Old House New Job

so im finally back in Melboure and iv got a job in a barber shop.its around 45min from my hostel but its not so bad. its called The smith street barbers.i work friday sat and monday 9/10-5....my boss adamo had loads to teach me and i have to learn how to do a cut throat shave...wee bit nervous about it.Ivan is the other barber who opened the shop 10years ago but hes semi retired so he sold the shop to adamo.iv only started so il keep you up dated on how i get on.
xxx

Cairns

so arrive in sunny Cairns and its raining!Go figure!

Got to my hostel and couldnt get into the same room as my friend Selina so i was in the room next door...we went out to Gilligan's my first night and had a great laugh i went home a bit early cause i was knackered after my flight and early start....so i was just getting to sleep wen the Scottish guy came into the room and turned on the light.AAARRRAGH.then the french girl came in absolutely plastered and she got up 8 time to get sick!!!and once when she was running out of the room she fell into my bed.so that was a sign of times to come for the next week.

i booked my scuba diving trip and for most of the week i just relaxed and enjoyed the heat and the sun.instead of a beach they have a man made Lagoon.and around the lagoon there are a few outdoor bbq where we went one night and cooked some food...yum yum...so a guy moved into the bed beside me and his girlfriend came in and came back an hour later carried by 5 guys after she had passed out.so they shared a bed for the week,that didnt bother me too much but wat did annoy me was that they gave the key of our room to their friends so they could store their bags....

so scuba diving day came and it was raining wen i got up...but it soon cleared.the wind was at 35knots so everyone was seasick.finally got to the reef after 2.5hrs.i was second to dive.it felt like i was only down for 10min but i finally got to saw the reef...one of the main things i wanted to do in oz

so my last night in the hostel was interesting.woke up to this strange noise...it woke the french girl too...next of all someone stood up in the middle of the room...and puled up their pants.the girls had taken a piss in the middle of the floor!i screamed at her but she was sleep walkin(pissin) and never woke up!so i moved outa of that room asap...next morning i finally flew back to Melbourne...thank f*#?k. bumped into the pissy girl in the airport...had to hide from her YUCK

all that matters is that i finally got a tan!

THE SWING!

oh god!

"a platform on the edge of a cliff 109m/360ft above the Shotover River. At the platform you are fitted into a seat and chest harness and connected to the jump ropes. This harnessing configuration keeps your arms and legs free throughout the journey and enabling you to safely depart the platform in any position imaginable. Gravity does the rest. "

scary shit...but i was so excited about doing it....i was so up for that i nominated myself to go first...i wanted to be scared so i decided to do it the scarest way....backwards...i was so brave and cocky till looked over the edge....oh god oh god....my legs stopped working and i couldn't physically make them move....the video is on my facebook....so i was standing on the edge...shitting myself....while the man leaned me over the edge and explained that i'd have to do a little jump to push myself of the ledge...was this guy crazy...didnt he know my legs werent working!so the count down began 3.....2....1..... and in my head it all happened very fast...i fell backwards and jumped...fell and screamed alot...but in the video it takes me ages to fall and they had to give me a little push but i loved it....i loved it so much i decided to do it again...the second one i did was called "Gimp boy goes to Hollywood!"it involved hanging upside down over the canyon while they pull the cord and you fall head first down the sharp pointy rocks and then swing across the canyon.excellent...such a rush....

that night i met up with darran and spud who i met on the flight to sydney we went for a few drinks and had a laugh.but i had to get up early to catch the bus to christchurch.

Back at Liam and Kylie's we had a good time.went to the museum and art gallery and up to Liams mums to see the view from her house.then on tues i had to get up at 3:30am to get the bus to the airport for my flight to Cairns!

Snowboardind+Christine=Retard!

Queenstown baby!!!!

arrived in Queenstown yesterday evening after an 8 hour bus ride!!!

