30th January

I'm writing about the last two days. The 28th and 29th as well.

Our plan changed - the perth booking was full, so we got the Indian-pacific to adelaide, and we leave there on the 4thfeb for Darwin, on the great Ghan, which takes longer than sydney to perth anyway, comes in at total of 3 days and 2 nights.

I was excited as hell to be finally leaving sydney. Collected my pay from frankie for the last week, $569, so happy. Later found out on train from an interesting black kid that the guy had been underpaying me, i'd been on $12, whilst minimum pay was $14; it was because pay in hand is illegal... But the legalities of the shop and most of its product are highly suspect anyhow!

Anyway, for the train, we obviously booked economy-class. It wasn't that busy the first day so both me and has managed to get two seat rows each. Even this wasn't long enough for me, the seats go back a little way and thats how one is expected to sleep. I had no pillow, no sheet, sleep didn't come easy that night, I took aload of towells from the shower and used them as pillows/sheets.

Anyway, back to the end of sydney. My luggage is far too heavy, I've got three bags and was struggling like hell. Im gonna get rid of some of it. I've got so much shit I dont need. Theres an oxfam up from the hostel in adelaide where Im going to donate socks and stuff, if they'll take them! Bringing socks was a heavy overthought nonetheless.

We boarded. Sydney's suburbs went flying by. We went through Newtown, which I managed to have a look at the day before, its like camden on a lesser scale.
There was a mixture of run-down parts and nicer bits. When we got out of sydney to the "greater" parts, there was a large mansion with its own golf course, looked like a rich farmer or something.

From the Emu plains onwards you have the Blue Mountains everywhere, trees right next to the window obscuring your view. Nonetheless theres great views. There was interesting commentary about notorious sydney criminals who were romanticised by the presenter. The Mount.s where much larger and extensive than I realised. There was a wide valley that I got a camera shot of, with little ribbon lakes and pastoral land, farming I gathered. Even after you great through the main expense there are still leftovers, clumps of trees in grassland, showing the sheer length of the eucalyptus' domiance. I went to dinner,which was a terrible burger. I met this mercurial character from New York who had travelled extensively, spilt me stories of when he was living in hackney, one was memorable; he went to a pub, the guy said where you from? - new york", barman - bet you think your hard being from newyork - the bar man then smashed a glass on his bar and started to eat the glass infront of Darcy(thats his name!) He said that he saw the guy puking up blood in the toilet a halfhour later. He had a canadian wife who was a film director/documentaries. They were gettin goff at Broken Hill, a mining town. The scenery outside was amzing, rolling hills, but much grander and larger than Uk ones, cracks in the earth seperating two parts of grassland, funny shrubbery, dried trees, but mostly affluent greenery. The sunset was spectacular as well. Some farmland.

Then came the night, went back to seat. Smuggled on some cheap wine that would help.
Drank plenty of that and read to help sleep. Managed to get somewhat comfortable, slept a couple hours at midnight, crank in my neck. Then got a couple more but couldnt sleep much more after that. My IBS hurt - but not intensly.

Morning arrived, the land was remarably different. I went to have breakfast. Theres nothing like having breakfast whilst arid land rolls past your window. I've never experienced anything like it. Red, arid with soil with yellow grass poking up, growing where it could. It struck how even when the chips are down life still manages to beat the odds, this grass was living proof. There was bits of green shrubbery here and there. The only signs of humanity was the oil pipe running parallel to the track and
telegraph poles. There were groups of sheep, sporadically placed, like little furry buddhas, staring blankly back at the train.
I went back to my seat, the land had risen on my side. Chunks of mounds of the arid land, jagged edges, moving up and down; as one went down, another rose behind it. There were wire fences. We got out at broken hill, chance to stretch legs, bid farewell to my NYork friend. The journey was behind schedule as it had hit livestock in the night. Some pretty girls had got on at B. Hill. They were going to Big Day Out in Adelaide, we couldn't get our tickets in the end.
We arrived and the heat was like nothing I'd ever felt. Apparently the wind can burn you here, the actual wind is hot itself!!
It was 41 degrees.

We got taxi and went round aload of hostels; many were nice but didnt have beds. One was real cool but we would have had to spill out $60 for a twin room. In the end we found small one, theres no aircom in room, so a real seaty hot night. But apart from that gd facilities, Im using their mac to write this now. I like the location as well. Theres loads of bars and eateries down our road and we're near the shopping district. Its just hot as hell. Need to catch bus to get to beach. probs do that tomos. Had to go to doctors to get more mebeverine, would need it defintely for trip to Darwin. Doctor told me because its the wet season, even though its about same heat there as here, its 100% humidity there. Going to be constantly hot, wet and may get trenchfoot! The way my shoes have fallen apart I wouldn't put it past happening. Was gonna try and catch Nadal match at bar later.

Adelaide's a real kl city though. Its only 1mill ppl, so has a real relaxed, uncrowde vibe, I really dig it. Its got eveything you need as well, good restaurants, good pubs, the only prob is price of beer bit steeper than sydney.

