Thursday, 31 May 2012

Jobless life in Brisbane

Queensland, GoGoGo ! ! !

Treasury Casino, Brisbane

It's time to find work again~ ~ After the wonderful trip with P's dad. We went to Brisbane, hoping to find some casual jobs before Angie's sisters come to Gold Coast for travels. We will be joining them in Gold Coast. The living expenses in the city is just expensive! We've been staying in caravan park in Brisbane for more than a week. Cost us $38 per night, while the transport to the city is $14 each day for the two of us. 

 The shopping street in Brisbane CBD.

 Brisbane Arcade

CReative modern architecture =) 

Brisbane Chinatown in Fortitude Valley, which is much much smaller in scale compared to those in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. There's a Valley Market* each weekend here, but less than 20 stalls there. Selling clothes, accessories and books. Not interesting at all. =.=


$15 for adults. No interest to ride it. The views fr up there seems limited to the city buildings. We have seen more beautiful cities like Sydney & Melbourne. SO Brisbane seems not much interest to us, more like a huge business centres, only BUSINESS no LIFE. =P Plus we don't have the mood to ride it. 

South Bank***** The most happening place in Brisbane. There is a Street Beach along the southbank and public showers and toilets. Also the market is on every weekend. We would never drive and park in the city because the parking rates is about $6 an hour and most of the places limit a 2 hour parking. 

The State Library is just nearby SOuthbank, the place we hang out the most. The State Library of Queensland deserves some credit, it has the fastest internet and WIFI so far, and the seating places is so comfy, with lounges where people can even sleep. 

DUe to the frustrations and disappointments in job searching, we relax with a cuppa hot chocolate and brownie sundae at Max Brenner Chocolate Bar @ Southbank. GOSH the queue is crazy.. we waited for about 45minutes before placing our orders!


Salivating when getting near the order counter >.<


It was just heavenly~ ~ ~ Choc ice cream with brownies and pecan nuts, bowl of choc melt and waffle balls for $12.50.

American Choc with marshmallow, $6.50. Too sweet for us~ ~


During our jobless days in Brisbane, I (Angie) went to the Coffee School, to take a Barista course. There are many schools in the cities. So after browsing their websites comparing prices and all, I enrol the Barista course Level 1 (Prepare and Serve Espresso Coffee) and 2 (Coffee Art) through coffeeschool.com.au. 

Their certificate is national training recognised. And they had discounts for the last minute enrollment, which I've paid $150 for both courses. Normal price is $99 for level 1 and $150 for level 2. Conducted on the same day, Level one takes 3 hours, Level 2 takes 2 hours. It was a good course to take, now I know more about coffee and how to use the semi manual espresso machine. From grinding of coffee beans, making espresso, making the standard coffee menu drinks, how to froth milk and cleaning the machine. It is really quite easy =) Also learnt to do some coffee art, but not successful in perfecting the free pour. Aiks! I'm just terrible in arts. It was all for the interest of coffee that I take up this course [COFFEE is my best medicine LOL] but also in the hopes to be able to land a job as a Barista in Brisbane. Well, cafes hardly take inexperienced Baristas =(

It was the longest two weeks of our life in OZ. Travelling to the library, searching for jobs everyday. and we have the most time to slowly think what to have for dinner. Aaaah... Isn't it normal for people to slow down and lazy around sometimes? But for us, it was time wasting. We can't stand another day jobless, we want to make full use of our time in OZ, earning for travels! We finally decided to move up, towards Bundaberg to look for farm work, which we know might not be available for another two weeks. But we just put our hopes up.

Friday, 11 May 2012

Sydney VII

It's the end of our trip with Peter's Dad. We send him to Central station, where he got on the airport train. What a good reunion after seven months of leaving home! Hope P dad had a great time with us and John despite the camping experience ;)



Well, time to go to the library!

It's a beautiful library, makes people want to come here and study so often!

Our lunch at Hunter's Connection Foodcourt, beside the Wynyard train station. It was an Asian lunch, 'Chap Fan' (Mix Rice) and Japanese Bento at very reasonable price. 

The Town Hall of Sydney

That night, we met up with a friend we met during strawberry picking in Perth, Takashi. It was a really happy gathering, he works as a hairdresser in the city. We had dinner at a Japanese restaurant, Miso. Good food!

City view from Takashi's apartment. We went to his house to see the fireworks since it's a saturday. But a little too late, we missed it.

A good chat with a good cafe latte made by Takashi =)

We always cherish friends we met in Aus, and it's the first time for us having the chance to meet a friend for a second time in another state. Hope the best for Takashi's future embarkings and we shall find him in Japan one day!













Thursday, 10 May 2012

Sydney VI

Museum of Sydney*** Located near the Circular Quay, costs $10 per person. It's not a big museum, with the main focus on the history on the beginning of Sydney and its transformation. It also has videos on the building of Harbour Bridge and history of Fort Denison.





McD time! The cheapest lunch we could find in the city, due to their 'loose change' menu. Only $2 for a double cheeseburger or chicken burger! GOSH.. .. 

Ferry ride to Manly Wharf! It is said to be the best ferry ride from the city. Bypassing the Opera House and Fort Denison.

Opera House, front view
Fort Denison
This fort had been used as a fishing spot, defence structure, navigational guide, tide gauge station, weather station, time marker and now a restaurant and museum. We just passed by this fort during the ride. 

Manly Wharf
It takes about 30min to reach here by ferry, the same if driving from the city. A small town with beautiful beach to relax. The more popular beach around Sydney would be Bondi Beach, but according to locals, they like Manly better since Bondi is too touristy.


The street of Manly. The first look of it, we thought we are in BALI. LOL



Manly Beach



Ferry ride back to city @ sunset

If you zoom in, you can see some humans on the bridge top. It is one of Sydney's attraction, Bridge Climb. Of course, it is costly! About $200 depending on the hour of the day and date you are climbing. Once in a lifetime experience! But surely not for someone who is afraid of heights!












Blog Reference

* Waste of Time
** Not Too Bad
*** Averagely OK
**** Interesting
***** MUST GO

$ Cheap
$$ A Bit Pricy
$$$ Expensive