Cambodia

It's a long non easy way travelling from Melbourne to Sihanoukville, Cambodia. After a last brunch with Stina at the Deli for goodbyes, I headed for the airport. 9 hours and 35 minutes to Bangkok felt like an eternity. Beeing to cheap to pay for the entertainment screen surely payed off.  I finally found myself back at the airport of Bangkok, 8.30 pm local time. I didn't really have any plans from there but I somehow convinced myself that there would be a nightbus waiting for me at the the airport. My quote 'the best plan is to have no plan' is probably not always the way to go. I headed straight for the tourist information where the man kindly informed me that there's no nightbuses going to Cambodia at this time, but that I could wait for the one leaving at 11 am. Beeing to overexcited to see my dear long lost sister I was not looking forward to spend 14 hours at the airport before beeing able to move in her direction. There must be a better option. Taking a shot I got into a taxi to the local bus station 45 minutes and 400 bath away. There's better be a bus. I tried to ask the taxi driver whether the bus station was still open at this times, or if I was just wasting my time. The only thing I got out of his answer was that he offered to drive me all the way to sihanoukville for $500. I was tempted. 

At 10.03 pm I got dropped of at the bus station. I ran up to the counter and asked for the next bus to Trat, which would be the city closest to the border. She gave me a ticket and told me to run, there's a bus leaving at 10. On shaky legs I got myself a seat on the bus I shared with only locals as we took of. 5 sleepy hours later and beeing the only one left at the bus I got to Trat. Despite that it was 3 am I cuddled up next to Bert on a bench and slept until the first bus was leaving to the border. 

Getting pass immigration was easy and way more comfortable when your away from the crowds. While at the Cambodian side I had to figure out how to get to sihanoukville. Just that last bit. I got on the back of a moto taking me to the bus stop. 

'8 o clock' he said and pointed at his armwatch. 15 minutes. 

I was happier than ever, knowing that my sister was only a few hours away. And with the wind in my hair gliding pass the beauty of Cambodia. I should be worried about missing this bus, but I wasn't. This little journey had proved to me that everything's always works out the way it should. At least so far. As we got into to the city we saw the bus driving away. Did I miss it? My driver started shouting in Cambodian to the locals behind us who started pointing in the direction we just saw the bus leaving. The driver turned around and went straight after it. We got just behind it and when the driver realized that we were hunting them he stopped for us. People are so nice. I thanked my driving hero to pieces while entering the bus that in 4 hours would bring me to the reunion with my sister. 

Sihanoukville

I found her beautiful smile in the cafeteria of 'Led zephyrs' having hangover breakfast with Louise. After tons of hugs and 'OMG I can't believe you're here' I joined them. I hadn't had anything to eat since my breakfast with Stina, 32 hours ago. Fried noodles have never tasted that good. Louise's hangover brought her back to bed while Alice and I went for the beach. We couldn't stop talking. We chatted the hours away in a way you can only talk with you sister. God - I've missed her. 

That night I dragged Alice and Louise out to the bars even if they're still recovering from yesterday. I was like 'I'm not spending my only night in sihanoukville in bed'. We played killer pool with an English- American group of guys, went pub crawling for free drinks and ended up with an ocean swim.  I also happened to run into Hanna at one of the bars! a Swedish friend of mine that Eric and I hung out with in Melbourne. Small world, huh? 

Koh Rong

We caught the boat to Koh Rong the next morning, with its beautiful nature, beaches and cosy atmosphere. We spend the day at the beach and the night at the bar after running into the crazy Irish boys that kept Alice and Louise up all night just before I arrived. And they was about to do it again. 'Drop and give me 10' became a standard game among them when you basically challenge someone to get down and do 10 push-ups, or the almont that you wish. You can do this anywhere, anytime as long as the person who announce it does it as well. If you refuse, you simply have to take your pants off. I tried this with Alice and Louise way later. Sadly enough without any success. 

The next day we went for the trek across the island to Long beach. Remembering that last time I was doing that, Caroline and I followed the wrong track for ages I promised myself and my company not to that again. Even I'd I wasn't the one leading us the right way we finally found ourselves in paradise. 7 km of the whitest sand and clear blue water. And sand flies. How could I forget the sand flies? After hours on the beach getting eaten alive and caught bites that would haunt us for weeks, we watched the sun set at the horizon as we took the long boat back to our beach. 

We ran into our English-American group of friends again that night and who kept us company until we were ready for bed. We had a boat to catch in the morning. 

To Siem Reap

We took the boat back to sihanoukville where we spend the day getting massages, getting our laundry done and doing absolutely nothing in the bar of 'led zephyr' as we waited for the nightbus to take us to Siem reap. I've never had a better sleep at a bus than this one. There was no seats at all, but bunk bets covering the inside. One bed was to share between two people, which wouldn't be a problem if you don't happen to found yourself next to a greasy old man. As a young girl, that would make you feel highly uncomfortable. I told Alice and Louise that if that happens to me I'd jump in with them. They got the biggest bed of all, the one across in the back and had heaps of free space. I had to share my bed with a girl, but ended up giving my seat away and get cosy with Alice and Louise anyway. There was one poor little girl sitting on the floor cause she refused to get on next to the wierd old man in front. I gave her my seat and she couldn't be more appreciative. 16 hours on a bus on bumpy roads took us to Sihanoukville. We dumped our bags on a hostel for the day and went for a shopping tour. I was in desperately need to get myself a backpack instead of my cotton- salvos bag I've been dragging round over one shoulder so far. And we had to Louise a new phone as her IPhone got stolen that night in sihanoukville, just before I got there. 

