We had traveled all night from Byron, eventually arriving at Central station, in Sydney. Getting off that bus was a shock to the system. Byron had been sunny and warm, now back in Sydney it just felt like stepping off a plane back to London when you have been away on a scorching holiday, very cold and depressing! Granted it was 6am and we were both extremely tired. But I guess it was sad that our East coast travels had ended and I especially had to find some work. I also had the feeling that all the fun we had at the Asylum was not going to be the same the second time around. Most people we got to know before would have moved on.
We got to the Asylum and all we both wanted to do was crash out and sleep, but we had to wait a while for some rooms to become available. It was good to see Les who was back from working at the Cairns hostel, he joked with us about returning back to Sydney so soon and not giving the Asylum hostel a chance in Cairns.
We were both put into one of the basement rooms, with 3 boys who were asleep. I recognised Irish Steve from before a (long term inmate). He soon became someone who joked with us alot; he especially loved to make fun of Kats awful snoring. I had never heard her snore so loud as those first couple of nights back. I guess she was quite bunged up with her cold. Derek was another guy in our room- he was very quiet who liked to play his guitar but Kat and I found him to be quite strange!
I managed to find work quickly; I went to a new agency and got the job there on the spot -starting the next day, with really good money. I had to travel to Rhodes, I soon came to realise how far out of the city Rhodes was. I immediately felt uncomfortable in the office environment. From all the temp work I have had in Sydney, this was by far the most unpleasant experience. My role was to support the Chairman’s Assistant, she was so rude, there no training and the girl I was working alongside was very unsociable. So on my second day I decided I couldn't bring myself to return so I quit- best decision, I felt so happy after. I think from this moment on, I started to see changes in my confidence. Perhaps before I may have taken her rude attitude and criticism, but I realised, I am not over here to be unhappy so I had to make a change.
I got back that evening to find Kat had got a reception job for an agency; I think we probably returned to Sydney at a good time for work.
In our room, a new dark haired boy was lying on one of the bunk beds. I had to do a double take because he looked very much like one of Andrews friend back home from some angles, but also he was very cute!. His name was Martyn; He was Irish and one of Steve’s friends from back home. It was mad Monday that evening and I was on a high from quitting my job and also I had no work to get up for in the morning.
I spoke with Martyn that evening. His accent was quite strong like Steve's and sometimes hard to hear, but there was an attraction and he was quite flirty, especially considering I later found out he had a girlfriend back home. When you’re traveling, meeting people is a necessity, so I guess he was used to having fun getting to know people as long as it was harmless!
After a week or two we were asked to change rooms, I really wish we had said no!! I missed having a laugh with Steve. Les said he was doing a room swap and asked if Kat and I would mind sharing a double bed, of course it wasn't an issue, he assured us our rent would go down each week, but after a few days we both realised we had no space from one another! Kat needs her space, perhaps even more so than me. Les put Katie and Martin in our room (a couple) two people I couldn’t stand in the hostel, I had the feeling straight away this living arrangement would not work. Luckily by that point Kim had arrived and was sharing a room with us. But still who wants to share a room with a couple?, the whole situation was very uncomfortable, so we spoke with Les and made our feelings clear that something had to be done because we would not carry on putting up with them. Katie was from near London, she had a very fake attitude, and one of my pet hates is someone who tries to be over the top nice but not because they want too! And Martin her boyfriend was very strange! So within 3 or 4 nights they moved out into their own room like they should have had from the start. I had a brief uncomfortable encounter with Katie at the laundry, she obviously knew I was the reason they had moved, she tried to apologies for making Kat Kim and I feel uncomfortable. But I knew she just wanted to see whether it was me who told on her!
Irish Martin had left to go off traveling, Steve constantly teased me that I liked him, I was sad to see him leave because he was so funny, I wasn’t sure if he would come back to the Asylum I heard that he might.........
Meanwhile I had got a new job working close by in the city in a mailroom with Australian Steve, younger than me but quite cute and funny. I had to do court filing, which involved allot of walking around the city. This job was very useful; it gave me a chance to familiarize myself with where everything was in the city. I was much happier. Everyone was friendly and I met a sweet Ozzy girl Bernadette, she was quite fascinated with my English accent. I was in this job for 3/4 weeks.
