88 to Life Club. Bundaberg Australia

55 days into my  "sentence" of 88 days rural farm work and its starting to weigh on me heavily. A week ago there was a fairly large walk out of 12 people leaving the hostel, four of them on the account of robbing the Bar next door to the hostel. It was late night and the boys were in search of beer after the goon ran dry, allegedly. To many peoples disbelief they only took the cheapest beer and only what they figured they needed to drink that night,... romantic in a way, almost to say well get you back tomorrow. With the group that left were four very close friends all of which call Ireland home. Better drinkers I have never seen and two of them unfortunately were involved in the alleged crime that had happened the night before. The Irish boys throughout their time at club fed always were skating on thin ice but never breaking through. The boys got away with more than myself or anyone else would at this hostel but with good reason, with that Irish charm, sincere, generous hearts, uplifted spirits and a willingness to party at any time with anyone! They were an instant fan favourite and dearly missed not only by this traveler but all that knew them. In  a beautiful show of unity and blind loyalty 14 people walked out with the two guys that got evicted "all for one"


- I wish you boys all the luck in the world and I hope it all works out for you. I look forward to seeing you on the road again and hopefully in Canada.

 I've been in this town now for two months and only acquired 30 days of the 88 I need. At 200$ a week for the hostel its been a hard road thus far. To make matter worse the weathers turned for the worse and even less people are working now. With the grey sky's and inevitable storms coming there is a chance of major flooding. This could ultimately lead to the farming ending and many people out of work, broke, and with no where to go... its a ugly situation indeed. " its hard to look at the bright side when the sky's are so grey" ....Abromigo 

I've never written anything negative while out on the road and honestly never felt the need to do so. With that being said I recently read in the local paper a story about how the local hostels and farms are ripping off the backpackers here. It doesn't take a talented investigative reporter to sniff this story out ( not making fun of the work buddy did) but its obvious around here. We pay $200 a month for a very tiny room with four bunk beds in it, barely a single shelf to put your entire world on to. The facility's are an absolute joke... Federal penitentiaries are cleaner. The Bathroom, Kitchen and laundry area are not impressive at all, in fact should be called a zoo. We have possums living in the kitchen, mice in our rooms and cockroaches the size of large apples in our food storage areas. To put it in perspective a 3 bedroom decent house goes for 300$ a month here. We pay for transportation in the rent  which is fair except this week I worked a single day and paid the same price last week I had two days work, rent wasn't cheaper and I still paid for transport. I've never seen National Lampoons Animal House but I can say with confidence that I'm living it now. Imagine for a minute living in these conditions, the heavy stress of the price of life in Australia, the hostel management telling you week after week then month after month that better work is coming and hasn't so far. Its difficult because now your broke and your being allowed to make enough money to pay the massive rent and you may have enough left over for some noodles and minced meet to make a pasta for the week.



So what can we do to change this situation?
Come prepared, don't be fooled, 'Working hostels" are a business they are not your buddy and you'll find that out when times get tough. Disclaimer I have not stayed in every working hostel but this is my experience that I'm living right now and have heard many storeys of the hostel in this area. But it is a finely tuned system set up to extract your money. Do Not I repeat Do Not be broke when you show up here ...it will not go well. The last thing you want to be is in a position where you cannot leave, Bad weather can happen and to be fair they cant make work happen. 2. Leave your self appropriate time to  finish your 88 days 3 months is no where near enough time... 5 would be acceptable. You Do Not want to be at the mercy of these farmers and take the abuse they can smell when you need these days. I promise you that somehow they have decided that you're less than a employee. Some of the things that have been said out in those fields have no business being spoken from one human to the other, I was in the military and never spoken to in the way that some of these farmers feel they can speak to a backpacker! So please don't leave your self vulnerable to that.  I left myself 10 months and been at it for 3 months roughly I have 35 days left still so 5 months sounds right.


Please don't let this rant scare you off. I've met some beautiful people with kind hearts out here. Even though this time can be incredibly stressful and down right irritating it is always going to be a fond memory and quite frankly can be one of the best times in Strya. With the right people at your side you could walk threw hell together I promise you. Just don't underestimate it and come prepared.