Our flight was leaving at midnight, and we had a tuk tuk to pick us up and drive us to the airport. We spend our last hours in Siem reap at pub street with the Angkor beers. Just as we ordered the third round we realized how how late it got and had to down it in one before heading back for our pickup.

We got to the airport with plenty of time, but was refused to enter the plane that would take us to the Philipines without having an outgoing ticket. 

'Well, we don't have an outgoing ticket' I tried but got explained that without an outgoing ticket they could not let us on the plain. I quickly borrowed their computer and booked us the cheapest ticket out of there, 3 weeks later. Borneo. I always wanted to go there anyway. 

And so we entered the plane, full of excitement for our next destination. Phillipines. 

Tasmania, Australia

I got a ticket to Tasmania as a birthday present to Stina who desperately need some time away from work, and who have a good friend in Hobart we could stay at. We woke up at 3.30 am that morning to get a cab to the skybus that'd take us to Hobart that morning.  A. We got there after an hour in the flight. As soon as we walked out of the airport in stood waiting in the cold I realized that I probably did not bring enough clothes. In Melbourne the wether is just starting to get warmer. Apparently that's not for Tasmania. We got picked up by Frank, who quickly showed us around battery point and Salamanca market for a coffee, before driving us home to his. Feeling extremely jet lagged after our one hour flight within the same time zone, Stina and I hit the napping land. We didn't do much the rest of the day except strolling around the city, drinking beer and playing pool. That is after all what we're best at. 

Mona's

We hit the harbourcruice to Mona's art gallery the next morning. The $75 million Museum of old and new art is the owners own collection of his favorite art from across the world. The extraordinary installation is arrayed between three underground levels concealed inside a sheer rock face. It was all pretty impressive. It got something for everyone, even the non art fans. Rooms of paintings, wierd lights, rain that creates words, a wall full of different skulptured vaginas, pictures, stories, movies you name it.  Wegot given an iPhone each where you could track every different installation and read about it. 

Mt Wellington

We packed our leftover food from last night for today's day trip up the famous mt Wellington, just half an hour away from Hobart. It's possible to take the shuttle bus all the way to the top, and many people do this. For us, that'd be taking the elevator up kebnekaise. The feeling of beeing at the top of a montain is not only the fact that you're actually there, but that you've actually earned to be there. So we hiked! It is not a hard trek, only a few hours up and down. Comparing to my hiking experiences, and Stina's adventures up the Nepal Himalayan, this was more like gliding up a hill. 

We're prepeaed for cold weather and put on literally all our clothes. Saying that, we still wasn't dressed for trekking. While at the bus stop the driver asked us where we're going. 

'Fern hill, climbing my Wellington' 

With a worried look she scanned us up and down, then up again. We were both wearing jeans, I was in leather jacket and trainers, Stina got her regular boots. 

'You know it gets a bit cold up there, do you have any rain gear?' 

'Oh, We will be fine' we said as we took a seat. Not worried at all. 

We got off at Fern tree, where we went off in between the trees in a jungle of different tracks having no idea which one to follow. We took a change and followed one that would sure take us the right direction. Up!  

As we started walking my fears for not bringing enough clothes was long gone. I was stupidly hot, desperately regretting not bringing my shorts. As sweat ran down my face I started considering taking my jeans off to make my top into a tiny skirt. I'm glad I didn't do that. 

We found ourselves on the right track and about 2,5 hours along the zigzag track took us to the top of mount Wellington. Terribly strong wind hit us straight in the face and tried to blow us straight back down. We fought it desperately trying to run and hide, but the wind kept hunting us down.  Finally reaching the other side of the top we got into the top hut, where it wasn't necessary warmer but where we could escape the wind. We enjoyed our lunch together with beautiful scenery, before heading out facing the horribly cold again while trying to enjoy the view. We ran across the top field to keep our blood circulation going and as soon as we got down only a few meters the wind was gone. Aahh. We much rather sat enjoying the view from there than freezing to death on the top. 

Our beautiful singingvoices and several rounds of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' accompanied us all the way back down to fern tree. We enjoying a cold beer in sunshine, a few rounds of pool before heading back to Hobart. 

Eagle Hawk neck

Saturday morning we headed for the famous Salamancan market. A bit under my expectations to be honest. Similar to any other market, and pricy. We had a stroll around, enjoyed a coffe in the sunshine before catching a bus that'd take us to Eagle hawk neck. 

