I arrived at Proserpine Airport from rainy Sydney to a 24 degree temperature as I stepped from the plane. I saw a sign saying, “baggage claim” so decided to follow it around the airport terminal until I realised I had walked in a complete rectangle. With no conveyer belt in sight, I realised that this was no normal airport and that people were waiting by the side of the road for their luggage. Just then a truck pulled up with mounds of luggage strewn across it. Crowds of people raced over to the truck tearing their luggage from the truck and pushing anyone who got in their way.

After all the kafuffle with the luggage, I boarded a bus to take me to Airlie Beach. Unfortunately, I’d left it all to the last minute (some things don’t change!) and hadn’t booked a hostel and so with no battery left on my phone I asked the driver to drop me at a quieter out of town backpackers away from the main party scene. I arrived at the backpackers but the reception was closed so made my way down to the main strip where there were numerous backpackers to choose from but again many were closed for the night. With my pregnant backpack on the back and the toddler backpack on the front, I arrived at Magnums backpackers. Luckily, or unluckily I should say they found room for me. As I walked through the noisy bar with sleazy men playing pool and flirty girls getting down and dirty on the dance floor I realised this may not be the relaxing holiday I had hoped for and more like an 18-30’s in Tenerife!

Still, I managed to get a few hours sleep and then swiftly made an exit to find another backpackers. I wandered along the beach front and found myself at Airlie Beach Backpackers. I spent the day sitting in the lagoon, reading my book under the palm trees and drinking smoothies – perfect! After a few days of relaxing in the sun, I decided because of the increasing prices of flights to Melbourne, I should make a move and find work.

While I was waiting for the bus to take me back to Proserpine airport, I got chatting to an English guy called James at the bus stop. We chatted about all sorts including the time he got fined $200 for not declaring that he had a potato in his hand luggage! We sat on the plane together, which was nice and made the time go quicker than if I’d been on my own.

I am planning to go back to see a bit more of the east coast and do a sailing trip of the Whitsundays but I think I may skip out Airlie beach!

written by  Susie Sue on November 7, 2006 from Proserpine, Australia
from the travel blog: Oz Adventures
Send a Compliment

---

comment on this...

Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee at one of the wineries

I arrived at the airport and it was yet another transfer bus to my accommodation in the city. I had no clue where I was going but luckily made friends with a girl on the bus who kindly showed me where my hostel was. She had just returned from a holiday in Fiji so she told me all the good places to go for my trip next year.

I arrived at the King Street Backpackers and shared a dorm with 15 people – you should have heard the racket those snorers made! The next day, I booked myself in for a week at the All Nations on Spencer Street….what a mistake! It was a huge place with really friendly staff but unfortunately the gross showers, smelly rooms and happy hardcore music going on until 6am let it down. Still for $90 per week I could hack it for a week!

Helen and I were reunited at our favourite Auckland café, Gloria Jeans and instead of the job hunting we had proposed we decided to have an all day catch up! Helen had been staying with her neighbour from home, Feysal and his wife Jo who had moved over to Australia so we met up with them for a few drinks.

The next day, Feysal took us on his Neighbours tour, where we got to see Ramsay Street – although surprisingly it’s actually called something else! We took numerous photos of ourselves outside the houses of Harold Bishop, Karl Kennedy and Paul Robinson. It is so small compared to the street we see on the big screen and although we didn’t get to see any filming I’m hoping to go on the Neighbours trivia night soon and meet Harold and co in the flesh!

We then were taken to several wineries and cheese place where we tried lots of different cheese and wines and I discovered I actually quite liked red wine, after years of hating the beetle juice! After feeling a little bit sleepy after all the wine, we headed back to Feysal’s where he cooked kangaroo steaks! I was surprised how nice they were (and no it doesn’t taste like chicken!) but Helen was put off after she saw some kangaroos being naughty along the east coast!

After a week of staying at All Nations, Feysal and Jo kindly offered for Helen and I to house sit for the week. I was so relieved to get out of the backpackers and to stay in such a nice house with sky TV, a nice sunny garden and my own room!

We spent most of the time job hunting and after a few weeks of being ladies of leisure we have found work doing data entry for the state election and I also have had a couple of days work within the prison service doing reception work.

After a lot of house hunting, we have now found a hostel we think may be similar to our accommodation back in Auckland. We get a slight gay vibe from the place and the chap that runs the place seems slightly deranged but it may make some funny stories for this blog so we’re going to give it a go!

written by  Susie Sue on November 9, 2006 from Melbourne, Australia
from the travel blog: Oz Adventures
Send a Compliment

---

comment on this...

After saying goodbye to the others who we flew out with, Helen, Hayley and I decided to head to Rotorua to settle for a while. Rotorua is the stinkiest place, and smells of eggs due to the sulphur. Even after six weeks of the smell, we weren't really used to it!

After staying in hostels for a couple of weeks, we decided it was time to find a flat to settle in for a while or at least to stop us from living out of our suitcases! After a lot of hunting, we finally found a little shed of a home in Trent Place. It was small with only two bedrooms, but we weren't fussy as long as we had a roof over our heads and beds to sleep in and best of all it was only $55 a week!

Living in our shed was a bit of an experience with some strange neighbours who weren't over friendly. Thursday's appeared to be "dole" day as we noticed many of the residents drinking throughout the day while in their pyjamas and partying all night...and sometimes in fancy dress costumes! It could get quite noisy their at night especially with the beds springs creaking from above and the loud music, still it did for us!

We all found it really difficult to pick up work in Rotorua as it was such a teeny place. Eventually, I managed to pick up some cleaning work at the Silver Fern Motor Inn just up the road scrubbing spa baths amongst other exciting duties. Although the work was extremely tedious and poorly paid, the people were lovely to work with so it worked out ok.

We spent most Friday nights at our local, The Pig and Whistle, which has to be the best pub in Rotorua! Not that there are many places to choose from!

The lack of work, poor wages, little shed and eggy smell began to take it's toll on us all so we decided to move on for the next adventure.

written by  Susie Sue on December 4, 2006 from Rotorua, New Zealand
from the travel blog: Oz Adventures
Send a Compliment

---

comment on this...