24/01/17 Trials and Tribulations in Yandaran

          

This is the barely legible rants of benighted traveler....But everyday getting a little better

 Chichen Itza Mexico 2016

Intense heat, hard work, poisonous reptiles, unrelenting mosquitoes and a healthy dose of solitude is my reality in Yandaran QLD Australia. I can't imagine it is the usual way to get your second year visa! With all the larger working hostels you can gain employment from it seems almost crazy to go about in the way I am. Crazy yes, but with good intentions....I hope. See, people find themselves backpacking for all sorts of reasons, myself included, but what was isn't anymore. What I mean by that is my reason to travel and leave the comforts of my home, family, job and "normal life" has changed and with it so to did my mindset, thoughts, and aspirations.
 
Indeed it would be a very bold and unrealistic statement for me to say that if you leave your country you to will have a eye opening mind shattering experience. But it is more likely to happen than if you stay at home in the norm? That's fair to say.

Why did I start traveling?

New years Eve 16 Cairns Australia

Great Barrier Reef 2016

Easy I wanted to party hard and live the good life for cheaper than I was at home. Off to Mexico I went and it was everything I wanted! Tequila and bikinis everywhere! What I didn't count on was my two week hangover turning into what is at this moment a life changing experience. What was supposed to be two weeks in Mexico turned into a two month exploration of Central America and ultimately myself as well.  When you step out of your comfort zone and into the unknown something happens to you. You get a good look at who you are and what your capable of on a very real scale. Can you make it in a foreign country that doesn't speak your native language? Can you find your way around villages in the mountains of Guatemala or catch the right bus in Honduras? The answer is yes you can! And you should. It does not matter who you are at home when you meet all these new faces from around the globe they don't know who you are or what you've done, its 100% fresh page for you to fill in... a new chapter.

Tikal Ruins Guatemala 16

   " Sometimes when I meet old friends, it reminds me how quickly time passes, it makes me wonder if we've utilized our time properly or not? Proper utilization is so important. While we have this body, especially this amazing human brain "  Dalai Lama 

Guatemala 2016 

Everything from the start happens so quickly as a kid... you're in school, got a job and try to balance activities and a social life. Maybe you go to college and your slapped with massive student loans when your finished or you didn't and your working, bills to pay responsibilities are hard. All the while you need new clothes, better car, nice house, vacations, and the list goes on. I wonder how often do you stop to think....Is this what I want? Is this what I need? I was camping one night alone in the mountains, it was pouring down rain, miserably cold and wet when it dawned on me, this is what I want... I want to learn, experience, and see as much of this planet as I can while I can. That's just me though!!

So, Why do I travel now?

Nicaragua

Great question I'm glad you asked. Aside from the amazing people, experiences, sights, culture, food and excitement its been allowing me to find myself. I have seen a lot of my personal views, ambitions, and aspirations change over the last year, for the better I believe. The best part for me is that it has only just begun.

" Rome wasn't built in a day, But your not a city and you can change your mind in a minute. Be absolutely ferocious in your pursuit of change" .....Abromigo







Just Relax Boys

15.Jan.17.....Top 7, So far

I have been in Australia now for just over 6 weeks and just recently completed my first week of farming. For those who don't know, in Australia, if you are here on a working holiday visa you can stay an extra year if you complete 88 working days on a farm. Now that I'm on the farm I have more than enough time to reflect on the month I took to travel from Brisbane to Cairns back down to Bundaberg and safely into a Tree harvesting/Milling/Farming job. Let me explain some of the trials and tribulations I incurred so you don't need too.

South Bank Brisbane

While traveling without a plan is awesome and allows you to be extremely flexible ...it is not ideal, definitely not the wisest of plans or lack of in this country. Australia is expensive and nothing is free here. Hostels are going to range from $20, 25, 30 a night. Meals are at least 15 dollars. With that being said you can cook for yourself and be thrifty in other ways as well. I myself get lazy and undisciplined in this regard. From Brisbane to Cairns I bought a hop on hop off pass from Greyhound. This pass allows you to get on and off at any stop that Greyhound makes going North from Brisbane to Cairns. The cost of the pass is roughly $36. I recommend the pass as there are so many stops heading up north that you're going to want to make. Brisbane itself for me was a 1-2 day stop as it wasn't what I came to Australia to see. The South Bank is pretty cool and that's about all I did there. Next stop was Noosa. Noosa is a quiet little town on the ocean. It has an awesome nature Reserve you can walk through along the ocean. Then you can catch a city bus back to Noosa when your done. This place is a 1-2 stops you will want to see. I stayed at the YHA Hostel it had a beautiful outdoor restaurant and a quiet relaxed atmosphere.