I knew nothing about eagle hawk neck other than what I've been told by my precious lonely planet. Tasman peninsula is connected to the mainland with only a 100 meter strip, thats eagle hawk neck. And It seemed to be a beautiful location, got a cheap hostel and with the famous history attraction 'port Arthur' close by. Feeling the need of a city getaway we simply decided to give it a shot. Jumping on a local bus we got drop off next to a tiny roadway supposedly leading to our hostel. We were basically in the middle of nowhere. Not knowing exactly where this little roadway would take us we followed it. We finally reached the hostel after about 2 km just to face the sign 'no vacancy'. Luckily they had put a number underneath referring to the dive center. Despite the fact of being in the middle of nowhere we wasn't given any phone signal.  We looked at the sign, than at eachother and laughed. What else can you do in situations like this? It was getting dark, and we hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast. Having no idea where this hostel was we couldn't do else than turn around walking back the same way we came from. A police car drive by and stopped right next to us.

'Hey girls, where are you going?' 

'Well, we honestly don't really know anymore' we said, referring to the sign. 

He offered to drive us to the dive center and we got in the car. About 5km uphill took us took us to the hostel. Needless to say that we was well happy not having to walk all that way. 

We woke up to the sound of sunshine (?) and headed out for a long beach walk along 'Pirate bay'. This bay view extended to the rugged coastline beyond is truly incredible. We stopped for magnificent lookouts and precipitous coastal formations such as 'tessellated pavement', 'Blowhole' and 'Tasman Arch'.  We had better weather than south east Australia have faced in months and got sunburned for the first time since Easter. This truly improved our mood even more. On our way back we were on a supermarket mission. Beeing in the middle of nowhere this isn't easy to find. As Stina ran out of cigarettes and I ran out of tampons we considered ourselves being in a quite desperate situation. We managed to find a little kiosk up a hill who could supplie us with what we needed for the day. 

Port Arthur

Not knowing where the bus stop was, if there existed one, we decided to hitchhike to the historical site 'Port Arthur'. We had just only put our thumbs up when the man outside a house across the street started shouting at us. 

'Where're you girls going?'

'Port Arthur', we yelled back

'Might have a friend who can drive you there, he works as a bus driver. Let me just give him a quick call'  

We could see him talking with over the phone and not more than 10 minutes later an empty tourbus stopped at the road, right next to us. He was driving a group from Hobart to Port Arthur and back in the afternoon and had some spare time to kill. We thanked him lots and booked us in for the ride back to Hobart later that day. 

As Tasman peninsula is connected to the mainland with only a 100 meter strip it use to confine prisoners who had committed further crimes in the colony. From 1830 - 1877, 12500 convicts did hard brutal prison time at port Arthur. We cruised around the Harbour for a bit around the island there they used to keep prisoners as well. Then we spend the day walking around all the tiny houses, this little community. To see how people lived, read along and improve our acknowledge of the Tasmanian history. 

Back to Hobart

Our day back in Hobart before heading back to Melbourne we spend on the Hobart museum. We took it easy thought as we felt quite 'outcultured' after our adventures at Mona's and port Arthur. I did found it interesting how well you could connect that history to the one from port Arthur. How the Brittish colonies came taking over Tasmania and where some of them in the end ended up at port Arthur. 

We got into a bit of trouble with our flight back to Melbourne. As I happened to read my email earlier the same day I came across the information that our flight had been cancelled. Since I had a flight from Melbourne to Bankok the next day I was in desperate need to get into Melbourne tonight. After what felt like hours on the phone queue we finally got in contact with Jetstar who kindly enought booked us on another flight a few hours earlier. Lucky I checked my email in time. As they never sent me a confirmation mail we ended up getting ourselves to the airport hours before, just to be safe. 

Melbourne, Australia

I found out that my Brittish friend Natalie was making a living in Melbourne as well and we met up for the first time since our travels in Cambodia and Vietnam 1,5 year prior. I saw her lovely face at flinders station that evening, beeing 30 minutes late. Nothing has change. We hit the bars catching up and chatting the night away. I missed the last tram and ended up walking all the way back to st Kilda. 

Meeting Natalie again was lovely, even if she had dragged herself into a lot of drug-related problems lately. Something I wish for my life to stay away from. 

I kept seeing her a lot, and she became a very important part of my life during this time. I did my best to support her, which in the end would have to mean for her leaving Melbourne. So she did. But being Natalie she ended up forgetting her passport on the plane that went all the way back to Melbourne. 

That same weekend our friend Emma came to visit us before flying home. She and Stef was traveling together but went separate paths after fruitshack. After a lovely weekend I followed her to the airport Monday morning to say goodbye and to get Natalie's passport back. 

The story with the tram fine 

I ended up a bit unlucky with my valuables during my last weeks in Melbourne. Or just stupid. One night I simply decided it was super funny throwing my phone at people (?) and woke up without it the next morning. Remembering that Natalie gave me an old broken iPhone before she left, decided to see if it's working. Now when I didn't have one. For beeing a person who's never had an iPhone before I just simply assumed that you have to take off the back to put the SIM card in. It's been broken already and the corner of the back was already unhooked. I grabbed it and peeled the whole back off. It made a funny notice, as it does if you brake something or do something completely wrong. I was so confused. Still couldn't figure out where to put the damn SIM card in I took the battery out. Standing there with the phone in one hand, battery in the other and the back of the phone on the table Stef walked into the room. 

'What are you doing' she simply yelled out

'I'm just trying to put the SIM card in', I explained quite desperately

'Thats NOT how you do it!' 

