call me because she didn't have the schedule yet. I was so worried that I would not know when my first shift was so I called the store again on my lunch break. The manager is a young girl who just sounded annoyed with me calling. I explained that we were instructed to call in and that I was worried I would miss my first shift. She then said she would call me later that day to let me know when it was. She did call last night to tell me that my first shift would be on December 23rd at 9pm until midnight. I was so pissed off!! I have been waiting in Melbourne for this job and feel like it was a complete waste of time. Since I was too excited for this job, too enthusiastic to work, I have been punished with one shift. I am supposed to be on a three week contract with this store. A Christmas casual as they call it. Well what kind of Christmas casual starts two days before Christmas? I was so frustrated and angry about it I cried most of the night. I feel stupid for waiting for this job. I got mad and went online to check out some job search website. I took down some numbers and also applied for one job at a salon near by explaining I would be leaving at the beginning of January and just wanted to help out over Christmas. I went to bed feeling defeated. I felt like such a failure because I have never had this much trouble getting a job or even finding a path in my life. I never realized how much I depended on having a schedule. My body is rebelling against me because it doesn't know what is happening. I am not used to doing whatever I want. To not having a schedule or appointments. To not knowing what is ahead. This must be the lesson I am to learn on this trip. Let go! I will be fine not knowing. I am okay without a purpose. I am right where I am supposed to be, because things happen for a reason. This morning I awoke with swollen eyes and a sad feeling. I slept well because I hadn't the last few nights before. Helen dropped me off at work and I told myself to smile because people even on the phone can hear if your smiling. About 10:30am I realized I had a message on my phone. I took a bathroom break and listened to it. If you can believe it was a call from the salon I applied at last night. I called them back on my lunch break. I have an interview on Saturday. I explained that I would only be available until January. He said he understood and asked a few questions. It felt really honest and really good. I have a real good feeling about it. Helen and I drove by the salon on the way home from work. It is not far from where I am living. I google mapped it out and know I could walk there. I also checked out the bus route and I would have to take a bus then train then bus to get there. It would take over an hour. It should take me no more than thirty minutes to walk. Diana has offered to take me on Saturday, since we have a few other things we want to do afterwards. I am very grateful that she is so willing to help me out. I am in such a better mood tonight. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Even if I don't get this job I will be fine. I am fine just doing whatever happens. I just need to remember the sun is shining (most days) and I am trying to have the experience of a life time, even if most days it doesn't feel like it. Everyday I miss home and family and friends, but then remember that there are so many people that have never left North America, or Canada, or Manitoba, or their own city or town. I am grateful but know I worked very hard to be here.
Until next time,
Cindy

My Weekend.

Friday was a rough day for me. I went to the Chadstone shopping centre to talk to the manager of the store I will be working at. At the training they told us we could go into the stores and meet them or just call in for our schedule. So I decided to go in a let them know I was willing to start early if they needed me. The manager told me that she would call me and that she wouldn't need me before the 18th. She said they hired 35 people for that store alone. The contract is only a 3 week contract so now I'm worried. Am I only gonna get like five shifts? I am now wishing I hadn't even taken the job. I should have just moved on. I have been waiting around here for this job thinking I would be working everyday and starting earlier than that. I have also committed that I would be here over Christmas with my roommates. I even bought a ticket for a New Years party, so I can't just up and leave. Once my roommates got home from work I expressed my concern with them. They felt bad but didn't know what I should do either. I know I should just stick it out and it will get better. So what if it isn't worth it, I have lots of time. Earlier in the week we decided we would go out on Friday night. All of us felt pretty tired, but still wanted to go. So we went to this little club that they had been before. It was such a strange mix of people. I saw some of the cutest outfits and some that should never be worn in public. The music was very loud and the band was interesting. They looked like a punk band, yet they would play stuff like Miley Cyrus. All in all it was an interesting night.
On Saturday Diana decorated the Christmas tree. It is very pretty but much different than a nice big real one. Plus it was like 26 on Saturday so that is weird. In the afternoon, Lynne called me. She is the girl from Winnipeg that I met in Tasmania. She wanted to know if I wanted to get together that night. So we decided to meet at Federation Square at 6:30. Diana drove me to the train and I went into the city. We then decided to catch a tram to Lygon street. Lygon street is a famous street in Melbourne for having great Italian restaurants. We found one we liked and had some great pasta. It was better than the last time I ate on Lygon street. The last time I went with Diana and her coworker and I felt jipped. They all got a big meal and mine was tiny. I was still hungry when I left. Well not this time, it was awesome! I had a fettuccine alfredo with mushrooms and shrimp and garlic bread. Yum! Once we stuffed ourselves we headed back towards Federation Square. We then walked across the Yarra river bridge and walked along the river. We wanted to go check out the casino. Lynne heard there was a Christmas display that went off every 30 minutes. But first we went into the casino and tried our luck at the slots. Lynne didn't bring her passport and so she was having trouble getting in. The man didn't see the hologram on her drivers licence so he thought it was fake. I brought my passport as I always do. Once that was cleared up and we were in we were amazed to see how big and beautiful the casino was. I have only been to two casinos in my life. The bear claw casino in Carlyle and Casino Nova Scotia in Halifax. This one was much nicer and busier than both of those. I spent a whole $5 on $0.02 slots. I didn't win a thing. I was willing to try some roulette but Lynne wasn't brave. I didn't bother since I didn't have a lot of money to spend anyway. We spent about an hour wondering around in there. We then went to watch the Christmas display. It was very beautiful and kinda cool. After that we walked back along the river and listened to some cool music people were playing along the way. There is some amazing talent sitting on park benches collecting money. We then went across the bridge to watch this tower. It sort of does a light show. It was only 10pm so we decided to go for a Starbucks. I wasn't worried about time since the last train was at midnight. Coffee ended up taking longer than I thought and I was feeling bad by the time I got on the 11pm train. It takes about 20 minutes to get back to Carnegie from Flinders station. Diana told me to call for a ride because she didn't want me walking by myself that late at night. I felt bad because she had just started to worry about me when I called. Thank goodness she wasn't waiting up, they had just started a movie.
Yesterday, Diana and I went to Chadstone and did a bit of Christmas shopping. I just have to get a few things for the girls stockings and I'm done. Oh and I have to get a stocking for myself. I am leaning towards a ninja turtle one I saw in Toys R US. So the weekend was sort of eventful. I was glad to see Lynne again. I don't know when I will see her again since she is going on a kontiki tour in a week and a half. She won't be back in Melbourne until after the new year so I might be gone when she gets back. She invited me to go to the musical "Wicked" with her and Ariel, but tickets are more than I want to spend. If it was something I really wanted to see I would defiantly go. I'll think about it yet.
Until next time,
Cindy

Nothing new...

