Days in Emerald

Having 2 busy week and that's why I haven't update for so long. Sorry everyone!

First talk about the hostel.
It's not really a big hostel, but it is crowed.
Here lives more than 50 people but the equipment here are really insufficient. 50 ppl share one kitchen, which contain 4 gas and 4 electronic furnace, 1 oven, 2 microwave, 1 rice cooker, 2 sink and 1 water tap. During peak hour, there will be more than 15 people cooking at the same time, horrible. I usually avoid the busiest time.
And for the toilet, in my case 16 people in one room shared 1 washroom! Yes!! We go to toilet and shower in the same washroom in the same moment, coz we start and stop working at the same time. You can imagine how busy it is.
There are TV room here, but I don't go there often.
For the bedroom, it's not as clean as the hostel in city because everyone come back with sand and mud, but actually we cant compare between them and most importantly I am OK with it.
There are free internet access here every night 7-9, which I didn't know until I arrive, NICE. This is a working hostel so Justin, the manager of this hostel, will find you a job. There are buses bring you to work and bring you back everyday, and also bus to supermarket at every 6pm. There are event on every week, last week is to watch sunset, but I didn't go because I'm in Uncle Thomas home, this week is FOOTBAAAAALLLL!!!! yeah! I miss it! I need to go to uncle Thomas home last night but I went there after the football game!! ho ho!! The charges here is $120 per week plus $6 transport every working day, so it's altogether $150 per week. A bit expensive when compare with other working hostel, but I think it's OK for me. I believe I'll stay till mid-Mar, Grand-Prix!!

Next talk about work.
Last week me and Michael worked at a flower-farm named "Not Just Flower". We've been working from Monday to Wednesday. 95% of time is to weeding, by hand! tough work and it really hurt my back. I woke up at 5am every morning, had my breakfast and get on a van which wait us at 6:15am outside the hostel. We started to work at 7am, a tea break at 10am, a lunch break at 12nn, another tea break at 3pm, then finish work at 4:30pm. Pay is not good, only $11 per hour without tax. But I have no choice because Justin assign one week work on every Sunday. I gotta work for the week and ask Justin to find us another job.
Suddenly on Wednesday, the farm owner said that Thursday and Friday was too hot for working, and told us not to go to work. Not a bad news because I can have a long weekend and my back can have a vacation! The farm owner paid my salary by cash~ wow~ Finally got some income, although it's not much. Michael left that night and go to another farm with his girlfriend. And I'm on my own.
This week I worked in a tree-farm, named J.F.T.. We have a team of 4, all from the hostel, and a supervisor, his name is Blue. Our job was to weeding and trimming, it's better than in "Not Just Flower" because we got tools this time, but it's still a tough work. We'll always need to squat because the plant is just knee high, so it still hurt my back. But the pay here is a lot better, $16.45 per hour before tax. I will have enough money for Grand-Prix and Melbourne local tour after few weeks~ yeah~! $$$$$$$
Moreover I've taken a interview for Store Manager last Saturday in BoxHill. The boss Mr. Wu is a nice guy, but my management skill were not satisfied for the job, so got to back to farm and work. Will keep trying on looking for some other office job.





Next talk about Uncle Thomas
After a short meet with Uncle Thomas on 6 Dec, I went to Uncle Thomas house in Boxhill with my sleeping bag last Thursday, and helped him to clear all the stuff in his house. There were so many many many many many many many many things in his house. A lot of books which could properly form a small library. A lot of drawing and writing which is over 60 years. A lot of Chinese medicinal materials which could make my grandma to laugh for few weeks. A lot of tissue which enough for 5 years use, and far more. I helped them on minor things such as adhesive the carton boxes and putting things in it, break confidential document to pieces, taking out things from drawer and cabinet els. We have lunch and dinner outside, I've also bought some milk for breakfast. It was a busy day.
On Friday, everyone of us are still busy on tidy things up. But I cant stay for another night so I went back to hostel. One of the advantage of this hostel, is that it's not really far from Boxhill, about 1.5 hours away. And it cost only $2.7 for a 2 hour ticket.
I returned on Saturday and helped again, not much to tell actually.
This Friday night I went there again and everything has been cleared already. I arrived at almost 12 at night because I played football and missed a bus. I finally tried BBQ Pork Rice at "Hung To", it was so great! and so expensive +_+ We chat for a while and sleep at 2am. This morning, we went out for breakfast at around 8am, but we found that most shop open at 9! We bought some pancake and soya-bean milk and eat at home. Uncle Leung came at around 9, he drive us to the storage area and put down some stuff. We then return to BoxHill and Uncle Leung was going to drive Uncle Thomas to airport. I was not going and it's the time to say Good Bye. They start leaving and we said Good Bye. Then they were gone. Feel a bit missing Uncle Thomas because he's the only relative in Australia. I tidy up my mind, and life went on.


Next talk about Bicycle.
Tracy was leaving this Sunday with her sister. As she had bought a bicycle for her work, she didn't need it anymore so she gave it to me last Sunday. The damn thing is bicycle was not allowed on bus, and I need to travel to Emerald by Bus. So I left my bike in Belgrave station last Sunday and travel back to hostel without it. Lucky it was still here yesterday night, and I brought it to Boxhill too. Today I planned to travel around with it but the damn rain screwed out my plan. So I locked it in Belgrave again and hope it will still there when I arrive next time.



