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| Thursday, August 16, 2007 |
With only 3 more weeks left before I head to the Southern Hemisphere, I've been getting myself ready. I've got my things to do list in hand and have been slowly checking it off- visiting sites, eating at my favorite restaurants (or place I've wanted to try), buying stuff, and going out and partying. This week I also may just head down to the islands to go learn to scuba dive.
The closer it gets, the more excited I'm getting. I am going to do a grand tour of the continent country. I fly into Perth on Nov. 8th and head up the west coast to Darwin, then down the center to Melbourne and up the coast through Sydney for New Years and finishing in Cairns before I head to New Zealand. I figure, it will be years before I even have the chance to come back and who knows what can happen in that time- Australia is a long way from ANYTHING (except New Zealand)!!
I am a little gutted though because when I planned my trip before I left and then re-planned when I moved to Bangkok, the dollar got a lot better of an exchange rate. I have watched as about 800 dollars in money has just vanished- POOF!- as the exchange rate went down by 20 cents. That's a lot of cash to a backpacking fool like myself.
My budget shattered, I strive on. I'm going to do this right and so despite spending into my savings, I'm going to do what I wanted before the currency collapsed. A lot of people rent a car and drive around but I don't have a license nor in the mood to hitch with some fellow travelers going my way as I have friends to stay with and am in a rush to make it to Sydney for New Years! That means to get to all those national parks and marine reserves, I'm doing the anti-backpacker thing and signing up for tours. BOOM! There goes my budget but at least I'll see everything I want to because I ain't coming back this way for years and who knows where I'll be then! So screw it! Sign me up, heres my ATM card, bring on the fun that is Australia. Beer, babes, and beaches.
THIS IS OLD SITE!!! CLICK HERE TO GO TO MY NEW ONE!!!!
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posted by Nomadic Matt @ 7:09 AM  |
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| Friday, August 03, 2007 |
I'm at a crossroads- do I stay or do I leave? I dislike my job (teaching test prep sucks!), friends keep wanting me to join them in Australia, and I'm restless after being in one place for 5 months.
Yet at the same time, I'm not really ready to leave Bangkok. I have a nice gym membership here, I'll just be coming back here again in December for new year's, and, well, I haven't done anything here. The first 3 months I spent just with all my travel friends who kept passing through, and the other months were spent working 60 hr weeks. (Today is my first day off since May 7th. Almost 3 months of straight working!!)
So if I leave now, I have no real fun memories of Bangkok. But the thought of working, even at less hours, for another 4 months? BLAHH. For now, I've decided to cut loose a little bit- go out and meet more people (met some cool expats this week!) and overall, have more fun. But I have buyer's remorse when I do that- every dollar spent now is less I'll have for Europe. I just can't win in my mind.
For now though, I'm throughly confused but will stay here until at least mid-September when my visa requires a renewal. This is going to be a last minute decision and one where I wish could clone myself to do both. Sadly, I don't have that option yet. My friends Paul and Dane told me not to overthink it so I'll just go with the flow. I have no real attachments so I can move with the wind.
Other than my confused state, things are trucking along. Thanks everyone for all the comments on the LP website over the course July. I'm in desperate need of new music but I have no idea what is out. PLEASE give me some recommendations! I've been new music deprived for a year now and need something new before I angirly through my IPOD against a wall!
Oh and I am throughly addicted to Facebook! You can import your buddy list to see whose on it and I found people I haven't spoken to in years!!! It's great! Plus, I don't spammed like I do on MySpace. Who here as facebook? Add me! or tell me how to add you!
-Matt
THIS IS OLD SITE!!! CLICK HERE TO GO TO MY NEW ONE!!!!
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| posted by Nomadic Matt @ 6:48 AM |
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