Well today is my birthday and so far I've celbrated by sorting and packing oranges and placing stickers onto boxes! Our job at Nippy's Factory is quite boring to say the very least. Elliot and I keep telling ourselves that it pays well (and it does) so we're trying to keep that as our motto to keep on going. Elliot's job at the factory is to catch the boxes as they come on the conveyor belt and stack them on the appropriate pallet. Or sometimes he gets the fun task of stamping the boxes while they come on the conveyor belt. I, on the other hand get to sort out the different grades of oranges and choose whether they are good enough to go to the US or Japan. Apparently the Japanese are pretty particular about their oranges!
So far we are suriving and although not loving every minute of it, we are working our way to New Zealand! We only have 2 1/2 weeks left of work and then we are off to either Sydney or Melbourne to sell the car and then we should be in New Zealand by mid July - hopefully!
I've learned so many things on the trip but I think the most important thing is to never say never. In the past ten months I've done some things like started to drink coffee (gasp!) not the Tim's type but the cappucino type and I love it. Also I'm working at a factory for which I swear I said I'd never do. It's one of those jobs which some say "someone's got to do it" and while being true it gives me a new respect for the people who do that work everyday.
Thanks to everyone who has sent me birthday messages! I miss all of you and it's super hard being away from my family and friends today! I miss my cake from Mom :(
Love, Amy & Elliot x
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
I'm Seeing Orange!
Since our last post, Elliot and I have begun our work as professional orange pickers! As most of you can guess, the work is very strenuous on our back and not to mention our hands and arms and most of the rest of our body! Did any of you know that orange trees have thorns on them? Well now you do and they hurt! Our orange picking days were numbered (6 days in total) and then we started our new job of packing oranges for Nippy's here in small town Waikerie. Although our jobs are super easy and boring to say the least it pays well and it's only for a few weeks. We still plan to pick on the weekends though so we'll see how that goes! I'll post again soon. Enjoy the orange pics!
Love, Amy & Elliot x
Monday, June 9, 2008
Melbourne and The Great Ocean Road
Although we wanted to make this post a few days ago, life got in the way a little. To make a long story short we are now in South Australia about to start working picking oranges in a small orange loving town called Waikerie. So the only states/ territories that we have yet to travel in Australia are the Northern Territory and Tasmania! I'll keep you posted on the fruit picking!
Melbourne: This trip like the trip to Sydney was short and sweet. We met up with Kristen Turtle who has been living and working in the city and she was able to show us around. It was so great to see her and hopefully we'll get to go back there and spend a little more time exploring the city.
Shalyn and Ryan left on June 6th and it was so hard to say good-bye. We miss them already and can't thank them enough for coming to share some of this journey with us. We have SO many memories and some awesome pictures. We miss you guys and can't wait for more "good times in the maritimes" when we get home.
The Great Ocean Road: Before coming to Australia Elliot and I had both heard about the beautiful Great Ocean Road but aside from the fact of it being a gorgeous drive we didn't know much more about it. It began in Torquay, Victoria where some of Australia's major surf brands began such as Ripcurl and Quicksilver. Our first stop after the overpriced outlet stores from which we bought nothing was Bells Beach and this did not disappoint! It is known as one of Australia's largest surf beaches and in Winter the swells get to be pretty big so although it is chilly this is where the die hard surfers come to play. Elliot is also sure that the film Point Break was filmed here. I'll take his word for it since I haven't seen it myself, but it is picturesque.
Our first night we stayed in at Bimibi Park in Cape Otway and we were camping with koalas! We got there at dusk so we weren't able to see any, but we woke up at 7 a.m. and saw them everwhere! I think we counted about fourteen. They are so adorable. We have had some of the coolest experiences while camping that we wouldn't have had otherwise if we were staying in hotels, etc. and it is also so much cheaper.
On Sunday we explored the Twelve Apostels - only seven of which can been seen from tourist viewing points. No-one is sure what happened to the other five! Later that day we went to see London Bridge (which has appropriately fallen down), Loch Ard Gorge and the Bay of Islands Coastal Park. The whole drive was amazing and we're so glad we took the time to do it.
Monday night was spent at Mt Gambier and that night we went to check out the town's sink hole. It was so neat all lit up for night viewing and we were able to see tons of possums because people from the town come and feed them every night.
