And then there was 7

I decide it's time I get a job. A lot of the jobs in Melbourne involve either selling something or working in cafés. I quickly land two sales job interviews. One is for an energy company and the other for a company that delivers groceries to your door. I end up accepting the job selling groceries, as it's a concept I like. The groceries are fresh as they come direct from local farms thus it supports the farmers and the Australian economy. On Friday I along with 10 new recruits attend our training/orientation session where we learn about the different products we would be selling, as well as how to sell door to door. It seems easy enough but we are a bit skeptical on how much money we will make. For the first two weeks we earn a base wage of $300/week, thereafter pay is commission based. In order to make $100 a day we need to sell to at least 4 customers. All but one of us decides to give it a go, for the first two weeks anyways. Monday I show up for my first day at 10:30am and notice that out of the original 11 that started with me, there are now only 8. We are split into 3 teams and introduced to our team leaders, both of mine are 23 one from the UK and the other is a fellow Canadian. We pile into a van that smells like feet and head off to our turf. I walk around with my Canadian boss for a few houses to get the hang of things and then head out on my own. Everyone is friendly and I make small talk with most of them, I even get invited into houses. No one is buying and I can't convince them that they need to sign up with me at their door. Once they ask if they can check out the service online, or tell me that they are really busy I end up apologizing, and let them know that yes they can check us out online. I manage to get 1 sale by days end, if I was working on commission I'd earn 15$ for what ended up being a 12 hour day. On the way home one of the team leader asks if we object to him drinking while he's driving, we're all shocked, he goes on saying not to worry it only happens Thursday and Friday once we leave turf. Oh thank god, cause I hear it's much safer to drink and drive on Thursdays and Fridays versus other days of the week. Once I'm home I crash and 8 hours later I begrudgingly get up for day 2. We start the day off having a BBQ with the entire office and then head to turf. After a few hours on my turf I start receiving texts from one of the leaders, at first they are motivating talking about how we are a family and together we will reach our goals. He then asks for our scores, clearly he did not get the answer he was hoping for as his subsequent texts take on a different tone. In his attempt to motivate he tries to instil fear, saying if we don't reach our respective targets there will be punishments. Rewards such as bbq's are off the table and he may also have to start asking people to leave the family. He then sends me text after text asking what my sales are, I choose to ignore him and his tirade. On the way home after getting scolded for not meeting target, one of the team leaders says never again will he pop E at 3am and come down from it while at work. I laugh out loud and shake my head, I feel like I'm in some sort of weird twilight zone. On Wednesday I wake up to gorgeous weather, the high is supposed to reach +34. It has been awhile since Melbourne has had a hot sunny day. I stroll into the office and sit down for our team meeting. I look around the room and everyone is staring attentively at our leaders as they go over how to fill out the order form properly, and then start in on how we need to be selling more. I'm not sure if it's because of the weather or the realization that I can't possibly spend one more day taking orders from these guys, either way I'm done. So I get up say I'm not doing this anymore and walk out. It felt fucking liberating. I received emails from the management team asking why I quit I couldn't decide whether to tell them if it was that I loathed the job itself, or I could no longer tolerate irresponsible, harassing 23 year olds as my bosses. I decide on both.

Jazz + Amazing City + New Friend = 2 thumbs up for Sydney

Nearly a month after being in Australia I'm back in Sydney and excited to see what one of the worlds most beautiful cities has in store for me. Along with being one of the most beautiful cities, it's also one of the most expensive cities in the world. Perhaps this is why in some restaurants you are allowed to bring your own booze. Another interesting or at least I found it to be, was that Sydney has a curfew, no planes are allowed to land between the hours of 11pm and 5am. I along with the crowds make my way to the Circular Quay, the hub of the Sydney Harbour. The many jazz street entertainers add to the ambiance as we get our first close up of the iconic Sydney Opera House. Later I head to the Rocks, which is Sydney's oldest neighbourhood and then cross the Harbour Bridge to witness the spectacular skyline at night. On my last day I brave the rainy, cold weather and head to the world famous Bondi Beach. Its not near as crowded as Sydney's CBD so I enjoy my personal space and watch the surfers as they patiently wait for the perfect swell. I'm loving the hostel I'm staying at, and for $45/night, I should. It's got loads of amenities such as a cinema, huge common areas, and a giant kitchen. I've also managed to score chill roommates, one in particular is just fucking awesome. That's the thing about traveling, especially solo you meet these wonderfully amazing people, who enrich your experiences and inevitably end up teaching us about ourselves. Some you exchange names and info with in the hope of keeping in touch, and others you never do get their names. I've had some thought provoking, soul stirring conversations with strangers while on a bus, hiking, standing in line, at the beach. It's all about the people you meet along the way that shape you and your experience.

