{"id":58,"date":"2010-06-10T09:42:54","date_gmt":"2010-06-10T09:42:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rashdecision.net\/?p=58"},"modified":"2010-08-21T10:07:48","modified_gmt":"2010-08-21T10:07:48","slug":"sydney-so-far-so-good","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.rashdecision.net\/?p=58","title":{"rendered":"Sydney – So Far, So Good"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Coat Hanger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After an action-packed, all-too-short stay in Hong Kong, I found myself boarding a Qantas flight bound for Sydney.\u00c2\u00a0 Once again the flight was remarkably smooth although the greeting at Sydney airport was slightly less hospitable than I would have liked: – I had to endure no less than four separate inquisitions by various customs and immigration officials, part of which involved the ignominy of emptying out my entire suitcase although I did have a chuckle to myself at the customs officer who spent a few minutes rummaging through my dirty laundry bag.<\/p>\n

After managing to convince my interrogators that I was not involved in international drug smuggling, nor was I intending to introduce some new, potentially toxic species of flora or fauna to the Australian environment I jumped into a taxi and headed for my hostel.<\/p>\n

My accommodation was located in a peaceful and attractive suburb of Sydney called Glebe.\u00c2\u00a0 Think of a quieter version of Fulham or Putney and you are just about there.\u00c2\u00a0 I ended up sharing a dormitory with an American and a Frenchman (I know what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re thinking but they were actually alright).\u00c2\u00a0 Rather childishly, I was amused to find out that the American guy was called Cameron Camp the Fourth.\u00c2\u00a0 Little things please little minds and all that.\u00c2\u00a0 Through Cameron I also met a Belgian and a Scot (I know what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re thinking but ditto) and we all ended up exploring the city together.<\/p>\n

Sydney has much to offer the visitor \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the stunning architecture of the Harbour Bridge, the iconic Opera House, the majestic Blue Mountains but obviously we ignored all that in favour of spending the next couple of weeks staggering from one pub to the next with the odd trip to the beach for recuperation.\u00c2\u00a0 Good times though and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve become quite an authority on the various lagers available in Sydney.<\/p>\n

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Peter, Greig and Cameron Camp IV - another wholesome night out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As much fun as it was, it soon became apparent that spending every night in the pub was unsustainable both financially and physically.\u00c2\u00a0 My intention was always to start work in Australia as soon as possible and after hearing mixed reports about the strength of the employment market here I decided to start applying for jobs straight away. \u00c2\u00a0I figured that it would take a while to find something suitable thus giving me a bit more time for relaxation and exploration of Sydney.\u00c2\u00a0 As fate would have it I ended up getting the first job that I applied for \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a sales job for a web design company.<\/p>\n

It was clear from my interview that I had wasted valuable space in my suitcase by including a suit and five shirts \u00e2\u20ac\u201c I turned up at their office wearing my freshly dry-cleaned outfit only to be greeted by the sales director who was wearing shorts and flip-flops.\u00c2\u00a0 Nobody does casual like the Australians.<\/p>\n

The following week I escaped from the hostel by moving into a flat with the Belgian (Pete) and the Scot (Greig).\u00c2\u00a0 Our flat is nice and modern or certainly was in 1971 when it appears that it was last decorated but is literally five minutes walk from Bondi Beach which makes up for a great deal.\u00c2\u00a0 Location, location, location indeed.<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve pretty much settled into a normal work\/life balance now which, whilst good for my sense of routine, would make pretty tedious copy so I thought I would try and bulk out the rest of this despatch with a few random observations I have made during my short time in Australia:<\/p>\n