Adelaide

Finaly got some time to upload my website. I've been quite busy the last few weeks. I'll start from the beginning.

Saturday we searched for work. On the internet, work agencies and just looking around. We left our name everywhere. We stayed that night in a hostel. Just easy and not to expensive (for 1 night). We joined a poker game that night and walked a bit through the city.

Sunday we went to Mike (a colleague of my father), who just moved to Adelaide. He had a few good idea's where we could stay. But all of them where closed because it was Sunday. So we slept that night on his ramp. We did get a call from Buskers, a cafe/restaurant where we left our names. If we could come in the next day.

So we went Monday morning to Buskers. We just had to show our face and receive the times that we had to start. After that we went to a caravan park, where we're still standing today.

We had to start working on Friday, so we had three days not much to do. We drove a bit through and around the city. We went to the beach, went for a swim, and lent a couple of surfboards from Mike, went to Victor Harbour and tried to surf. That was good fun.

So Friday was our first day of work. We are waiters now. We have to get the order, bring the food, clean the tabels and that kind of stuff. I'm now also making coffees and all sorts of drinks. It's really fun working there. We have a great crew, all younger than 24. And the customers are very friendly.

So the last few weeks I barely did anything else than work. Made some days of 12 hours, but that is just easy. We get all the drinks for free, and the food most of the time. So when we had a day off, we went to the beach or the shopping mall. But that was not very often. We did go out a few times, also with the Buskers crew, that was just fun.

So our plan is to stay in Adelaide till the second of January. So celebrate Christmas and New Year over here. And where we'll then heading for, we'll see. But I'll let you know

See You!!

Melbourne - Adelaide

We stayed one night at Paul and Andrea's. After saying goodbye to them we started driving to the coast. We were going to take the Great Ocean Route to Adelaide. So after a few hours driving we stopped in Lorne. A small town with a small beach. We walked a bit through the town and find a good place to stay the night.

Monday morning was hot. We waked up around 8.30 and it was over 30 degrees in our car. It cooled down a bit around 2. We continued driving along the Great Ocean Route. Straight to the 12 Apostles (only 7 remaining these days). We stopped at several other nice lookout points and even at a rainforest. The sea is here really clear blue and the beaches are sometimes with but often full with rocks.

We were at the end of the Great Ocean Route at Tuesday. So we drove North to The Grampians National Park. The weather changed in the main time to large clouds with lots of rain in it. We drove to Halls Gap, a small town in the middle of The Nat. Park, and gathered some information about the walking tracks. We found a place on a camping were we could stay the night. We had to eat in our car because it was raining, we were lucky that we cooked it just on time.

Wednesday we walked the Pinacle Track. A walking track that leads to the top of a mountain, from where you have a good view of all the surroundings. On one side all the hills and mountains, the Nat. Park, and on the other side just flat landscape, just like Holland. After we finished the track (4 hours later) we drove to the McKenzie Falls. A nice fall, we had to walk down a large stairs, so we had to pass lots of old people and slow Germans (it was quite obviously that it where Germans).

Thursday and Friday we drove towards Adelaide. Passing a lot of really small towns (5 houses and a pu. The weather was good, not to hot, but a nice temperature and sun. The land was still flat and full of farm land. Friday night we arrived in Tailem Bend, a larger town 100 km from Adelaide.

Saturday morning we drove the last part to Adelaide. We walked through the city centre and searched for some work. But as it was Saturday, all the work agencies were closed, so we have to try that Monday. Now we're just looking for a place where we can stay the night.

I have uploaded some pictures. They are standing in 11-07 Melbourne-Adelaide Have Fun!
Niels

Tasmanië

So, the night shift wasn't bad at all. We started at 7 pm. and worked till 10.30 We only had to pick up all the crockery from the side, not a big job. And the best thing was, I had to drive the (3 ton) truck to everywhere. And there were lots of full beer and wine bottles left, so at the end we had 2 bags full of beer and wine with us in the van.
Saturday evening was our ferry to Tasmanië leaving. The trip was very relax. Watched The Simpsons (they had their own cinema on board) and slept for a few hours.
We arived Sunday morning at Devonport. We drove through the town and went off via Sumerset and Queenstown to Lake Sint Claire.
There were a few walking tracks at Lake St Claire. We chosed the longest one (18.9 km) and walked that track on Monday. It was a nice walk. A climb of 800 meters to Mnt Rufes, and then down again and through lots of diffirent landscapes.
Tuesday we drove down to Hobart. Hobart is a quite nice town. It has a nice bridge, only the bad thing about Hobart is that all the roads are one way. So it did take us some time to get to the right place.
We went to Port Arthur on Wednesday. Drove by Pirates Bay, the Blow Hole, the remarkable cave and Devils kitchen.
Thursday we went to Freycinet National Park. A large and beautiful park where you can walk up to 3 days if you want. We arrived on Thursday at 2 pm, so we had time for a short walk that day. So we climbed up to Mnt Amos. It was really more climbing then walking, but beautiful viewings on the top. It was quite intensive, but it was definitly worth it.
The next day we went for another walk, about 4 hours to Hazards Beach. Saw some very nice beaches and clear blue water. And at the end of the day we head a bit towards Launceton.
We had to catch the ferry on Saturday again. So we drove to Devonport, stopped at a park in Launceton for 2 hours and then drove on.
We watched Mr Beans Holiday and Wild Hogs on the way back, and had again a few hours of sleep.
We now are at Pauls and Andrea's for one night. Tomorrow we're heading via The Great Ocean Route towards Adelaide. So, I'll let you know when we are there