Gold Coast Love

I arrive in Surfers Paradise and walk to the hostel with 2, surprise-surprise German girls. I'd bet that 4 out of 10 travellers between the ages of 18-35 are from Germany. My muscles are adapting to my 21kg monster, as it no longer bothers me as much. Although if I stood straight and slightly leaned to the back I'd no doubt have a first hand encounter of what it's like to be a turtle. The hostel blasts reggae all day, and has some of the best showers on the east coast, it's the small things that make my happy. I make my way to the beach but enroute get caught in a storm. I wait for the storm to pass by window shopping. This is a sad time for backpackers, not enough money or room to buy anything. Once the storm passes and I step on that beach my frown is turned upside down. With sky rises behind me and the Gold Coast at my feet I have another "pinch me moment." I take one of my favourite pictures to date, and walk up and down the coast watching novice surfers get tossed around in the ocean. I contemplate joining them but decide I'll go when Mother Nature isn't being so ruthless. I head on to Byron Bay excited to enjoy it's laid back, new age, organic vibe. I hike to the summit of Cape Byron and check out the stunning views, a lighthouse from 1901, as well as Australia's most easterly point. Anxious to try Stand Up Paddleboarding I sign up for a lesson. We head out to a nearby river and after a brief lesson on how to paddle we get on the boards. While I don't fall I come very close, my legs are vibrating like a rabbits foot. A few deep breaths and I find my centre, I can not convey just how much I enjoyed SUPing. While gliding along the river we spot mantas, a pelican, and a snake in the tree. My show off guide demonstrates how easy it is to do a handstand while on the board, I secretly hopes he falls but he does not. He encourages me to try, I educate him on the fact I can't even do one on land let alone on water but I will rock out mountain pose. The way back we don't exactly glide, the current and wind are against us, making it seem like I'll never make it back. I contemplate rocking out corpse pose and let the wind take me where it may, but I suck it up and literally power through the conditions, promising myself Mexican food if I finish. BTW Australia has some of the best Mexican food you can find when not in Mexico. While it's raining I explore the many shops in Byron searching for a souvenir for my brother and browsing the many Happy Herb shops offering natural remedies. I dig this town and if I can I may head back up here.

Friends, Wine, and City Skylines

Hervey Bay is the number one spot in the world to catch a glimpse of the humpback whale, that is of course if you're there during whale watching season. Lucky for me Hervey Bay has an amazing 22k bike path that borders the coast, and my hostel has free bikes to use. On my tour of Hervey Bay I decide to check out the Vic Heslop Shark museum not really knowing what to expect. Vic is a shark hunter his opinion is that the ocean is over populated with great white sharks. Through his studies he believes that these sharks feed on turtles and whales, and are in part to blame for them becoming endangered. So by him hunting he is creating more of a balance in the ocean. His museum was created to educate the public on his efforts, there is letters from various organizations thanking and supporting him, pictures of sharks he has killed, and various home movies. Perhaps the greatest draw was to see an actual great white shark that has been preserved in a freezer. His hope is that people leave the museum better informed on both sides of the issue. I think thats important to know both sides of something before you make your opinion, at least that way it's an educated one. Too often people only focus on the side they favor. Short bus ride later I arrive in Brisbane and am excited to check into my hostel as online it was described as a sanctuary. Apparently their idea of a sanctuary resembles a prison cell, except in cells I think they get a window. All is not lost however as my roommates more than make up for this dungeon. Two of the three are fresh out of high school German girls, one is suffering from a bout of homesickness so I do my best to console her, and the other makes me envious with her "short 9k runs" it's 35 degrees who runs 9k? The 3rd one becomes the closest friend I've made in Australia so far, she's from South Korea and we click immediately. She shares with me her story of beating cancer and how she is pursuing her dream of working with children by being enrolled in university in Brisbane and starting in January. The next couple of nights in between glasses of wine she shows me around Brisbane via the ferry. City skylines at night have to be one of my favorite things, and Brisbane's is so beautiful. I am not the only that is enchanted by it, many others are as well as I have never seen so many people making out in public