Hey Everyone,
I don't have much to report these days. I am waiting for my job to start. I am going to Chadstone today to find out my schedule. The actual contract date says I will start on December 18th, but I might get called earlier if they need me. I would really love to start earlier, since I am a bit bored. I have been spending my days going for walks and grabbing random groceries from the store. I go to Chadstone and also look for Christmas gifts for the girls. I have also been watching the series "Underbelly". It is the true story of gangs in Melbourne. It is pretty cool to recognize things in the show like street names. It is not available to buy in the state of Victoria because some of the people are still on trial, but it isn't hard to get a hold of it in any other state.
Sounds like tonight the girls and I are gonna go out on the town. I am not sure exactly what we will be doing but I am hoping it will be fun.
Well that is my short and sweet update. Hopefully I have more exciting stuff next time.
Until then,
Cindy

New Poll

Check out the newest Poll at the bottom of the page. Also if anyone has any poll ideas please let me know.

Check this out! Hope it works.

Meeting Paul

Well Yesterday was a fairly average day. I spent most of the day doing laundry and tidying up around the house. I had to go to the shopping centre and get more laundry detergent as well as some more credit on my phone. I ended up getting a new phone for only a dollar. It is much better than the other piece of shit I was using. So I got back and did some laundry since I was almost totally out of clean clothes. Once Helen got home I made some Tacos for supper. Diana wasn't going to be home so it was good since she doesn't like tacos. Helen then went for a massage while I got ready to go out. We drove to the train station and caught the train into the city. We were going to meet up with Diana there. We were going to watch her friend Paul Greene play. I have heard some of his music just from the girls playing it around the house. I like it. Both girls were also in a music video of his, which was really cool. We arrived at this little lounge that was in a back street not far from Flinders Station. It was very funky, but most things in Melbourne are. When we walked in Paul was at the door, he mistook me for Diana since it was dark and gave me a big hug and kiss before Helen could explain that it was actually her friend from Canada. He then made sure we were on "the list" so that we didn't have to pay to get in. So we drank $15 cosmos and watched the show. He was fantastic. But when I was sitting there I began to miss Caley. It was something she would have loved. He is really easy going just sitting there with his guitar and singing. It is relaxing and reminded me of the time we went to open mike night at the university. After the show the girls had a quick chat with Paul and then Helen and I raced Diana home. We took the train and she drove. She kicked our ass. The train was actually really full at 11:30pm, but not in a scary way. I am beginning to enjoy the public transport. Even if you have a car it is easy to take the train or tram when you're going out for an evening. Once we got home, it was off to bed to start a whole new day. Today I am just finishing my laundry and puttering around the house. I will go for a walk after lunch since it is really nice outside.
Until next time,
Cindy

Blow Hole!

Well This has been an amazing trip. I am sitting in an Internet cafe in Hobart waiting to catch the airport shuttle to take me to catch a flight back to Melbourne. It has been an amazing time in Tasmania. I hope I can get it all out before the shuttle bus comes.

On Thursday I woke up to rain. I didn't mind except that I didn't have an umbrella or rain coat. I went to one of the cheap shops and found an umbrella for $3.00. Well it lasted about an hour. I was so frustrated that I went and bought a nice rain coat. I figured I would need it the whole time in Tassie and I'm sure it is bound to rain over the next year while I am in Aussie. So I spend the day touring the city of Hobart and booking a few tours to take. The thing with Tasmania is that most of the good sights are within an hours drive of Hobart. Unless you rent a car you public transport doesn't take you to all the good sights. It is reasonably priced to take tours because most supply a lunch and know the best places to see and get pictures. I booked three tours while I was here. After discovering some of Hobart I went back to the hostel in the evening to decide what else to do that day. One of my new roommates was from Germany and she asked if I wanted to go for supper with her and the other Canadian she had met. Of course, I said sure. I then met up with Lynn who is from Winnipeg. She has been in Melbourne for the last 4 months working as a substitute teacher. She takes trips on the weekends and will travel over the summer holidays. It was so nice to meet someone who knew exactly where I was coming from. We went for supper and then walked around Hobart more. We ended the night early because I didn't want to go to the local pub with the German girl. She was upset with me because I didn't want to go. I didn't care.

On Friday I took a tour with Tasman Island cruises. They picked me up at the information centre which was only 2 blocks from my hostel. We rode in a big coach bus down near Port Arthur. I met a woman on the bus named Mary from Melbourne. Her husband is here on business so she decided to take some tours. The bus was also full of older people who were on a cruise. There was a cruise ship in the harbour so tons of them on all the tours. We stopped in the morning about 10:30am for our morning tea. I had a snack since it sounded like we wouldn't have lunch until late in the afternoon. From there we picked up a few more passengers and we got onto a boat. Everyone got a rain coat to wear. I didn't need one since I had my lovely new one. I also was dressed very warm since I knew we would be out in the cold water. They started the tour by handing out ginger tablets for seasickness. I am glad I took them just to ease my nervous stomach. Then our boat toured around the Tasman peninsula. It was gorgeous!! The pictures I took do not describe the beauty I saw. The water was so blueish green and the cliffs were amazing. There were tunnels and rocks in strange formations. We saw this rock called the candle stick. It is one that many rock climbers try. You have to hike out there then, camp out. It takes about 2 days to climb. We then went to the Tasman Island. On the way we saw 2 different types of seals. An Australian seal and a New Zealand seal. The difference is in the way they walk. We also saw this bird, I can't remember the name of it, that has an eleven foot wing span. It was huge. Then we saw these little birds on the cliffs that looked like penguins but they weren't. Once we got to Tasman Island there were two other boats around there. They had told our boat that there was 3 humpback whales in the bay. I was worried I wouldn't spot it since I didn't know what I was really looking for. Well I saw them all. I got a few pictures, but it was difficult to catch them since they only skim the surface. The sight of them was breathtaking. Little prairie girl from Manitoba is seeing whales show off in the ocean. There will never be anyway to describe how cool it was. Once we watched the whales for about half an hour we went back to the harbour and went for lunch. I made friends with a nice couple from Melbourne who were just visiting Hobart for the weekend. There plan is to retire here since they love it so much. After lunch we got on the bus and went back to Hobart. On the way they wanted to know all about snow and Canada in general. I informed them they were missing out on perogies, clamato juice and tim hortons. They said they were willing to give that up because they didn't like the idea of the cold winters. We arrived back at the information centre in Hobart about 4pm. It was raining very hard. I then met up with Lynn for supper. She had a long day hiking at Wineglass bay.

