Life Is Good...

Earlier today I had to take a moment and double check my bank balance.  Today is pay day for me and i was shocked to see just how much had gone into my bank account.  I thought for a second that maybe there might have been a mistake but then realised that I really have been putting in the hours (enough hours to go through two brand new pairs of shoes) and thatmathematically it all seemed to add up.Upon wheeling away from the ATM I thought to myself just how far I'dcome from not only leaving England but also since being out here.  I've an awesome job in which I'm  a 20 year old Assistant Manager, I've money in the bank, my wage has increased due to the promotion so much so that now,  if I wasn't already happy with my current apartment, I could pay in a week what I'm currently paying in a month at a new place and still have some to spare, I'm living a sustainable lifestyle which allows me to comfortably mix a social life around work,  I've had a crash course in cooking and have succesfully ventured off surviving on $1 pot noodles (piece's of stringy rubber), I'm living with one of my best friends on the other side of the world, I'm in training to do a Sydney Half Marathon (sponsorship really appreciated www.justgiving.com/woodersdownunder), I'm going to be watching on of my favourite bands 'The Music' this coming Friday, My Mum and three really good mates are to grace these shores in April which I'm almost peeing myself with excitment about, I'm going to be lhopefully travelling up the coast after they return to the motherland and finally I've manged to guide West Ham to third spot in the league on Pro Evolution Soccer which Chris sent out for me at Christmas.  All in all, I'm a very happy man!

Just a short post to extend my current thoughts and feelings on being out here, as you've 

probably guessed I'm not enjoying it THAT much!

The Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon

I found it on the reduced shelf with its defects listed as sun burnt, unfit and having consumed large quantities of alcohol but the name on the outside of the tin  (Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon) was still relevant.

Yep, little Tommy Woodman is to run the Half Marathon along with some of his work mates and colleagues from the Harlequin.

With something like 80 odd days to go I am relishing the prospect of finishing first, claiming the $5000 grand prize money, being led off to a massage tent and being tended to by some fiiiiiiiine Aussie Sheila's.  After the race we'd all go back to the Harlequin, everyone would lift me above there shoulders - I'd probably hit my head but in the euphoria it would somehow add to the spirit of the moment, I'm not sure how, it just would - we'd sit around and drink energy drinks (beer) to keep our body's awake and we'd indulge in nutrition bars (Thai food cuisine) till we burst.

So, if you want all this to happen and would like to be part of my training and inspiration I am asking your generously to donate as little or as much as you can for my chosen charity (The British Heart Foundation) via www.justgiving.com/woodersdownunder.

Everyone who donates will receive a picture of my greatest triumph to date, signed so that when the Olympics call and I smash the world record in a couple of years time you can flog it for millions and trillions thus taking you out of any recession problems you may have, securing that any financial problems your family may have had in the future are dashed in the space of a 60 minute run all from just donating, say, a tenner here and now.

www.justgiving.com/woodersdownunder

A thank you and good night

Stuff:

Race Date: 17th May 2007

Distance: 21.1 kilometers, 13 miles

Works going well....

Upon the following weeks of my return from Melbourne a few things at work have changed.  The biggest one for me personally is my promotion to Supervisor/Australians call it Assistant manager.  Basically I am now responsible for opening up/closing down certain days, dealing with the pokies (Aussie fruity machines only allot more money is pumped in - Avg: £50 a sitting) and ultimately acting manager while no other 'higher' figure is present or working.

It's a fantastic opportunity and, to be honest, surely one that not many backpackers get....

There's allot to get my barnet around but, as with anything, it'll come with practice and persistence.

Unfortunately I have already noticed that with this level or responsibility is equalled by that of scepticism (sp? - in fact, is that even a word??) from customers and the like.  Upon the occasions when the manager or person in charge is required and its either come directly through me or through another member of staff who's had to come and get me ultimately the end result seems to be the same with a 'surely this KID isn't the manager' to which I respond by nailing there answers with conviction and thinking 'aaaahahahaaa f-you' at the same time...see, men can multi-task.

With my new found position comes a much welcomed wage increase and also the flamboyancy to wear shirts when particular shifts present themselves.  To me this was the same feeling as wearing a suit for the very first time, it's a little awkward at first what with the sleeves being an dodgy cut and such and you all about give up on the idea until you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and you suddenly think 'ang about, I don't look to shabby.

Whether or not my new found position could lead me somewhere, such as (short term) sponsorship or (long term) a career is yet to be seen but in the mean time I've loving every second even if it does mean I haven't seen quite as much of Australia by now than I would have expected but saying that a 1005 plan was never ever in place with the plot line constantly being updated with new ideas and suggestions.

It's a matter of weeks now until stalkers i know from back home i know grace these shores and I must admit I'm very excited at the prospect of not being the only West Ham fan at the late night games anymore

Melbourne, The Rest Of + Sydney

It think this is the fourth time i have started to write this post, so hopefully this time I'll get it finished!