Learn from this everyone. And do never ever ever give me an iPhone!  

It doesn't end there. The very same week I as I was heading home from one of my regular 7am gym classes, I managed to leave my wallet on the tram. Which leads to a funny story about me getting caught on the tram for not having a ticket.  I just had a lovely breakfast with Stina before heading off towards my last rock climbing session. As I sat on the tram I realized the massive storm of fully custumed ticket polices coming in from every door and every angle of the tram.  Usally I'd always travel with a tramcard that I'll top on in this cases. Or I'll simply run off. There's no way escaping this time .. 

'Ticket miss?'  

'Umm.. Sorry, don't really have one. Wallet got stolen. Know that's not a reason but ..' I suddenly felt like the smallest person in the world. He described that I have failed showing a valid ticket and can choose to pay $70 on the spot or get a $218 send home. 

'I pay the 70' I said eagerly looking for money in my pocket. Realizing I only had a 50 I tried to agociate the price. No succes. They don't even take cash. We've come to the point where they needed my personal details and address. I suddenly remembered last time this happened when I fist got to Melbourne and I got I $212 fine sent to my old work. People kept asking me why I didn't just lie about my identity. If they wouldn't be able to find me they will simply give up and let me go right? Saying this, I'm the worst lier in the world. So told them my real first name. I said my last name. I told them my date of birth. But that's when something went crazy inside my mind and by a reason I could never explain I've head myself telling them the wrong month. Crap. What did a do that for? This is not ending well .. 

I obviously couldn't proof my identity as I didn't had an id. And I couldn't confirm my address either. What normal kind of human being walks around with their bills in their pockets? I'm not even the one paying my bills. When they asked to call my friends I had to apologize for the fact that I have lost my phone as well. They stared at me as I was completely stupid. There was about 3 of them around me now. All starting to get really annoyed saying that if I don't prove who I am they have to call the police. 

I emptied my bag showing that I actually don't have any phone or prof of identification in there. Looking at all my climbing gear they asked me if a was a member of a gym. They googled the number to the 'hard rock climbing' and talked to a poor little boy who had no idea what was going on. Hearing him confirming my details it occurs to me that this is going to be the wrong date of birth. Or the right. Shit. They drag me off at the next stop to call the police as I still couldn't give them proof of my address. How can they have the energy going throught all this trouble? I'm overlooking the station I'm at. it's pretty busy. What changes would I have just running off? Probably not very good, specially not with the police on the way. And I have put myself in enough trouble already. Tried to explain that I'm leaving in less than a week and there's no way I'd be able to pay the fine anyway.  Finally they asked me where I was working. Finally. You think that would be one of the first questions to ask? Using their precious google again they found the number to the deli, and ended up deciding to send the fine there. They let me go. With a $218 fine, and more than an hour late to my climbing session. 

The end 

My last weeks in Melbourne went a bit mad. I became really close friend with Eric and I ended up spending to much time with him. I had good fun, it's just not good for my health.  His friend Ashleigh just moves to Melbourne and in to the hostel across the road, and every other day we would end up there for drinking. And when it came to the weekend it got pretty intense with full hours working shifts on top.

I felt a bit sad leaving in the end, just as a got so many new friends at the hostel. Mainly backpackers thought, so none of them would be staying for much longer. But also as I really liked it at my work. I felt appreciated and knew what I was doing. But for all we know I might actually end up back there agin. Stef was leaving just a couple of days before me, and for her last night we went for a nice dinner with our flatmates Cam and Chelsea. On our way home i ran into Eric on the street outside the hostel where they where having a party. As Stef was heading home for packing I ended up staying with them as well as it was my last weekend before leaving. We had so much fun that I simply forgot to go home and suddenly realized I had to go straight to work. I'm never doing that again. I struggled with reading my own handwriting and towards the end of my shift I was so tired that I found myself falling asleep (for only a second) as I was behind the counter taking order from a costumer. 

Eric to the left, with a bunch of people from the hostel.

Anyway, my time in Melbourne had come to an end. I had to face tearful goodbyes to Stina, Stef, Chloe, Eric, Will, Ashleigh, flatmates, coworkers, climbing buddies and everyone. I've had an amazing time in Melbourne and couldn't be asking for better friends than the ones I've met, or the job that I've been giving, or simply the beauty of st Kilda!  This was a goodbye, but not a goodbye for ever. 

Melbourne, Australia

Tilly's cafe

Stina and I moved into a four room apartment, where we shared a room (and a bed). We loved it. With a perfect location in the hearth of st Kilda we finally got our own space and a place we could call 'home' whithout referring to a hostel. We shared it with Stina's coworker Cameron and his fiancé Chelsea, in the room next to ours. My friend Stef ended up moving into the last and smallest room of the apartment. Stef was one of the people I left behind me while leaving the fruitshack. She had now decided to follow my footsteps and leave the farm to search for better luck in the city of Melbourne. I met her in the bar the night she arrived after finishing my last workshift in the resturant. The very next day we decided that she's moving in. 