The night before i left for Queenstown Kylie,Liam,Keane and myself went to The Lone Star for dinner...waooow the food was fab...yum yum

So back to this bus rider...8 FECKIN HOURS!!!...but the views were breathtaking...my photos do not do it justice...a couple of times i found myself looking up and staring out the window my mouth wide open in shock at how beautiful the views were.esp at Lake Tykapo(not sure of the spelling)...just the colour of the water alone was amazing...a kind of milky green...like water from a hotspring...

i arrived in Queenstown around 7 and it was FREEZING...lucky id bought a big warm coat in the op shop and a pair of boots...i got into my hostel called BASE and checked in...to say i miss my old hostel "The Ritz" is a bit of an understatement...the room is tiny and packed to the brim...and smelly...was kept awake all night with people snoring...im used to ollie snoring...but never actually been woken up by someone b4...

so i booked my snowboard lessons and my swing...

went snowboarding today...got the bus at 9am to Coronet Peak...id hired all my ski gear the night b4... so got up the mountain and met my instructor Mike....a group of us went to the "magic carpet" slope for beginners....so we spent the next 2 hours tryin to stay up on the board and do a few turns...god...i was useless at it....i faceplanted a few times....did a few superman impressions...and skidded down the hill on my arse and side....just about managed to stay up on the board while a photographer took a pic of me...which i had to buy cause i had noone with me to take pics of me while i fell over and stuff and i wanted one that made i look like i could actually snowboard...its NOT easy....i used muscles today that i didnt even know i had...and tommorrow il feel them even more!

so i got the bus back and returned my gear....

Tomorrow...THE SWING!!!!...then meeting up with a couple of lads i met on the plane to sydney before i get the bus at 9am back to Christchurch...another 8 hours

New Zealand

im not having much look with these flights am i?
got to the airport and was sent to the wrong terminal...got to the right one and they asked me for my return ticket....oooppps...id only bought a oneway cause i didnt know how long i was staying...so had to book my flight to Cairns then and there...see im going to cairns to meet my friend selina who i met in melbourne b4 she heads back to the UK....and i booked the WRONG date...im going to miss her completely...and had to pay $360!!!
then my flight was delayed...again...
arrived safely and thats all that matters...Liam and his girlfriend Kylie met me in the airport and we drove through Christchurch to Lyttleton where they both live with Kylies son Keane...
we visited a couple of the bars in the little town and got fish and chips for $4! thats less than 2euro!!!Liam and his friend showed me around Christchurch city.and we went to the rugby club to watch the All Blacks V Australia and i met an ex All Blacks player who also played for Blackrock back home!Kylie and Liam drove me around loads and showed me some beautiful places, like the cave and Tyler's mistake....think thats wat their called anyway!?!
we were supposed to go up to Liams mams house but she got sick with swine flu so that was called off...
got my tickets sorted for cairns...firstly they said it'd cost me $600 to change the date on my ticket....then it went down to $70!?!...so the plan is to meet up with selina on tuesday in Cairns stay for just over a week...enough time to get a tan...then back to melbourne to find a job...:(

Goon warriors and Penguins

The Tuesday after neighbours was Bad taste Tuesday where everyone had to dress up in bad taste...so me selina and jenny decided to go as Goon Warriors...because Goon tastes bad! i spent ages makin helmets from goon boxes...then later we made breast plates and swords....we looked ridiculous...but it was all in bad taste...they were so awkward to move in...after around we had changed.i was a hangover and selina a slapper...the hostel was full of chavs, pregnant teens,white people who painted themselves black...and just people wearin really bad clothes....it was a great night followed by 2for1 drinks in cushion...the next morning i didnt have to dress up as a hangover...ughhh
Thursday night is ladies night...with it being my last ladies night we had to do it in style....goon in the hostel then a game of pool to win a $50 bar tab for hotel Barkley or one for base...we lost...but bought the one for Base for 2 bottles of coke of the guys who weren't headin out hahaha!...but noone likes base so it was just me and Selina...My friends from Cavan were supposed to be there but didnt know i was coming...so when i got in i text them and low and behold they were in hotel Barkley with my other friends...so we drank the bar tab and went to meet them....with more free drink vouchers!!!uhoh!!!...great night...i think...
penguins...who knew there were penguins in Australia!?!?....but just 10 min walk from my hostel there is a pier that at sunset loads of penguins come to shore!!!these little grey penguins hiding in the rocks...madness...got some cool pic's...still cant believe it..penguins in Australia

