While in Sydney I booked a $40 per night, eight bed hostel room at a hostel in Melbourne which was my last choice (it was the same hostel chain as the first one I stayed in back in Auckland which, if you recall, didn't impress me) as all of the other hostels were fully booked. At the time I booked, I didn't know that Melbourne would be such a busy place, but as one local I met said, "the Australians visit Melbourne on holidays while the tourists visit Sydney." Upon my arrival after another reflective train ride, I learned that the reason for the high priced dorm was that it was labour day weekend in the state of Victoria. I was very fortunate to have arrived at such an eventful time. With only one day to tour and a strong reluctance to spend money, the entertainment was all provided to me free of charge. I planned an approximately ten kilometer walking route of the city, and during the walk chanced upon no less than eight events including the Melbourne International Auto Show, three separate but large fairs, the Loreal Fashion Show, the Future Music Festival, an other smaller carnivals and music shows. I allowed myself to spend $18 for entrance to the auto show but everything else was out of my budget. Simply walking the streets was entertainment enough, however.
While at the Melbourne Auto Show I snapped this picture of the all new Hyundai Pony (It's a joke Mom - it's a Hyundai but not a pony).
I made use of Melbourne's efficient tram service to the Spirit of Tasmania ferry terminal the following morning. Upon boarding, I was most pleased with the amenities and comfort of the ferry line which I spent nine hours aboard. Standing at the stern of the departing ferry, I sadly watched Melbourne shrink away realising that it would likely be a very long time before I return to the city, but I will return. During the crossing we passed a distant pod of whales but saw nothing else until the first beautiful glimpses of Tasmania were revealed. The terrain is very similar to that of Vancouver Island.
The city of Melbourne from the stern of the 'Spirit of Tasmania'.
Only because it was least expensive, I booked a night at a hostel in Devonport called the Tasman Backpackers. I had very good fortune in selecting this particular hostel. As it turns out it is a working hostel where most of the occupants are working on farms nearby. The hostel even offers a bus service to the farms. After a good night's rest, I inquired on a whim at the front counter of the hostel if there was work available. Again, unknowingly my timing was perfect for the start of the apple picking season and I was offered work on the spot. Looking back, I realise how fortunate I was to find work, transport, and accommodation all in one location. I'm not used to not having access to easy transport. Finding a farm labour job without transport is, not surprisingly, difficult.
Here's a picture which shows a lighthouse located in Devonport about twenty minutes from where I'm staying. It's the only touring I've done of Tasmania so far. While at this location, I felt like I could have been by the ocean in Victoria. Some people at the hostel fish here late at night for squid. I haven't fished yet but I was given a fishing rod, so perhaps I'll try my luck.
The 'Spirit of Tasmania' ferry at it's dock. This view is what I see when I play guitar at the park. The ferry provides inspiration to earn some money and get back to the mainland, after a tour of Tasmania, of course.
Apple picking, apple picking, apple picking, apple picking, yes, apple picking is repetitive, but now that I'm done with it I look back at it with fond memories. Payment for the picking comes with each bin filled, so one tends to work very hard until ones body pays for the hard work. By the end of the first week, all of my body was sore. The following week, I was in apple picking shape and was able to pick fast enough that I earned more hourly than I had ever earned before - then the rain came. When it rains, there is no picking done and as a consequence, no savings made. I became concerned about the reliability of apple picking and searched for other opportunities. I found work at a place know as the 'carrot factory' which tends to be more reliable (I knew it was more reliable work because half of the people staying at the hostel worked there and worked while I stayed behind during the rain) I didn't think a job could become more mind numbing than apple picking but the carrot factory taught me otherwise. I can summarize my task there in one short sentence as follows: I lift a twenty kilogram box of carrots from a conveyor belt and stack in on a pallet as high as I can reach for eight hours a day. There are a few good things about this job such as, getting paid to exercise, I can think of what to write on this page as well as a whole lot else as I'm sure you can imagine, and they pay is reasonable which enables me to save for my upcoming travels. On that note, I will likely not be updating this blog while I'm stacking boxes barring something sensational happening in my life. For now, thanks for reading, and why don't you come back around the second week of June to read some more of my life's drama? Cheers!
