February - Shark Attacks & Bushfires

Before we discuss the shark attacks and bushfires that have happened in Sydney, I’ll talk about how we are getting on in our new accommodation. After leaving Dulwich (for some reason this place props up all the time) we moved into 332 Sundeck, Bondi Road. It is pretty much right beside the world famous Bondi beach. I can’t tell you how good it is waking up in the morning with the sun shining and knowing that after work I can come home and jog the beach and have a little swim. These are the things that make Sydney so great. It’s always been my dream to come to Sydney and it hasn’t disappointed one little bit. We can finally cook now without waiting for someone to have finished with the oven and we can also eat without staring at some of Dulwich Hill’s tenants. It’s brilliant to have a bit of privacy for the first time since we started travelling in September. The place we are in now is run by a couple. One of them is a dead ringer for Richard Kimble (i.e. Harrison Ford from the fugitive) and the other is clearly a bit of an alcoholic but we only meet them once a week to pay our rent which is only $110 p/wk each, quite cheap really. The atmosphere in the apartment lot is generally good in that during the week its relatively quite and then Friday and Saturday is party time for people, which is to be expected.

I have nearly worked now for two months in Chemist Warehouse and I am enjoying my time there. I can only work for 6 months with the Visa so it’ll be a short stay but enjoyable none the less. All the staff working there are spot on. Edward, originally from Korea, is the main pharmacist and also the manager and he is a great boss because he lets you get on with your work and loves to chat. He told me just this week that in Korea they still cane the students in Schools!!! That seems ridiculous because that stopped years ago….although Con Daly received a few slaps with the back end of the ruler no doubt!! There is only one other guy on the floor with me, Frank, who is half Italian and is always good for a football conversation. Also I just found out that one of the girls on the floor is a qualified Doctor. She is from Albania so she has come here to take an exam so that her qualification is recognised in this country. She is brilliant on the floor and I learn lots from her about a lot of the products we stock, especially the vitamins. I bought us all multi vitamins the last day and I am also taking fish oils now which are very good for you. Although I am a business graduate, I am learning a little bit about the medicine side of things now. All the regulars now know me and one of them always shouts “Howya Irish”!!!

Just to finish off about the nightlife here and say that it is probably the best we have ever experienced. We have had a good few nights out now in Sydney (which were long over due!!!) and it is great craic. There are so many different nationalities here so the atmosphere is great and everyone is well up for having some fun. It’s gas aswell because most nights you run into a few Galway people and we have a little chat about who we know and where we are from.

So far so good in Sydney and with Kieran Costello booked to come here June 7th we have a lot to look forward to J

Gary.

Hi everybody, long time no chat. Last month has been a current affairs and news flash dominated month. With Nine, Channel 7even and Ten all providing top class news coverage on an hourly basis and us being unemployed we never miss a trick! The news every evening has been fascinating, heartbreaking and entertaining all at the same time. February was a black month for the province of Victoria here in Oz, as I’m sure all our intelligent blog readers have heard about, the devastating bushfires which swept around Victoria destroying 1,000s of homes, killing over 200 people and injuring many more. The pictures being beamed into our living room everyday were shocking and the damage caused by the fires resulting in a national outpouring of grief followed swiftly by overwhelming support both financially (raised over XXX to date), emotionally (condolences and messages of support) and physically (volunteers). As the days went by and the huge devastation became more evident international press followed and TV specials every night live from the bushfire zone. You can not but be moved and feel for the communities and people’s livelihoods that have been wiped out by the fires.

The next big thing in the news this month and another wacky event that we would not be used to at home, the shark attacks in Sydney. First there was the marine diver who was mauled in Sydney Harbour by what is believed now to be a Great White, his arm and leg had to be amputated subsequently. Than 2 days later there was a shark attack on Bondi Beach!! 2 mins from our gaff and the place we go swimming nearly everyday!! This was the 1st shark attack on Bondi for 60 years! A French surfer had a chunk taken out of his arm which was and I quote “hanging on by his skin”. Sick! So we didn’t go swimming for a day or two but returned to normal after that. Bondi was quiet for a few days after but not even a shark attack will stop the beach bums!! NEWSFLASH ……….. Just today now as I write this blog there has been another shark attack in Sydney, on Manly beach. A 15 yr old male surfer. More details to follow.

Away from the sofa of our apartment and the footage on the box, life on Bondi is treating us well. Every Wednesday evening around 6.15 we play footy with a bunch of Irish lads which is class. Funnily enough, the reason we started playing with them was myself and Gary seen a game going on one evening and was gonna ask for a game when we recognised a familiar face – Tommy Copper. He was in Smurfit, he was in Marketing but we, the Project Managemnt’s, used to play against the Marketers every week last year in Smurf so that’s how we know young Tommy. The rest is legend as they say. We play on a cricket oval, meaning the ground is perfect and the quality of players is really good. We normally have about 7-on-7 which is just perfect and the craic is mighty among the lads. The games are always competitive and being amongst Irish lads you guaranteed loads of heart and hard tackles! We played against South Americans one week and the game ended up in a bust-up and square off between one of the lads and a Brazilian. Needless to say that was the last time we seen them!!

Finally, it’s the end of an era. We have finished the epic show that is The Wire. It has been a huge part of our lives for the past 2 months and got us through some dull, boring nights in Dulwich Hill. With 5 seasons in all, each episode being just less than hour, providing us with brilliant hours of entertainment. The characters are excellent, acting brilliant and the script marvellous. Jimmy McNulty, Bunk Moreland, Bubbles, Lester Freamon, Omar, D’Angelo and Stringer Bell are just some of the characters we have grown to love.

It’s all in the game,

Tom