I've gotten over most hurdles here so far. I found all the little shops I need to live my life on a daily basis....
I have a grocery, dry cleaners, coffee place, cafe with wifi and a street that seems to have anything else you could think of. I've mastered buying train and ferry tickets and actually making it onto and off of the right trains and ferries. We have mobiles now and even an Australian bank account. Joe is working and I got all of the paperwork just in time for him to be getting his first paycheck and for us to get reimbursed for our moving expenses. The only thing that seems to be missing right now is finding an apartment.
We ended up getting approved for the place that we applied for in Manly; but they said absolutely not to our little doggy so we had to turn them down. It's a great feeling knowing that we can get approved with the packet that I turned in. I'm not sure why I thought they would be so anal about paperwork when they aren't anal about anything else here. I sat next to a girl on the ferry yesterday while she talked to her friend about how pissed (wasted) they all were the night before "and oh, by the way, I just applied for an apartment and I put you down as my last landlady - I told them I lived in your building for 18 months and I paid 500 a week for rent... Thanks". So, I guess I am being over prepared and over zealous in providing all of our last utility bills and copies of every vital document I can think of. Oh well, if it increases our chances than great.
So, I was really excited yesterday to realise that one of our other favourite places was having a showing in just a little bit. I ran down to Circular Quay and made it onto the Neutral Bay ferry just in time. Of course, I ended up being early and so I had to stand in the cold rain for a half hour waiting for the agent. She arrived and surprise surprise - her keys didn't work. Sigh..... This is the second time we have had an inspection cancelled because the agents don't have the right keys. There was only one other person there besides me and she immediately helped him, offered him a lift etc.... Then she turned away from me and started making calls and I actually had to go over to her and get her to take my information down so that she could call me Friday once she got the right keys. I could feel her irritation with me and it was very obvious in the way she interacted with the Australian male that was there for the showing compared to how she acted towards me.
Of course, by the time I got back down to the ferry it was just pulling away so I had to sit and wait for a half hour. It was pleasant for about 5 minutes until it started the increasing rain again forcing me into the little shelter. I had the extreme pleasure (and I say this with as much Aussie sarcasm as I can muster) of sharing the shelter with a pair of aging backpackers and their very smelly, unleashed poodle. Well, the poodle took an immediate liking to me and started playing the age old game "I'll jump up and put my dirty paws on you and then when you try to push me away I'll try to bite you". I feel like I was doing ok controlling my irritation until these French girls joined us inside the shelter and proceeded to chain smoke vigorously, as though they had not had a cigarette since at least ten minutes before.
I opted for cold rain over smelly dogs and clouds of cigarette smoke. I was so dispirited by the time I got home... I had had such high hopes that I was about to go see the apartment of our dreams. I decided that I was done for the day - no cooking dinner, no more ironing. So, I watched tv till Joe got home and then we went out for a ridiculously over-priced meal. Ahhh. I'd like to say that dinner lifted my cloud; but it really didn't. It felt hard to be out and to be laughing with the waiter. I felt like I was forcing my cheer.
Writing last night helped immensely and I can feel the cloud moving away more and more as I get this out of my system now. We have a full schedule for tomorrow. I haven't seen the schedule yet; but Joe had me book two cars for tomorrow morning at eight so I can only assume that we are splitting up again for the day and that we are seeing enough places that walking isn't an option.
I was really hoping that last weekend would be my one and only experience with driving in Australia; but I am apparently going to have a go again tomorrow.
Well, I'm off to run errands. I am meeting Joe and his coworkers out again tonight. One of the girls that I met last weekend is leaving the company and going back to the States. She was really nice and has been sending all of her books on Oz home for me with Joe so I am going to get her a card and flowers as a going away gift. So, off to the market with me and then I need to make myself look presentable for tonight...
I just wish this bloody rain would stop....
I have a grocery, dry cleaners, coffee place, cafe with wifi and a street that seems to have anything else you could think of. I've mastered buying train and ferry tickets and actually making it onto and off of the right trains and ferries. We have mobiles now and even an Australian bank account. Joe is working and I got all of the paperwork just in time for him to be getting his first paycheck and for us to get reimbursed for our moving expenses. The only thing that seems to be missing right now is finding an apartment.