Melbourne on the whole was awesome and the weather was ridiculously hot with the hottest day reaching 43.3c.  I swear to god that, on the said day people's shoe's were starting to stick to the pavement due to there soles starting to melt!

The general feeling from what I understand from people in Sydney is that your either love Melbourne and hate Sydney or vis-versa but personally, I love them both.

Although Melbourne, in some ways, reminded me more of back home than Sydney with some of there adolescents being a bit 'gangsta bruv' and people 'cruising' around in there pimped out ride.brap. But in the flip side there are allot more genuine Australians, every thing's more open and spread out but this is largely due to accommodate the vast network of tram lines that are weaved throughout the city.

The trip was largely based around the Australian Open Tennis Final which we'd been lucky enough to get tickets for and ultimately shaped up to be between (world No.1) Rafal Nadal and (World No.2) Roger Ferderer.  As the match programme said a 'match made in Tennis haven' and one that it defiantly turned out to be.

The girls all wanted Nadal to win, 2% because he was a quality player, 98% because he was cute.  Personally I wasn't to bothered who won but just wanted a see a great match.  We were sitting 5 rows from the top in the right hand side behind the umpire but even so we were still fairly close to the action.

The game started at about 8.00pm and when the first set took as long as the entire women's final we knew we were in for a great game and were going to get our money's worth.

Nadal ultimately won, to the delight of the girls but it was no easy ride and the game went the maximum of five sets.  I managed to get some great pictures and was thoroughly impressed with the zoom on my camera. Shame now its broken and is beyond repair (but luckily all my photo's had been uploaded to my laptop beforehand).

The day after the Tennis was my last in Melbourne and I had to go about getting my shuttle bus to the airport and basically getting my stuff together.  The goodbye to Helena and Kicki was short and sweet with a simple hug and off I went, I think it will be a little bit more substantial when they both come back to Sydney, for Kicki's flight home.  After that Helena will be on her merry way and it won't be until April until her return.

The flight back to Sydney was allot more enjoyable than the outgoing one, on my return i flew with Virgin Blue.  Free headphones were there to be taken so, naturally, i took copious amount, in flight snack, mini TVs, the works.  I touched down at 5.30pm and was back in my apartment by 7.  When I got back i was greeted by a smiling Crabbs.  Dan had moved into my apartment the day before and up until that point I hadn't seen him since he'd been in Australia.  Like he said the other day its a little surreal that someone I've known the majority of my life is now my roommate on the other side of the world.  Obviously plans were made to go out and get rat-faced with a couple of the guys Dan had been travelling with within his Ozintro organisation but before that a trip to Manly was on the cards.  Now, I placed my faith in the weatherman and his prediction of it to rain was firmly on my mind so my beach bag consisted of a towel and a jumper.  We get to the beach, its roasting hot (later checks suggest it was about 38c) and I managed to get myself a nicely burnt back (I'd put sunscreen on my chest but must have turned over at some point)

That night we went out to a backpackers bar called Scary Canary which was hosting a traffic light party (Green: Available, Orange: Approach with caution, Red: Taken).  A few drinks at the apartment to get us going (and to save money) and we were off.  From my stay in the hostel i had some vouchers still for free drinks so they were abused, but not until later in the night.  We got there and the the first drink I had was free, the barman had just changed the barrel on the Heineken and poured off a perfect, easily sell-able schooner, placed it on the bar and said all yours, I immediately fell in love with the place, NOT the barman.  By this time it had reached 10pm and unbeknownst to me but the bar has a free-till-the-keg-is-empty thing that started at 10.  So, not one to abuse to situation and taking full advantage of my big hands I ordered four.  So five free schooners later I was well on my way.  Then, the bar went about giving out free shot's to people on the dance floor, then they started to give out $50 bar tabs for various things, best dancer, best dressed so on and so forth.  Well, one of our group, Ally, won best a best dancer one as he just freaked out and busted some craaaazzy moves and then later on our group (roughly 10 people) won another for simply just being on the dance floor for the majority of the night so with these five jugs of beer were brought of which I reckon I managed to get another two schooners from.  All this was happening with my two free drink vouchers burning a hole in my pocket but before they could be spent Craaaaaabbs turned up with a bourbon and coke which he owed me from the other day.  Eventually I managed to use one of my vouchers on another Bourbon and coke by about 10.10pm (Na, I joke, it was about 11/11.30) before Crabbs turned up again and again with more drinks and more drinks and more drinks.  By this point I was in a very good place and decided I needed another drink and successfully managed to spend my last voucher.  To top it off the only drinks I brought were two scotch and cokes which came to a grand total of $7 due to the barmaid being an absolute legend (A Scotch and coke can be anywhere from $5 to $7 just for one).  Very good times indeed.

I would lastly just like to say Happy Birthday to my Dad and my Uncle.

I miss you and love you both very much.