Anyway take care allxx

24th Jan

ITS HARRYS BDAY!

22 january

At your request daniel ill try and write more extensively. The problem was the keyboard was crap on the last comp. i used. So let me reminisce. The hostel in manly had a kind of community feel, although their was no security everyone seemed to party and get drunk together. There was a guy from the channel islands who got loads of burnt DVDs from some thai store in the city and we watched aload of shit films. Me and harry were staying with a couple of welsch lads who were fun. The hotties tend to congrigate in manly as well, but theres loads of tourists there as well. On a hot day the beaches are crammed. Me & has found a smaller, quieter beach round the corner where theres loads of snorkelling. The waves arent as fun tho. The waves on the main beach, if u get the timing right, u can really ride them they'll take you back to shore pretty much. I caught some real vicious ones that threw me around and crushed me to the sandy floor. Hell, its all exhilariting. But we've been out of manly since monday last week. Our stay in sydney is dragging on as I've tryed to arrange carpools up the coast, one fell through the other wasnt for awhile. Harry is keeping his dates the same, i.e. leaving aus. on 15th feb. and i want to stay longer, so i feel obliged to do everything harry wants to do while he's still here with me. So we're getting, altho need to book, the three-day train to perth from sydney. Its meant to be stunning, so should be kicks. Ill prob get restless as hell. This week:
AFter my graveyard shift on sat nyt at adult shop, which by far the most eventful; loads of drunken revellers came in, some guy fell down the stairs twice!! Frankie had to show his dominance and throw out these under agers, there was these girls who get really abusive when he told them to go, and they said "do these look 18" and got out their breasts! Unfortunately i missed this. There waws another girl who was really funny that night she wouldnt stop asking questions, she really dug frankie, but he told her he was gay, at first she was in disbelief, and then she was like "well im a lesbian". Anyway, monday and tuesday was training in the day, 3 hours and much less eventful. Then come wednesday I had my first day shift. Easy work, pretty boring, not many sales. Me and harry met this whacko girl at hyde park, she seems to have no social inhibitions and will just walk up to anyone and start talking but she says weird stuff, like shes a vampire. Well she came in on wednesday. She started drawing a crazy comic strip about cows on a tissue paper i gave her. She told me she was brought up on a farm, a fact frankie found hilarious.
Frankie came back at end of my shift, with his lover, whos a dull american accountant, very business-like, like will from will & grace. I told him about the crazy girl, and he showed me some footage from the night before. Theres cameras all over the store as stuff gets stolen all the time. A poor guy, Rob, whos from leeds was working. Hes kind of a sullen, quiet character. Theres footage of this crazy nut dancing around the shop, doing like burlesque movements with her legs. Then you see her and rob close talking and she goes to kiss him on the cheek, he sees her and moves away, she then proceeds to attempt again and gets him, poor guy quickly backs away! Hilariously funny!

Me and harry looking to get train on 28th, or 31st.
Day off today so thinking bout going to beach. Early morning shift tomorow starting at 7. But it'll do me gd probs, been sleeping in to like 12 most days.

The hostle we're staying in now has better security, but no-one really knows each other, its bigger. And it has too many stairs, we go up about three flights to our dorm.

Apart from that, my IBS has been pretty bad of recent, even tho a spent a wad of cash on some pills. Well, we'll see...

Ok theres a big chunk of entertaining info. Ill be back to update soon.

21st January

I'vewritten more about my experiences in my travel journal. But tokeep everyone informed; we're staying on william st.which is hectic busy with cars, its a main road into city, and our room faces roadso loud at alltimes,lucky i got those ear plugs fromn heron island. We've been alonein our room apart from a german girl who stayed couple nights before back to germany.She was funny, gave me somecontacts, she said one year wastooshort! Harry thinlking bout keeping his dates the same, but I wantto extend mystay. Igot the job at the adult store, its reallynot bad at all, infact very fun.Youmostly get couples at the place whowant to flame up their sex-life.The boss,Franky,is well safe. I worked a night shift, $140 in the back-pocket,but it really hurt my IBS,I had apainful morning. Looking to get outofsydney though.Carpools have fallen through a bit though,goingto try and organise bus trip.

Australia

NYs eve was a hectic night. The best fireworks i've seen, cascading oof the harbour bridge, was immense, very impressed. Have a glimpse on youtube and you'll see what I mean. I was prety close to bridge so had great ivew. After that I tried to go to clubs on darling harbour but was refused as I was wearing shorts. It was loads of money to get in, like $100, so gd thing i ddnt in end. I took some guys advice and walked to oxford street, which had alot of clubs down. It was all free as well. Imet some brazilians and irish at the first one. I went along to another later. I didn't no but oxford st. was a bit of a gay community. There was an old geezer in tightly-clad leather and shorts!! I was hanging around with these two guys and ther girl friend who were all safe. One of them told me he works at an adult store and offered me a job, so I got something lined up for me and harry. lol. NYS day was pretty bad tho, threw up a couple of times. Feeling better now tho. Muchluv to whoevers readingxxx Mum &dad much lovex