Week 2: O-Week Shinanigans

So O-Week is in full swing and its been a great laugh. Sunday kicked off with a getting to know people game for KB and there have been a whole load of O-Week events throughout the week organised by KB and by UOW. Orientation day was quite surreal seeing the campus busy for the first time but it was informative and some great free corn on the cob and real lemonade. Otherwise the days have been real chilled out, partly recovering from nights out. Tues night we went to Patch, think of a downmarket weatherspoons but it was good fun nonetheless! Wednesday we went to a place called Glasshouse which was great fun and apparently there's an upstairs in that place, who would have thought it :P. And last night we went to the Illawarra. Nothing too crazy but just good nights out to kick the session off. Yesterday I went for a little "swim"/splash in the waves over at North Gong Beach, apparently I was crazy for going in whilst its "this" cold. Its blimming high teens low twenties! It was a tad nippy but nothing an Englishman can't handle!

Trying to be a hardy Englishman going for a splash in the waves

I have taken some snaps of my KB halls which are pretty darn swish!

My lovely room at KB

Living room and kitchen at KB

 I pretty much know my way around now, know where everything is and  ooo on that note I was shown THE BEST farmers shop I have ever been to and its dirt cheap! The place was overflowing with fresh fruit, veg, meats... everything! So I know where I will be going for all my culinary needs :). Speaking of food I have had soooo much free food this week it has been great. Waffles for post nights out, bbq lunches breakfasts and dinner. Just YUM YUM YUM...

This afternoon is a Carnival event, with a jumpy castle and I dont know what else so that should be good! 

That's it for now :) 

Keep in touch y'all.

Week 1: Finding my feet.

So after a 30hr journey I am in Australia… on the other side of the planet… eek. The journey went smoothly and an easy transfer in Dubai, which was 40degC at 2am in the morning and then arrived in Sydney which is colder than England is at the mo. So I’ve moved into my halls of accommodation at Kooloobong Village (what a name!) I have a ground floor room, sharing with 3 others, who are all at home at the moment. The have an open plan kitchen living room with sofas and a decent sized tv! I’ll be hooking up my hard drive to that later.

After getting a rather short night’s sleep, I went off to Wollongong on the free shuttle bus :) and managed to find my way around the centre, sorting out banks, mobiles and buying kitchen stuff. This evening I have just been playing pool on the free pool tables which are massive compared to UK ones, those who know me know how much I love playing pool J !

Quite a chilled out day to be honest, as the rest of the week will be I suspect. 

It’s still really weird hearing the Aussie accent, I’ll have to get practising my accent. I haven’t heard too many odd phrases yet, just some of the clichés… I’ll keep an ear out for them though.

So it’s been a few days since arriving now. I have found the supermarkets, and had a tour round Wollongong from my replacement International Buddy, which was really good! After that jet lag hit me and I fell asleep watching the rugby at 8pm and woke up at midnight thinking it was morning. So I watched a few movies til 6am :P. Today’s been another chiller day, playing pool, met some nice aussi’s who have invited me for a meal out tonight, which should be good.

My halls (which will no doubt be shortened to KB) are beginning to get busier as more people are arriving everyday which is good. My rooms starting to feel more homely now with all my stuff unpacked.   

So it’s Sunday morning and I’ve been here for a week as of tomorrow evening. In the past couple days it has begun to get busier around KB and it’s great to start meeting new people already. I went to a flat warming party last night which was really good, played a bit of Kings (aka ring of fire). Other than that I have just been getting over jet lag and chilling really. It makes a change to chill rather than being ridonculously busy. Ooo the meal out the other night was lush! I had a steak burger… soooo good. The week coming up is O-week, with loads of orientation events going on which I think will be pretty hectic!  

I’m hoping in a year’s time I will be better at writing about myself…  

Photos will be uploaded later :) 

The End of an Era and the Beginning of an Almighty Adventure

I am leaving for Australia tomorrow! My 2:25 flight leaves from gatwick so it will be a get up and leave job to get there in decent time... but before I get to that...

So, its been almost a month again since my last post. What has happened!? Very good question... bits and bobs around home, me and Michael (my big brother) replaced a retaining wall in the garden which was quite a bit of hard work, he also got a graduate job and a 2:1 grade, very proud of him! Also ive been London to receive my Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award at St James Palace, and got to meet Prince Edward, lovely chap. But it was boiling in the palace in my suit in this Indian summer we are currently having, loving getting the tanning going early. Last night I went to cinema with a few friends who decided to celebrate my birthday a bit early at TGI Fridays, if anyones been there they know what I had to go, stand on a chair and shout who I am and how old I am. The whole night was such a laugh and we saw This Is The End which was a lot of fun! And that brings me to today, tonight... Ive had a lovely last few days in the sun with my family and a lovely going away present from my family of a St Christopher Pendent, who ironically is the Patron Saint of Travelling!

So tomorrow/monday is probably one of the biggest/scariest days of my life, 12 months, 10,000 miles ish, 9 hr time difference, 30 hr journey, the nervs are begining to kick in but there is definitely a feeling of excitement mixed with sadness of those who I am going to miss in the UK, you know who you are! Bags all packed and are just on the weight limit! So its a 7hr flight to dubai, 2hr stopover, 14hr to Sydney, sooo excited to go on the Airbus A380 from Dubai to Sydney, I find it hard to believe something that big cant actually remain airborne, and im a scientist!!!

So I guess all there is left to say is goodbye England and in 48hrs time ill be sitting in my halls on the other side of the world!

Wish me luck.