I need your numbers!

hi all,
for some reason, my phone will not let me access any of the contacts in my phone. i have really great international calling rates and have finally mastered the time difference, so if everyone would email me their phone numbers i would love to get them compiled the old fashion way... in a little notebook i carry around with me!


Aussie word of the day
singlet: tank top (the kind with thicker straps)

Sydney: Days 3 & 4

Sydney day 3 was my beach day! i started off with my first venture on the sydney public transportation system - one short bus ride later i was at coogee beach! coogee was really beatiful and in my exploring i saw a posting for an ammmmazing sounding place right near the water - fully furnished 2 bedroom well within my budget! i am going to go check the place out with a prospective flatmate (also here for a year on work & holiday visa from the states) on tuesday - will update then
from coogee i did the coast walk on to bronte, then tamarama, then finally bondi! it was an absolutely beautiful walk (though took a few hours!) and highly recommend doing it
in the evening, I attended my first Aussie barbie and met some new friends - everyone is so friendly here!

Sydney day 4: first checked out the Paddy's fruit and vegetable market right near me, then walked through chinatown on my way to the Darling Harbour fesitval Brazil. from there i crossed hyde park to get to the Sydney central library where i got my library card (no better way to feel like a local!), followed by a picnic in the royal botanical gardens, getting info on upcoming shows (and cheap seats) at the opera house, then exploring the market at the rocks (old historic district of sydney).

tomorrow i look into AU domestic travel and taking the RSA course so i can start applying for jobs!

Sydney: Day 2

day 2 was a little more exciting! i went on my hostel's city tour, so for the first time got to see the Sydney harbour, the bridge, the opera house (way, way more amazing in person than in photographs), the royal botanical gardens (very central park - i think i will be spending a lot of time there), hyde park, and everything in between! so i got a much better view of sydney and all of its glamour than i did yesterday just opening up bank accounts and registering for tax numbers! in the evening i met up with Will at his company's charity auction and trivia night - met some wonderful people and had a great time. i also met another friend on the hostel city tour who is doing the same thing as me - just got here, is spending a week at the Wake Up hostel, and is here for a year on the work & holiday visa and no idea what he is going to do for work/residence! makes me feel just a little less crazy for doing this :) we picked our tour guides brain and learned some good info - including that in order to get any food/beverage service job you need to take this federal 6 hour course, so i am going to look into that today. also on the agenda for today is to hit up bondi and do the walk from bondi to coogee (ive been hearing wonderful things about coogee) and then going to my first australian "barbie" (i was invited by a girl who i met last night). interestingly enough for all those worried about there being a lack of theme parties in Oz - apparently theme parties are the biggest rage here right now, and the barbie tonight is themed for the '80s' - i will do my best to throw something together with the few clothes i brought with me but would love to find a thrift store (or American Apparel) here!

aussie fact of the day
-Australia is the one country in which Starbucks has failed miserably. they opened up 130 stores here and only have about 20 left. makes me kind of proud of my new country (sorry D!)

Sydney: Day 1

its the morning of day 2 in Syd - yesterday was a great first day! i activated my westpac bank account and got some of this monopoly money that they call australian dollars, and i got a prepaid aussie sim card with GREAT international rates to the usa! (email me if you want my digits - i can also receive texts/calls for free)

i also went grocery shopping - WOW things here are expensive! i tend to track prices by the cost of a 20oz bottle of coke (average cost AUD$3.50) but i know others track it based on price of a gallon of milk (almost AUD$6 for store brand) - either way you slice it, sydney is Expensive! of course, there are always deals to be found and i was able to find some good buys... regular bread is about AUD$4 for a loaf, but a pack of pitas only AUD$1, and store brand hummos only AUD$2 - Kraft american cheese is about AUD$7 but store brand cheddar block is only AUD$2. and weirdly, pepsi max is much cheaper than all other coke/pepsi products (1.5 liter for AUD$1), sandy will be happy to hear!

today i am taking a free city tour with my hostel - will report back!

aussie word of the day
shelia: girl

here!

finally, finally, i am here! Sydney, Australia! 30 hours from GSO to SYD - including one loooong 19 hour stretch from LAX to SYD (with an unexpected stop in Brisbane because of some fog issues). it was a wonderful flight though!! read the new dan brown book on my way from gso to dulles then lax, and slept about 8 hours of the 19 hour flight on from there! only misstep was the oversight of not requesting my special vegetarian meals... so far it seems that is the only mistake i have made, because this city is great! well... the parts i have seen, at least! the hostel i love - i just got checked in now and am about to start exploring, setting up my bank account, phone, etc....

this place is just a little topsy turvey... like alive in wonderland, PRE rabbit hole. something is definitely off, from driving on the left side of the road, to the "drink driving is against the law' sign posted on the shuttle bus's window. and i was wondering why we had to make an emergency stop in brisbane instead of landing straight away in Sydney - blamed on the FOG of all things - until i saw the airport/runway landing at SYD. the runway markers begin on the water and touch solid ground only a few feet from the massive expanse of ocean.


aussie word of the day
Arvo : afternoon

Leaving... on a jet plane

heading to the airport now... cant believe today is finally here! my cell will still be domestic and working at my layovers in DC and LA until 1:35am EST if anyone wants to say farewell!

my bags are packed, i'm ready to go...

i can hardly believe the day is almost here. it is so surreal to think that months ago i woke up and thought 'it would be really cool to go to Australia for a year' - and now here we are, 36 hours from take off, bag packed, passport in hand. and now for my sanity more than your interest, my checklist:

1. Visa - check. Work and Holiday visa subclass 462, valid Sept 15th, 2009 until Sept 14th, 2010

2. Flight - check. United 8007 GSO to Dulles, United 0947 Dulles to LAX, United 0839 LAX to SYD. total miles traveled = just over 10,000 miles.

brand new Dan Brown book preordered. Earplanes, Airborne, and neck pillow purchased.

3. Hostel - check. one week booked at Wake Up Australia

4. $$$ - check. Westpac bank account set up in Sydney, Australia and money wired. credit cards notified of travel plans. exchange rate still not in my favor but slowly gaining :)

http://www.google.com/finance?chdnp=1&chdd=1&chds=1&chdv=1&chvs=Linear&chdeh=0&chdet=1248416488833&chddm=187816&q=CURRENCY:AUDUSD&ntsp=0

5. Insurance - check. World Nomad's travelers insurance

6. Job - pending. resume changed into an Australian style CV, printed and packed.

7. Cell Phone - almost check. Vodafone SIM only plan with 6 month contract decided on, current cell phone unlocked by AT&T, now just need to walk in and purchase it!
Google Voice still pending official launch :(

8. Luggage - backpack packed full of 7 go-anywhere dresses, cardigan, leggings, sandals, and travel size toiletries. all hopefully Aussie casual chic! plus resumes and my camera, voltage converter/adapter, a towel and a couple bathing suits.

so it looks like i'm ready to go! cant wait!