Kat hung out with Kim in the day while I was working and then in the evenings we would all meet up. After a week or so staying at the Asylum, Kat starting a new job soon. Kim was ready to move on so she booked her ticket to the Whitsunday’s. This would be the last time we saw Kim again. I am positive will we meet back at home, if I don’t see her before in Oz again.
We then had Irish Nial come and stay in our room, he was traveling alone and had come from another hostel in Sydney looking for a better party atmosphere after hearing about the mad Monday pub crawl the Asylum have. That particular week mad Monday didn’t take place, as there was a shortage of people in the hostel, it was a very quiet time and alot of people had left. Even so they tried to organise an alternative night out. I felt sorry for Niall who was obviously disappointed, but the night was a good one although there was no mad Monday. And I think Kat would agree! Ha-ha Niall was great to talk too; it’s great to meet people who you feel you can connect with like your close friends back at home. I was inspired by his independence and the way he made sure he got up and saw the sights of Sydney rather than wasting the days. He also showed me his photographs, he was very talented and I am hoping he will end up emailing me the pictures he promised to send. Niall only stayed for 4 nights and then decided to move on.
Next Irish Rob who was a long term inmate came back to stay at the Asylum in our room for a few weeks. He was a good roommate, polite and easy to get on with.
Kat had started another data entry job, she wasn't happy here as the work was so boring, like a job you would do at home. The Asylum started to annoy her and myself as well. The room we were currently in, was damp dirty and quite depressing and Kat started to get huge bites over her legs, that may have started from our travels before in Gold coast but instead of getting better they were getting worse and we couldn’t figure it out because I wasn't getting any. I sensed she was feeling very low and missing her family, but it’s hard to comfort someone when only they can decide what to do for the best. I knew no matter what I was determined to stay, the work for me wasn’t too bad, it was true that I could probably be doing a temp job like this at home, but I was experiencing new areas of the city, the job was independent, with no one watching over me and when this is the case I have no problem with it. Kat was beginning to think about going home, I wasn't sure if she was just talking about it, so I tried to encourage her to stay. I really do regret not thinking and taking action to find us an apartment in the city like I am living in now, I don't know if this would have improved things but at the moment, rent is alot cheaper than the hostel, and I can cook meals when I want rather than eating out all the time. When you are working you want somewhere comfortable to come back and relax in.
Soon Rob had moved out and we had the room to ourselves or so we thought, I was sitting in our room one evening taking off my makeup and in walks Irish Martyn again! It was funny that he had been placed back into our room, of all rooms. The sad part was that he was only staying for 1 night before going back to Ireland. Kat had put some family photos on the hostel wall and a photo that was so long ago! I couldn't remember it being taken, when we were like 14 at a bowling alley. I looked particularly bad and I completely forgot it was on the wall, Until Marty was gawping and laughing his head off, he got his phone out and took a photo. He said he was going to take it and show his friends at home, the sort of girls he met while traveling. He was so funny!
That evening, we were feeling sluggish and tired and just sat talking. Marty and Steve joined us and we were all joking around. The next thing I knew we were having a huge water fight I mean everything was drenched it was so funny, but I was standing there soaked through. Our beds were so wet, there was no way we could sleep in them! Bottles of water were being thrown everywhere. Kat went to fill her bottle up when Cold play (staff member) came to see what was going on, he gave Kat a big lecture which made me laugh. The boys asked us to go out for a drink but we looked awful and it was really late, we probably should have because it was Marty’s last night. But still the next day I was lucky to see him in reception before he left to say goodbye. I was really sad! Just the thought of when you meet really nice people and the fact that you will never see these people ever again.
Going back to old friends though I was ironing one evening and there out of the blue, was Aidan and Connor coming down the stairs!!, I’d thought they would be traveling up the East Coast still, but here they were looking tanned, hair longer and lugging their bags down the stairs. I was shocked; I gave them a hug and told Kat they were back. For some reason after seeing them again for a second time, they were more distant, the fun we shared with them before had gone. Sure we were friendly but something had changed. I think they met alot of people up in cairns and these people had come down to Sydney, so Aidan especially was being distant. It's sad, when you realise that people move on, he had met a German girl so he didn’t join in the hostel nights out as often. Connor was still as funny as always, and towards the end he had abit of thing for Kat! HAHA classic! Is all I can say about that? One evening at the Asylum Kevin briefly showed up in the Fitzroy, he was living in an apartment in Paramatta and I think he mainly came to say hi to Emmer (staff girl) but it was good to see him!