I kept working at the cafe, I learned how to make coffee and truly improved my work overall. It was just one problem - I didn't got enough hours. And it wasn't reliable hours. There was just so many days he texted me in the morning saying that I didn't need to come in. In the end I ended up working about 3 days a week, and only 4.5 hour shifts. I struggled a lot to make a living. With so much free time, but with no money to spend I began gym- hopping. I invented this myself. Gym hopping basically means applying for a 3 or 7- day trial at the gym, whatever the gym is offering. When that trial is over, you kindly turn down the membership options just to do the same thing to another gym. I probably went throught 7 different gyms if I counted it right, and never had to pay a cent. Expect from gymming I spent I lot of time applying for more jobs, obviously, and hanging out with Chloe. She was on her way to Alaska traveling with her father, and we spent countless hours of backpack shopping for that amazing adventure filled with kayaking, hiking, cycling and flying around the mountains. I couldn't be more jealous! 

Chloe and I on her last night before heading of to Alaska

On a night out in st Kilda Stef and I ended up at 'Abbey road' chatting with some Irish lad calling himself 'big gay Eric'. We hit the bars together that night and he happened to mention, in his drunken stage of cource, that he might be able to get me a job at his place. Trying not to take things to seriously I popped in to 'Albert park deli' with my resume the next day, mentioning that I knew Eric in the kitchen. It's is a fairly busy cafe, deli and takeaway shop, with dining services during week nights. The called me in for a trial a couple of days later and decided to keep me on during evenings and weekends. As the Deli gave me a lot more responsibilities in its busy environment I found myself getting bored at my first job. And I soon found out what a struggle it was getting between them. I started my first job at 11, stayed until 3.30, rushed for all I had to catch the train into the city where I ran for the tram to albert park, to hopefully be able to start my shift at 4.30. I knew I couldn't keep going that way so when the Deli offered me full time I started considerate leaving Tilly's. 

I went to work that day, mentally prepereard to tell my boss that I'm leaving. Or at least cutting down my hours. But before I've even walked into the door he spit out the fact that the other girl, on the same hours as me, resigned yesterday. I didn't have the heart to tell him I was leaving too. And when he offered me more hours, still only half day shifts, I heard myself saying yes even if that surely wasn't what was going on in my head. So instead of cutting down my hours, I got more.  This basically meant that I every day would have to rush between jobs instead of having a full 8 hour day at the deli, with the same wages. Which would be I reasonable thing to do. It took me a couple of weeks or so before I had strength enought to tell him. This timing was not better than the last, as one of the full timers was leaving as well. That also meant that I got offered full time job, with barista training. From having no jobs I now had two ... 

Birthday celebration

While I was still on 2 jobs, late June, Our German friend Kat left the fruitshack for the second time and came down to Melbourne. I met her in the city one morning after Stef and I had finished our 7 am spinning class and took her back to st Kilda. We spend a lovely long weekend together with Stina and Stef, knowing we wouldn't see eachother for a long while now as she was flying back home to Germany that following week. 

My 21st birthday was coming up and I decided to ask for the day off, which ended up beeing my first day completely off work in over a month. Stina, Stef and I hit the bars the night before. Making a st Kilda pub craw we strolled down the bars on flitzroy street, the esplanade just to end up at our regular place 'abbey road' by the time the clock passed midnight. Stina, who started work just a few hours later went home and left me and Stef at the dance floor where we stay'd until early morning. On my birthday morning I made a promise to Stina to come by her cafe for a coffee. As Stef and I sat down Cam put Stevie wonders 'happy birthday' playing on the speakers while Stina brought me a candle filled muffin and presents. I felt so loved and when they asked my to make a wish while blowing out the candle I honestly couldn't think of anything. Stef and I left for a lovely breakfast and bubbles before having a stroll around the south Melbourne market. 

Later that day I headed away to meet Chloe who got back from Alaska the same morning. Srill jet lagged she told me the most amazing stories from her trip over a few beers in her new apartment in Brunswick. That evening we hit the city and met Stef and Stina at an cosy resturant for a birthday meal. Feeling too jet lagged to function, Chloe headed home to sleep. Stina, Stef and I went for a couple of drinks and games of pool before heading home as well when my birthday was officially over! 

Albert park deli 

The Deli became to feel like a second home away from home. Work became something I could look forward too, and I enjoyed every moment. Almost. There was one Saturday where I felt terribly hangover after catching a few drink with Eric the night before. I simply forgot that I had to work in the morning and had no intentions to go to bed until one of the bouncers suggested it to me - way to late. All morning I struggled with not being sick and promised myself not to ever touch alcohol again. 

Me and Eric out in the club 

As I worked a lot of 12-9 hours I tried to get myself into a good daily rutin. After all the gym hopping I finally signed up one, same as Stef's one. A couple of times a week I'd go for a 7am gym class. I loved that. And then I could enjoy having all morning to myself. Every other day I'd go running before work or go for breakfast with Stina. At least once a week I'd go rock climbing. That was one thing I'd always look forward to every week when working so much. I met new friends there every week, and went climbing a lot together with this one Australian guy Greg. I'm in serious love! (With the climbing, not the guy). The adrenalin you get when challenging yourself to the top. God, I could live for that. 