Niels

Last day's in Melbourne

The day I wrote my last blog we went to Badger Creek Heir. Sort of a large garden where a few sorts of parrots and cockatoos lives. We bought some bird seed, and put it on our hands. And the parrots were just sitting on our arms and eating the seed. A couple of times the cockatoos tried to sit on my arm, but you don’t want that. They are too heavy.
The next day I had to get up at 5.00 I had to help put some stuff up at a Navy Base. There was a Navy Ship that they launched at Saturday so we had to put up all the chairs, tables and bbq’s.
Friday I did some delivery. Together with one other person we drove in a truck and deliver all kind of chairs and tables to customers. One privet customer had a small castle, with in their back yard a swimming pool and a tennis court.
We didn’t have much to do Saturday. We didn’t have to work, so we just hanged around. We did go to a car shop to buy some paint for the car, because we are planning to give it another colour.
On the night of Saturday to Sunday the clock went back 1 hour. I had to get up Sunday at 5.30, so it was a short night. I went back to the Navy base to pick up all the stuff we put there Thursday. When I finished work we went with Patrick, Paul, Andrea and the kids to their cricket club. There was sort of a party there, and they had free drinks, sausages and hamburgers.
Monday and Tuesday I also didn’t have to work. So I went to the shopping centre and the Queen Victoria Market.
I had to work Wednesday and Thursday. We had to supply all the marquees in the Birdcage of crockery. The Birdcage is an area where all the brands (Emirates, Lexus, L’Oreal de Paris, Tooheys, etc.) have a marquee. Some of them are really amazing, with waterfalls, ice bars and all that kind of things in it.
I had Friday and Saturday the day’s off. We painted the van in that day’s. Not much more.
Sunday was a bad day. It rained. And it was the day with the most rain since January 2006. And I had to move stuff from one marquee to another, all day long.
Monday I continued doing that, only the weather was better. No rain anymore, only mud pools. After work we went to a travel agency and booked a seat on the ferry to Tasmania for next Saturday.
It was cup day Tuesday. The day the important horse race was. I didn’t have to work, neither Paul nor Andrea. So we went with the five of us (Patrick had to work), to Gunnamatta Surf Beach. It was a nice day, and we walked over the beach and drove up a mountain. And end of the day we went to Andrea’s parents. All the family was having diner there, and we were also invited.
Yesterday I had to work again. Again moving stuff in and out marquees.
And today we have to work at 7 p.m. So we have night shift. But tomorrow we have to start at 7 a.m. So we’re thinking about putting the mattress in the van and sleep in the van. Because if we are finished with work at 1 o’clock, we have to drive back for an hour (2 o’clock) and then wake up at 5.30 again, it doesn’t have much use. But, we’ll see, and I’ll let you know.

Niels

ps. check my foto albums (the van and Melbourne) for new pics

Working in Melbourne

So, we are now in Melbourne for 2 weeks already. Did some sightseeing, worked on the van and found a job.
Saturday Ray, the father of Andrea (Patricks aunt), came here. He had a look at our van and came up with some ideas for the layer we wanted. So the next day he came back with some tools. We found some wood we could use and we spent the day building a layer in our van (see the pictures). Meanwhile there was walking a small blue tong lizard in the backyard.
Monday we went to the city centre, trying to find a job. We found one at Harry the Hirer. So we had to go to the introduction Tuesday.
At the introduction we heard what the company did and where they worked. And we had to come back Wednesday for the induction.
So Wednesday we came back and we had to fill in a lot of paperwork.
Thursday we went to Healsville park, where they had almost every native Australian animal (see the pictures) We also saw a bird show which was pretty cool.
Saturday we went to the shopping mall, where I found a nice hat. Rest of the day just relaxing.
I had to work Sunday for the first time. Breaking down marquees at the Caulfield horse race course. It was not so bad, if it wasn't 34 degrees.
Monday we had to build up marquees at Flemington race course, this time in 20 degrees with rain.
And Tuesday we continued at Flemington, this time the weather was good, not to hot and no rain.
So today a day off and probably tomorrow back to work.