Crossing off items on the bucket list

Sylvia a girl I met in Magnetic Island and I decide on a 2 night 3 day tour which encompasses sailing the Whitsunday's, spending 2 nights at Long Beach which is an island in the Whitsunday's and on the final day snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef. Like everything in Australia this excursion is a bit expensive, but can you put a price on crossing items off your bucket list? Actually you can, it's about $400. After an hour of sailing we arrive at Whitehaven Beach which is known for its white sands that never retain heat, and is the most Eco friendly beach in Australia. According to the guide it is also one of the top 10 beaches in the world, in my humble opinion it is #1. The water is not only inviting at a balmy temperature of 25 degrees but it has this perfect color combination of blue and green. During lunch I sit with a group of people and who's sitting beside me but a guy from EDMONTON. We're both tripped out about how small of a world it is and immediately start chatting away like old friends. We then find out that the lady across from us is a Doctor from Sydney but originally from Brazil, so we start chatting her up as Brazil is on both our travel lists. After lunch I begin to realize I'm burnt, specifically my back. Once at Long Island I take a look and see the damage -it's bad. The pain lasts for days, and carrying my monster backpack isn't helpful either. As I write this a week later I see the light at the end of the tunnel I'm still peeling but the pain is almost gone. The next day is spent on Long Island where I hike and heal. It's unreal how expensive it is here, a water and an ice tea after my grueling hike set me back $10, believe me I savored every drop. On the last day of my tour we set off to the Great Barrier Reef, which is the worlds largest coral reef system, and one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. Sylvia has decided to head back as she's not feeling well so for this I'm solo and am feeling a bit sad, I wish I had my brothers, sisters, and my niece to share this with as I know they would love it. After a rough ride in which many people got sick, we arrive at ReefWorld which is on Hardy Reef. There is a submersible where you can cruise above the coral, an underwater observatory, and of course scuba and snorkeling gear. The reef is spectacular I am able to spot nemo along with many other colorful fish. I learn a lot about the Eco system and the diversity of species that call the GBR home, many of which are vulnerable and endangered. I'm not here to preach to anyone and I'm aware of the fact that my jet setting ways have a significant impact on the environment. Global warming is considered to be the greatest threat to the Great Barrier Reef. If everyone of us does not start changing our ways and becoming more environmentally conscious and aware of our impact the 6 out of 7 species of turtles, 30 species of whales, dolphins, porpoises, more than 1500 species of fish, the coral, and many other species that call the Great Barrier Reef home will become endangered or worse extinct. This is something I have become very passionate about, and hope that maybe my ramble will inspire you to become more environmentally friendly so that you, your children, your grandchildren, and countless others can experience the natural beauty that this world has to offer. Anyways... after a long day at sea I'm welcomed home by perhaps the nicest hostel owner yet. This hostel is cute every unit which is similar to a storage container with windows has 2 bedrooms each with 3 beds, a bathroom, and a kitchen. The next day I FaceTime with my brothers and 2 dear friends and then head off for my 13hr bus ride to Hervey Bay

Dreaming of cold water...