While at the Melbourne Auto Show I snapped this picture of the all new Hyundai Pony (It's a joke Mom - it's a Hyundai but not a pony).
I made use of Melbourne's efficient tram service to the Spirit of Tasmania ferry terminal the following morning. Upon boarding, I was most pleased with the amenities and comfort of the ferry line which I spent nine hours aboard. Standing at the stern of the departing ferry, I sadly watched Melbourne shrink away realising that it would likely be a very long time before I return to the city, but I will return. During the crossing we passed a distant pod of whales but saw nothing else until the first beautiful glimpses of Tasmania were revealed. The terrain is very similar to that of Vancouver Island.
The city of Melbourne from the stern of the 'Spirit of Tasmania'.
Only because it was least expensive, I booked a night at a hostel in Devonport called the Tasman Backpackers. I had very good fortune in selecting this particular hostel. As it turns out it is a working hostel where most of the occupants are working on farms nearby. The hostel even offers a bus service to the farms. After a good night's rest, I inquired on a whim at the front counter of the hostel if there was work available. Again, unknowingly my timing was perfect for the start of the apple picking season and I was offered work on the spot. Looking back, I realise how fortunate I was to find work, transport, and accommodation all in one location. I'm not used to not having access to easy transport. Finding a farm labour job without transport is, not surprisingly, difficult.
Here's a picture which shows a lighthouse located in Devonport about twenty minutes from where I'm staying. It's the only touring I've done of Tasmania so far. While at this location, I felt like I could have been by the ocean in Victoria. Some people at the hostel fish here late at night for squid. I haven't fished yet but I was given a fishing rod, so perhaps I'll try my luck.
The 'Spirit of Tasmania' ferry at it's dock. This view is what I see when I play guitar at the park. The ferry provides inspiration to earn some money and get back to the mainland, after a tour of Tasmania, of course.
Apple picking, apple picking, apple picking, apple picking, yes, apple picking is repetitive, but now that I'm done with it I look back at it with fond memories. Payment for the picking comes with each bin filled, so one tends to work very hard until ones body pays for the hard work. By the end of the first week, all of my body was sore. The following week, I was in apple picking shape and was able to pick fast enough that I earned more hourly than I had ever earned before - then the rain came. When it rains, there is no picking done and as a consequence, no savings made. I became concerned about the reliability of apple picking and searched for other opportunities. I found work at a place know as the 'carrot factory' which tends to be more reliable (I knew it was more reliable work because half of the people staying at the hostel worked there and worked while I stayed behind during the rain) I didn't think a job could become more mind numbing than apple picking but the carrot factory taught me otherwise. I can summarize my task there in one short sentence as follows: I lift a twenty kilogram box of carrots from a conveyor belt and stack in on a pallet as high as I can reach for eight hours a day. There are a few good things about this job such as, getting paid to exercise, I can think of what to write on this page as well as a whole lot else as I'm sure you can imagine, and they pay is reasonable which enables me to save for my upcoming travels. On that note, I will likely not be updating this blog while I'm stacking boxes barring something sensational happening in my life. For now, thanks for reading, and why don't you come back around the second week of June to read some more of my life's drama? Cheers!
There's never been a happier apple picker. I took this picture at the first orchard I worked at called Avro's.
I couldn't resist taking a photo of this scene at Avro's Orchard. Climbing up the ladder was a pain but occasionally I was awarded with pretty view.
Yet another apple picking photo. Apparently, judging from the many photos I took, apples had quite an impact on me. This is taken at the second and final orchard I worked at called Sassafras.
P.S. I've tried to find a computer with which I can upload a video from my camera in Devonport but it appears that one may not exist. I'll keep trying. The video is pretty funny in my estimation and might be worth checking this page again for an update in a few weeks.
P.P.S Tobias, assuming you see this some day, I for some strange reason can't send email to you from my hotmail account. Do you have an alternate email address?
The video promised months ago is finally up! It's an example of the life of an apple picker.