Now you are up to date on our last week or so! Think of us and wish us the best picking oranges. We get paid by the amount of bins we fill up so hopefully we'll be fast and efficient!
Love, Amy & Elliot x
Melbourne: This trip like the trip to Sydney was short and sweet. We met up with Kristen Turtle who has been living and working in the city and she was able to show us around. It was so great to see her and hopefully we'll get to go back there and spend a little more time exploring the city.
Shalyn and Ryan left on June 6th and it was so hard to say good-bye. We miss them already and can't thank them enough for coming to share some of this journey with us. We have SO many memories and some awesome pictures. We miss you guys and can't wait for more "good times in the maritimes" when we get home.
The Great Ocean Road: Before coming to Australia Elliot and I had both heard about the beautiful Great Ocean Road but aside from the fact of it being a gorgeous drive we didn't know much more about it. It began in Torquay, Victoria where some of Australia's major surf brands began such as Ripcurl and Quicksilver. Our first stop after the overpriced outlet stores from which we bought nothing was Bells Beach and this did not disappoint! It is known as one of Australia's largest surf beaches and in Winter the swells get to be pretty big so although it is chilly this is where the die hard surfers come to play. Elliot is also sure that the film Point Break was filmed here. I'll take his word for it since I haven't seen it myself, but it is picturesque.
Our first night we stayed in at Bimibi Park in Cape Otway and we were camping with koalas! We got there at dusk so we weren't able to see any, but we woke up at 7 a.m. and saw them everwhere! I think we counted about fourteen. They are so adorable. We have had some of the coolest experiences while camping that we wouldn't have had otherwise if we were staying in hotels, etc. and it is also so much cheaper.
On Sunday we explored the Twelve Apostels - only seven of which can been seen from tourist viewing points. No-one is sure what happened to the other five! Later that day we went to see London Bridge (which has appropriately fallen down), Loch Ard Gorge and the Bay of Islands Coastal Park. The whole drive was amazing and we're so glad we took the time to do it.
Monday night was spent at Mt Gambier and that night we went to check out the town's sink hole. It was so neat all lit up for night viewing and we were able to see tons of possums because people from the town come and feed them every night.
Now you are up to date on our last week or so! Think of us and wish us the best picking oranges. We get paid by the amount of bins we fill up so hopefully we'll be fast and efficient!
Love, Amy & Elliot x
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Explore Much?
So much exploring to do and so little time! Sydney was a worldwind! We spent two nights in Bondi Beach at the YHA hostel to be closer to everything. The first night we ate some delicious Indian food and watched a movie and day two we were exploring the city all day long! We started out by grabing a coffee and a bus to Sydney CBD. We toured around the Opera House, Botanic Gardens and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. By the end of the day we were a little wiped but ready to start partying. We met up with Roberta MacDonald and her boyfriend, David at the RSL club. Roberta is Margo's roomate from St.F.X. (see photo!). All of us danced all night long to a band called the Martini Club. They were an awesome jazz funk band. We had a blast!
The next day we were up and out of the hostel by 10 am and swimming at Bondi Beach by 10:15. Most people were walking around with winter clothes and boots on and most people crazy enough to get in the water were wearing full wet suits. I think my Canada bag from Donna gave it away that we were the crazy Canadians in the water! We got some awesome pictures with our new waterproof camera, grabbed a boost and then went to the outdoor market before moving on in some awful rainy and dark weather. We spent the night in Wollongong with some awesome tarp creations made by Ryan and Elliot for us to hang out in and keep warm!
We headed to Canberra, ACT (Australian Capital Territory) the next day to check out the Nation's Capital. We weren't there for very long so I can't say we gave it the best chance, but that being said the only thing we checked out were the Australian Institute of Sport and the Parliament buildings.
That night we drove in rainy, wet and dark weather to a place called Nelligen. We met possibly the nicest woman ever who gave a beautiful cabin for the price of a campsite! We had a nice warm place to have a meal, a few drinks and sleep in a bed for a change.
We are now making our way to Melbourne, Victoria today and despite the clouds we're optomistic that the rainy days have passed even for a little while...
Happy 19th Jordan! We love you.
Love, Amy & Elliot, x
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