Wednesday 16 February 2011

Days 4 and 5: Meeting the Family.

Arrived at the Hostel end of day 3. Nice place, I've decided to stay there again next week. Anyway, first nights sleep wasn't great. Lots of people down in the courtyard until about midnight and there was a busy road next to the place. I've now bought ear plugs for next week!

Checked out early, and walked off through this new city by myself. Both liberating and panicking, having your life on your back and no where you have to go. At the moment, I'm just thinking of things to do, doing them and not worrying about the future too much.

Bought myself all those essentials I couldn't bring with me, shower gel, shaver, etc etc, at a cheap supermarket I found in the bottom of Melbourne Central Metro station, and then grabbed a Train Ticket to Narre Warren, where the family lives. Decided to look around for a SIM card, but everywhere didn't seem to open until 10AM... on a Monday!? Crazy Australians.

Wow, what a journey. The ticket itself was quite cheap, about 3 pounds. And with slight trepidation, off I went. First sight I saw was two helicopters, flying with a stunningly massive banner between them. Apparently it was some stunt by a bank... looked amazing, sadly didn't pull my phone out in time to snap a picture.

Then, out of the big station we had pulled into, our train driver decided to have a race with the train on the track next to us! I think the trains just have the one speed, but the other train must have been going downhill slightly... It won. Even still, train racing is a bit... mad?

The thing that really hit me though was the graffiti, which was everywhere. Seriously, everything is covered in it. I've never seen any place in the world this covered in spray paint. Makes me wonder whether it's just never cleaned up or whether it's scrawled out too quickly. Both ideas are a little worrying.

Met the family after the journey. John picked me up, and I'm rather surprised at the amount of welcome I've recieved. I'm just one of the family now... do what I like, help myself to food, that kind of thing. I really do appreciate it, even more so as John's wife Julie is currently in hospital due to a complication in surgery... Trust me, I didn't know before I was coming (I would have stayed in Melbourne for another week). She's been touch and go for a few days now, everyone has there fingers crossed and all the family is visiting, so it's a bit chaotic around here. Still, stunned at the welcome I've recieved. Not sure how I can say thank you enough.

Anyway, I'm currently staying at Julie's Mom's house, but everyone is around John's house every day, so I'm here now, writing this and debating what to do with my day. Might go for a walk. We're in the suburbs, so there are no jobs at all anywhere near me, which is a pain, but that's life eh? Bright side about being here is I'm not paying for accommodation, which is really nice.

Will look for a job next week when I return to Melbourne Central. I'm booked into the Hostel again from the 21st to the 28th, despite John's protests I should stay here. I don't want to intrude anymore than I already am doing.

That's all for now, it's currently 11:30 AM, so I have most of the day ahead of me... still not sure what I'm gonna do. Hope everyone is well.

-Andy

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