Veet Round the World: ลาก่อน สกลนคร, Hello Aussie Aussie, Oy Oy Oy

Perth Skyline

St. Andrew's Cross Spider (I think?)

Camping with the farangs at Phu Pan Mountain

Oy! I'm in Australia now! In fact, I've been here nearly a week - the weather is absolutely spectacular, the roads are paved, and a looming knowledge that I'm in a "western" country again. Yea, I can't get much farther east than Australia, but really, this almost feels like being back in New Jersey. Just no familiar faces and no guidos.

It's easy to start thinking too much when you have to go to work everyday and do absolutely nothing. Really - We spent a few hours in the office everyday and went home by lunch time. Since classes were finished, few students were at school, even most of the Thai teachers showed up just to sign in and go home.
Well, I started thinking that maybe I was leaving Thailand too soon. I missed a lot of places - particularly Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hua Hin. But, in the end, I realized I'd had a great time, learnt a new language, met wonderful people - all that nostalgia. Basically, I just knew I was going to miss Thailand as soon as I left.

Yui - at her restaurant around the corner.

After one last wild night in Bangkok, where I met a new role model, Jenni Jane Hellstern, a travel writer, I got my "never drinking again" self onto a crappy, poorly air-conditioned minibus headed for the airport. Luckily, the airport was cold enough that I could relax. Next, I boarded my first flight of two, both to be operated by Air Asia - a budget 'no frills' airline. I immediately regretted not upgrading to a seat with some extra room for my gigantic legs. Even more luckily than before, I had a leftover pain killer from having my teeth pulled out - that knocked me right out!

Air Asia - Low Prices = Crunched Knees

I woke up just as we were about to land in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Wow - the view of the city, with the famous Petronas Towers, AND a violent thunderstorm not so far in the distance - simply stunning. After a short delay in KUL, we boarded for Perth.

Sawadee Krap! Australia!

Go Glory!

First thing I noticed about Australia occurred as I was going through customs check: A young Australian guy was talking to a Thai guy about - I have NO idea what! The dialect here is wild! The old people I can understand, but the younger ones are a mystery to me. After some serious thought, I deciphered what he was saying: Eyeteen Mawnths is Australian for eighteen months. Ah! He hasn't been in Australia for eighteen months! Couldn't tell by your accent, dude!

Perth is beautiful - I always said Chicago was the clean version of New York. Well, Perth is the smaller, modern version of New York. Fifteen years ago, there was almost nothing here, and still they are building new infrastructure such as rail lines, bike paths, bus routes . . . but whatever there already is, is and works well. The streets have funny names, the towns are even whackier, and the people noticeably larger than my Thai fellows. There are loads of immigrants here - everyone really, and they are mostly all friendly. I've eavesdropped on a number of Polish people, some Germans, plenty Irish, and the 'locals' are really so-called "POHMs," or "Prisoners of Her Majesty." Heh - catchy nickname, one they aren't too fond of though!

Golden Orb Spider

I'm still getting a foothold of this strange new place - so far I've stayed with family friends who have done whatever to keep me happy and well fed. As for work - I haven't had much luck landing a job, but there are opportunities everywhere. I could always stoop down and work as a picker on a farm, but I'm aiming now to make my way up the west coast to Broome, where I can work on a pearling boat for some decent bucks. Along the way, I'll probably pick up temporary jobs doing whatever. My method of transportation? No, I wish it was a kangaroo, too. I'll be hitching rides with others doing the same sort of thing I am.