Forays into Travel Blogging: Headed to Oz

So most of my loyal blog readers will already know this backstory, but here's the SparkNotes version just in case: Australia offers a Working Holiday Visa for folks under age 31 that allows holders to travel around and legally hold jobs anywhere in the country. I've known about the thing for years, but it always seemed like a pipe dream. A whole confluence of events over the past year or so got me to bite the bullet, a cousin mentioned how much he liked Western Australia when he was here years ago, and that's how I find myself sitting in a cafe in Perth!

Original travel plans called for a few days spent in Asia - Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur - but that was until I found out, upon arrival at LAX, that my visa wasn't going to work. I had planned to use a 72 hour visa that the Chinese government allows folks to use if they promise to remain in the province where they land for no more than three days. Easy peasy! Except I missed a fundamental requirement: the visa starts the moment you land in China. And I wasn't on a direct flight to Shanghai. SO thank goodness for the wonder that is Google Flights. I booked myself on new flights from Xiamen, China (where I landed first) to continue on to Perth via Hong Kong. That was a whole fiasco, too, because I wasn't sure if my bags were going to A. make it onto the plane in LAX and B. get off the plane in Xiamen and then my flight into Hong Kong was delayed (and I only had an hour and 15 min. layover to begin with), so I arrived at my gate very sweaty and frazzled BUT I made it. And then the travel gods smiled upon me and I had a whole row of 3 seats TO MYSELF for the 6 hour flights from Hong Kong to Perth. Praise be!

Landed in Perth last night around 10:45pm (so that's Tuesday night, 10/29) after 37 hours of travel. Can I just tell you, I don't think I've ever smelled so bad in my life. Used Hilton points to stay in a hotel right by the city center and crashed by 1am. My body is VERY confused about the time, so I was up by 8am to video chat Mom and Dad, confirm I'm alive, and get exploring!

I walked about 7 miles around the city, checking out cool parks and stadiums and just generally wandering about. As I was strolling along the Swan River in Langley Park I saw this dude wearing a Cape May, NJ tee shirt. Obviously I asked him if he's from there and he goes "nah, Philadelphia." Buddy boy is from RIDLEY. His name is Terry, he's retired military and attends a Bible College in Sydney. So Terry joined me on my stroll! He's studying to be an evangelical preacher, so eventually I begged off (he started telling me testimonials and I didn't have the heart to tell him that we Catholics are all pretty sure we're screwed but just trying to do our best, thank you very much), and headed back to the hotel to rest my poor feet a bit.

Since I'm currently funemployed, I'm being super cheap about expenditures. My fancy Hilton status means I get free breakfast, access to the Executive Lounge (which has snacks and beverages available all day), and a happy hour from 6-8 with drinks and canapes (aka dinner). So for the next three days, I've got food plans, baby! Friday I'll head down to Fremantle, the suburb where I'm hoping to live, and stay at an Airbnb down there. But until then, my Diamond status shall feed me! (**check back with me tomorrow when I'll be talking about all these amazing inexpensive Asian food places in this neighborhood that I walked past today and managed to not go into... but may not make it on another walk past)

From today's meanderings: