Melbourne pics.

The Swanhill Pioneer Settlement pics

Ma wee Lynda!

Hello again!
I just wanted to put this on here as it has had a big impact on my travels. One of my bestest friends in the world is really sick at the moment, she has cancer and it is terminal. I just want to say that I respect Lynda with all of my heart and soul for the fight with her illness'es' she has had over the last few years. She is one of the most courageous, beautiful, wonderful, motivating, encouraging, supportive, confidence building individuals I have ever met. To me she is an angel, my friend and also a 'witch' - thats always been the case and won't change sick or not!

I hope you don't mind me putting this on here Lynda! I think of you a lot and your family and I wish I could do something. I just thank you for everything that you are and all you do for me.

If Lynda was writing this I know she would say 'stop moaning and get on with it'. I always tried to get on with it and she helped me to be where I am today...that and a plate of chocolate biscuits helped me a LOT!

Sylv x

Sydney to Melbourne!

Well here I am again and it has been a bit of a strange time of late. Since coming from Sydney where I did not feel so great I travelled to a place called 'Euchuca' in Victoria which looked like it might have something to see on the way to my next volunteer placement in 'Swanhill' Victoria. And so off I went and it was 'ok', had the 'history' of Australia and the area 'the Murray River' which continues to sustain the growing population around its banks. I think I enjoyed most a trip on the local 'Steam boat' and also playing in an old 'penny arcade' - well we all have a vice don't wee and those pennies just kept disappearing! From there I went to 'Swanhill' and it was an 'interesting' experience - no offence to locals but it felt like I had just walked in to the 'Twilight Zone' in more ways than one! I think I would describe it as a 'one horse town' - it has that sort of impression. Anyways I requested some youth work in Melbourne originally and I was told this was the best the organisation I signed on with could give me and so I took it. (Note - I now wish I organised more of my placements myself whenever I got to places, I think I was just a bit nervous before I came about making sure I was organized but now...well now I think - just go and just do it!) And so here I am in Swanhill at the 'Pioneer Settlement Project' - a 'living' museum - a couple of the locals and workers showed me around - David and Jason - and so they showed me the 'main street' of the town. I then went to the museum and was given my 'lodge' - an 8 bed lodge all to myself - I thought this was a good thing. And so I then went back to the Settlement and looked around the place and did enjoy looking at the exhibits. It is pretty much a couple of acres of land made up in to a small town of 100 odd years ago with shops - bank, sweet shop, blacksmith, ironmongers, local cottages, etc and a vintage car driving around as well as a horse and cart. There is a small team who run the settlement which is funded by the local government (and so you can imagine what sort of problems go on!) ahem anyway...local volunteers work on the street showing people around, getting dressed up in period costume (yes I did!) and serving them in some of the local shops.

