Huddy Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 Hi Guys, I promised a few friends back home that I would keep a daily blog and send it to them thought it may be of interest to some of you... maybe a bit long winded !!! :notworthy: Tuesday 8th June Well the day has arrived! I get up at 1.30 am after a mammoth 2 hours sleep and get a little wired off coffee. I have been staying with my parents for a week and a half before the move and mum had been up all night – she is probably very worried and apprehensive. We set off to Manchester airport at 2.30am and get to Manchester in reasonable time to check in for the flight to Heathrow, managed to check in 24kg’s even though the weight restriction was 20kg.. Result!! I am now sat in the departure lounge, and have just left mum and dad at the gate. They didn’t make a big song and dance, which was great as with me being overly tired I could have got quite emotional – it was a nice farewell and more of a “see you soon” It was hard enough leaving Grandma yesterday in floods of tears, it would have been tough to do it again. I have just seen the plane I am travelling to Heathrow on- and have necked 3 x calms ! I am not a great flyer and its not very big at all ! Just arrived at Heathrow the plane wasn’t the one I thought it would be… phew ! The flight was only 35 minutes, which is still making me laugh, you couldn’t drive from Ilkley to Leeds in that ! I met a lovely lady on the plane; she was an accountant for companies such as Pepsi and Persil – quite a big wig! Turns out she is on the same Quantas flight as me; she is going to Singapore on business and is getting off when we stop to refuel. She goes on to say that she has done a lot of travelling with work and Sydney is by far her favourite city, she gets all excited for me which is nice ! She said that she would love to have done what I am doing, however has kids now and said that she thought I was very brave to do it on my own and that she admires me as she doesn’t think she would be able to do it as a 28 year old single gal, this, coming from someone like her felt like a real compliment – we went for a coffee on arrival at Heathrow then she went off to lord it up in first class – only £5k for a ticket to Singapore !! might do that next time yar !! So I go off and pay £6 for a bacon and egg sandwich and smoke my head off, sat having a coffee on my own – I love being at airports on my own and in fact flying on my own it always makes me feel really independent. I am still not feeling a rush of emotion which I expected, I don’t feel scared, worried or not even that this is a big deal – it just feels like the norm-this is a little strange I am thinking, I have had people crying on me as I leave and I have not faltered once ! Just seen the plane for the long haul it’s a Airbus A380, I swear to all the gods I have never seen anything like this before – it’s a double decker and one of the engines is the size of my old house !! I have got on, and no one sitting next to me… got 3 seats to myself, so make a make shift bed and neck a couple of nytol ! Quantas are an amazing airline, so helpful they can’t do enough for you, its 12.5 hours to Singapore. Wed 9th June Just got to Singapore, that was the best flight ever – I slept for most of it (which I never do) due to my makeshift bed - great lunch but missed breakfast as I was asleep ! Its hot and humid in Singapore, we have an hour here off the plane then I think 9 hours on to Sydney. On the flight now, captain has said its only going to be 6.5 hours, that’s great !!! I look a right mess; don’t know how I am going to pull myself round to meet my new boss who is picking me up at the airport I meet john at the airport (new boss) we were the only ones looking lost ! Customs was easy, very friendly and straight through. He got my stuff in the car, and Liz (manager) had given him a bag of shopping for me, which is lovely and much appreciated – the basics like toothpaste, milk, eggs, bread, spreads stuff like that. It takes about 15 mins from Airport, and its freezing!!! It’s nice though, one thing I was worrying about missing was the crisp air we get in the UK, I didn’t know if the air was going to feel humid and clammy – it feels good, just like an Autumn morning. The city looks beautiful! The vivid light festival is on, so there are random buildings and bridges lit up with pictures, it looks amazing. Get to the apartment, its lovely and modern and nice and clean – VERY central, the opera house is just round the back. Manage to get unpacked and get a shower, into bed at 11pm and try to combat any Jet lag. Thurs 10th June Woke up at 4am, my body clock will be all over. I wake up feeling excited. Got a shower and put full make up and done hair, I feel you may have to in Sydney! Firstly I went to Vodafone and got a Sim for my phone, its $29 but you get $159 worth of credit and have to use it within a month – at first I