neighbours

one of the lads in the hostel called Clem asked me if i wanted to go on the neighbours tour....hmmmm....first thing i thought was "cheesey" but HAY!?! when am i going to get to this again!?!...so we got up on the Monday and got on the Neighbours bus....it was exactly like i thought it would be "cheesey"...but i loved it....we watched a dvd on the way to Ramsay St all about the singers from the show...Kylie-licious...so we stopped off at the high school and then to the studio.we got to see some of the props like Dr Carl Kennedy's car and "grease monkey's"...ok i haven't watched neighbours in years so Clem had to explain alot to me...next stop was Ramsey street....which is feckin tiny...only 6 houses!but one of the stars of the show was there...Stingray...he's actually dead in the show,but i still got my photo taken with him and got his autograph on a post card...me and Clem took some pic's in front of the houses but soon got bored and decided to pole dance around the Ramsay Street sign...
that night a couple of us from the hostel went to the neighbours night in the pub downstairs...some cast members showed up and we got more photos and autographs...i got one with Dr kennedy holdin my leg and pulling face haha...we also own the quiz with our team name as "the ritz, pick your nose and taste the neighbours"$250 between us...SWEET!!!
so there was a part of the night where the crowed asked the cast questions and a quiet drunken Clem asked Dylan when exactly did he come out of the closet....it didn't go down very well...plus he never actually answered the question...!...then at the very end Dr Carl Kennedy and his band got up and sang for the rest of the night.surprise they weren't too bad....
it was a cheese'tastic day and night...but it was sooo much fun...thanks Clem for suggesting it..
xxx

the pool

a group of us "backpackers" decided to go for a swim the other day down to the aquatic centre.its only a short tram ride away...but still took us 3 attempts to finally get there.we were told it was 2 stops away...so missed the stop, got off, got a tram back, got off again and realized that no it was further up..so we finally made it.it was huge with 4 different pools,a slide, diving boards,sauna..the works....so we had a play in the wave pool haha then i saw this blow up obstacle course in one of the pools.all the kids were running through it and fallin and getting back up again so i decided id give it a go....i stepped on and fell straight away...got back up...tripped and landed in the pool...i lasted all of 4 seconds!didnt even make it over the 1st obstacle!
we had some fun on the slide and had a bit of a swim and went home knackered!

The Great Ocean Road

ok so i finally got a computer that works....
i went on a trip with a lovely couple from my hostel called sinead and ciaran...got up at 6am!!!after a night out and got on a bus to start our trip on THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD!
it was AMAZING!!!!Its basically a big long road that hugs the coast line for 100's of miles. it was built after WW1 by the soldiers who came home.Fair play 2them because all they had was pick axes and wheelbarrows.So one of the first places we stopped of was called Bells beach...this is the beach where point break was filmed.we also passed the light house where "round the twist" was set!!!!!(have u ever...ever felt like this)The views were so beautiful....but as most of you know i can sleep anywhere and the bus was the quietest place iv been in a month so it was light out for me most of the way...but i did see all the important stuff like the cool tempt rain forest and some wild life koalas and kangaroos!!!we drove all day mostly stopping off at different beaches for some photo op's...i cant explain how magnificent theses places were.So driving along the coat we saw 2 whales.we were told we were very lucky to see them because it wasnt the season for whales!
when we stopped of for lunch we decided to get some fish and chips....the fish we got was called flake!sinead tried to tell me it was shark but i wouldn't believe her...until we asked the bus driver and he said that yes indeed it was shark!!....so yeah i did enjoy my fist bit of shark...i also had some sushi for the first time...but chickened out and just got a tuna rool...im not ready for the raw stuff yet!
so one of our last stop off was called the 12 apostles.its 12 free standing formations out on the coast.but we decided to do it in style and got a helicopter to fly over them!!!it was sooo cool!and i got some excellent photos.after the helicopter we had a very quick walk down to see them again on the ground before we had to run back for the bus.we also went to see "London Bridge" which is another rock that use to be attached to the land and looked like London bridge but one day half of it fell into the sea,and 2 people were stranded on it,when the tv crew helicopter came to rescue them they didnt want to be on tv....because they were on a dirty weekend away and were married....but not to each other...hahaha!!
it was a really good day and when we got back to Melbourne we went to the crown casino to see the fire show outside.these big pillars blowing huge flames into the sky.we were standing pretty far away and could still feel the heat...