Spending so much time at work, my colleagues became my new best friends. Specially Charlotte, and American Will. It was not unrarely for us to catch a drink or two after closing together. Unfortunately, Charlotte was leaving early august to travel the east cost before heading home to Germany. So after her last shift we headed to hofrahaus, the German bar in the city. The beers there are unreal, and far to big to hold only with one hand. We met Will, and the Australian girl who's working with us chatting the hours away. From there we headed to a hidden rooftop bar. You basically had to go throught what looks like a Chinese dumling place, take the elevator to 4th floor which will take you to the bar. Up there and around the corner we followed a staircase to a beautiful beer garden on the top. Beeing almost the only ones there, we stood for ages overlooking the beautiful city. 

Melbourne, Australia

I got down to Melbourne after an 8 hours uneventful train ride. The loud, busy city environment hit me straight in the face and made me wanna turn around and jump on the first train back to Leeton.  As I by this point didn't have any credit on my phone I had to relie on my friends to call me, which they did only when I was unable to pick up thanks to the service on the train.  In a jungle of traffic lights and cars, dusty streets, smelly people, taxi drivers and trams I finally found my way to St Kilda where I met Stina just at where I left her 2 months ago - in the bar. 

The main reason for me to head back to Melbourne this specific time was because of Fiona, one of my best friends from school who just got to Australia with her friend Fanny and would be in Melbourne only for a few days. Not only was Fiona and Fanny here during this time but my dear friend Cornelia who I keep bumping into in different places all over the world. 

That night i headed in to the city for a night out with Chloe. We met up with Cornelia and Paula who seemed to have dragged their whole hostel along and ended up at one of the rooftops. As Fiona and fanny stay'd in st Kilda as well I catched up with them first thing in the morning. As we were walking towards the beach we passed an Australian footy court where they had a female practice game. Trying to understas the rules we started chatting to the camera guy, Callum, who kindly did his best to make  us understand. Apparently we must have make some kind of impression as he decided to come to st Kilda the very same night to meet us in the bar. He then offered to drive us to Philip island a couple of days later to watch the penguins. And we did. 

Fanny, Fiona, their Italian friend Lorenzo and I took the train down to Callums area of town where he picked us up for a 2 hour roadtrip to Philip island. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, and more of  tourist attraction kinda of thing. But it was cool watching the penguins wandering down the beach in the sunset even if it looked more like tine white spots from where we were sitting. And as Callum a I was chatting away we manage to lose our friend which made the whole situation feel more like a first date. I tried to spend as much time as possible with Cornelia and Paula before they left, after just a couple of days in Melbourne. Fanny and Fiona followed a few days after. I kept seeing Callum for a few weeks, but it didn't last very long. He showed me me around his favorite spots in the are where he lives and took me up to the viewpoint one night where we got a stunning view over the city all lightened up in the dark. 

Job hunting

In the middle of all this I did my best trying to find work as a slowly but steady started to run completely out of money again. I got a trial at Stina's cafe but they were looking for someone more experienced. I got a trial at a kebabshop down the street from ours, who turned into a full 8 hour day of training. And in the end they didn't even want me in the shop but on the corner of the street as the 'promotion girl' handing out flyers to drunk people trying to get them to buy kebab in the early morning. I did this once. And of all the jobs I've ever done, including endless hours at the farm, this is by far the worst and most depressing one. From 12 - 4 am outside in the winter cold. No way. I'd much rather go back to the fruitshack! The next day I got a trial up in Carlton, Chloe's area,  in an Italian restaurant. During the 2 hours I was there I didn't seem to do anything right. I also didn't speek Italian which seemed to be the employers way of communication. Their menu was to be fair thicker than the bible itself. I got straight into taking orders from a table of 10, who all wanted shared starters and different types of food, all modify to suit each one of them. I got everything wrong. I felt sorry for the owner as a walked out laughing at my own stupidity knowing that I would never hear from that place again. 

Up the street, in Carlton as well, I ended up waitressing during the dining service in an Italian -ish resturant. The owner was the most greedy, depressing Slovakian man I've ever met and the way their business was working and the way he treated his staff was nothing but disgusting. I lasted a week. A week of endless yelling and under appreciation. I knew at once I wouldn't last. During the weekend he had 3 people in on trial, each day, with no intention to keep any of them. In that way he wouldn't need to pay them. He surely knew how to use poor backpackers desperate for jobs, and I happend to be one of them. I lasted a week, as mentioned, before I accidently dropped a tray of drinks over a table of people during a highly busy Saturday night. That caused major chaos. It wasn't my fault really, even if it surely looked that way. As I was announcing the drinks one girl raised her hand that tipped the tray over. Glass went everywhere as it hit the floor. Lemon soda, vodka red bull and diet cokes all over the table, floor and not to mention the poor girl. Straight after cleaning up my own mess I got sent home. I didn't at all mind the fact that I never got called back, but I did mind the fact that he did all he could to avoid giving me my paycheck. After calling him unnumberous times I turned up at the footstep of his resturant forcing him to pay me. So he did, but not even close to the almont he owned me. I didn't have the energy to fight for it. I was done with that place! 

