EEK!!! It's been so long

Sorry there to all my avid fans lol;)
So life in Jessalyn land has been mildly crazy but now it has mellowed into a lovely buzz of enjoyable laid back travel. So let's back the train up here for a while... In the middle of November I took over managing the hostel, they let me have as many hours as I wanted because we were short staffed, and I got my own little apartment for a while which was cool too. Not cool was how I started to feel like I was a little isolated from everyone, it started to seem some days that people only wanted to talk to me when they wanted something and that seemed to be frequently after I was officially done working, that I was being taken for granted by the guests and I even started to resent my friends sometimes, which was very un-charitable on my part. I don't think I will ever be able to work in hospitality again, maybe only out of sheer desperation. My boss replaced my backpack just before I started my travels again so that was awesome. I had an overworked and under-appreciated Christmas, but a kick ass new years partying with my friends in Beerwah!! On the 4th of January after one last party at Mooloolaba I headed up to the Noosa area which is the northern most point of the Sunshine coast and I had so much fun. My first 3 days there I spent canoeing through the Noosa everglades (tidal rivers) and camping at a base camp at night, I haven't even sat in a canoe since we lived in Chetwynd (about 10 years ago) ha ha ha it was awkward at first but it is amazing how that stuff comes back so fast, and we did not tip!!! Met some amazing people that I keep running into as I travel up the coast and I'm not even a little scared about traveling on my own any more... Every nice person I meet makes me feel a little better about myself, I never realized how much people socially intimidate me (I know I come off as an out going person but it's a sham and I fooled you all!!!)

After the canoeing trip I relocated to inside the town of Noosa, there is an awesome beach there and a beautiful national park, I went hiking for two days and a swim in there too, so beautiful. I saw a couple of koalas so much fun trying to see them in the wild all you can really see is their fuzzy bums and your neck does get sore after awhile, but there are also tonnes of kookaburras and gohannas around. I then got on my Oz experience bus and headed up to a place called Rainbow Beach, there's an awesome little legend about how a rainbow fell in love with a young maiden who got abducted by a warrior from an enemy tribe. The rainbow rescued her but was killed in the process and burst into a million pieces of colors that got spread out amongst the sands... It is really pretty there. I went on a guided walk and got to throw a boomerang, lol it almost came all the way back it was very exciting moment for me, even though I know it's cheesy. Rainbow beach is also where I went out to FRASER ISLAND!!!! So far the best part of my entire trip, that's right pounded fiji into the ground. The hostel took 10 strangers, gave us camping gear, food (we bought our own booze) and a land cruiser. Told us the dos and don'ts, gave us a map and sent us across on a ferry to the world largest sand dune island!!!! I have never had so much fun in my life!!! We had to 4x4 everywhere, but we never got stuck once, we cooked on a propane stove and set up our camp for each night on the beach, no showers, very isolated water facilities and absolutely beautiful scenery. We spent some time driving on the beach and some time inland; the island has amazing freshwater lakes (my favorite being Lake McKenzie-Gorgeous!!) but the tracks to get to them were nothing but 4x4ing shenanigans, I had so much fun driving. I was also lucky to get the most amazing group, we meshed so well and just had the best time at night getting drunk, partying, playing cards, and watching shooting stars and keeping a lookout for dingos. The dingos kinda reminded me of Gryffin, seriously look just like a dog but they are wicked scavengers and have become desensitized to people so they can be dangerous and although not as physically threatening as a Jasper bear, same concept. We spent 3 days and 2 nights on Fraser Island but I could have happily spent a week, but all good things must come to an end.

The next stop was Bundeburg, a small city that wasn't really that interesting lot's of backpackers go there to pick fruit for their visa's... Since my visa's sorted I went there to buy a battery charger for my Camera, left my cable in Caloundra and they supposedly can't find it but meh this worked too. Then up to the town of 1770 and Agnes waters, it's a 2 in 1 kinda town, and the second landing of Captain Cook which was in the year-> 1770 that's right (a little bit of an educational experience with this blog ha ha ha). I rode on this Scooter-Roo tour which is basically a scooter disguised as a chopper bike (mine was more of the Harley style)and you drive around the town and look for wildlife and then watch the sun set, it was wicked. Next morning I went for another surf lesson, it was cheap and like I've said previously I'm rubbish. However the class size was huge so I didn't get that much out of it but for the price I paid it was totally good value.I then did something that I don't usually I put on some more sunscreen and had a nap on the beach... and burnt the bottom of my ass all the way down to my ankles (although I am puzzled since my nap was only maybe an hour and I put on tonnes of sun screen). So much pain!! I waddled around like a constipated penguin for about 3 days and used 3/4 a giant bottle of aloe vera gel and I had to wear my only dress dress because it hurt to put pants on lol. Although I'm getting better with the dress scene, I do still prefer running around in my shorts and a tank top.