On Saturday I went to the local market with Kirsten, my German roommate. We had breakfast there and walked the whole market in about an hour. She had to catch a flight back to Melbourne that day so she went back to the hostel to collect her things. I also had to change rooms in the hostel. Once I had done that I went for a walk to check out the Tasmania museum. While I was there I ran into Lynn and her friends from Vancouver, Ariel and her brother whose name I can't remember. We left the museum and decided to walk to the botanical gardens. Ariel's brother was hung over from the night before so he decided to stay back. The three of us walked to check out the view. It was nice, but sort of a long walk to get there. We then came back and went for lunch at a fish and chip restaurant. While sitting waiting for our meal I noticed a sign saying you could get a ride on the tall ship for $15.00 for 1 1/2 hours. We checked to see if we could get on. We were lucky enough to be the last ones on and we just finished our lunch in time. The ship was amazing and they had 35 people on as well as the crew of 6. We sailed all over the harbour. It was cold, but still really great. Ariel got to help out with some of the sailing tasks. I also pulled a few ropes. All in all it was a great experience for $15.00. After that I went back to my room to warm up. I then met a girl from England. Her and I and another girl from Germany went for supper. We ended up talking for a long while that night. It was very cold so we just went back to the hostel since I had to be up early the next morning.

On Sunday I was picked up by my tour guide first. I took a tour of Mount Fields national park. We started off by picking up other passengers. One being Ulricka, the German from the night before and the others included Lynn and Ariel. The tour guide was very interested to know where I was from in Canada. He even had a map so we could point out where we live. The rest of the day he questioned us about Canada. We first took a hike to a waterfall, then to the top of it. Since I am not in very good shape I was hoping that would be the last hike of the day. Once we got to the top we went to another waterfall. They were both very beautiful. On the way we told him about how if you are hiking in the Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba you would need to wear a bell to ward off bears. He said he preferred deadly snakes. After that we drove to the top of Mount Fields. It was a whole different vegetation up there. The air was also a lot crisper and cleaner. We hiked around a lake and it was stunning. Ulrika commented on the fresh hair and Nathan, our guide said it is some of the purest air in the world. When the air travels around the world the only places in touches coming west or east is Argentina. So it travels all the way across the ocean before it hits Tasmania which makes it very fresh. Also they get southerly winds that come straight from Antarctica. You can imagine how cold they are. After that hike we went to check out the tall trees. I stood beside the second tallest tree in the world. It is 101 metres tall. You can just imagine the size of the tree trunk on that thing. The tallest one is in California in the redwood forest. After that we stopped for lunch. While eating our guide was informed that he couldn't take us to Mount Wellington because it was closed due to a marathon going on. They were supposed to be finished in the afternoon but got delayed and we wouldn't have time to go. He decided to plan for somewhere else to go while we stopped to see the animals. We got to watch the Tasmanian devils eat. It is quiet the sight. They are vicious little things that look like big rats. We then saw some kangaroos and wallabies. We didn't see the platypus unfortunately. They didn't show up in the stream. We also saw a wombat and a koala. The whole place was really cool. Wombats are very cute!! After that Nathan took us to a different lookout on the other side of Hobart so we could see Mount Wellington in the back ground. He also took us to seven mile beach. It was way to cold to swim but still it was nice to see. That concluded our tour. I just went back to my hostel and had supper while I relaxed. I was very tired.

On Monday I was picked up with Ulrika at 7:45 to go to a tour of Port Arthur. We ended up stopping at various sights along the way. Most of which I had seen before in the last few tours. We arrived at Port Arthur just after lunch. It is an old prison for the convicts sent from England in the 1800s. I was a bit disappointed since most of it was in ruins. There was also a tragedy there in 1996. A young man went there and just randomly started shooting people. He killed 35 people in all. He is now in the maximum security prison in Hobart. We are instructed by our tour guide not to ask any of the employees about it since they will not talk about it. The building it started in was stripped down and there is a memorial garden there now. It was very erie. We also took a harbour cruise so we could understand how Port Arthur survived as a maritime community. After that we came back to Hobart. Claudette, one of the other passengers and I decided to go to fish and chips right after the tour. A few others from the tour decided to join us. We just all sat and talked about or travels and what was the best to see. I was feeling really tired so I went back to my room about 7:30. I decided to write out some post cards and could tell my vision was getting blurry. I finished and immediately got into bed since I knew this was a sign of a migraine coming on. It was full blown in less than an hour from that. I ended up sleeping most of the night with ear plugs so I could actually sleep. The night was awful with my uncomfortable bed and terrible headache. I woke early this morning I tried to get some fresh air to clear my head. I got a coffee and went for a walk. I feel a bit better but plan to sleep on the plane back to Melbourne. Well I hope you all enjoyed my tales of Tasmania. Sorry it was so long. I will put pictures up soon.
Until next time,
Cindy

Tassie

Hey All!
I arrived in Tasmania today. I had to get up early and catch a bus to catch a train to catch a bus to the Melbourne airport. Ya I was in travel mode for an hour and half before I even got to the airport. So needless to say my shoulders are a bit sore from putting on and taking off that backpack. But I finally arrived in Hobart at 1:30pm. It was a quick flight and was beautiful to see the view as we landed. I took a cab to my hostel which is right downtown only 2 blocks from the water. It is beautiful here! It reminds me of Halifax. Once I got to my hostel I was greeted by a fellow Canadian working the front desk. He made a joke about how everyone in Canada know the coldest place is on Portage and Main in Winnipeg. I got to laugh because I don't live in Winnipeg, plus I'm sure its true. I headed up about 15 flights of stairs to my room. It was on the 4th floor and OMG my backpack is heavy. I got settled in my room and decided I better eat before I chew my arm off. The Krispy Kreme donut at the Melbourne airport just wasn't cutting it. I had to go have fish and chips! I went down to the harbour to find a few fish and chip shops literally floating on the water right off the dock. I went to one and had some amazing fish and chips. The calamari was to die for, I've never had any that fresh before. Then I decided to go to the information building and check out what kind of tours I would like to take. I have picked up a few pamphlets and am making my final decision about what I will go see. So far Hobart is darn pretty. Can't wait to see more. I will keep you updated on my adventures here.
Until next time,
Cindy

Thank You!

Thanks to all four people who voted in my Christmas poll. I will miss the snow over Christmas and now know you think I won't have an ideal Christmas when I'm sitting on the beach.
Check out the new poll and make sure you vote.

The latest

Well I got most of my Christmas shopping done the other day when I took the tram downtown. It was a really hot day and it felt great to be out and about in Melbourne. I went to get some Starbucks just to remind me of home. I was sitting in the Starbucks drinking a frappuccino that had snow flakes on the cup. There was Christmas music playing and there was a bird flying around in the building. This felt so strange since it was 32 degrees outside. Once I got home I packed up everything to send home for my family. I now will only have to buy a few things for the roomies and the Christmas shopping is done. I would like to find the dvd "Strange Brew" for the girls but think it will be difficult to find here. I haven't even started looking though, so who knows what I will find. Thursday I mailed (or posted as they would say here) the stuff home so I feel great that it is on its way. I also went to the little cafe near by for coffee in the morning and surfed the net. It was very relaxing.