was very confused, but this is actually really good – cheap calls internationally as well so can phone the family tonight, I know mum and grandma will be wondering how I am getting on. Next I go to Commonwealth bank, I set up an account from the UK so just needed to take in my passport and pick up bank card, they are lovely and so helpful the lady sets me up with internet banking and applies for a visa for me. Then I go down to the office, to pop in and say hello and to meet everyone, and also to give them my new number. Had a chat with Liz about areas to live, which helped. Next I go to wander round the city, it’s a really cold wind, will need a scarf tomorrow as I can feel it hitting my throat and its making it sore – so I go to a convenience store to use the internet, find some apartments in Prymont and Darling harbour which are nice, so might as well go there for a look around. I walk down to the Circular Quay where the ferries and trains are and there is a ferry in 15 mins there, buy a ticket for $5.80, its weird the ferries are just like buses and you can even call a water taxi. Going out in the harbour on the ferry gives you amazing views of the Opera house and Harbour Bridge, its really warm now – they said it was going to be about 16deg but feels hotter. I cant believe how chilled out Sydney is, I had visions of over crowding with tourists, its really not bad at all. Get off at Pyrmont and have a walk around the harbour and town is lovely, quite touristy but lots of bars and nice restaurants I think the fact the suns blazing helps – anywhere is nice when its warm ! I could defiantly live here though, it feels a little like San Francisco, all leafy hilly roads leading down to the harbour, I sit and have a coffee and take it all in, while calling some of the apartments that I have found – none answer and leave messages to try and view. I can walk to work from here, and also get the train, bus or ferry quite easily to anywhere so that’s cool, going to go and check out Newtown tomorrow another suburb close to the city, but its not near the water I don’t think. Get the ferry back to circular quay and walk back to apartment, only 5 mins walk. Just going to chill out tonight, there is loads to do but don’t want to spend any money until I get work started and get paid, so just going to take it steady there is plenty of time to see it all ! Think I will call the parents and grandparents on my new phone ! Great day, and I really feel safe and happy here… I can see myself being settled. Friday 11th June. Just woken up, its 5am… good ! I used to get up really early back home so don’t think this is any different really. Just text a few people, and had a coffee while looking over the train map.. I got a text last night from someone I met through the Poms in Oz website and there are a group meeting up on Sunday… how exciting, its going to be great to meet people that are in a similar situation. I am going to get the train to Newtown today, and have a look around then maybe head down to Elizabeth bay, and double bay – other areas I am thinking about living in… looking forward to seeing the beach ! Well just got back, went to Newtown – it was a little town in itself.. very grungy there were a lot of people with dreadlocks and different coloured shoes or socks… and an incredible amount of people talking to themselves. The shops were what I like to call “shops of crap” very quaint but just sold absolutely loads of nothing…there are some really cool coffee shops there though and probably more pub type pubs than you would find nearer the city.. Although with the amount of people shouting at themselves, I am not overly sure I would feel safe here coming home from a night out, I set down in an internet café thing and start the flat search AGAIN,. I have called over 40 apartments and not got a single reply so far, apart from one guy who said “ I am on a mission from God and expect my new flatmate to join me” thought it best to leave that one. I find a flat in Pyrmont, sharing with one girl called Jessica, double bedroom, own bathroom looks cool - $380 a week…With a gym and pool - well worth a look – I get excited about the area as I head back – I walked down through botanic gardens for the first time, and they are stunning, the Kookuburrows are just hanging out like pigeons would in the UK and they even landed on me, the bats in the trees are the size of cats, and I actually found them quite sweet, as they were trying to hide their eyes from the sun,,, I did have spiders in the back of my mind though… a lot of trees… mm best get out of here. I walked down through darling harbour to Prymont - I love darling harbour its cool and they are starting the soccer fest for the world cup tonight and there are loads of big screens in the harbour and floating footballs its very festival like and looks ace. Just been to see the apartment, that’s going to be a no go!!! It was sharing