Pros & Cons of travelling alone

Pro : If I want to move to another town or change job or do something different, I can, without thinking of anyone else.

In Byron Bay now, after spending 2 days on the road, and what a drive, wow!  The Great Ocean Road is such a fantastic drive, I had far too much fun, I did not drive economically!  If you ever get to drive around Australia, seriously, it was the greatest strecth of road ever, its between Warrnambool and Melbourne.

Con : Seeing all these wonderful places, but not being able to share and discuss them with anyone else.

Here until Thursday, where I drive to my new job, in Texas.  No, I am not leaving Australia, just a small town due West of Byron Bay, although whenever I search for it, google always goes to Texas US, dam it! So easy to get a job, especially as I have lots of tractor experiance, I only called up this job from the list of many, as this was exactly what I wanted.  High wages, lots of hours, for 5 weeks.

Pro : So easy to get work when you don't have to look for a place that needs 2 people.

Had a lot of fun in Melbourne, but purely due to the people I met.  I feel that I'm not a very confident person, although other people think differently.  When I get to a new town/city/hostel, I have to be in a happy chatty mood so that I am comfortable enough to spark up random conversation.

Con : Your alone, must be comfortable in talking to stangers and making new friends, or it is tough!

Lots of nights out in the short time I was in Melbourne, what an awesome city, although in all honesty I didn't seee much other than the hostel dorm.  Well don't get me wrong, I did walk around andgo to a few recommended sight-seeing spots, and the Imax cinema, worlds 3rd largest cinema screen, and in 3D, was awesome.

Pro : If your too hungover or sick or lazy, you can spend a lazy day in, without worrying about anyone.  Otherway round, if you want to go do something, you can do it, no one to worry about

Frankly, my last boss tried to screw me over on my wages.  He's a clever guy, so he only gets backpackers, who normally don't research work laws and stand up for themselves.  He paid me $4ph less than the nation minimum wage, took money our, didn't pay me manditory overtime hours etc.  So basically I have logged a complaint with the government ombudsmen, I'm waiting to hear whats going to happen.

Con : It's a lot easier to be taken advantage of if you don't have backup, whether work wise or other things.

Thursday, I've got 2 scuba dives booked, fun way to spend the morning before I drive to my new job in the afternoon.  Highly rated dive spot, which is ripe with turtles, reefs, many exotic fish and small sharks.  So looking forward to it, will be awesome to get back under the water, such a wonderful thing to do.

Pro : You develope yourself as an individual, living and fending for yourself in a totally different country.  This isn't like home, work is hard, the bosses are even harder, wages can be poor, conditions harsh, and no mummy or daddy to rescue you.  If you can survive here, you'll make it back home.

I write this blog like this, as I want to let you know I am having a good time.  But sometimes I wish I had a friend here to travel with, but only sometimes.  It depends on what type of person you are, and what you want out of your experiance here.  I have found as I'm on my own I am more responsible with my money here, and building my confidence and skill set, but thats what I came here for, o and all the fun too :D

It's amazing what one person alone can achieve!

If anyone ever wants to ask me for advice or has general questions about travelling Australia, feel free to email me (firestorm445@hotmail.com)  I'll reply when I can.

Ryan x

 All the places I have visited

Oh how things can change!!

Prepare yourself for my rant, by golly!

Ok, so my birthday was pretty awesome, we all went out for a good meal and had fun, but isn't it funny how things can change so damn quick.

Right, as a backpacker, we are expected to work hard for low money and put up with any shit from our employers as we are 'casual labour'.  Which hasn't been too much of a problem, as I am work damn hard and I am quite happy with the long hours and wage I get for it.  Also, Paul (my current employer) seemed like a real decent guy who we have a good laugh together, albeit for his occasional temper tantrums which normally follow him coming to appologise for his over-reactions. 

So I have been here for 8ish weeks now, and things had been going well, work hard and get paid every other week.  I had found it weird why I had not been getting pay slips, but dismissed it as not a worry.  But 5 days a go, I asked Paul for my pay slips, which he handed to me on Wednesday and wow what a surprise.  We agreed a wages of $15ph over the phone, which is an average wage for a backpacker and I pay $30 per wage for electricity.  So when I looked at my pay slips I noticed I only got $14ph, I paid $130 per wage for rent & electricity and also 7 hours per week was taken from my wages.