Niels

Sydney - Melbourne

We arrived yesterday in Melbourne. After a 6 day trip with our van down the coast and through the mountains.
We had to get up early Saturday. Because we want to check out at 9. So after our check out we did some necessary shopping, stuff that we need in our van (and a guitar!=). After all that we we got on the road and set off to Wollongong. We drove up Mnt Keira and had a nice view of the mountains, the city and the sea. We drove a little bit further South to Nowra. We found a bbq and prepared our meal on that (steak with garlic bread=P) Then we found a good place to park our van and we prepared it for the night. Sleeping in the van is quite OK, except for the inflateble mattrass which is leaking air.
Sunday we drove to Bega. We had several stops at beaches and walking tracks. The views are really beautiful.
Monday, we've bought a gas pit today so we wouldn't have to rely on bbq's. And we could cook some potatoes and vegetables. We drove a bit to the West to Mnt Kosciuszko. We found a great place to sleep, so we parked the van there and had a walk there. We saw some kangaroos, a deer and a snake. Only that night it was 2 or 3 degrees, not warmer. So it was cold, even in our sleeping bags.
Tuesday, our plan was to climb Mnt Kusciuszko, but we were told that there was souch snow on it that you even couldn't see the path. So we stepped in the van and drove to the Coast again. But this time over a gravel road, straight through the mountains. That road was 80 km long and we did it in 3 hours. But our van did it very well so that's good.
Wednesday we went to Phillip Island. On our way we stopped somewhere and saw this stranges animal of which we always forget it's name (see the picture). And on Phillip Island we saw some Pinguins.
Thursday we drove to Melbourne. Drove through the city, parked our van and walked through the city. It is a nice city, with a huge marked. Than we went to the uncle of Patrick, who lives a few kilometers North of the city centre (it took us 2 hours to get there).
And now we are looking for work again. But this week was awsome. And I can't wait to move on again. But, plenty of time so we're first going to work again.
Keep you posted!!
Niels

The Van!!

Finally we have our van!! It's beautiful I have one foto on my site, the others are to big but they are on my hyves (www.nielsmorrien.hyves.nl)
But first start at Monday.
Monday was labour day, so we had a day off. Patrick's uncle was staying with his family at friends in Wollongon. So at 2 o'clock he picked us up and brought us to Wollongon. It was 80 kilometers south Sydney and the driving there was beautiful. Across the coast and mountains. We had a delicious BBQ there and the people there were very friendly. So that was a great day.
Tuesday just another day working at the factory. Still at our spot and the chief is giving us complements and he even knows our name! So probably we're doing a good job.
Wednesday there was no work for us. So we walked around the city looking for vans. And we did found one. So we called him and we arranged something for that evening. The van looked good, it was not that old and it had not that many kilometers on it. And another good thing, it had a alarm system. So it was not difficult for us to decide. So we bought it.
Thursday and Friday we had to work again.
So now (Friday night) we've just finished our last day of work and had our first drive through the city. It's really strange to drive on the left side but that's probably over in a week or two.
So tomorrow up early. Do some shopping (buying a mattress and things like that) and then off to Melbourne. What takes us probably one or two weeks. So then my journey continues
So when I have internet and time again I'll let you know what has happened and how beautiful all the things are over here.
Please keep writing in my guest forum I really love it.
Speak to you soon!!
Niels

Disappointments

Well, last week was full of (unpleasant) surprises.
Sunday we went back to the Botanic Gardens. To the part that was closed down when Bush was in town. So we saw more beautiful animals and views of the Botanic Gardens. We've hanged out by the Opara House and lunched in the park under the hot sun.
Monday we went to the car market, but the car we've came for was already sold, bad luck. At 2 o'clock catched a train and went working again.
Tuesday morning we got up early cause we had an appointment with someone who sold his van. So we saw the van and had a little drive in it and it was perfect. The van looked good, lots of space and drove good. We said that we would think about it and give him a call. In the mean time we received an sms from our work: There was no work for us today, but there was for tomorrow, great.. So later that day we called the man from the van and said we would buy. That was cool, so Thursday we would buy the van.
Wednesday we got up early again. We went to the bank to get our cash for the next day. At twelve we called to confirm that we were going to work this afternoon, but again there was no work for us. That evening we get a call that we could buy the van Sunday, cause he had to pick up his girlfriend Saturday night.
Thursday there was again no work for us but we did received a call that we could buy the van Friday, cause he didn't have to pick up his girlfriend anymore. But at 12 pm. we got another call, the van was stolen. So our plans to leave Sydney end of the week were gone.
Friday we searched for other vans but there was nothing. There was work for us, so that was the good thing that day.
Saturday we went to a car dealer and let us inform about everything that has to do anything with buying cars.
And today we just hang out and relax. Making plans and search for vans.
So, we're still another week in Sydney. Hoping that we find a van, or else we're going to Melbourne with a diffirent kind of transport.
So, I'll keep you posted
Niels