Bondi

Sydneys most famous beach is Bondi. Its one of the few beaches in the southern part of Sydney and very popular with tourists, especially travellers. Its also a place to be seen with all the hip, young, trendy crowd in Sydney.

I don't know why though, coz its not as nice as some of the other beaches, especially those on the Northern shores.

Anyway me and Zena decided to head down on Saturday. We didn't get there till after 2, because we had another house viewing in Manly and also an introduction into what can happen when the transport system in Sydney has a minor fault...

We had a message off the people that lived in the real nice flat last week. They had decided to go with the guy from Worcester in the end. It pissed us off, but we just got back into looking for somewhere else to live. We had been making phone calls anyway, but mostly when they found out we were a couple, it was "Oh no.. we want two girls, not a couple".. Why advertise for a couple then? We did have one viewing though, and that was from this girl called Daniella. She hadn't actually moved in, but a text on Friday said we could come and have a look around Saturday morning.

Anyway we went around, and it was lovely!! Two bedrooms, a kitchen/lounge with wooden floors, and a bathroom. Daniellas room had the best views over 5 beaches, and we were right next to the sea. A 5 minute walk to two different beaches, or Manly Wharf or even the shops. Its a perfect location!! She had a few people coming around, but said she would get back to us later that day. So off we headed to Bondi with our fingers crossed..

After a nightmare journey with three different buses, and a train, we finally arrived at Bondi. It was dead cool down there though, with a huge seafront, with loads of shops, and the most perfect sand ever!! The waves there were in force, full of surfrats... So we got down to what Zena does best.. Sunbathing!!

Anyway the cloud started to come in, so we decided to go for a wander. Discovered some amazing graffiti, and a concrete skate park. We then met up with someone Zena met travelling in Thailand, this French lad called Fabien. He was with his buddy Chris, and we went for some beers and some food.

That was when Daniella called and she let us know that it was us that she wanted to live with for the next 5 months!! WooooooHoo!! A house was sorted, and a top one at that!!

Great news!! We move in next Saturday..

Bad news also.. Zena had her purse and phone stolen off her during the week, while she was at work in Parramatta. She was NOT a happy bunny that day, I can tell you... Anyway the worst thing was that the purse meant so much to her as it was a designer one that her Mum had got her for a graduation pressie. Also losing everyones phone numbers is a right pain.. send her an email with your contact details please!!

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Creepy crawlies

I am loving Australia right now!! I'm not too sure why, I think its because of the hot weather we are having..

I know its not the creepy crawlies.

We are living in a suburb called French's Forest at the moment and whilst Gail and Roger are away in the UK, we are looking after there house! Its a great place with some amazing views over a reserve and the Blue mountains!! When the sun sets, its such a great view! While we are there I have to look after the chickens, which is fun!

We have 8 chick-chicks (as Zena says) and a cock (hehehe.. but its true) .. Basically I have to open the henhouse every morning, collect the eggs, shovel their shit into a bin and every few days change their water.. I also have to feed them some seeds everyday and also we save our vegi waste and chuck that to them every so often.. Then at sunset, I have to make sure they are all tucked up in bed!! Its pretty cool.. but me and Zee are sick to death of eggs!! We have made as many dishes as you possibly can.. cakes, pavlovas, egg fried rice, egg salads and no end of different types of ommelettes..

Anyway back to the creepy crawlies.. As you can see from the piccy above, this was no small spider. Its a massive thing called a Huntsman. Normally I would not have gone anywhere near it, bit it was in OUR bedroom waiting for us!! Luckily its not poisonous, its the little ones that kill you off!!

We also had a close call with a rattle snake the other week.. well we think it was!! We didnt actually see it. There we were watching TV, when we heard this real strange rattling sound, from behind the sofa. I grabbed a torch and a broomstick, and I gave Zee this massive knife! and we went searching.. So after about 15minutes looking for something, we finally decided that it must have been outside the house...

Its fun and games over here!!

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New job and house hunting

Started work last week.. that and looking after the chickens!! Life is full of fun in Sydney!!

Been working at this software company just down the road from where we live. Such an easy job, and there is nothing I can do to make it a little more interesting!! All I do all day is answer the phones and say "Hi you are speaking to Jez in Tech Support. How can I help?"... then these clients tell me all about the problems they are having, I listen and write it down and then "Well I can't actually help with this problem, but I have logged it and I will get one of the Tech Support guys to call you back as soon as possible..." They never like that, but what can I do?? I don't know the software at all.. oh yeah and log some emails that come in..

That takes up about half of my work day.. so I spend the rest of the time on the net. The manager doesnt have a problem as long as I get my calls and emails done!!! If anyone has Yahoo messenger IM me on jezarnold please..