with a Chinese girl in a two bed, but she also had her sister living there too, they couldn’t really speak English and just followed me around while I looked, the apartment was a pig sty and very basic for the money they are asking for. The gym and pool were not in the same building and you had to walk 15 mins to them, I didn’t even bother looking I think basically they wanted the rent to cover her sister staying there for free. So now I am going to go an buy an internet dongle, I need to put more effort into the flat search obviously and my two snatched hours at internet cafes wont do ! I buy one for $80 with Optus at a newsagents and it has 1gb of whatever on it… (don’t get it) and I am going to go home, phone mum and grandma and get on with the search. Sat 12th June, Woke up at 7.30am.. a bit of a lie in for me ! I get straight on the internet and find flats that are perfect, until I see the last line which will say something very dodgy. Looking on Gumtree, domain and real estate and also signed up to roommate and flatmate.com Find 4 in Pyrmont, speak to them and it’s a no go, all gone. So, right, I am going to have to go further out – originally I wanted to be by the beach – so lets go back to that.. I find 20 in bondi and 2 in double bay.. I called and text all of them, no reply apart from the one in double bay.. he just said this is the address meet you there at 2.30 today – very arrogant. Ok well that’s fine, I will go look around double bay. Got the ferry over there, and walked around – it reminded me of France a little bit, its very designer orientated and has a strong café culture. There were teenagers dressed up to the nines in chanel, or whatever other designer, meeting for a coffee, mmm when I was that age I was necking a bottle of hooch at the train station ?!?! Beautiful town though, and I walk down to the beach, which is small but lovely, there is a sea pool thing called red leaf that you walk to through a garden and its stunning – yes I could live there. So I found the apartment, and it looks lovely outside, quite an old fashioned building – but clean and has character – I started thinking to myself – this is it… nice area, not a bad commute to work lovely pool and beach,., great. All the flat needed were a few basics, i/e clean, and reasonable size and I would take it there and then. The guy showed up (still arrogant) and took me in, well damn me if I wasn’t launched with a short sharp shock back to 1920 ! It smelt damp, there was no light, had carpets that were covered in mud, sofas that were filthy, I couldn’t wait to get out of there and get home to get a shower. Feeling VERY deflated, I head down into the town, I thought buggar it I am going to blow some cash that I cant afford on lunch, so I sit with the trendy people and have 2 glasses of wine and a chicken ceaser salad – which I have to say was amazing $40 please…. As I am sat there wondering where to look next and wondering what the hell to do I get a text, it’s the ONE apartment this morning in Bondi that I was really keen for… Sharing with a girl called Sarah and she seems normal, the room is only $240 a week and its right over the road from the beach, the only thing that has worried me about this area is the commute to the CBD but hey, beggars cant be choosers and at least if I can find somewhere decent for when my works apartment is up on the 24th for a few months, then I can relax and actually concentrate on starting this new job, in a different market, with different colleagues in a different country !! ha ha… So I am going to see that at 12 tomorrow and hopefully we can put that to bed and get sorted.watch this space… :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest siamsusie Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 Hi Guys, I promised a few friends back home that I would keep a daily blog and send it to them thought it may be of interest to some of you... maybe a bit long winded !!! :biggrin: :hug:I really enjoyed your post, beautifully written and funny! Can't wait for the next installment.... wishing you all the luck in the world obtaining your new apartment.... love Susie x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supa Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 What a brilliant update - thanks for sharing it with us. We validated our visa last year for Melbourne but went to Sydney for a fantastic week. Reading your update took me straight back there. We stayed in an apartment next to the monorail in Darling Harbour which was so nice and to just sit outside and look at the boats going by and hear all the harbour noises was heaven. We went up to the Blue Mountains by train one day which was lovely but it took about 3 hours (didn't get the express!). So glad you are getting sorted with your accomodation - one less thing to worry about. Sounds like it's all meant to be. Good luck X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl12 Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 brill post,loved reading it,make sure you keep us upto date!!!! i want to know if the flat your viewing is THE ONE lol shez x x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellathedog Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Huddy! Great post! Makes me wish I was young and free again and brave enough to do what you are doing! I've visited Sydney four times now and reading your descriptions take me straight back. It's great reading, can't wait for the next instalment. Hope Bondi has worked out for you. Cheers Pam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pau1evs Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 A fantastic post xxxx hope you post more xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huddy Posted June 13, 2010 Author Share Posted June 13, 2010 Hey thanks for the comments everyone ! I wanted to post this as I know that before I was leaving I was looking for something like this and couldnt find anything really :-) Sunday 13h June I wake up at 6am again the city looks like a scene out of 28 days later or I am legend… absolutely no traffic.. no one walking the streets and this continues all morning while I am drinking coffee looking out of my CBD apartment… freaky !! ha ha I like it though… So am viewing a flat at Bondi this morning.. might as well go down early and have a look around, I get the 389 bus from the city to see what the commute is like – however I am under no illusions that this is what it will be like in rush hour !!! Got the bus, took 35 minutes not bad really !! Took me through kings cross and Paddington and a few other suburbs I had heard off… none of them grabbed me. I didn’t have clue where to get off on the bus I was heading to Hall street, which apparently is quite central in Bondi, but its so quick on the bus didn’t want to miss it…Ah a guy gets on with a surf board… follow him yeah ?! Get off the bus and walk down hall street (where the apartment is ) and within 30 seconds I see the beach… OMG !! its nothing like I imagined… I had heard that bondi is rough, full of litter, and I imagined it to be like Blackpool… UUUURRRGHH.. ha ha. Its nothing like this, I walked down to the beach and saw a graffiti memorial to the bali bombing victims which was really quite moving, the beach was soo quiet.. it was 10.30 on a Sunday morning. I went and sat on the beach for an hour and I watched various children’s clubs playing football, and kids being taught how to surf, who are so good they would put adults to shame – they were about 5 !!! I sat there watching the sea, reading the Sunday papers and drinking coffee. I had a impression of Bondi before I came and I wish I hadn’t built up preconceptions, as this seems like an amazing place for a family, and an even better and safer place for a single girl ! Sure it will be a lot busier in the summer, and I have been thinking after speaking to people this is not good… then I have a word with myself “ you are a 28 yr old single girl living in Sydney, so what if its busy, that’s good right ?” I am getting nervous about viewing the flat, over the last few days I have got my hopes up and they have been sooooo rubbish – and along with the “I am on a mission from god and wish my new flat mate to join me “ emails I m starting to wonder what I am going to end up in. I go for a coffee “as you do here” then go and knock on the door… Its an older style building and head to top floor, I am greeted by Sarah… bright, bubbly, Australian… she seems ace ! The flat is almost Georgian, high ceilings, and cool… only 30 seconds from Bondi beach… we get on really well and have a laugh.. for me it was more important to have a good flat mate, that I could have a laugh with and share a vino with than the flat, but obviously it needed to be half decent !! I tell her there and then that I want it, and she says she has some more people to show around and will let me know. I was initially quite disappointed with this, as I thought we got on well enough for her to offer it to me straight away !!! So I head off back into the city, I am meeting some people from the poms in oz website tonight and looking forward to having a normal conversation that’s not with someone who either works in a shop or tourist information… I meet people from pomzinoz website in a bar in the rocks, he is lovely and we have a chat about everything to do with migrating to OZ, we met up my the rocks it was REALLY busy, the farmers market had been on and it was heaving I even thought to myself in my mind “bloody tourists” ha ha ha I have only been here 5 days myself !!! then my phone rings and its Sarah from the flat, she chose me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yey !