I got home one evening from work and Kat had booked her ticket to go home in just 2 days time. Although I was extremely sad, the realisation that she was going home for good didn’t kick in until the day she officially left. She told me on the night of mad Monday, the night we had been preparing for. We had gone to the shops in an insane moment of madness and thought it would be hysterical to decorate our Asylum pub crawl T-shirts. Coles the supermarket, obviously didn’t have much to offer, all we found, was some kid's plastic bath plugs. And funny shower caps.... so yes we made our t-shirts into a bath theme...why? Who knows we were bored and we knew how embarrassing it would be to show up upstairs with everyone looking at our ridiculous t-shirts! The crazy part was we really got into designing them and spent literally hours cutting up material and sewing it on, we were laughing at the thought of anyone finding out how long it took us to look so ridiculous! But I will keep my t-shirt and I hope Kat does as well. That mad Monday was Kats last one, I was quite emotional that evening as she knows! Ha-ha although my confidence had improved greatly, I was quite scared of being alone. I was used to having someone to come back to, having someone to confide in or tell my problems too. I had met many others on their own, who seemed very happy to be traveling by themselves but I still wasn't sure!
The morning Kat left, it still didn’t totally sink in that she was going, I said goodbye and left for work. That whole day I was thinking about everything. Kat was testing me from the airport which was nice. That evening Trish and Jon asked me over for dinner, I think they were concerned with me being alone, but going back to the hostel later that evening it hit me really hard. Walking into the hostel room, all her stuff gone, everything empty just a few magazines of hers that she left behind. Too be honest I didn’t know what to do with myself! Sounds sad but everything had changed. I didn’t feel comfortable. I tried to see what all the guys were up too, I started to go out on the nights out with the other hostel people, I was happy enough talking with all the new people, but something didn’t feel right. I didn’t like coming back to the hostel with new people coming and going in my room. I wanted consistency and comfort if I was going to be working in Sydney for a while. Trish and Jon kindly suggested I come back and stay with them, so I could save better. But I knew deep down, that I would be taking a step backwards into my old habits, I wouldn't be mixing with others and it would be harder to make friends, so I got on the net and searched for a place to live.
I shocked myself how quickly I left the hostel. I had never gone to view a house/apartment before- so I didn’t know what to expect, or really want to find out. But I soon discovered how easy it was. The first home I looked at was awful. It had really small room and the furnishing was really old fashioned. Sure it was cheap but it was hardly a room that they showed me, because people would be walking through constantly to get to the room above. It was more like a small hall with a mattress for a bed. You know instantly when you get a good feel for the people you could be potentially sharing with. The atmosphere was cold, so I knew straight away that it would be a no. It was only the first home I had seen but I was beginning to get worried it would take me a long time.
When I got back I decided to have a look at another apartment with a pool, and a gym. Right in the city, I knew there must have been a catch because the rent per week was fairly cheap, but I organized to view it that same night.
I met some people, I would be sharing with- Brian and Australian guy and the Koreans who were straight away very friendly and welcoming, unlike the other place where they just sat down and made little effort to welcome me. The living arrangement in the apartment was surprising- 8 people! When I first viewed what would be my room I thought it was just 2 Korean gals I would be sharing with. It was only when I moved in that I realised it was 3! The living room had been half cut off to make a bedroom for 2 guys and then there was another proper 2 bedroom room. It was nice to see a clean unsuited bathroom, with a big bath, nice shower, and a decent sized kitchen. The apartment was modern and clean, much cheaper than the hostel and to be honest I just weighed up the benefits compared to the hostel. Id be closer to work, id be able to cook proper meals, id get to know these new people. I would have gym and pool facilities. It was a concern that I would be sharing with Korean people, who were learning English. I realize now, I am lucky to meet people from such a diverse range of cultures. I said I wanted to move in, the moment I left the apartment, I rang Trish and debated whether too, but I had made up my mind. It's exciting to move into a new place, a little daunting, but I was ready to leave the Asylum. From Kat leaving, I guess in a way she did me a favor- she pushed me to move forward and begin the next part of my experiences.
