Oh herro Melbourne...

So, Ive arrived!

And Im very pleased to announce Im still alive. After arriving Tuesday evening to the infamous Elephant Backpackers I was dubious as to whether I wouldnt die in this hostel. But the room mates are friendly enough and my days have been filled with drinking to the early hours, waking up heading to the beach for a bbq and carry on drinking. My brain is officially frazzled.

But im pretty proud of myself, when I got on that plane and touched down in Melbourne I was filled with nerves. I never travelled alone, could I do this? But as soon as I got on that coach to the city, the sky filled with a beautiful pink sky as the sunset over the city skyline I couldnt help but smile. I was here! On my own! I was living the dream of so many peoples envy...of COURSE I could do this!

And Melbourne quite thankfully has welcomed me with open arms. Wednesday morning I has an interview and was offered a job on the spot. Although it was commission based I figured I could do it until I found something better. Still determined to have my options I abuse my Melbourne contacts for work and thanks to a friend of a friend I bag an interview in the afternoon and offered another job on the spot! Luckily its another fundraising gig and something I actually wanted to do! So I start with them tomorrow...

In the meantime my sydney boys have just arrived, so were off to do some exploring together. Loving life!

An end of an era...

So in a few hours time I'll be making my way to the airport. Onto my next adventure in life...

But before that I think its only fair to reflect on my time Ive had in Sydney.

When I first arrived here all fresh faced and travelled out with my fellow travelling buddy our plans were simple..to live in Manly, get a job in a bar or cafe near the beach for 6 months then move onto Melbourne...

Turns out our planning sucks lol. After going for an interview to do fundraising I didnt think much of it. I figured whatever job gets thrown my way Ill do it until I find something better. So when I got that phonecall saying I got the job with 2evolve, I figured it was only temporary.

Who knew it would end up being something thats changed me for the rest of my life?

Working for Make a Wish was a real eye opener. I quickly made friends with the 2evolve gang and I have many memories with them to last a life time. I was lucky enough to be sent to random places in Australia I would never of considered going with some of the best people Ill ever meet.

I was offered a more pernament role with them and as much as i loved the job and was truely lucky to be given the opportunity to stay. I knew in my heart it was never my intention to stay in Oz...and the stress of the job took its toll on my health more than once. So I knew it was best to move on...

So what did i move on to? Not a lot. The time was coming up where some of the best people ive met were either moving back to england or carrying on travelling. I knew it was time to bite the bullet and do something with my own life..

That doesnt mean to say I wont miss a few things....Shelly Beach, hanging out in Manly cooking a bbq on the beach and chilling out, the fine cuisine of Sydney...Korean, Vietnamese, Italian...n2 gelato!!! Blue mountains hiking...Hunter Valley weekend...Kiama...Sydney Opera house...getting lost in Paddys Market...travel trips to central coast and gold coast...chilling with my roommate watching trashy tv and discussing the drama that is our love lives... Aurora...god even scruffy murphys! that shithole has caused me more harm than good, and yet ill miss it... Ill miss it all cause its been spent with the people I love.

But now my bags are packed (and theyre bloody heavy- how have i collected so much shit since travelling?) and its time to say goodbye to Sydney. It really has been a home away from home, but now I need that feeling...the nervous excitement of getting lost in another city. Of meeting new people to call friends. Of taking pictures with a different background. Its time to spread my wings.

So to all my friends in Sydney...you know who you are. Thank you. Thank you for making these past 8 months incredible for me.

Haven't done this in a while..

How is it November already? So I've been living in Sydney Australia for almost 8 months now.

And now...It's time for a change.

Truth be told Sian and I's original plan was to do 6 months in Sydney then 6 months in Melbourne. But well...Sian left and I got caught up too much in the Sydney lifestyle...

But this is now...my third week of unemployment. After working for 2evolve everythings sort of gone pear shaped. I was glad for the less stressful life, but the dread of finding another job and somewhere to live in Sydney again was daunting. Still I manage to walk into one job...a job which destroyed my soul...and after 8 days of working I got fired. Turns out selling penis medication just wasn't my calling in life.

But after that I suppose my confidence has been knocked a bit. So this time to sit and reflect on what to do has helped me heaps. Here I am in AUSTRALIA. This is a ONCE in a lifetime thing. I should be grabbing every moment possible! And yet for some reason I felt stuck, that Sydney has become too much of a routine for me. And the thought of coming home and somebody asking me "So...where did you go in Oz?" And for me to only say...well apart from travelling the east coast I mainly stayed in Sydney. Just doesnt cut it for me. Im the girl who has always wanted more in life. Even when Ive been given Planet Earth, I still want Pluto.

So I've decided to make the jump to Melbourne. Where the weather is shitter but the guys are hotter. Where every alleyway takes you to a world of graffitti and fine dining. Although I will always feel like Sydney is my home, lately I just found myself fed up. Im fed up of people leaving me. Im fed up of hearing everyone elses exciting stories of travelling and im left doing...well what? Nothing. There is nothing keeping me here in Sydney. I have no job...I have no great love affair...least not one I care to talk about anyway...and my friends, least my true friends...are leaving in the matter of weeks. I cant be the one left stuck here. I have to keep moving. And yes its bloody scary me doing this by myself. But Its incredible how much ive changed over the past 10 months, so this will be really good for me.

And its exciting to know what I want out of life when I get back home. I want to work in charity, I want to help people, I want to wake up and go to work knowing today I will have made some sort of difference. Thats what was missing from me for all those years, every day when i woke up going in work for retail and having a heavy heart, having people make you feel like your just not good enough to do anything and the thought of not being good enough to put an outfit on a mannequin...was heartbreaking. I couldnt go back to it, knowing what I know and feel now. My life wants so much more than that.

And its not just my career, i want MORE from my life...I want to live it! I want to start saving for a house, my little house, where each room will be decorated with things from my travels, a constant reminder of how amazing my journey has been. I want to DO things over the weekend. I want to explore europe, join races for charity, take up photography, get a dog, maybe even find a man who wants all the same things as me, but if i dont. Thats okay. As much as i enjoy the male attention Ive always been my happiest when ive been by myself....its such an invigorating feeling.

So my journey is almost over. I cannot wait for the last 4 months of my time in Australia. People think im insane to not do farming work and extend my visa, and maybe theyre right. But i know in my heart ive made the right choice. No matter where I am in the world, the thing that excites me the most is seeing my friends and family for the first time in about 18 months. To laugh with them every day. To be apart of their lives again. Thats what matters most to me.

So heres to the next chapter. Sydney has been such an amazing part of my life, and Im really sad to leave but I know its the right thing to do...