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The rent is $240 including ALL bills, and a bond of $480, so cheap ! Most of the estate agents flats I was looking at were wanting bonds of up to $3000 dollars ! She wants me to move in from Monday, which is not ideal as I have paid accommodation from work for another week and a half… but hey… got to take it.. so will pay from Monday and probably move in on Saturday….she also says that her and a few friends are going out for a meal in the city tomorrow night if I want to join them – how nice !? I put an advert on Gumtree that I was looking for somewhere, and have had quite a few emails and texts about apartments that are available – I have decided to delete these without reading them – I cant go through all that again and I don’t want any doubt put in my mind about my choice. So that’s it ! I can relax a little at last, I start work on Tuesday so I think tomorrow I am just going to “do nothing” might go over to see manly beach maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
north wales Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Hey great glad you found somewhere, reading your blog very brave. Places to rent not easy to come by at all . Good look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supa Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Brilliant that you've found somewhere. It was probably difficult for your flatmate as the chances are that she had already made the appointments but had to see them through - sound a nice person. We loved Bondi beach. Like you we had preconceptions and nearly didn't go as we had been told how rubbish it was. We were only going to go for an hour just to say we'd been, but ended up staying all day. Like you, it was winter though, so I'm sure that made a big difference! We had to laugh as the life guard was going up and down the beach trying to warn surfers that there was a rip. However no-one was responding as presumably like us sat on the beach, they couldn't hear what the bloody hell he was saying (it sounded like he had a box on his head). In the end he got his speedboat our and rounded them up. Made us chuckle. Bondi funnily enough reminded us of an English seaside resort with the "promenade" and grassed area. God I'm off reminiscing again. Hope you enjoy/ed Manly - we only did the beach which the kids loved but we had been told by friends there to do it at night so that when we came back on the ferry we would see the city lit up, which we found awsome. Good luck with your new job. Sounds like you'll do just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest smileykylie Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Huddy - glad you got the flat but had to laugh (well me and my mum did) at the 'worried about the commute from bondi to the CBD' - sorry but as someone from way out of the city that commute is a dream!!! honestly no offence intended but I think we aussies are just used to travelling so much further for things. Then again might just be jealous that you get to live at bondi you lucky thing!! good luck for your job tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huddy Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 Ha ha I know.. I think Aussies are much more used to it.. In reality its really not far ! I used to travel half an hour to work and I am just not used to travelling any further.. its all good ! Thank you, looking forward to starting work ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ista Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Ha ha I know.. I think Aussies are much more used to it.. In reality its really not far ! I used to travel half an hour to work and I am just not used to travelling any further.. its all good ! Thank you, looking forward to starting work ;-) Fantastic couple of udpates, Huddy - thanks so much for sharing this with us. I'm really impressed that you went on your own like this...I'm also 28 and not sure I'd have the nerve but it looks like you've had an amazing few days, really found your feet. Your trials finding a flat made me laugh - reminds me of trying to find a flat to share in London, some crazy people out there! But it teaches you to be grateful when you do find the 'perfect' place! :jiggy: That was sooo sweet of your manager to bring you some food when you arrived, how thoughtful. Really hope all goes smoothly with your new job - if you ever have a chance, do keep us updated on how it all goes!! Thanks again - great post! :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ehunt Posted June 15, 2010 Share Posted June 15, 2010 Its so nice to read your blog. We arent going for another few months, have no idea where to settle and I am getting nervous buts its nice to read your experiences. All the best Emily and Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louise28 Posted June 15, 2010 Share Posted June 15, 2010 Great posts!! Hope it all goes well for you! I am itching even more to get out there in February now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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