On Friday Diana and Helen took the day off work and we all went to the Healsville animal sanctuary. It was sort of like a zoo but with only Australian animals. They also have an animal hospital there so they help sick animals then release them back into the wild. It was nice too see that they cared so much for the animals. I got to see my first Tasmanian devil. It was sleeping since it is a nocturnal animal, but it was still cool none the less. It was a perfect day to go since there was a rain storm in the morning and it was nice and cool for the animals yet not too cold for us humans. Once we got home we were pretty worn out from all the walking and just decided to watch a movie then go to bed.

Today I went to my job interview. It was a job fair with about 75 other people looking for a job with Cotton on. It took about 3 hours, but it wasn't hard at all. I met a girl my age named Chelsey who had a little 9 month old daughter. Her daughter was named Harper after Ben Harper. She used to work with the Make a wish foundation and had met Ben Harper a few times. She thought he was so wonderful and told her she would name her first child after him. The fact that she actually did it was amazing to me. I got to meet Harper later that day. She was so beautiful. She made me miss Hailey and London. Harper was so loving and actually put her hands out for me to take her only a few minutes after I met her. She definitely brightened my day. I will see Chelsey again on Nov. 30th when I go for my training. I look forward to it. So after I met Harper we went back into the room to find out if we got the job. They separated us real Australian Idol like and then told one group they got it and one group they didn't. I'll tell you the results after this commercial. Just kidding ha ha. I got the job! If you hadn't figured that out your not reading close enough since I mentioned I would be going back for training. It is just a Christmas casual position so I don't start until Dec. 18th and then finish Jan. 4th. Perfect for me. I decided today that I will look into flights to Tasmania before I go for my training. This way I can see some of the island instead of waiting around doing nothing for a month. I may even venture further yet, who knows. My roomies are very excited to hear that I will be around for Christmas. Today we decided that we will most likely go to their cousins for Christmas day. On boxing day we will go to the beach and have a picnic.... that is if I'm not working. Either way I'm sure we will get there at some point that day. After the interview was over we came home and Diana and I made some perogies from scratch. It wasn't too hard, but I'm sure you can imagine what they looked like. They tasted great though. I have decided I will make some more to take with us for Christmas day. It will be my Canadian treat! Tonight was spent celebrating with perogies and drinks. We played a card game and drank too much. Fun fun. I am just going to head to bed after this post. I am a bit tired since it is 1am here, but most who know me know it is normal for me to be up late. If anyone else would like to make my Christmas special send me clamato juice. lol. The girls think I am crazy when I talk about it, but I actually do miss it.

Until next time,
Cindy

P.S.

Check out the poll at the bottom of the page.

Same old same old.

Hello Everyone,
It is finally starting to get really warm outside. It feels great. Although I am having difficulty grasping the idea of Christmas being so close. There are commercials on TV with Santa on a surf board so it must be real. I try to get outside in the sun everyday and take a walk.

On Friday I wasn't feeling very well so I didn't do much. It rained most of the day so I didn't feel bad about not going far. Helen had a function with work in the evening so Diana and I ate the chili I made for super. It seemed like the perfect rainy day meal. We then went to pick up Helen since she had had a little to much to drink to drive home. The rest of the evening was spent playing cards. I still wasn't feeling well that night and was worried I might be getting the flu.

On Saturday Diana and I met up with a friend of hers from work. We went to Lygon Street for Italian. We started off with drinks and appetizers at one place. The drink Sharon, Diana's friend, recommended was a sort of bubbly red wine. It was very good. We then went for supper at Sharon's favorite Italian restaurant. All the waitstaff knew her by name so I could tell she was a regular. It was delicious Italian food. All three of us enjoyed home made pasta. Then we ventured down the street even more. The place we went for desert was amazing. There were unbelievable cakes on display and tons of deserts to choose from, including home made chocolate, cheesecake, tarts, squares and great big pieces of chocolate cake. I decided on a cream puff. It was magnificent! We then sat and had desert and coffee. It was a very yummy evening and I enjoyed meeting Sharon. Then Diana and I caught the tram home. Since I still wasn't feeling top notch I was worried that the motion of the tram would make me sick. I did get a little dizzy but my handbag survived the trip.

Sunday was a day for sleeping late and cleaning. I had awaken with a bad headache so I didn't do as much as I normal would have. In the afternoon Helen and I went to the beach to soak up the sun. I brought an apple, a book and a beach towel so I was satisfied for hours. It was a perfect day outside. Not too hot, not too cold, which helped with my headache. The water was not as clear as the last time I was at the beach but we were down a ways from the spot Diana and I were at last week. It was really nice to just sit and listen to the waves. Helen did not bring a book so she ended up bored and wanted to leave. We went home and had supper and watched a movie.

Monday was also a gorgeous day outside. Helen came home early from work with a bad headache. I went out in the afternoon for a few groceries. I enjoy the walk and the sunshine. I finally don't need a sweater everywhere I go. That morning Diana called to tell me not to prepare anything for supper since she was picking stuff up. She came home with prawns and baramundie (I doubt I spelt that right). It is a type of fish. I made some mashed potatoes to go with it. We had the prawns for an appetizer and fish and mashed potatoes for an entree. Diana doesn't like vegetables so when she cooks we don't get any. I seem to crave them lately so the girls often laugh that I eat cauliflower and broccoli raw. It was a very delicious meal.

Tuesday, Helen also stayed home. She said she just wasn't feeling right. Maybe she caught whatever I had. I however have been feeling good. We didn't do much on her sick day. I didn't even go for a walk. I sat outside for a few hours and enjoyed the nice weather though.

Today I am planning on catching the tram and going to Federation Square downtown. I have spotted a few Starbucks there and am dying to get one. I will probably wonder around and see if I find any Christmas gifts for the nieces.
Until next time,
Cindy

Not much to say.

Well I finally got a phone call about a job. I have an interview on Saturday Feb. 15th for a job at a clothing store over the Christmas season. If I get the job I will be here over Christmas, since it is a Christmas casual position and only a temporary job. If I don't get it, I will be moving on.

This morning I was awaken early with a text message from my sister saying that my uncle died. I knew that he had been sick but was surprised to hear of his death. My heart goes out to his kids and grand kids. I understand he was not an easy man to be around but the fact that he is gone is still sad. I remember when I was a teenager thinking he was my favorite uncle. He was always very nice to me even when he didn't get along with my dad. I have fond memories of him and know they will always stay with me. I know he is in a better place, and was welcomed there by my dad and his other siblings. Rest in peace Carl.
Until next time,
Cindy

The Melbourne Cup

Hello Everyone,
Sorry that I have not written much in the last week. I can't even use the excuse that I have been busy. I have not been. I have still been looking for a job but have still have no luck. I have never had any trouble getting a job before. I have decided to look into going to Tasmania for awhile. Then I might come back here before I move on.

