Charity Collection

So when we landed in Sydney we had approximately $500 between us – for a year- this is very bad times.  So we joined TAW (Travellers At Work) and applied for every job under the sun I heard back from the first job within the hour and then from another later in the day. So off I popped to the tacky Chinese shop to buy an interview outfit; a black dress – blazer and shoes. We are now down to $450 this had better be worth it!!

So interview number 1 The Green Guys Group – it’s my first meeting with Ben, he asks me some sales questions – I give good answers – I get the job. I hot foot it across town to Zest Marketing. Now I was really excited about this job as I studied Marketing and they were asking for an Account Exec. This was an extremely miss leading job title to say the least. There is me and another girl in the interview room – both in high heels. We get chatting and find out that we are both backpackers – her name is Hope.

In comes a man in shirt and tie – he has the crazy eyes, but I let this go. He starts asking us if we drink and what are strong points are, not two questions that usually go together but OK! 

He then asks us to walk with him down to Central Station with him as that is where his team is working. This is not sounding too much like an interview for an Account Exec. So I and Hope follow this man with the crazy eyes down to Central Station – a 15 min walk in heels. On the way my concerns that this may be a crazy man are confirmed when he is laughing wildly at his own jokes and making some odd noises in general. Then I realise what this is.

Pubs - Pubs & Other Drugs!!

So in a bid to escape from the terribleness that was a hostel with a no wine policy we head to a relative of my boyfriends that can remain nameless, alright for the purpose of this post I will call him Steve. So Steve’s house was the very opposite of a Hostel with a no wine policy in fact when around Steve, it very much compulsory that you drink wine; for Steve you see is an alcoholic.

Sydney - Crap Hostels - And a Dirty Abbo Man

So after an awesome time in New Zealand we touch down in Sydney – and to get me in the mood I watched Reef on the plain (it’s a film about people being eaten by sharks in Oz) bad idea! Anyway we land and get in a shuttle bus to the hostel that we had booked. We are spending our first few days in Sydney in the YHA on Glebe Point Road in Glebe.


Glebe is an awesome area not exactly central but only a 30 min walk to the centre and with constant buses. The area has a cool artsy hippy vibe – with vegetarian restaurants and cool cafes – bookstores and boutiques line this street. The locals would not look out of place at a festival.

Goodbye Memoirs Of A Backpacker

Ok so I am not finishing this blog however I have decided to change the name of it. Two reasons number one Memoirs is difficult to spell and number two – and probably the main one as reason one is lame – is that I want to make this blog a bit more personable and to do that I need a personal name. For now it is goodbye to Memoirs Of A Backpacker and hello to Backpacking Claire!

Let me know which name you prefer?

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The Bucket List

After reading Adventurous Kate’s – Problem with the bucket list I became inspired to make my own. After taking Kate’s advice I have eliminated all of the stuff that I should want to do and am only keeping what is the most important to me. I have an aim to complete all of his in the next 8 years.

http://www.adventurouskate.com/my-problem-with-bucket-lists/

Drive route 66 – America. I have not been to the states yet and this is high on my list. I want to have a real, All American road trip from LA to Chicago. I just need to learn how to drive.

See Christ The Redeemer – Brazil. I want to chill out in the Rio sunshine and see a true Carnival; I always imagine this city to have the most amazing atmosphere.

See The Northern Lights – everyone thinks that I’m nuts but Iceland is sounding incredible to me, gorgeous scenery, volcanic geezers and the world’s most beautiful nights sky – it doesn’t sound so crazy to me.  

See The Great Wall Of China – it’s not so much seeing the wall but that I loved Asia so much the first time around that heading to China seems only natural.

Tokyo – This city intrigues me, a mixture of old Eastern Asia and the Modern West all set amongst the backdrop of Mt. Fuji – sounds amazing.

Dive The Great Barrier Reef – I don’t know how I managed to spend 9 months in Oz and not do this – but what can I say I spent all my money on Goon. I will be heading back to Oz later this year so hopefully I can cross this one off soon.

Travel The UK – you may think this odd; but why take the time to see the rest of the world but not explore what is in your own back garden.  

If you like this list please let me know if you have anything on your own list:

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Coromandel and Hot Water Beach

So after a couple of lack lustre days back in Rotorua we decided to head to up to the Coromandel it is a cluster of beaches on the north with amazing sights such as Cathedral Cove and Hot Water beach. The only problem was that the weather was horrific rain, wind and was bitterly cold – but sights have got to be seen no matter what the weather, and hopefully Hot Water Beach lives up to its name!

Zorbing

So after an amazing time chilling in Taupo’s hot pools we head up beck up to Rotorua to go Zorbing. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and you just have to do it when in New Zealand – right – wrong.

Hot Water Falls

So after the amazing day at Franz Joseph scaling the glaciers we had to start the arduous task of hotfooting it back up to Auckland to catch a flight because we didn’t really think of flying out of Christchurch. If you are going to be traveling NZ - fly into one airport and out of the other!