#MelbourneTakeTwo

My trip began at Sydney airport, I checked in, found snacks and then flew the hour and a half to Melbourne city. On the plane I met a really nice guy on his way to do his masters at Melbs Uni and we chatted about plans and travels. At this point I was still planning on trying to find work and living in Melbourne. Spoiler alert, I left 10 days later.

My CV was ready, I had found a great hostel with some lovely girls but my gut wasn’t feeling it and not just because it knew I would be living off wraps and beans for the foreseeable future instead of the delicious Marley Spoon meals I had been having with Dad and Berry. The people I had spoken to had found Melbourne a real struggle for work and they were finding it impossible to save any money. With my Asia and Tasmania plans looming and being wiped out after New Zealand I felt like I would have to sacrifice my travels, so I booked my flight back to Sydney for the following Thursday.

At the hostel I met my roommates, Becca (from Wigan), Ashley from California, Jen from Belgium and Emma

from Canada (She did tell me specifically where but I’ve since forgotten!) Becca and I hit it off straight away on my first day and went together to do a walking tour of St Kilda. We met the group and a local Mexican student showed us around. I would love to tell you all of the fascinating facts that I learnt about St Kilda but I can’t remember any! I would have written them down at the time but I’ve heard that walking and typing kills around 4000 people a year and I don’t want to die another statistic. I do remember that the reason kangaroos are called Kangaroos is because they asked the Aborigines what they were and they said they didn’t know which allegedly sounded like a kangaroo. Anyway I just googled it and that fact turns out to be fake news so I guess I learnt nothing after all! Sigh! On the plus side, we ate cake and that can never be a bad thing!

We headed back to hostel for free hot dog night! 7pm was the starting time and we were there ready at 6:45pm! After redeeming my free drink, we went and awaited hot dogs. We sat close to the BBQ to ensure prime collection positions. 7pm came. A queue began to form, "Quick! We must queue!" we stood up to stand in the line when we noticed people had little pink tickets.
"Don't forget to get your ticket!" BBQ man shouted. We looked at each other feeling perplexed. Where was ticket man? No one could be seen. Maybe at the bar? Nope... we found her. Ipad in hand, surrounded by hungry savages. The plate of hot dogs now reduced to vegetarian only! VOM! I would like to say I handled the situation like a grown up, they were free anyway, cheap, nasty sausages! But instead, I bitched for at least half an hour and complained to reception as I glumly made my way out to go to Coles.

The following week was again hot dog day! "Right! We are not missing this!" I told Becca sternly. 6:45, back on the roof. But wait? Where is BBQ man? 7pm, no BBQ man! This will never do, I'm leaving to go to the cinema at 7:30!

Becca took a deep breath, "I think you're going to have to make dinner tonight." I knew she was right, I didn't want to give up hope but what choice did I have? My friends would be waiting for me, the cinema couldn't wait. Defeated, I heated up my pasta and spooned mouthfuls of tomato pasta and salty tears into my mouth and then I looked at my phone.
American Conner, "Hey, where you guys? We're just finishing our hot dogs then we'll be ready to leave."
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" I cried!

But it was too late. I knew I wouldn't have enough room for a hot dog and what would the point be? I've already used paid for ingredients. The free meal would be wasted. Plus someone brought in free pies from a bakery they work in and gave me one so I had kind of gotten over it anyway! Never the less, I was rife with disappointment.