Yesterday was the Melbourne cup. Apparently it is the race that will stop the nation. It is even a state holiday in Victoria. My roommate, Diana and her co-worker, Lucy went to the race yesterday. Lucy came over at 8:30am for a champagne breakfast. Then the girls spent an hour dolling them selves up for the race. Diana even wore a fasinator. Lucy did not due to the irresponsibility of her sister who lost hers. It is very common for the ladies to wear hats or fasinators to the races. Helen then drove Lucy and Diana to the train station to catch the train to the track. Then Helen and I went to Mount Dandenong to check out the view. Unfortunately it was a bit foggy/smoggy which did not allow me to get a good picture with my camera. Still it was a beautiful view of the city. We then went into a garden maze, which was not very challenging but still fun. We then headed back into the city and near the water. I was informed I needed to try an Australian hamburger. So we ate our hamburger with a view of the water. On this hamburger there was beef, of course, lettuce, tomato, fried onions, egg, cheese and a bunch of other things I would never put on a hamburger. We had to make sure there was no pineapple on mine so that I didn't end up in the hospital with an allergic reaction. Apparently it is very common for these burgers to have beats on them, but luckily this one did not. It was very big and tasted alright. We sat near the ocean and watched the water. We then decided to drive around the area and look at the houses. They weren't that big but worth more than I could imagine because of location. Helen and I then went home. As we were discussing what to do next Diana called and asked if Helen could pick her up from the train station. Since the girls had been drinking most of the day the train was not very good for Diana. Lucy's hand bag unfortunately got the worst of it and had to be thrown away. The girls were very entertaining for the rest of the evening. Lucy made friends with 3 telephone operators and 1 pizza dispatcher. This was fun to watch. Diana headed to bed almost immediately after she arrived home. Lucy went to bed shortly after her pizza arrived. Helen and I watched a movie and made sure the girls were okay. So that was my first experience with the Melbourne cup although I did not place any bets. I couldn't even tell you who won. Hopefully, I will have some more interesting news next time I blog.
Until next time,
Cindy

New Post!

Hey Everyone,

Well, I am still jobless. I handed out resumes for two days and have not received one phone call yet. I am going to go back to the shopping centre to hand out a few more. I will also go to a few other little shopping districts and see what I can find. I am wondering if I should move on since I am having trouble getting a job. I have decided to give it one more week and then I will decide to stay or go. It feels kinda useless to stay in one spot if I'm not working. I like having a place to call home though. Yesterday I took the day off from looking and just stayed in. I cleaned the house and watched more 24.

Yesterday I spoke with my cousin on the phone and a few friends. It was nice to hear a familiar voice. Every time someone tells me about the weather being cold I am thankful I am here. But I do know it won't feel like Christmas at all without snow. It is still cool here, but everyday seems to be warmer. I am still wearing my little sweaters most places I go, but I am sure that will change soon.

Well that is my little update.

Until next time,

Cindy

Get a haircut and get a real job!

Well today I am going to try and look for a job. I have some resumes printed up so I am going to the Chadstone shopping centre to hand them out. I was there on Friday and there were lots of signs in the windows of places looking for people over the Christmas season. I got my eyebrows waxed at one salon in the mall that carried lots of product. The girl told me it wouldn't hurt to drop off a resume. So I will go there and one other salon as well as a few clothing stores. But before I go I have to walk down to the little corner store and buy a met card. This is so I can take public transportation anywhere in Melbourne. It is very cool that you can go on the bus, train, or tram with the card. Although I hate public transportation, I guess I have to get used to it.
My weekend was spent hanging out with Helen and Diana. On Friday night we played trivial pursuit (the pop culture version). It was fun, but I didn't win. On Saturday I cut and colored Diana's hair and helped Helen with hers. Then Diana's co-worker came over for the evening. We had spaghetti for supper and then played trivial pursuit again. It felt like the never ending game. We then watched the Sex and the City movie. It was very late by the time we went to bed. I didn't sleep well that night. I think I am uncomfortable with my lack of pillows. I may just buy one today when I am at the mall. I hate that I have a thing with needing a fluffy pillow. Since I didn't sleep well Sunday was full of naps. We had a big breakfast of bacon and eggs and toast. In the afternoon we went to St. Kilda beach to walk and look at the little booths set up near the beach. Most were just selling cheap jewellery that I would never wear. It was really hot but not sunny. It felt good to finally get some heat here. It was very beautiful there too. St. Kilda is the place where backpackers usually hang out. It isn't far from down town Melbourne so I guess it is sorta close to everything. I am not living very far from there, but I am off the path of the Trams. I would either have to walk to find a tram or take a bus to get into down town. I will probably go in sometime later this week, just to see more sights. The weekend ended with us watching "Team America, World Police". The girls insisted I see it. In all honesty I thought it was stupid and I fell asleep in the middle. Then we watched some Australian Idol and Rove. I was still tired so I went to bed around 10pm. I had a much better sleep last night.
I know that my life is very uninteresting here in Australia. Oh well, just wanted to keep you updated on what is happening.
Until next time,
Cindy

OMG I can't believe I spelt rather wrong. I didn't even see that until it was posted. I'm such an idiot.

Rathere uninteresting.

Right now my trip seems really uninteresting. Yesterday was a very boring day. I am having trouble getting connected with my computer so have just been using my roommate Helen's computer. I don't really have much to write about anyway. I am enjoying my new place. Yesterday I did laundry in the morning. It is very common here that no one has clothes dryers so I have to hang my clothes on the clothes line. At home I hated the way my clothes felt after hanging on the line all day. They were always stiff and stretched out. I feel the same way about doing it here. I went for a walk around lunch time to see if I could find a map and a newspaper to look for a job. I found a paper but no map. I had lunch at a little cafe and just wondered around to check things out. I came home and watched some tv. My roommates are into the tv show 24. So I have been told I have to catch up so I can watch it with them. I made a bad effort to try yesterday. Then Diana and I went to the grocery store and got some food. Of course everything is just a little bit different, but I survived. There are a few things I am missing from home. One being the dryers another is a coffee machine. No one has coffee machines here and I don't really enjoy the coffee served at cafes. I think because it isn't a drip coffee. Also they don't have cream like we do. Everyone adds milk and it is skim milk I think. I found some coffee mate in the store and have been taking it with me. Everyone looks at it in complete shock. No one has seen it before, never mind tried it. I am lucky because Helen and Diana have been to North America. Helen lived in the US for awhile working as a nanny. She said she also misses the drip coffee, because it is so much better. Diana lived in Vancouver for awhile. I have now encouraged them to come visit me in Manitoba when I get back. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they did. Of course words are also different. When you mail a letter you post it. You put your bags in the boot not the trunk and everyone says "how you going?" instead of "how you doing?". Could you imagine Joey from friends saying "How you going??" in his charming way?

