Last week we made the decision to leave the tour guiding job, barely 7 weeks after arriving in Mackay. We were both completely fed up with the boss who lied to us about the pay rate, the amount of work we would have and the work roster (i.e. rather than there being a roster, we had to be at his beck and call at all times, thus preventing any form of a life or potential to supplement our income). Besides this, he is completely disorganised, self-centered (seems to believe that communication is about him talking only, non-stop) and unwilling to take on board other people's suggestions.
After various discussions we finally decided to tell him together after work on Saturday (11th July) however whilst I was doing a tour around the Sugar Mill he told Bel that we had to come to work on Thursday night, for an hour, as he'd booked a tour (without checking if we were available - we don't normally do evening tours). She told him that we had other plans, to which he replied "you'll have to cancel them then" (!!!) Unsurprisingly Bel took this opportunity to tell him that we were leaving the company and he did have more than a little huffy. I was so disappointed to have missed it as I so wanted to see his face when realisation struck that we weren't going to play along any more. We did offer him 2 weeks notice but he decided to be a spiteful little boy and end it on the spot, so we are now unemployed.
Well not entirely unemployed, just not getting paid for working! We have been volunteering at the Mackay Arts Festival helping out a community arts group called Crossroad Arts with an outdoor video installation, which has been fun and good to meet new interesting people who appreciate our technical abilities.
So what's next? We are going a few hours north to Airlie Beach for a few days to meet an old friend of Bel's and have a look at the work situation there, but the main plan is to head back down to Brisbane (or failing that, Sydney/Melbourne) and get ourselves proper jobs. For me there are far more opportunities in getting a CAD job in a city. Although I have lots of experience in the UK, I lack the Oz experience which is limiting me work-wise when we aren't in the big cities.
We are finding that a combination of lack of money and proliferation of shitty jobs has outweighed the freedom of travelling around the country at this stage so we feel we need to get some funds together before we keep going. Before we travel anywhere too remote we need to get Jym's engine rebuilt, but to save up the cost of this job does force us into work we don't particularly want to do and puts a strong hold on the fun elements.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Dallas!!?
As we are a touch tight on cash, we answered an advert found on a board at a local supermarket that required a live in caretaker in exchange for free accommodation. We are now the said caretakers but in reality this means that we are house sitting a million dollar house (yes you did read that right), on a hill directly above a beach (with direct beach access) with its own pool and an amazing view of the ocean and Barrier Reef islands.
The house is owned by a flamboyant Brisbane interior Architect who used to live here but now rents the rooms out (6 bedrooms) and we have to make sure they behave (no laughing please) and keep the place spic & span. For that we get the master bedroom (bringing the total to 7) with en-suite, private courtyard with outside shower and a view of the ocean from our bed.
So Jym (the van) has been dumped for a proper house even though I preferred Jym's homeliness to this rather austere 70's white walls, floors and black marble chic but it does have an amazing view (as mentioned before) and all the modern luxuries that we haven't have for a while.
The tour jobs are still swinging between the poles of fun and frustration so we will wait and see how long it all lasts before we pack up and head off elsewhere, but with some very special UK visitors coming to visit later this year, we are trying to save our pennies for adventures to come.
In other news, Bel has become infatuated with the smell of guava but was sadly disappointed when she finally stopped sniffing it and got around to eating it as the taste is bland in comparison.
The house is owned by a flamboyant Brisbane interior Architect who used to live here but now rents the rooms out (6 bedrooms) and we have to make sure they behave (no laughing please) and keep the place spic & span. For that we get the master bedroom (bringing the total to 7) with en-suite, private courtyard with outside shower and a view of the ocean from our bed.
So Jym (the van) has been dumped for a proper house even though I preferred Jym's homeliness to this rather austere 70's white walls, floors and black marble chic but it does have an amazing view (as mentioned before) and all the modern luxuries that we haven't have for a while.
The tour jobs are still swinging between the poles of fun and frustration so we will wait and see how long it all lasts before we pack up and head off elsewhere, but with some very special UK visitors coming to visit later this year, we are trying to save our pennies for adventures to come.
In other news, Bel has become infatuated with the smell of guava but was sadly disappointed when she finally stopped sniffing it and got around to eating it as the taste is bland in comparison.
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