Hola family & friends it has been 2 yrs since I first
left Australia for my life changing adventure half way around the world and its
not over!!
I have decided to start a travel blog so that I can share my
experiences, people I meet and now call friends, all the exciting unforgettable
countries I have visited & all the different cities I have called home. I
hope you find this blog interesting, funny, conflicting, mind opening &
inspiring….
This is the story of how I got to where I am now 2yrs later
living in one of my favorite place Edinburgh, Scotland.
“Life Is What You
Make Of It”
October 2009
I have spent the last 4 weeks preparing for this big day…
it’s the day I start my journey to the UK to start my 2 yr working holiday visa
but before I head to London I decided to take a 3 weeks stop-over in KL,
Malaysia and my first experience back packing & in staying in a HOSTEL.
Having said my good byes to my family at Gold Coast airport
and a not too long flight I arrived in Kaula Lumpur caring everything but the
kitchen sink, I knew this was the start of an exciting part of my life…. Well
apart from the fact it was super hot, got so lost and I could not find my
hostel for over 1 hr
My good friends mainly Shagy & Colin all had their
doubts about me being able to stay in hostels.. the famous quote from both of
them “ Hostels!!! You wont last… you don’t know how to rough it” from novice to
now expert.
The next 3 weeks in KL flew past, I got to know KL well enough
to start venturing out late at nights trying to find something exciting or interesting
to do. The Petronas Towers was a sight to see especially during the night when
they light up the KL skyline.
Genting Highlands was definitely a memorable
place not only due its location… on top of a mountain but for all you who knows
me the only CASINO was there and it was a great GREAT session!!! Genting Highlands is about
1hr drive from KL and is a Resort made up of different hotels, a fully
functional outdoor theme park, indoor theme park shopping malls and restaurants
galore. After the bus you need to ride on the cable car to the top of the
mountain, what a view but a wee scary when their is strong wind!!! OMG well worth the trip.
I didn’t meet too
many people while at KL due to the fact I must have chosen the most boring hostel
in KL, 1st lesson learnt (there are different types of hostels, Quiet &
Party).
November 2009
After a long but ok flight from KL I arrived in LONDON –
Stanstead Airport, off the plane and straight into a massive line waiting to
pass through customs, got a dirty look from the customs officer on duty, asked
a few questions then stamped.. IM IN LONDON!!! Black cab start to my new home
& job as head chef at “Coach & Horses Hotel” in KEW south west London.
My first impressions of London was great, I felt that I had
been transported back in time to the old days of pomp and ceremony. I was also surprised
to see so much green space for such a large population relative to the UK land
size. I felt at this time that this was the right move!
The next day I met up with my old school friend Megan for a
drink, we met at Piccadilly tube stop and I was amazed in the amount of people
that were around mostly tourists just like me. Megan is a high school friend
from Coorparoo who lives in London, comforting to have a familiar face in a new
city. After our drinks and Megan went home I decided to see if my casino luck
would continue from KL, well let’s just say it’s the 2nd lesson I
learnt (if you are traveling on a budget or don’t want to lose money then don’t
go to the casino)… I still need to learn this lesson.. LOL
The 2nd night I was invited to a “welcome to
London” party at a pub/bar in Hammersmith called Belushis. After a few drinks
and meeting some newbies the night was going great that is until I met Ray
Shipway who is an Aussie traveler who works at the bar, from there ALL DOWN
HILL!! £1 shots, staff rate drinks… a few hours later I found myself in a bush
next to the tube station puking my guts out!!
The weeks carried on as I settled into my new job and met
some really awesome people like my Polish friend Sebastian “Sea Bass” the
beautiful Billie “drinking partner” awesome locals like John “the Boat” Simon
and FRED!!! More about Fred and his kindness later. 3rd lesson I
learnt is the London Life Style can and is addictive. Over the next few weeks I
spent 90% of what I earned on sight seeing, wining, dining & partying.
Work, old friends, new friends, London life style and some
sleep…. Weeks few past!!
December 2009
Work is busy + London Life is….. rolling on, Christmas is
just around the corner….. Christmas is here!!! And im at work, im under
staffed, its very cold, I haven’t seen the sun in 10 days and I have no family
around me or close friends.
To be honest this was the loneliest Christmas I have ever
had and I wanted to just go home…. A real melancholy festive season for me.
Work here is really different to what I am used to back
home, getting used to different foods like Spotted Dick, Faggots, Eatons Mess…
just makes you wonder what they serve here in London. My kitchen staff was also
a mixed bag of hard working chefs, keen juniors willing to learn to lazy,
un-reliable, untrained & idiotic chefs.
At the end of my first day I handed in my resignation to the holding
manager… quote… unquote “ I didn't travel half way around, work hard to build my
skills to put up with this Sh*t Hole” But after a meeting and some assurances I
would get the full backing of the new GMs about to start I decided to finish my 3
months contract. The next few weeks was spent getting the kitchen to a high standard
and training the staff to work my way…. Hard Work!!!
January & February 2010
What kind of an Aussie would I be if I did not celebrate
Australia Day! The day started at 12 noon with Megan & I visiting Ray @
Belushis for a few cheaky drinks and warm Vegemite shot… DISCUSTING!!! We flogged
all their promotional goods of kangaroos & sun hats then after collecting the rest of the crew later
that night we decided to head out to the Walkabout (aussie bar/club).. AWESOME
time here are some funny pics!
With the New Year came my first overseas trip to Bruges
& the “red light district” of Amsterdam. Amsterdam was our first stop in
our 7 day trip, its wet, raining and cold… I guess that’s what you get for
travelling during winter. Amsterdam offered so much to do and see and we tried
to do it all including visiting a “café” which for my family or other people
who don’t know its not your typical café where you order coffee, biscuit and sit with your friends and gossip.. and for your info YES I par took!
The red light district was definitely an eye opener and worth experiencing, unfortunately NO pics are allowed there and for your info NO I didn’t! we visited the Vodka & Sex Museums which was no more than a small hole in the wall and not worth the money but worth the experience and a laugh. Also did your normal sight seeing canal tour and riding the trams!
After 4 days in Amsterdam it was time to leave, our next
stop was Bruges – Belguim. Now this place is so beautiful somewhere you would
bring your girlfriend, wife or partner… that beautiful! One sunny day I rented
a bike and took a 5km ride to Damme, a really nice ride over flat terrain,
highly recommended if you ever visit this part of Belgium.
The next 3 days was
spent visiting the chips museum, eating mussels & chips, cathedrals and
Pubs.
It was a good experience travelling with Megan always good having someone
to have dinner with rather than being
alone Megan had fun trying all different types of beer and me different
types of vodkas…… time to go back to London!