So the rest of my day is going to consist of figuring out the bus system so I can go to Chadstone shopping centre (they don't call it a mall). I am going to find a map there and a pair of shoes. My heels are cracking from wearing sandals all the time. I know it is so fun. I can see how everyone is jealous of my really exciting life. lol
Until next time,
Cindy

Moved

Today Corrin and I went for breakfast and then we went to the Melbourne zoo. It was very large. We started late in the morning and didn't get home until early afternoon. The zoo was great and Corrin could not believe the huge spiders on display there. I loved the butterfly atrium, the lions and the little penguins. I also got to see my first koala and platypus. All in all it was a great time there. We caught a train and bus home and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing. Diana then came and picked me up to take me to my new home. Corrin and Dan were going to be going out for supper so I felt glad to be gone before they left. I feel so glad to have had them there to show me around a little and give me a good taste of Australia. They also helped me with my understanding of Aussie slang. I will definitely be keeping in touch since they were so helpful and friendly to me. Diana and Helen seem equally as helpful. I feel very comfortable in my new surroundings already. I have my own room and share a bathroom with Diana. It is a nice homey place and am excited to be living here for awhile. Tomorrow I plan to type up a resume and do some laundry. I know it is very exciting. Soon I will look for a job here doing whatever comes my way. I also will do some wondering around and see what is in the neighbourhood. I look forward to my stay here. Although my travels so far have been very good I am missing home. I miss seeing my nieces on a regular basis and I miss being able to call my sister at any time just to chat. I miss the comforts of home and the little things like relaxing in the evening with a good movie. I sometimes just feel lonely because I don't have any of my best friends around me to share my thoughts with. Thank goodness for the Internet! I don't know what I would do if I couldn't email and chat with people on a regular basis. So just a little reminder to everyone..... I miss you too!
Until next time,
Cindy

Trams part duex

Sorry about that not finishing my blog yesterday. On Sunday since we had had too much to drink neither Corrin, Dan or I were feeling up to doing too much. So we got lunch at a fish shop. Your typical greasy hung over deep fried fish and chips. And then in the evening we made pizza (with pumpkin on it) and watched some truly Aussie movies. They told me these were must see movies to understand the Australian culture. So that night we watched The Castle. It was very good and I laughed a lot. If you can find it anywhere in a video store pick it up and see if you can understand them. lol. So yesterday I went with Corrin in the morning to the salon that she owns. I had breakfast in a little cafe near there. Then I took the train into the city centre and went to federation square. I met up with Ailsa and we went to the Melbourne aquarium. There was so big sharks and tons of very cool fish. I will send out some pictures soon. Then Aisla wanted to see the beach so we jumped on a tram. The very cool thing about public transportation in Melbourne is you can buy one pass and it works on buses trains and trams. So we figured out with tram to get on, which can be so confusing with 8 million people around. Once we got on the right one we rode it to the end. Ailsa got off and wondered over to the beach while I stayed on and it took me all the way to the other end of the city where I got off. I was on the tram about an hour and half in total. This is a good way to see the city. There is a free tram that goes around the city centre all day. I may go down and catch that today. Then to end the day off we watched the second movie. It is called Kenny. I think he may even have a TV show on here now. It was also very funny, so check it out if you find it. Well I am going to go grab some lunch and hopefully have an adventurous day.
Until next time,
Cindy

Trams

Hey Everyone! I have been having a good time in Melbourne. On Saturday I went to the market with Dan (Corrin's boyfriend) to go shopping for the picnic we were having that night. It was very loud and crowded at the market, but worth seeing. It reminded me of a bigger busier version of the St. Lawrence market in Toronto. The rest of the afternoon was spend looking for a place to live and seeing a few things while Dan was driving around the city. That night we had a picnic for Corrin. She was having an early birthday celebration. She invited friends and we sat on a blanket and drank and had a BBQ. It was very fun. I met two girls, sisters who I hit it off with right away. They are originally from Wollongong. They invited me to come live with them while I am here. I was so excited!! In one day I have found a place to live. They called and let me know the cost and said they would pick me up on Wednesday evening.
Once again my battery is going to die so I will finish this blog as soon as I have another spare moment... most likely in the morning.

Arrived in Melbourne

Hey Everyone,
I arrived in Melbourne this evening. I took the greyhound bus from Canberra. Eileen, my new Irish friend was also taking the bus. Since our bus didn't leave until 1:30pm we went and saw the War Museum. It was very interesting but we didn't see it all because we were short of time. There was some very interesting sites and you could easily spend a week or so if you read everything. Then Eileen and I called a cab and went to grab our luggage and headed to the bus station. We then spent 8 hours on a bus getting to know one another. The countryside was amazing and I think I have met a really great friend. I have her name and number and we are going to meet up again in a week or so when she gets back from Tasmania.
Tonight I am staying at a friend of my sisters. She and her partner picked me up from the bus station. They are letting me stay at their place for a few nights while I look for somewhere to stay long term. They seem really nice and have offered to show me a few things. I am glad I contacted them. They were also grateful to see pictures of London and of Bobbi and Nick's wedding.
Well that was my adventures today.
Until next time,
Cindy

Loving the Irish!

Hey Everyone!

I am sitting in my hostel in Canberra. The day I arrived here I stayed in a room with a few other people. There was a German, an Irish and a French girl. As Leslie tells me it sounds like the start of a bad joke. lol. It was very fun! The German girl, Nina was only 19 and she was very funny to listen to. She has been in Australia a few months and has lost more clothes and shoes than I even brought. Instead of saying "or somesing" in her German accent she said "actually" all the time. It was very funny, I tried not to laugh because I knew Caley and I would be busting a gut laughing about it! But she was very nice and had great stories. Ailse was the Irish girl. She had been in Australia for only 2 weeks. Although she had been touring Asia for the last 3 months. She said it was great. Her and I went on a walking tour around Canberra. We went and checked out the parliament building and the museum of Australia. For lunch we stopped in a little restaurant where I met an American working there. He was nice, and recognized that I was from North America right away. It was nice to know that there are people who speak my accent. lol. Last night we watched TV and I met another American who rudely made fun of my accent. Oh well, being nice back is what makes me Canadian.