During my week at the resturant I manage to get a daytime job at a cafe to combine the hours. This was a dreamjob compared to my last experience. Located in the Australian vision building, in the western suburb I found myself in 'Tillys cafe'. I loved it from the first time I went throught the doors on my way to my trial - which I got paid for! The owner, who's also the boss and the head chef (only chef), is a mid age, super nice and fair man treating his staff with nothing but respect and appreciation. Apart from him there was only three other staff members. We were a great funny team who created happy atmosphere and comfortable working environment.  I felt as my melbourneon life finally fell into pieces. Or so I thought ... 

Fruitshack, Australia

The week after the grapes and my harvesting experience was a week full of rain! And as we know by now: wether is the boss! Which simply means no work. And when there's no work,  backpackers do what backpackers has to do. Which simply means drinking. And as Ben and Canadian Tara's birthdays where coming up that week, we simply found  no reason not to. 

Michael and Debbie threw us a 'end of harvest dinner' that week as well, to celebrate that we finished the grapeseason. Evryone gathered together around the table sharing story's and holding speeches. Such a great end of a great grape harvest and a grapeful time. And delicious food! 

Picking & packing

That weekend we finally got to go back to work, to pick more oranges! I couldn't be more exited. When I say that I love picking oranges, I'm not including the 'carrying the ladder' part. The ladders are not necessarily heavy, it's just that they're hard to balance while carrying them. I wasn't very lucky with the ladder this first day and as it was too muddy as well, it didn't stick to the ground properly. 2 times I fell off while climbing down the ladder with a too heavy orange filled bag on my back. 2 times I fell into the tree, which actually isn't too bad as it makes you realize that you're able to reach a lot more. 2 times the ladder fell on me while carrying it and ended up facing the ground, stuck under the ladder and surrounded by oranges and while screaming for help. 

The whole next week I went to the farm of Stina's old boss to pack oranges. Probably one of the best jobs you'll get, so i was more than thankful. We had the weekend off again, cause of the rain and had a highly tearful godbye party to Alina, who was leaving for Sydney and New Zealand the next morning. And for Jouline and Lana who was leaving as well. And I made my final decision to leave by the next weekend. 

I wasn't at all looking foward to leave that last week. Specially not since Kat turned up, back at the fruitshack on early Tuesday. She finished her travels up east cost and went back to South australia to sell her car before ending up at where it all started, Fruitshack, to save up some money. It was great to se her again, even only for a couple of days!   I was working that last week packing oranges again, or picking them for the same farmer with Kelly, Ben and Anthony. My last day picking turned out to be quite eventful as I got into a huge fight with the ladder again. I genuinely haven't hated something so much as I hated the ladder by that point that day. The trees we're picking stood on a little hill which made it so much harder to stretch to the sides without the ladder falling over, or carrying it without ending up on the floor.  As it started to rain we finished early, and I walked in to town with Annalisa for a coffe at good old La fresco (the cafe where Stina use to work, and where Annalisa's now working) 

My last night was a sad night. It felt so much emotionally harder to leave this time compare to last time I was leaving the shack. Probably cause I left with my friends last time while I had to leave everyone behind this day. And after 2 months living together we all become quite close to eachother, and there was a part of me who really didn't want to get down to Melbourne at all. If it wasn't for my friends Cornelia and Fiona (who was about to come to Melbourne only for a couple of days) I'd probably end up staying at the shack a lot longer. 

Fruitshack, Australia

So it been 2 months and 5 days of amazing travels before finding myself back at good old Fruitshack. I must say I was highly exited. I was prepared for a different experience this time with twise as many people ready for the grapeseason, but I didn't really know what to expect. 

 The shack looked exactly as I remember it. The dirty bathrooms, messy kitchen, the double decker, the goonroom with the same smell of old beer and cigarettes and then of course; all the 27 cats. I ended back in my same old room, which I now shared with a German girl and British Saffron and Kelly. 

There's only one major thing that makes the difference from my last stay. I don't know anyone. (Except from German Ben who arrived to the shack just the day before we left in December). It's wierd thought, that all of sudden I was 'the new girl' even if I've been there the longest. Everything looked the same, but everyone is different. And the amount of people!! Thank god that I'm good with names.  

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It turned out that it'd be at least another week before the grapes would start, so we all had a lot of days off during this period of time. And as there's basically nothing to do around everyone ended up spending way to many nights doing what backpackers does best; drink! Which true is good fun, but easily put you in a lazy hangover mood the next morning and way to many hours in from of the TV with chocolate bars and crisp. We did manage to walked into town together one of my first day spending a few hours in the park drinking bottled beer and chatting around. We got ourselves to the river one day and I few of us made it to the pool another. I got myself and a few of the other girls into running every day and luckily I ended up being one of the few getting a smaller job from Michael spraying weeds every morning for a few days. 

We had a birthday party for one of the French girls that Friday. As both me and British Adam were out of beer and none of us got a car we decided to ride the bikes into town. Now this is the worst bikes I have ever used, and halfway there it started to rain. To top it all the police stopped us for not wearing helmets. It's an Australian law for everyone to wear helmets or the fine would be about 66 dollar. To get away without the fine we made ourselves look like stupid tourist pretending we just arrived to the country and simply didn't know better. They let us get away with it even if we had to turn back, in the wind and the rain to get ourselves a helmet which made us look even more stupid. 

