My work contract ends 30th October, after which I have a week left in Australia.  I figure I can’t really justify four months here without at least visiting Sydney, so I’ve got a 3 day trip planned up there.  I’m also taking advantage of free midweek days by taking a 2 day trip to the Great Ocean Road, which everybody says is spectacular.  And then, on 8th November, it’s off to New Zealand.  From the 8th – 19th, I’ll be basing my travels out of Auckland.  I’m planning on spending a decent chunk of time exploring the northern tip of the island; according to my Kiwi housemates, the Bay of Islands is a must.  Then on the 19th, it’s off to Korea for 2 weeks of ridiculous expat Thanksgiving shenanigans, courtesy my friend Amy, who’s an English teacher out there.  She is quite resourceful and has discovered that we can pre-order a turkey through the US Army base in Seoul.  And we have lots of practice with overseas Thanksgivings – three years ago we successfully introduced a handful of Irish to our proud American tradition of gluttony.  If I still meet airline weight restrictions after our feast, I’ll be getting back to NZ on 2nd December.  The next day, I’m heading off to my new home for the next year, Wellington, by way of tourism.  I am planning for this journey to take about 2 weeks but am not committing to anything; travel with deadlines is no fun at all!  I’m using a backpacker’s hop-on hop-off bus called the Stray Bus to do the North Island circuit.  Here’s a map of it all:

The idea is that I get to Wellington somewhere around mid-December, and spend a while hanging out and enjoying the summer until January, when I’ll get back out into the job market.  I haven’t fully sorted this out yet, but I am hoping to spend New Year’s Eve at the Rhythm & Vines festival and Christmas in the cinema watching In the Loop with a hip flask.  Ambitious plans, I know.

So what else have I been doing in Melbourne, apart from planning my escape?  Here are some things:

Kiwi parties.  Winning trivia nights.  Hanging out at my new favorite place in Melbourne – the ACMI Mediatheque.  Cooking enormous meals.  Steffi, I have baked 3 things – be proud!  Playing squash and soon netball during the basketball break.  Watching the Huskies win, and win, and then lose horribly.  Avoiding AFL (this is difficult).  Eating kangaroo, drinking Cooper’s.  Battling with my employer, who have not been taking tax out of my paychecks.  They deserve every bit of their bankruptcy proceedings.  Meeting up with a college friend who happened to be in town.  $4 pizzas at Bimbos.  Telling myself I’ll meet the YHA folks in the city at 8:45 on Sundays for hikes, and then deciding to sleep in.  Drinking from goon bags.  White wine that tastes like red wine (and not in a good way).

Consider yourselves informed!