Travellers checklist

As I was trying to find my way along the street yesterday using a map I realised something. I can read a map! I can actually use it and find my way about with one. That's a massive achievement for me, I'd normally look at a map feel my head go fuzzy and ask for directions. In general if it wasn't for google maps I'd still be cowering in the corner of my first hostel scared to leave incase I got lost. What an absolute godsend that app is.
Essential items for travelling.
• Deck of cards - long bus journeys, in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do and my favourite of course drinking games. One of my favourite things I've picked up is i can now tell you at least a dozen drinking games with a set of cards that'll get you wasted.
• A smart phone of some kind with 3G so you can access Facebook, email, google maps and the Internet all by using McDonald's free wifi rather than paying $4 for it somewhere.
• As much as I hate to say it, plain and practical clothes. You ain't gonna wear those heels and that dress but you can't bear to throw them out so you carry them around with you like dead weight.
• Tupperware. Strange one that but some hostels don't have adequate crockery and you can eat and cook most things in a microwave with it. Plus you can put a personal note on top so when it's in the fridge it warns off thieves. Mines says. Wozza's lunch touch and die. No ones ever took it ;)
• Something that reminds you of home. I've got a lovely book from a friend full of
Photos and it really helps on those days I'm homesick.

3 weeks to go till I go to Sydney and I really can't wait. I don't know why I'm just not feeling this city, it's just a city. I think it's because it's just tall buildings, offices and shops. There's no culture or history here and it's apparent their trying to make this a new and trendy place to be. I mean they have all the big festivals, the Australian open and the Grand Prix here which is cool but that's it.
Registered with an agency and have my induction tomorrow so hopefully working by the weekend, feel bizarre not working and it's only been a week. Might aswell live the dream properly and go to the beach at the end of the week :)

Bed bugs

So I got bed bugs. To anyone other than a backpacker that seems like a fate worse than death. To me it's just like getting a mosquito bite or a child getting headlice, it's one of those things that happen in hostels. So I've been in Melbourne for 6 days now and I'm liking it. Been out on the town 3 nights with some new friends I've made, been to the beach and even been productive by doing my RSA (responsible service of alcohol course) and I have 2 interviews tomorrow. One for a cafe and one for a bar? Fingers crossed.
I've met a great group of guys which is a mixture or Brits, Irish, and kiwis. It seems since I started travelling I've become one of the lads, whereas back home I'm more a girls girl. How things change.
I'm kinda at a cross roads right now as to what to do with my life. I feel like right now I'm just floating around and don't know what I'm doing, in a way that's exactly true. In the past week I've stayed in 4 different hostels, in the past 6 months I've stayed in 20 hostels. That's packing my stuff up and moving 20 times. Sometimes along the street, to a different city and once a different country. No wonder I feel unsettled. I don't wanna end my trip yet but it maybe sooner than the 2 years I planned to be away for. Family is the most important thing in my life and being away from them is so hard.

You have been evicted.

I've escaped! I'm currently in a hostel in Melbourne on chapel street and I'm so happy! Sod my second year visa I'm not doing that bloody back breaking, low paid hellish job again. We all had a few drinks on the balcony last night for Sharon leaving and she convinced me to leave and that I was wasting my time there. So I got up this morning, packed my bag and left. I love that I can do that with my life, that I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow never mind next week. So I'm going to get a job and stay in Melbourne till march and give this city a chance. I was unfair to this place because of what I seen today I think I'll love it. It's an awesome looking place and the men are hot!
The 2nd year visa debate was hot with everyone trying to get me to stay but I've still got till November in Oz so there's no rush. Plus as much as I love this country it's travelling I really love and I don't wanna commit myself to one country in this big world for so long. I had a great time in Tatura and its an experience ill never forget but it was time to move on. Von and Chris are still there so it's back to travelling on my own which I'm excited about.