We ended up getting approved for the place that we applied for in Manly; but they said absolutely not to our little doggy so we had to turn them down. It's a great feeling knowing that we can get approved with the packet that I turned in. I'm not sure why I thought they would be so anal about paperwork when they aren't anal about anything else here. I sat next to a girl on the ferry yesterday while she talked to her friend about how pissed (wasted) they all were the night before "and oh, by the way, I just applied for an apartment and I put you down as my last landlady - I told them I lived in your building for 18 months and I paid 500 a week for rent... Thanks". So, I guess I am being over prepared and over zealous in providing all of our last utility bills and copies of every vital document I can think of. Oh well, if it increases our chances than great.
So, I was really excited yesterday to realise that one of our other favourite places was having a showing in just a little bit. I ran down to Circular Quay and made it onto the Neutral Bay ferry just in time. Of course, I ended up being early and so I had to stand in the cold rain for a half hour waiting for the agent. She arrived and surprise surprise - her keys didn't work. Sigh..... This is the second time we have had an inspection cancelled because the agents don't have the right keys. There was only one other person there besides me and she immediately helped him, offered him a lift etc.... Then she turned away from me and started making calls and I actually had to go over to her and get her to take my information down so that she could call me Friday once she got the right keys. I could feel her irritation with me and it was very obvious in the way she interacted with the Australian male that was there for the showing compared to how she acted towards me.
Of course, by the time I got back down to the ferry it was just pulling away so I had to sit and wait for a half hour. It was pleasant for about 5 minutes until it started the increasing rain again forcing me into the little shelter. I had the extreme pleasure (and I say this with as much Aussie sarcasm as I can muster) of sharing the shelter with a pair of aging backpackers and their very smelly, unleashed poodle. Well, the poodle took an immediate liking to me and started playing the age old game "I'll jump up and put my dirty paws on you and then when you try to push me away I'll try to bite you". I feel like I was doing ok controlling my irritation until these French girls joined us inside the shelter and proceeded to chain smoke vigorously, as though they had not had a cigarette since at least ten minutes before.
I opted for cold rain over smelly dogs and clouds of cigarette smoke. I was so dispirited by the time I got home... I had had such high hopes that I was about to go see the apartment of our dreams. I decided that I was done for the day - no cooking dinner, no more ironing. So, I watched tv till Joe got home and then we went out for a ridiculously over-priced meal. Ahhh. I'd like to say that dinner lifted my cloud; but it really didn't. It felt hard to be out and to be laughing with the waiter. I felt like I was forcing my cheer.
Writing last night helped immensely and I can feel the cloud moving away more and more as I get this out of my system now. We have a full schedule for tomorrow. I haven't seen the schedule yet; but Joe had me book two cars for tomorrow morning at eight so I can only assume that we are splitting up again for the day and that we are seeing enough places that walking isn't an option.
I was really hoping that last weekend would be my one and only experience with driving in Australia; but I am apparently going to have a go again tomorrow.
Well, I'm off to run errands. I am meeting Joe and his coworkers out again tonight. One of the girls that I met last weekend is leaving the company and going back to the States. She was really nice and has been sending all of her books on Oz home for me with Joe so I am going to get her a card and flowers as a going away gift. So, off to the market with me and then I need to make myself look presentable for tonight...
I just wish this bloody rain would stop....
Posts
I am very very impressed that you are driving so soon after arriving in Australia! I did some driving on very quiet little suburban streets in my first weeks in the US, but it's taken me until this year (after visiting back and forth since 2004!) to start to feel comfortable driving on busier roads.
I'm so glad you found all the little shops for everyday living. I can honestly say that I am completely jeolous! When I was growing up, my Mother worked and we girls would have to walk down to the local market to do our daily shopping. We would then come home and proceed to make home cooked meals for our Mother. I miss those days.
Okay, I really hate inconsiderate people. What ever happened to "Do unto to others as you'd have done to you"? I'm sorry your day was horrid and you didn't get to see the apartment. I hope your night out was enjoyable though. Keep your chin up, not everyone can be blessed with our abundance of grace and social niceties. hahaha
Love Ya
hey chick,
hope the home hunt was a success and the weather was better for you! the weather in melbourne is craptastic today. sending you warm fuzzy vibes!
@ Judy - I would think that American driving would seem rather laid back after Sydney driving... these people here are crazy!! And the buses! Ahh!
@ Geri - You and Tom need to bring your sailboat down here... you've always wanted to sail around the world right?
@ the american - the weather ended up being gorgeous... It got up to 17 degrees by the afternoon and I was able to take off my sweater as long I was in the sun!
I can totally relate to the real estate agents attitude! Totally different to in the US where they are nice and bubbly! We ran into that a lot when looking at places, the could barely give you the time of day! It was a total shock to me!!