Then again the job is only for another week (two weeks in total), and I should have something different starting soon. I have applied for about 20 Helpdesk positions in Sydney, but I don't think anyone wants travellers...

Me and Zee have also been looking for houses in Manly. Manly is a great suburb of Sydney, with beaches and some great bars. It also means getting a ferry to work every day, which will be a novel way of commuting! We have looked at a couple of bedsits, but they were horrible and the landlords wanted far too much rent. Then we got to see this great flat..

Lovely views over the harbour... massive rooms.. cheap rent... 10 mins walk to the ferry or beach.. too good to be true?? It could be.. we went around the other night and had a look, and loved it straight away. Just got to wait on the people who live there to make a decision between us and this guy who is from Worcester!! Christ sake.... was so tempted to say, "Whats his last name? Oh I know him.. I'm sure he got done for kiddy fiddling...."

We are still waiting on an answer, so everyone wish us luck please!!

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Interviews and Jobs

After a week of slacking, me and Zena finally decided to spend this week looking for work. Last weekend was spent online looking at recruitment agencies and job websites in Sydney. I also spent some time looking in the Newspapers, but because of the Working Holiday Visa you can only get temporary 3 month contracts.

So once I had my CV and covering letter updated again, and checked by the Recruitment Goddess herself, I then sent it out to over 20 agencies and jobs. Monday and Tuesday were spent following up these applications by phoning everyone up. And I ended up with 4 interviews on Wednesday.

Wednesday came and it bought the first rainfall I have seen in Sydney. Not a good omen, I thought. Had one interview in North Sydney and the other three in town itself. They all went fine.

Agency One said they would look around the Northern Suburbs and beaches for me - Great!! Agency Two said there is a possibility of an IT Security Sales role, for three months coming up - That sounds good!! Agency Three gets me more money in my paypocket, by claiming I am living away from home, also provisionally offered me a two week contract about 1/2 hour walk from where we are living - Superb!! Agency Four said they will keep a look out for me - lovely!!

Thursday bought a phonecall and an offer of employment for two weeks as a receptionist / IT for a local financial software house. $18 per hour, 8-5 everyday.. nice little starter job here in Sydney!!

Oh yeah and my phone and camera charger turned up this week as well, so I have a phone again!! Look out for some nice Sydney photos coming up soon...

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Home and Away

The cars fixed at last!! The recovery man originally dropped it off outside the house, but every time we wanted a towtruck to take it to the garage a car would be parked in fornt of it. So in the end a Locksmith fixed it at the side of the road..

Anyway now the car is back to usual, we decided to get out of the house for a few hours. After all I have spent bloody ages on the old interweb looking for jobs and getting my CV with some agencys. Unfortunately I can only work a maximum of three months with any one employer, unlike NZ where they didn't really care! So I am after IT or Office Support work whilst I am here.

So our trip out this afternoon.. we decided to head up to Palm Beach AKA Summer Bay!! Yes, we were on the set of "Home and Away".. it was amazing!! We posed about pretending we were stars! hahahaha.. they even have the Summer Bay Surf Life Saving club there.. oh it was heaven!! I dont have any pictures coz I left my Phone and Camera charger in NZ (like an idiot), and they are in the post over to me...

Unfortunately they were not filming... I wanted a walk on extra part, but they do film on Tuesdays. If no work comes off soon, I may pop up there again!

Next stop is to see Skippy the Kangaroo...

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Contact Details in Australia

If you want to get in touch with me while I am in Oz, please use the following:

Mobile phone - 0061 (0) 410933836   (available to receive texts as well)

Address - [UPDATE - REMOVED]

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Hello Australia!

After me and Zee changed our flights to arrive in Sydney on Thursday afternoon instead of Saturday, its great to finally be here!!

Arrived to a few clouds, but since then the sky has been sooo blue! Its amazing in Sydney.. a massive city which brings a new meaning to the word suburb.. Trees, bungalows and nature reserves everywhere!

We are staying with Zenas Aunty Gail and Uncle Roger until we get jobs and a house sorted which is real kind of them. We are also looking after there house while they go off to China and Uk for a month.. Looking after the house also invloves looking after 9 chickens, which is my job!!

Have had a nose around Manly and also the shopping malls at Waringah and Chatswood. We also popped into Addecco, looking for work and I nearly thought I was lined up for a $46,000 IT job within ours of arriving. I could still get it, but they want a permanent work visa for it.. oh well!

The cost of living in Oz is much cheaper than NZ, better wages and everything is much cheaper here than UK.. I love the place already!!

Zena also broke her Uncles car, and I broke the PC.. But the car has a problem from old, and I fixed the computer!! And I fed the chickens wrong... ooops!! They are OK though..

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