Today I booked a bus ticket to Melbourne and contacted Bobbi's friend Corrin who is picking me up from the bus depot and letting me stay with her for a few days. Once I had this booked I took a taxi to the National Zoo and Aquarium. It was very good. The Aquarium was nice, but I wish it was bigger. The zoo was great, but the little penguins were hiding since it was too warm outside. I guess they come out at night when it is cooler. Also I didn't get to see a Tasmanian devil because they also only come out at night. But I saw a Kangaroo up close. After the Zoo I called a taxi to come pick me up. Long story short and an hour and half wait and a disagreement with the dispatcher I finally got back to the hostel. Once I arrived here I found that I had a new roommate. She is from Ireland. I love it!! All the Irish people I have met so far are fantastic. They are so nice and willing to help you in any way they can. Plus they always call you hun or dear or sweetie. Eileen is my new Irish friend and she likes to call me misses. I think it is great. We are going to head to the war memorial in the morning and then catching a bus to Melbourne together. She is 27 and has been in Australia for 6 months. She has seen more of the country than anyone I have met so far. She inspires me to tour all the way around this continent and see the different life styles. She was not about the parties and drinking but more about see the differences in culture. I love that, I think that is the reason to travel. I now want to see even more than I had originally planned. If she did it in six months then I know I can do it in a year. Before Australia, Eileen was in Africa for four months. She said it was amazing! I can't believe that people are so brave to go see all these different parts of the world. I have decided that if I can ever keep on travelling I would love to go to Ireland. If the whole country is as friendly as the ones I have met in the last week than I know I will love it.
Until next time,
Cindy

Sorry to cut you off.

Well I have arrived in Canberra. I actually just got to my room and got my bed made, so I haven't had a chance to look around yet. The bus ride to Moss Vale was very interesting. We went up this hill/ small mountain in a very windy road. There were times that traffic coming from the other direction had to stop because the bus couldn't turn that sharp. It was also some very steep ditches or whatever you would call it on a big hill. But the trees and the view was amazing. I was actually getting a little motion sickness because it was so twisty and so high. I had a one hour wait in Moss Vale and then caught the train to Canberra. The view on the train was also amazing. I was thinking about checking out flights to Melbourne but have decided that I will be taking a bus or train. Yes I know it is so much longer, but I think that is the whole point. I want to see Australia, not just the big cities. And I have nothign but time right now. While I was on the train I got a phone call from my long distance relative Erich. He was very excited to get a hold of me, since we have been trying since I have arrived to connect. He was away for the weekend and wanted to tell me all about his sun burn. He asked when I would be coming back his way and I said I wasn't sure. Now I am not sure where to go. I could go visit him for a few days and then maybe head to Melbourne or I could wait and just see him when I head up the gold coast. I was planning on staying in Melbourne for awhile and maybe even hitting Adelaide. Well I have a few days in Canberra to figure it out I guess.

Oh and I forgot, while I was on the train I spotted my first kangaroo!!! Well actually there were three of them together. I have not seen any spiders yet, but hear many stories in the evenings from other people I have met. The other day I saw a tiny little lizard, it was gross but quiet normal I guess.

Until next time,
Cindy

On my way.

Hey Everyone,
I am just sitting in the common area in the hostel in Wollongong. I am taking a train and bus to Canberra today. I am a little sad because I have met a nice couple who are staying here. The man is originally from Wollongong so he is here visiting his children and his wife is from Ireland, which is where they live. They gave me their numbers and email so that I can keep in touch. They even bought me a present yesterday. I had been complaining that my feet were cold the other night so they bought me some slippers as a thankyou gift for letting them use my Scalp Therapy on their sun burns. My computer is going to die here so I will add to this blog a little later today.

Frustrated!

Hey Everyone,
Yes, I'm frustrated! I would like to stay here in Wollongong but I can't seem to find anywhere to work yet. I would like to work in a salon, because it would be comfortable, but I don't have the right wardrobe to do that. I would eventually like to get to Melbourne, but worry that I will be feeling overwhelmed with it being a big city. Today I have spent most of my time just researching my options. I didn't go to the beach because it was raining a bit earlier and I have no desire to go swimming. I got myself a phone today, although it doesn't seem to be working. I went back to the place I got it from and he said the network is down and will be up shortly. I sure hope this doesn't happen often, or I'll be feeling like I got ripped off. Anyway, if there is anyone out there who has any advice for me let me know.
I know this is a boring blog, sorry
Until next time,
Cindy

Wollongong

Hey Everyone!
Well I just arrived in Wollongong. I am currently sitting outside hanging out. I've already met more people than I did in Sydney. Everyone here seems very friendly. Also the city looks beautiful. I can't wait to explore. I have already noticed a salon down the street. lol. I just ran into some people from the US that were also staying at Billabong Gardens in Sydney. Looks like they are also staying in my dorm room, so that will be cool. The bus trip here was pretty simple. Great view driving into Wollongong. Although to catch the bus I had to hail a cab to get to central station with my backpack on. I sorta felt like I was in New York City or something. Well not much to say today, just letting you all know where I am.
Until next time,
Cindy

This Just In

Hey Everyone.
One small thing I forgot to mention yesterday. While I was in LA airport in my tiredness I saw a girl I thought I recognized. She was with a bunch of young people. They all had bags with pink tags on them saying "If you find this please return to Kitty Purry..". One of them was carrying a guitar. So I was pretty sure my instincts were right. I was waiting to get on a 14 hour flight with Katy Perry and her band. Of course, I still wasn't sure if it was her or not. This morning in my room I turned on the TV to find her singing on a local morning talk show. I recognized the members of her band as being the people she was with in the airport. So cool!! I tried not to stare at her in the airport, because obviously no one else recognized her. So far this is the only cool thing that has happened on my trip.
My body has not yet adjusted to the time change, which I expected. I was up at 5 am this morning and have been waiting to get online since then. I went for a deadly cup of coffee, which has given me a caffeine high that I'm sure will last until next week. I am currently trying to figure out where I will go next.
I have not found any spiders or kangaroo's yet! Although the birds sound so different that I am sure there are small children or cats crying all the time. The area of Sydney I am in is very busy, as I'm sure most areas are since it is such a large city. I sorta can't wait to get out of here. The big city isn't for me.
Well off I go to plan my next few days.
Until next time,
Cindy

Arrived!

Hey Everyone! Just wanted to let you all know I am in Sydney. I am staying at a hostel tonight and tomorrow night. After that I'm not sure exactly where I'll be. I plan on making some phone calls and booking a few more nights tomorrow. I'm feeling a bit jet legged today. I don't feel really tired, but I am a bit dizzy and achy from sitting in one flight for so long. So far everything is good. Weather is nice here, not too hot, not too cold. I plan to see a bit more of Sydney tomorrow when I feel a little better.
You'll hear from me soon, I'm sure!

Cindy

Shout Out!