If I had to describe my 3 very long weeks in Swanhill I would describe it as a very lonely time and also a very scary time for me with a few good times thrown in to keep me going! My first few days I was asked to do some 'data input' - well that was lovely and just brought back a whole load of unwanted memories! And then I was asked to survey people on what they thought of the Settlement. That was a bit better. However after I put the 'survey' together it pretty much sat at a desk for ages as one of the team wanted to use me all the time to cover one of the shops on the street - this is where I spent most of my time. And it was good when I got chatting and meeting visitors and talking to volunteers. But it is a very quiet time of the year as it is too darn HOT! I never thought I would say that about Christmas time but in this part of the world and especially this part of the country we were getting up to 43 degrees!!!! That is just unnatural! The positives of this experience = the volunteers, some of the staff who actually took time to get to know me, some members of the church who invited me out to dinner - Suzy and Andrew were life savers in keeping me sane taking me out swimming in a friends mansion and taking me out to dinner, etc. The Branch Pres Kerry and his wife Natasha invited me out to dinner and I spent most of the night with their 4 kids on their trampoline. It was brill. I also enjoyed the local outdoor swimming pool which had some cool high diving boards. Oh yes and I can't forget my first week there meeting a lovely family - the Robinsons with their daughter Laura a very sweet teenager and their son 'Joey' one of the most special little boys. Joey has a disability and at about 4 years old he has less disability than anyone I know in giving love and attention to people - he has been one of my favourite people on my travels, we had fun together when he stayed at the lodges that first week of my placement. The negatives - I felt like I didn't get much out of my placement at all, I felt I was just a body and not really a part of the team. The lodges which have space for 120 people are empty at this time of year except for that first week and I was scared stiff at night! It was so quiet except for the squeaky floorboards (I was convinced serial killers were surrounding the building every night!)AND - just as I was leaving one of the other volunteers told me he stayed there a couple of nights on his own (remember I am 2 weeks on my own) and he says he was sure it was haunted in there! And then...Albert tells me that someone saw an Aboriginal woman walking around my lodge building and asked if I had someone staying with me???? These people really didn't care my life was at risk I tell ya!!! Forget haunted house, go stay in Swanhill Pioneer Settlement on yer own! Apart from that there was not much to do and no one really to do anything with and so I spent a lot of time watching tv and going for walks. But the flys, I hate them! Its not like there are millions of them but they just keep flying in your face and landing on your eyes and your mouth and up your nose and they just don't go away! I hate them!

And so not a good time. And now I am in Melbourne and as soon as I came to the city I thought - I like it here! There was just something about the feel of the place. Since those first feelings it has just got better, as I have walked around the city I really feel it reminds me of GLASGOW! Yes I kid you not. I thought maybe it is just me, but no, now I have spoken to others and a few people have thought the same. And so I am not as crazy as I thought. Anyway, it has a real comfortable relaxed modern cosmospolitan original young feel about it. The architecture is artistic and the shopping streets remind me of ours. And they have 4 seasons in 1 day! Now come on! But, they have generally better weather and so I really do believe the title they have been given as the 'most liveable city' because, it is like my city!

And so in Melbourne I have been at the 'Metro' Youth hostel on Howard street, pretty cheap but I believe there is cheaper. Have made a few friends here and also on my excursions around the place. I especially enjoyed my trip down the 'Great Ocean Road' the other day although being out for 12 hours driving down a road to see the scenery is a bit much but its worth it - especially the 12 Apostles, the beautiful rocks in the sea which are just breath taking. I will post pics soon. I have also enjoyed walking round the old 'Melbourne Gael' which held and hanged 'Ned Kelly'. It has a very weird feel to it there but very interesting. And today...well I had to do it!....

NEIGHBOURS EVERYBODY NEEDS GOOD NEIGHBOURS...yes I went on the tour! I sang the songs I watched the old episodes they played and I got my photo taken outside of 'Erinsburgh' high which incidentally is an anagram of 'neighbours'. Got a pic taken with 'Ramsay St' sign and guess what else??? There was a scene taking place when we got to the street! And I have some pics of a wedding which it was believed to be the wedding of Janelle's mum. So if anyone's a fan you got that coming! Even before Australia has it on tv - think they film 4 months in advance - we saw it! Got a pic of Lyn waving to us. Oh I am sooooo cheezy. Love it!

And so my next plans are to go on a trip to Wilsons Promontory and Phillip Island where I am going to be wandering in the 'bush' on some beaches, watching some penguins, koala's, wombats, kangaroo's and emu's and chillin out. Look forward to it. After that I am heading for Perth and the Monkey Mia centre for my next placement working with the dolphins - ie I will probably be cleaning up and talking to people! And from there I will be travelling maybe to Queensland which I would love but struggling with cash or stay around Perth and take a sky dive - well it is my birthday on 9th of March so send the ecards! And ofcourse Happy Birthday to my Bro, Mum and Niece coming up in the next couple of months too.

Well thats it for now. Catch up with you all soon.

Sylv