Thursday came, and I had the evening to calm down and work out how much had been taken from me over the past 8 weeks, approximately $1950.  With this, I approached Paul and calmly asked him to explain to me what had happened.  I'll list his explanations:

• Lower wage - What he had to pay, so $13.50 to me and $1.50 to other taxes
• Paying rent - He forgot to tell me over the phone
• Taking hours - For insurance purposes we have to have a lunch hour (which we dont get by the way)
• Even if we 'work' a 14 hour shift, he doesn't think we actually work that long even though I work damn hard flat out all day, and if we don't we get yelled at.
• Plus a load of other little excuses he came up with

I said that I didn't think that was good enough, and he asked that we discuss this the next day.  I agreed, and I continued with my day.  Friday came, and Paul came to my house (workers house), and before I even got to say hello, he told me "we need to go our seperate ways".  Aparently he doesn't think I am doing a good enough job, even though every other day he likes to vent to me how annoyed he is with everyone else and that he gets me to teach others how to drive the equipment and do some cattle work.  Also he thinks it is very petty that I am chasing after him for such a small amount......... It isn't a small amount.

The thing is, I am going to ask him again polietly to pay me what he owes me, one last chance, otherwise I will seek legal help, just can not stand to lose that much money.  I have met backpackers who have told me storied of not being paid, and they gave me a couple of companies with whom to call.  Also after I heard about those other boss' not paying, I set my phone to record all phone calls, I wrote down in a book everything I do each and every day with times and who I worked with, and I also took photos of my time sheets.  Is it fair that I just want to be paid what we agreed on before I arrived here?

Could go in to a lot more detail, but don't want to bore you all. 

My plan now is that I will leave here on Tuesday in my car and drive to Melbourne, along the way maybe stop and meet some family over here, pending if they are free.  In Melbourne, pick up a few backpackers (ride sharing) and head up north somewhere along the Great Ocean Road.  Will be quite cheap and already have 2 people who want to come along.  All the mean time sort out a new job, hopefully somewhere a bit warmer.

Could go in to a lot more detail, but don't want to bore you all. 

Rant over............... lol :p

Its my BIRTHDAY :D

What rocks so much about today, is another day off work, woohoo!!!!!  Also, I am now 24, which isn't really a huge milestone, but one non the less.  Really nice to see messages from people on my Facebook, and I even got cards and a parcel from back home, which was great.  In all honesty, spent the entire day in just playing computer games, watching movies and nursing a hangover.  Went out last night with the people I work with for a meal, which was real nice of them, went to a place in Mount Gambier called Bull Frogs where I ate a crocodile starter and a kangaroo main.  Crocodile is actually really really nice, but kanagroo not so much, too dark and rich I find.  Just wanted to try something different to a big steak meal.

I'd like you all to meet Ruby:

One of the farm dogs here, who has taken a real liking for me, so I'm trying to teach her how to help move mobs of cattle.  So far, she has managed to learn bark and left, were still working on right.  She runs dam fast though, she'll run beside me at about 35+kph, but if I'm in a rush, she'll just ride on the back of my bike, good doggy!

Doing a lot more cattle work now, which is great.  The other guys prefer working in tractors all day long, rather than be in the yards trudging through mud and cow poo trying to work on really big dumb cattle, but I really enjoy it, so bored of sitting behind the wheel all day. 

I didn't expect to be needing to wear a jacket and thick clothing in Australia, dam it is cold, brrrrrr...........

All in all, its going well here soon.  Going to Cairns on the 25th of June for 3-4 weeks of fun, then back here until November, will be hot in Cairns, can't wait!

Hope you all have a real good Liberation Day xx

 Howard (aka Goggles)

 Taking Ruby for a run

The beach next to our farm, you can drive 100km either way along the coast.  On a low tide.

 

Me, Sarah, Louise, Jack and Hugo.  This was before Georgie came and Jack, Louise and Sarah left.