Hey everyone! Welcome to those who are new to my blog. I figure I will have some new lookers now that I have given the web address out.
Just wanted to let everyone know the wedding went great. Nothing (as far as I know) went wrong. We had a really good time. I am pretty sure Bobbi and Nick enjoyed themselves. I danced the night away!
Well, just wanted to write a quick note. I will hopefully get one more written before I arrive in Australia.
Until next time,
Cindy

Count down

Well the count down is on. I leave for Australia in one week. I only have 3 days of work at the salon left, and 1 day of Nioxin work to do. I am feeling very overwhelmed with everything, yet calm. I am very excited for my sisters wedding on the weekend. I think keeping my mind on that has kept me feeling fairly good about leaving. I am excited to be done work. Not that I won't miss my co-workers, but I'm ready for something new. I am excited to see my family that is visiting for the wedding. I'm so glad I get to see so many of them before I go. This week is going to be jammed packed so I may not have another blog until I'm in Australia. We'll see I guess.
Until next time,
Cindy

Sex and the city relationships

If you ever watch Sex and the city you will understand this blog. My favorite part about the four girls is how they can be so honest with one another. Carrie may be scared to tell Charlotte she is having an affair with Big, but still she tells her. And when she does, they fight. Not like fist fight, but ya know they yell a little and both get their point across. And then maybe they have a day or two apart but in the end Carrie and Charlotte and the other girls end up at their favorite breakfast spot. The whole point is, they're honest with one another. They let it out. They talk about how they feel. They each have a point and its valid. I want this. I want this with my friends and family. I want to give my opinion and not worry about hurting any ones feelings. I want to say what is on my mind without worrying someones mom won't talk to me because I said it. At this point in my life, I'm terrified I will say the wrong thing. I actually do say the wrong thing on a daily basis. Which means, I back pedal to try and get my foot out of my mouth. I hate that. It turns into me becoming someone I'm not. I want to be myself. I want to say what is in my mind and in my heart. This, of course, doesn't mean I should be a rude bitch and say inappropriate things at inappropriate times. It means when something bothers me, I say it. I don't worry about making sure the other person feels better about it when I do. I have the people in my life that I want in my life. I have honest relationships with the people in my life. This is my goal while I'm on my travels. I am going to find myself. I want to be more comfortable with who I am, not who people expect me to be. I want to have friends I can be honest with and who will be honest back. I want to be real.

Well lets hope I find what I'm looking for while I'm travelling. Hopefully I come back as the person I want to be.

Until next time.
Cindy

Running Away

Do you ever wonder how those people just walk out the door for a jug of milk and never come back do it? I do all the time. I wonder why there life was so bad. I wonder if they ever miss their old clothes. I wonder if they think about going back. I've always been very curious about it. I find it interesting that they just start again. They make up a whole new background a whole new self. I'm beginning to wonder if that is what I'm trying to do. Except I've told people I'm going. This is my biggest regret. If I could do it all over again, I would just give 2 weeks notice at my job and not even tell them why. I wouldn't tell my friends until I was in Australia. This way I would avoid those sappy goodbyes that feel totally fake. Yes, I will miss people, but its sorta like missing your hair after a big haircut. Yeah its gone, but doesn't it look better? I feel like I have changed so much in the last few years, yet my surroundings have stayed the same. Basically I feel like I don't match anymore. I did at one time have a close connection to all my friends here, but time has changed that. These friends are getting married, having babies, running kids to soccer games, and meeting for play dates. I, however, am not doing any of these things. Of course, I love these people and their kids, but I simply don't have anything in common with them anymore. Maybe it is that fact that I'm jealous. I wanted all those things, yet life hasn't taken me there. I often wonder why this happens at different times for different people. Has God decided that I'm not mature enough to have a real relationship, that I can't handle children? Yet I watch people mess up there perfectly great relationships everyday. Anyway, the point is I've changed. I've changed so much that I feel like I fake who I am on a daily basis. Australia for me will be like going for milk and never coming back. I want to start all over. I want to say what I want without worrying that I've hurt someones feelings. I just want out. I feel like I'm having the beginning stages of a panic attack. I'm so close to gone I can feel it, yet its still so far away.

I did not intend to hurt any ones feeling while writing this. I will apologize for anything I've written that has offended anyone. Unfortunately, I can't help how I feel.

My first blog!

Hello Everyone!
Welcome to my first blog. With this blog I plan to keep everyone up to date with my travels. This is for everyone who wants to know how I'm doing and wants to see some pictures of my trip. Also for anyone who doesn't have facebook, but wants to see pictures. Also I'd love to read comments so don't be scared to speak up.

Today I went to work at 9am. I did one of my regular clients hair and then had to leave for the day. I headed to Russell, Manitoba with my friend Cyndall. We met up with my co-worker Shawna in Rapid City (her home). We were going to a funeral. It was an awful reason to bring us all toghether but it was a fun trip. One of my clients lost her daughter, Marley, on Saturday Sept. 6th. Marley was 14 years old. There was about 800 people at her "Celebration of Life". It was a really hard afternoon. Marley's mother Chris is a regular client of mine. She is one of those clients who I look forward to seeing everytime I see her name in the book. Chris is someone I will miss dearly while I am in Australia. We always have great talks about my life, her life, her girls, and anything else we can think of. I always thought she was so fantastic because her girls seemed so well rounded and she often asked for advice on how to handle teenage girl stuff. I think this is a fantastic trait because I don't have children yet feel very honored when people ask me about my teenage years and how I would have handled the situation. Although they don't always take my advice it still feels good that people ask. Anyway, Chris is the type of mother I want to be when I grow up. So when I found out she lost her daughter Marley, I was heart broken. No, I did not know Marley well. I mean I had done her hair, and talked to her almost everytime she was in the salon, but I didn't know her favorite color or favorite song. Even though I didn't know these things, I could still tell Marley was a special girl. Her sister Madison is also a great girl. They are the type of girls I want my unborn children to be. The whole family is just down right good people. Today at Marley's funeral I cried. I cried because she was so young. I cried because there is so much she didn't get to experience. I cried because I wanted to ease the pain of her family and close friends. I cried because I remembered how awful I felt at my dad's funeral. At one point I felt like I didn't belong there. Like I said, I didn't know Marley all that well. I thought there were so many other people who knew her better than I, yet here I was crying my eyes out. At the lunch I spoke with Chris. I told her that I asked my dad to look out for Marley in heaven. I told her that I had a broken heart. Chris said something to me that will stick with me forever. She said she wanted me to take Marley to Australia with me. She said since Mar wouldn't be able to make it, it was up to me to take her there. She said have a drink for her and enjoy yourself for her. I thought that was the best thing I'd heard all day. The thought that Marley wouldn't be able to experience so many things in life has been bothering me all week. Since Chris suggested this, I can't help but wonder if Marley came into my life for a reason. I think God sent her to me so that I would be reminded to live life to the fullest. So I have decided I am definately taking Mar with me. She is going to Australia and anywhere else I decide to go. So if in my picutres you see a gold candy wrapper or a paper with a picture on it, this is her enjoying the sights. This will remind me and everyone looking at the pictures to live their life to the fullest.

Many of my clients will be on my mind while I travel. They are all special in different ways. I feel honored to have been a part of their life, even if it was just a small part. I finish this first blog with a silent prayer for Marley and her family. I also thank God for my clients, and for letting me take this trip to Australia.

Until Next time,
Cindy