The Goon Diaries

ok so let me tell you what goon is to begin with.....its any cheap ass wine in a box!usually4.5l for $10!!!and its the reason iv not been writing....
i arrived in Melbourne almost a week ago and i feel like iv been here months.the hostel is the best in the world.everyone is so nice,it feels like im in a really big family,esp with an annoying little brother!!!hahaha MANC!my lovely roomies brought me into the city one of the days and we went to the Victoria markets and to Federation square!And also to a roof top bar which was pretty awesome!most of the time iv been trying to cure my hangovers or trying to create a few more.i started my own little barber shop in my room,iv kept a hectic workload of 2 haircuts a night hahaha!the night i went to the pub sober a girl in front of my stumbled and as i was laughing at her i fell flat on my face.im now the proud owner of 2 black and blue knees and a pretty rotten lookin cut on my hand.oh yeah i also did some washing....need to get out more but im waiting on molly to come back!
il write again soon...love u all!
Christine x

Bondi and other stuff :)

hay all so things are starting to quiet down now...
Went for a walk on Monday and ended up on Bondi Beach....only ten minutes from where I'm staying!!! It was really beautiful.It was a bank holiday so it was full of people....and surfers..yum!...so i had a walk on the snow white sand and paddle in the water...not warm enough yet for a proper swim.spent the day on the grass beside the beach watching the world go by enjoying the sun and the view....the beach looked nice too..hahaha!
On Tuesday i took a bus into the city and went to Sydney Wildlife World and The Sydney Aquarium.The wildlife world was really cool except the first thing i see when i walk in is the keeper feeding the spiders....uggggh *shudder*...but then i got to see the butterflies through the glass screen.The colours were beautiful (il post the pics soon).I also got to see my first Kangaroo!!!and it just happened to be taking a piss when i was walking by!I was looking forward to holding a koala but the little feckers were asleep when i went in!But still so cute.When i went upstairs you could go into the encloure with the butterflies(suzie you'd hate it) 2 landed on my face and one on my hand,i wouldn't mind but they weren't your average butterflies these were giants compared to what we have at home
The aquarium was awesome...i found nemo and dori! :) and went through the tunnels that the big fish swim over you.i walked around for hours and found the shark tank....oh my god they were HUGE! there were some turtles too and i got some amazing pictures.

I also booked my tickets to melbourne.leaving on tuesday to stay in "the ritz for backpackers"...10 people per room...a sign of my future lodgings for the year?
Today i just hung around Bondi and got a pedicure and manicure....ahhh its a hard old life :P

My first days in Sydney

Well my first few days consisted of sleeping and tryin to find the right bank...
The first day i arrived i chatted with Maureen and had a shower...nearly4 days in the same clothes i tell you they nearly walked off me...and slept.Woke up at 7am!!...very unusual for me...and headed into town(the city) with a small map and an address.I must have walked for 2 hours up and down George st before i found USIT and the right branch of ANZ banks...and after all the trouble i had trying to get a credit card at home the just handed me one here....i didnt even ASK for it!!!went home ad sat down to watch a film....at 4pm i went to bed and woke up at 8am the next day (today)stupid jetlag.....so i decided to see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House.got on the bus with my map and found them.....i was gobbed smacked!!!...It hadnt hit me that i was in Australia til i saw them..i sat for 3! hours just looking trying to convince myself it wasnt a dream and that i was actually there...at 12pm a load of soldiers came over and let off 21 cannon shots for the Queens birthday that was kinda cool...and loud.on the Quay i saw some aboriginals playing their didgeridoos. I met up with Ashling and her friend and took a ferry to Manley island...when we got there we found out there was a wine and food festival.so we paid $7 dollars for our wine glasses that came with a holder that strapped around your neck!CLASS!!!! then $5 for a big glass of wine.we got some Indian food and sat on the beach watchen the surfer dudes and drinking our wine...got a late ferry back and got to see the harbour at night...tried to take some photos but my battery died(typical).It was a really sunny day...people keep telling me i brought the sun with me cause the weather has been so crap lately!il post the pic's on facebook ASAP but i didnt bring the wire for my camera and Christophers computer doesnt have a bit to put in my memory card and theres no wireless for me to go on my laptop....Ce la vie

what a way to begin...