After arriving in Townsville I'm told that my hostel is 10 minutes away if your driving, and 30 if your walking "but don't walk it's to hot" the airport shuttle guy tells me. In true Michelle fashion I do the opposite and walk, all in an effort to save money. It's a nice walk and by nice I mean pure torture, I'm acutely aware of the fact that yet again I have packed far to much. Townsville is the largest city in Queensland so I figured there would be a lot to do... turns out I was wrong. I spend my time walking around Townsville, going to the botanical gardens, swimming in the rooftop pool, and enjoying A/C in my very OWN room. The place I'm staying in is set up like a motel but with communal showers and a huge communal kitchen. It's a nice little "community" and many people have been there for long periods of time. After Townsville I take a ferry to "Maggie Island" staying in a 3 bedroom bungalow out in the wilderness. Here and like most places there is a communal kitchen and communal shower/bathroom as we'll as a nice lounging area and of course a pool (every place I've been to has a pool). For the most part I quite enjoy living a more simplistic life having only what I need, I would prefer having someone else carry around my things, but in any case it's liberating. Wondering what's near the top of my list of things I miss? Cold water from a tap. I don't get it Australia why must the water always be warm? I set out to do The Fort's Walk which is "the hike to do" while in Maggie. It's a 4k round trip with the first half mostly ascending. The hike had incredible views of the island, a few WWII artifacts and Koala's UP CLOSE, but sleeping of course. On the way down I met up with an older, Mother Nature loving, Swedish woman who also happened to be staying in my room and a guy around my age from England. The Swedish woman entertained me with her travel and life stories and the English guy and I instantly bonded over being at similar junctures in our lives. At night is when the animals in the wilderness come alive, the birds are squawking, bats are flying (which sounds so creepy) and there's animals running in and out of the bushes. A possum tries to get in our cabin, I think he's cute until I'm told there like rats -and the good feeling is gone. Next on the agenda is Airlie Beach and sailing the Whitsundays.

The beginning of the "hop-on-hop-off pass"

I leave Sydney in a rush and head to Melbourne, known as the cultural hub of Australia. I've lucked out here I'm staying in this hostel called The Nunnery which if you haven't guessed it used to be a Nunnery, so it's full of character and is unlike any hostel I've ever stayed in, and I also got a kick-ass roommate for the time that I'm there. The next day I leave on a one day Great Ocean Road Trip with a fellow Canadian and as we're on the bus I notice that I am the only one not wearing a jacket, big mistake -HUGE-. Thankfully one of the guides offers up his jacket! I hesitantly take it but am immediately grateful once it's on. I was not privy to the well known fact that Spring time in Melbs means you can and you will experience all 4 seasons in 1 day. Along the way we see the famous but fickle Bells Beach home to the Rip Curl Pro and is known as the spiritual home of Australian Surfing. Not to much farther we stop in Apollo Bay and I'm delighted to see my first Koala. There are a couple of others scattered around the trees, all are asleep like most Koalas. I'm hopeful but not overly optimistic that I will see a koala moving around, I suppose that's what happens when your diet has limited nutritional and caloric content. We arrive at the Twelve Apostles and are informed there's actually not 12, nor has there ever been, there is now only 7 rock "stacks" as 1 collapsed in 2005. Someone in the '60s came up with this name as a way to attract tourists to the "stacks" which are carved by the ocean. It's unbelievable to me that I'm actually here seeing this with my very own eyes, I take a few photos and spend the rest of my time just enjoying being here. I spend the rest of my time in Mel exploring the graffiti covered lane-ways, the CBD, and "funky" Fitzroy. I beginning tossing around the idea of working on a farm, I do some research and make some calls and am told on the phone that there is work on a banana farm in Tully, QLD and book a flight to Cairns. I spend one night in Cairns and head to Tully. Tully is a one street town with not a lot going on besides the banana plantations and cane sugar factories. I find my hostel and register it's here that I'm informed "sorry doll things slowed up quick, the wait list for work is three weeks, and you're behind 4 other girls." I'm not sure how I could have misunderstood her but I go with it and get on the list. I'm shown to my room, nothing could have prepared me for this... it's a room about the same size as the room bedroom I had in Canada, 4 bunk beds, and 7 very messy but very sweet girls. I take a deep breath and wonder how the heck am I going to live like this for a few weeks. I'm a neat freak, I have OCD when it comes to organization, and I'm set in my ways. I act on impulse but a few hours later I decide to get on the next bus outta there. Later on the girls share stories about working in the banana plantation, in their words "it's like a concentration camp" your at 1 station and do the same thing (putting lids on boxes, cutting bananas into bunches, wrapping them in plastic, etc) for 8 hours a day 5 days a week. The reason these girls and everyone else is doing it is the pay ($750/week) and the Australian government will grant you a 2nd year visa in exchange for 88 days of farm work. My job at home sounds blissfully amazing and I'm immediately thankful I don't need to do farm work, I'm not sure I'd last a day. In life Plan A or B doesn't always work out, good thing there's 26 letters in the alphabet as plan C is to use my hop on hop off greyhound bus pass and travel down the east coast, next stop Townsville.