1770/Agnus Water

1770 is a very interesting town. This is where Captain Cook beached his ships on the sandy banks to fix them. This is the town I learned to surf! 20$ all day and everyone in my group stood up and surfed within 2 hrs. The first hostel I stayed in here was YHA very quiet and not a lot to do there. They did offer a Kangaroo/Sunset tour for 20$ which was well worth it. I quickly switched hostels to Cool Bananas, which was located just outside of town, about a 8 min walk. They offered Surf lessons threw a company called Gnarly Tours. I recommend this surf company as they stay as long as you want and get people standing and surfing. I extended my stay here to catch bigger waves at the end of the week! The Hostel has what I would consider the best atmosphere with a outdoor seating area all covered from rain and the vicious sun. It is perfect for cards and a couple wobbly pops with the boys.

Airlee Beach

The Great Barrier Reef

Airlee Beach means 1 of 2 things, Party and Whitsunday Islands! Both are fantastic in this town. When you arrive here it may feel like it is your first time back into civilization especially after Noosa and 1770. Global Backpackers is where I stayed and its fair priced. They give you meal coupons to the bar below which is a great time at night. The bar has a different theme for the party every night and it always seems to be lady's night...... its a lot of fun! Whitsunday Islands is a great time! The excursion I did was an one night two day trip and if I did it a second time I would do 2 night 3 days. The sailing boat, snorkeling and time on the Island easily makes this one of my favorite stops and a must do.  It  is pricey but between this and Fraser Island I chose Whitsunday and don't regret that decision at all.



A lot of people from Airlee will go to Fraser Island and Magnetic Island. I did not because the funds were running low. Be advised it was a long bus ride from Airlee to Cairns.

Cairns is where you can access the Great Barrier Reef and where I dove on it for the first time. For me, believe it or not, was not as beautiful as the snorkeling on Whitsunday. Than again I think I was bamboozled into taking a trip on the inner reef when everyone will tell you to pay the little extra and get out to the outer reef. While there myself and some friends I made back in 1770 rented a car and drove up to the Daintree Rainforest. We stopped at Mossman Gorge on the way up and it was very beautiful. Daintree was beautiful and a must see for sure. We stayed at PK's Jungle Resort, it was awesome! We had a blast that night... someone even licked a toad! On the second day of the road trip we went South of Cairns to all the waterfalls and lakes. The car was only $220.00 for two days and gas was cheap. With the hostel food and drinks I think the trip was only $110.00 for 2 days which is probably one of the best deals you'll find in Australia. Cairns offers a wide variety of trips and packages and its also a big party town! I was there for Christmas and New Years and I can tell you I got about enough of that! While there I stayed at Reef Backpackers. It was cheap and quiet but it had a great little swimming pool in the back. Over Christmas and New Years I stayed at YHA which had a great pool, good wifi, fair priced ($25.00/night) and a good atmosphere. If you're looking for the party hostel look no further than Gilligan's Last Resort. Its also one of the best clubs in Cairns.

1770 Surfs up Brah

Now I'm on the farm in the Yandaran area near Bundaberg, just north of Brisbane. Unless you're here to farm there's no reason to be here... besides possibly a brewery tour of Bundaberg Rum. Why their mascot is a polar bear I still don't know.... I will look into that for you though.


                                                            7 Must do's
1. Surf at 1770
2. Whitsunday Islands3. Dive on the Reef in Cairns (outer Reef)
4. Daintree Rainforest
5. Wednesday wing night at Woolsheds ...Cairns as well, Best deal around $10/ 2 pounds of wings


6. Kangaroo sanctuary in 1770
7. Nature walk in Noosa

January 7 2017 The Decition !

It has been roughly 2 months on the road now, and I have decided to make a compilation of highlights and lessons learned with thoughts to the future. Its remarkable that I almost didn't take this opportunity! I was so close to settling into a routine life back home October 16.  I had acquired my travel visa for Australia November 2015, thus giving my one year to enter the country. I left for my adventure Dec 2015 with intentions of my final destination to be Australia. The problem was I ended up stopping in Mexico on my way to Australia and ended up touring Central America.... Amazing trip. I then had to go home and do a season of commercial fishing for financial reasons .... Great experience, hard work indeed. After fishing I questioned whether or not to travel anymore because of the good money I made. The money afforded me  a comfortable lifestyle. The Fishing season ended roughly in October 2016 and for a couple months I fought with the idea of staying/leaving... leaving/staying. I ended up packing my backpack and walking into the gorgeous Strathcona Provincial park on Vancouver Island by myself to clear my head and weigh the options. The weather was awful, it rained the entire time I was out there. The scenery was unbelievable as always when in those mountains. There was a moment in the night when it was too cold to sleep, I found myself laughing thinking this is it, this is what I want to do with my life from now on. Travel, learn, and experience all that I can. In the A.M I packed quickly, my hands so cold I could barely get the tent wrapped up and headed out of the woods. When I got back to the car park there was only one other vehicle, a van transformed into a camper van. I started talking to the guy who owned it and he told me all about how he had just come back from Australia on his work travel visa. He said it had been the best experience of his life. If you have ever entered the woods or meditation of any kind seeking answers you know that rarely do they come back this clear. That was it! I quit my job and booked my flight within the day. 2 Months later I  here I am in Bundaberg writing this blog! Pretty cool.