Sorry for such a long post, and thanks for your patience. Things are going quite good and still as planned. hmm... tried to get a ipod shuffle today for listening music when I am working, $89, but finally didn't get it because I still have my mobile and bluetooth player. It's a time for saving money, not spending. hoho. The football match last night was great~ We played on messy grass court. The international team vs the Germany. It was damn fun! Finally result was something like 7:2, Germany win! The Grand-Prix ticket is a lot expensive then I thought, 4 days 4 different corner with seat cost $429. err.... Need to reconsider to take the one without seat with cost $175, but I guess it's going to be crowned.


Next time I'll tried to talk more about Australia instead of my life, coz my life not going to have a big change.

Good Luck mate!

Photo HERE!


c : Trying hard. 58 kg now, didn't change +_+" The feeling now is great! hoho~! I'm facing the sun! :D

oioi : I've taken the small suit case~ It's very useful! Thank you!!

banana boy : I'll buy you some in Park'n Shop.

mudfew : I am a farmer now, get up so early everyday and work at the farm, haha. Man you got the point, you clearly understand my position, I love you my dear cousin! haha..

winifred : yo sisterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Read it already and I love the caption!! Sorry I can't be with you guys but believe me I'll spent more time on you all when I return. :)

Stable to unstable -> Moving to Emerald

Stable to unstable -> Moving to Emerald

After living in Uncle Thomas house for two weeks, learn how to cook and how to live without internet, it is the time to move on my journey. Live is going from stable to unstable again.

Emerald is a place which is full of flower farm. And there is a hostel, Emerald Backpackers, which helps backpacker to find a farm job. I called them on Friday and they said they can offer me a job if I can arrive on Sunday. And Sunday, is also the day which Uncle Thomas arrive Melbourne. Sorry Uncle Thomas I don't know you need a helping hand, I should postpone my journey but I have confirmed the manager of the hostel.

Anyway, Uncle Thomas arrived Boxhill at around 4 something. We have had a tea together with Uncle Leung and they talk a lot about their classmates, haha. The train to Emerald depart on 6:43pm so there's not much time to stay with Uncle Thomas :(

I met Michael, another WHV people, at Boxhill station and we traveled together to Emerald. Well, I am really considering about buying a luggage (口急), because my backpack is full of my normal daily use items, but there are no space for food and holding two bags is not a good idea. Well... Thinking.

We arrived the hostel in around 8pm, place of coz is quite dirty but it's acceptable. Dont have photo right now but will upload them in the next few days~ The first night there I dont have a good sleep. Actually I could just close my eyes and I am awake from 11pm to 5am. errrr....New place, need some time to get use to it. And the first day work is to a flower farm and the weed. I need to pull their whole weed up including the root, it's a tough job, and because I need to curve my waist, it's so tired after work. The pay is not good, not as good as the hostel guaranteed. I've talked to the manager and he said he will TRY to find me another AFTER this week. Well.. it's fine, so I gotta finish this week job first, earn my first money. :)


Sorry all, got to go. Just finished work and haven't bath and eat.
Will update you guys more later on.


See ya~





c: Will do~ :)

Raymond: Happy New Year too~ How's Braiform~? Saved a lot of money~? :p

oioi: Thanks~ hoho~ I don't know why I get darker. Yes, I'll miss the 鼻鼾聲.... Thanks Aunt Joyce~

maymei goo je : Really~? Want me to show you some muscle? haha~ Take Care too!


joe joe : Thanks man! and hope you too~

Welcome Year 2008!

Happy New Year everyone, have a good start of year 2008~?

Last Sunday I want to St. Kilda beach. The weather was great~ Shine but not hot. It's a good day for swimming but I didn't bring my swimming stuff... err.... anyway.
I went to the end of the pier and sit on a rock, looking at the ocean, and start thinking, "Man! It's damn great to be here!". I sit there for nearly an hour, thinking about my coming trip. Where am I going, what am I going to do, how am I going to survive. I started to think about my future, not the past. Well.....I love thinking... The brain is always here, why leave it unused? (That's may be the reason why I got so many white hair. haha)


The next day I called many WHV friends and count down together.
There were 2 section of firework, 9:30 for kids and 12:00 for adult, and both of them performed in two places, the Yarra River and the Dockland. We stay at Dockland as it is much less crowded.

The 9:30 firework...well... was really for kids. haha....No other comment.
And the one at 12:00, wow, it's great!
Although it's not as great as HK but because we were so close, the firework was just above our head! haha~

It's a great start of my year 2008!


Everyone, got to go coz library is closing.


I've got another place to go, it's Emerald.
The hostel their will find me a farm job and I'm gonna stay there for a while.
Will try to update as more as possible.

See you guys! Take care mate!


Photos Here! and Here!!




c : Well.... Thanks~!

maymei goo je : Sorry, I dont think the Kit kat here is as cheap as HK.... I'll double check tmr.

Raymond : Most cheapest one $25....errr damn expensive

Banana boy : I dont think so la...haha~ This is the hair stylist jel for me, I didn't jel my hair afterward...haha

oioi: Well, I just dont wanna clear the spider web on the other pot, so...... haha~ Thanks and Happy New Year too!


Mudfew: STFU man.,... haha~ ok~ I teach you for free, if you dare to eat what I cook.. XD Got it man, you need to do the same ah