Well i finally made it to Sydney.Let me tell you how it all began....
It started with me and my mam and dad walking through dublin airport lookin for the aerlingus terminal(which is below the basement) and spottin brian from East17(i know...how lucky am i?) thinkin it better NOT to ask him for a photo we checked my (very big and heavy)bag in.So at departures it was time to say good bye to my family.There were a few tears(mostly from me and mam) but i just kept telling myself this was all part of the adventure that I'd see everyone again soon.So i got to my gate and who did i spot only Brian Harvey AGAIN!!! i said it to the guy standing beside me in the queue and he looked at me like i was a lula.The flight to itself Frankfurt was uneventful.But we had a 5 hour wait til the next flight,thats where i met Darragh and Jinxy from cavan who i'd be introduced to in the imperal on sat night.I also met a girl called Ashling from Monaghan who turns out had the seat next to me on the flight.Our flight was eventually called and we went throught the metal dectators and i beeped and got a very full on search.So we boarded the plane and were giving our free eyemasks socks and toothbrush...then around half hour later they arrived with a bag full of crap dried fruit,party mix and water...then an hour later the plane was getting really hot and the air conditioning wasnt working,so we were asked to leave the plane because the engines would have to be turned off to do a trouble shoot which would turn the air con off.so by this time some people had already takin their sleepin tablets,and by the time i got off the plane there were people K.O'd all over the floor of the terminal.I got bored and went for a walk.I exited through the security people and found these glass rooms where a load of people were smokin and havin a laugh so i popped my head in and saw darragh and jinxy....then someone suggested we all go down to the duty free and get some cans...best idea EVER!!!!so i got a mini bottle of wine and went through security AGAIN to get ashling and another girl.so we all sat around drinkin and singing and playing games(the name game...without the hard rules).as time went by the group got bigger...and drunker...i ended up flyin down the empty terminal in a trolley being pushed my some guy.Then we were stopped by an airport worked on a bicycle telling us not to drink and driving.Ashling convinced him to give her a shot of his bike...he was a bit reluctant because you need a special licence to ride it....the man on the bike finally told us they had some food for us...bananas...and oh yeah your flight is cancelled...more cans...back through security to get my bag of the plane...back out for more drink..then we all had to go through security one last time to find out we were going to a hotel...i got brought into a special room and my laptop and book swabbed for explosives and drugs!no joke!!!...To the hotel and its really nice.got our rooms and headed for the bar..this would have been around 7 am...the hotel ran out of normal rooms and started giving out suites.Some of the boys got them so we went up and found they had a mini bar which we were told to help ourselves...then we went to the pool and nearly got kicked out for makin noise...at this stage noone had clean clothes and were really starin to stink.back to my room and i found my mini bar..so did Ash so the party continued in her room till aout 8:30...i finally went to bed and woke up at 12 for our free lunch.then we all met in the beer garden and with the pints being 8euro everyone went to the garage for drink...it was a lovely sunny day.might have like it more if i wasnt wearing black jeans!so then we got free dinner and only then did some of the lads resurface.After dinner the hotel gave us a free bar haha!and it was time to chek out.handing in our card we were asked if we'd taking anything from the mini bar...Pffft eeehh 'No'...so far we've all gotten away with that one...in the airport we queued for 2 hours to check in with NO bags!!! got on the plane to Singapore(we didnt know we were going there til check in).Got of the plane and couldnt fit me feet back in my runners so there was this chair that massaged your legs i sat in for around half hour waiting on the flight.The flight to Sydney was grand until we were diverted to Melbourne because of fog in Sydney....3 hours waiting on the plane.Landed in Sydney on thursday at 3pm!Got a taxi to the place and met my new family for the next two weeks.They're lovely.