Camping alone in the woods with animals that go bump in the night (i.e Mountain Lions, Bears, Wolves) is a experience on its own. If you have never tried it I recommend it, go out there and clear your mind. So often in life your head can get filled with useless information and negative thoughts... you can lose track of what is important and real in your life..... i.e. Summiting False peaks. If someone asked you what you want in this life would you be able to say in all honesty that your living it or working towards that goal or dream?

 

4 Layer Nacho !

Just a couple guys on the road working with what they got. co star Hakeem the dream and Camera man is Finn

Christmas and New years Cairns Australia 2017

Hakeem, Finn, Myself and our Friends! Christmas in Cairns

This is my second year away from the family for Christmas and ringing in the New Year. Although away from home never alone bonds made on the road form fast and strong. Since Agnes Water/1770 I've been traveling along with two absolute beauty's Finn and Hakeem, Finn is from the Nederland's Hakeem is from England we spent Christmas and New years together along with other fantastic people we have met along the way as well. Truly blessed to have so many people come together like that so far from home and there families. Different cotenants, cultures and languages all clinking glasses together December 25 2016 .....Awesome.

Gin Tonic Pool side NYE

New Years Eve, Cairns Australia

The town was buzzing the atmosphere sizzling, Everyone dawning they're best. The day starts early Gin and tonic mixed in a big bowl pool side at YHA, The sun beating down the subtle excitement growing in my stomach. It was almost a New Year and a good reason to settle into a more peaceful routine. But not this night tonight is big and were going to enjoy every minute of it. After watching the disappointing Ronda Rousey fight we started a big pub crawl. Liquid, PJ Obrien's, Woolshed and finally Gilligan's for the ball to come down. I was a amazing night full of ups never any downs....I mean Hakeem lost his shoes and wallet but other than that no real casualties.


The Family !NYE



 

Road Trip To Daintree and Millaa Millaa Falls Australia Jan2

The Coast line driving North

There is a lot to say in a short blog about the most interesting and exciting time I had from Dec.21 till now (2Jan17). Day 1. Myself and 3 friends rented a very responsible and fuel efficient car from Cairns. We wanted the mustang but decided the deposit and responsibility were to high for our budget. We headed North up the East Coast from cairns towards the Daintree Rain forest. The drive itself was beautiful, winding roads through farms, mountains and with the ocean to your right the whole time. Our first stop was Mossman Gorge. The water was low but it was a very impressive rainforest. After playing around in the river and taking some great pictures we made our way to Cape Tribulation. We didn't have a ton of time at this point because earlier in the day we stopped in Port Douglas to swim at the beach then headed to Mossman Gorge. I would have liked to spend more time in this quiet little town but instead we settled for a delicious burger at the hotel.......It was the only place open at 6pm that day. Next up was PK's Jungle village hostel. When entering the Daintree you have to first cross a bull shark, crocodile infested river on a ferry and then drive through a very narrow epic winding road. You then head through a gorgeous rainforest that is slam packed full of reptiles and the like that would love to eat you....... seriously! Dangerous yes but it is gorgeous. PK's is awesome we had a blast drinking, eating and shooting pool all night. The hostel you can tell by its set-up would get absolutely bumping on the weekends.

Daintree Rainforest

Day 2.

All of us feeling under the weather, dehydrated and hungover but we crawled out of our cocoons and made our way south in a hurry. It was waterfall day! We drove roughly 4-5 hrs to get South of Cairns to explore what must be considered waterfall country. Millaa Millaa Falls and Josephine Falls are both fantastic and worth a go. The whole trip was very inexpensive, between the car rental, gas and accommodation each person paid around $120.00 each. Pretty good.


Josephine Falls