Grapeseason 

Finally, after 10 days delay the grapeseason was ready to be started. Me and Kelly woke up that morning singing 'I'm so exited, I just can't hide it', while Anton played 'Facination' on the loudest volume in the kitchen when we all where having breakfast. Everyone seemed to keep up their best mood ready for hard work. We all headed out in the field and got given a pair of kippers and a name tag for our buckets. We teamed up, 4 people on every row starting from opposite ends working towards eachother. There were 24 of us picking with three 'bucket boys'. Their job was to counting and emptying our buckets into the tractor bin that Michael later's driving to the winery. I got teamed up with a lonesome German girl. She's living in her car and have no intentions of socialize with anyone. However, she turned out to be super nice, even if acting a bit weird, and we ended up chatting the hours away. The day's went by super fast and after 3,5 days of early mornings, early nights and 138 buckets we finished the first variety of grapes. Saffron, Kelly, Anton and I came with Michael to the winery that afternoon to follow the winemaking process. We got promised that we could taste some but since we didn't bring our ID we wasn't allowed too. Even if it was obvious that we're all over 18 coming straight from picking field. 

To get enough people ready for the grape harvest Michael got more people come to the shack this weeks. People had to move into the bus, tents and sleep in their cars to make room for everyone

Fruit picking, or even farmwork is clearly not for anyone, and you'll constantly hearing people moan about it. Most of them stick around to it anyway, some of them simply just leave. Micheal got us 5 more Swedish girls the first weeks in the grapes. They lasted a week. The very first day in the grapes, even the first hour - two German girls couldn't even survive the day, and when they thought that no one was around the sneaked away from the field, grabed their stuff and escaped without a word with no intention to ever come back!!

We started off with the new variety of grapes in the beginning of next week. We finished every field faster than expected, and by the end of that Thursday we finished the second variety. Since the winery wouldn't let us start the last variety just yet we got a orange picking job lined up during the weekend. 

I love orange picking, and climbing those threes like a little child. Beeing on top of the ladder, falling into the tree reaching for the ones I never thought I'd be able to reach. Just love it. It wasn't as easy the second day thought as we all had a massive drink the night before celebrations Phil's 23rd birthday. Rounds and rounds of flipcup and 3man throughout the night turned out not to be the best way to prepare yourselves for a full day of orange picking. We did allright thought as It was 10 of us picking all together. And since we got Alina as one of them you can possibly not end up laughing. She's one of the most positive and energetic person I've ever met. And funny-  without having the intention to. No needs for sit-ups, a conversation with her and you'll laught yourselves to a six pack. She might not be the fastest picker, or hardest worker but she does put a smile on peoples faces. 

Two more days off and we're back in the grape field for the last variety. It took us only another few days and by Friday afternoon we could simply congrat ourselves for finishing the 2014 grape harvest. 

Toorak Harvesting

Since I hadn't had a hourly paid work for a while (by choice since I rather picked oranges for 30 dollars a day only to climb the lovely ladders) Michael offered me a 12 hours nightshift job at the nearby winery that weekend. Basically I was picking grapes using a harvest machine. There was three of us working, one driving the harvest over the vines, one driving the tractor next to it. The machine is separating the grapes from the vines, into the machinery and over a conveyor to the back the tractor. My job was to stand on the harvest and keep the machinery clean by keeping sticks away and make sure that no grapes gets stuck. Quite easy job as I didn't had to do it constantly.  As soon as I got to the winery that night they put me straight into one of the tractors to drive to the field. I did try to say that I've never been driving one before, even if I'd love to try. All alone in the front seat I followed the harvesters every turn and a bumpy 5 k later, and still alive I got myself and the tractor to the right field. I had so much fun, in the tractor, in the dark, on the wrong side of the road! Considering that I started by midnight I was beeing responsible trying to get as much sleep as possible that day instead of hanging out with my friend who was drinking in the goone room. The guy driving the tractor did simply not share the same way of thinking and got dropped off by a drunken kid coming straight from an Australian bogan party. As we was right next to him in the field we could constantly see him letting his face head bang the steering wheel. He didn't last the whole night. 

I was prepeard for a cold night by literally putting all my warm clothes on. Saying that means leggings and hoodie which wasn't even close to enough as it turned out to be a super cold -under 10 degrees- night. In between my pulling sticks sessions I went inside chatting to the driver to keep myself from freezing and to keep him awake. He even let me drive for a while just to try it, and for me to be able to say that I actually have been driving a harvest machine. 

I managed to get a few hours of sleep back at the shack before I woke up by a phonecall from the farmer asking me to come back the very same night. Beeing to tired and to confused to even know what time of the day it was I said yes without fully understand what I was saying yes to. The second night ended up beeing harder than the first one, probably because I didn't got enough sleep. And we worked faster as we got another tractor driver this night who obviously didn't need to stop for a leg stretcher in between every row to keep himself awake. I still enjoyd it just as much!   

By the end of the day (morning?) I realized that I somehow manage to loose my phone somewhere in the field. Which is funny since Ben found it in the fruitshackbus just the day before, after it being  gone for over a week. Well I'm not getting it back this time. Learn from my mistakes and don't put your phone in the zip less pocket of your hoodie when you're bending over!

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