After 1770 the Oz bus took me up to a Cattle station near Rockhampton called Kroombit. It was pretty cool although I've been exposed to most of the activities before so it was probably more exciting for some of the other bus kids, Goat mustering from horse back or going for a quad ride were some of the activities (you had to pay extra for them) I participated in the free ones; lasso throwing, and goat wrestling, and cracking a whip. We also got to ride a mechanical bull and after managing to climb up on this thing (let me tell you my pride was suffering) I lasted 1 second on there ha ha ha oh the shame I need to get into some semblance of shape...
then yesterday we tackled the bus trip from Kroombit up to Airlie beach where I get to go out on a racing yacht today!!!!!! Super stoked I even get to go Scuba diving (for free I win!!!) We sail around and through the Whitsunday islands and there is supposed to be amazing snorkeling, and the crew teaches you some sailing stuff. We'll see if it can beat out Fraser Island for the Best time had title

On that note though it's time to go;
love you tonnes and miss you all more
XOXOXOXO

~J

And so another month goes by....

So the frequency of my blogging is mildly depressing... I will willingly endure any verbal abuse from those of you who have been reading it once I get back to Canada (at this point it's disgraceful enough that mild physical abuse may also be justified). Right now I'm still loving the zoo, they are letting me feed some of the more difficult patients and I've experienced my first koala scratch!!! I know that's a little masochistic to be excited about that; but every good animal nurse has war wounds, it just shows how involved you are with your patients;)I'm still enjoying Caloundra, it's such a sleepy little place, I'm going to stay here for Christmas and New Years and then travel up north, where all my exciting plans lay. Sailing and Diving and Four by Fouring and Whitewater Rafting, So much hiking and swimming and snorkeling and Kayaking, even a mountain biking tour (I've been assured that it's not intensive and I'll be on pavement). I'm going to be exhausted when I get back home, but hopefully I'll have some exciting stories and amazing pictures to show for it. Right now my hostel manager is stuck in Bali (any sympathy... nope not from this girl), his wife is getting her residency papers signed and for some reason he's not allowed to be in the country for that (?) and for some reason they questioned him when he applied for a tourist visa to get back into the country, so I'm working a lot more at the hostel. Totally a good thing because I blew out the rear gasket on my car and had to pay to get it repaired... thank god my mechanic guy is AWESOME!!! He only charged me $250 to do it, and consequentially it also solved the oil leak problem that I had purchased the car with, so now I'm pretty sure I'll be able to hopefully get a little more for it than I paid (huzzah!!!).... Karma does exist.
I've been trying to surf more often lately and I'm ashamed to admit that I'm no good, the hostel boards are about 6'9"-7'2 and the ones that Rainey and I were on in Surf Camp were about 8-9' and foam so a lot more stable, and let me tell you I was rubbish on those (although my introduction to cheap boxed wine the night before may have had some consequences with my coordination). But I will prevail!!! I'm just more patient with myself than some of the guys, they seem to get disappointed that I'm not able to stand up even when I tell them that being 30kgs overweight doesn't exactly predispose you to being an instant surf guru... actually I believe my exact words were I'm a chubby kid from a land locked province, get over it cause I am. Lol, I just don't have the core muscles that someone who has been surfing/skateboarding/snowboarding/etc throughout their young adulthood has. But that will come with time, I am very proud of all my surfing bruises and sand rash, and I have yet to take a board to the head (touch wood), so I figure so far so good...Baby steps, baby steps.

Right now I'm also working on my second year visa, I will still be home for next summer but this means I can come back at some point (before I'm thirty)for another year. There's a lady at the zoo who's husband musters cattle and that is definitely on the acceptable work list for regional labor and it means that I do not have to pick fruit!!! Yay I win!!! So life is peachy keen, I'm in poverty but ridiculously happy about the situation, I can afford what I need and I can save a little too. I can honestly say that I would be absolutely screwed if not for the awesome fruit and vegetable store about 3 blocks away, without it I would have to live off of instant noodles and as it is I supplement way to frequently with baked beans (cheap protein... I've also discovered that I really like tofu, so much for Jess the Carnivore lol!!!) I remember when I was in grade 1 or 2 I used to beg Mom to let me take those Itchiban noodles to school and I would eat them raw... now I shudder when I see people eating them for dinner, seems you were right all along Mom;) So I have been able to eat a lot of fresh fruit and veggies because of this awesome store and I'm really gonna miss it when I travel on, but I'm still determined to keep a diet plan that somewhat mimics weight watchers. Fat kid Jess is going to slowly fade away hopefully never to return again! On that note I will sign off, hopefully to blog again shortly!!! Lots of love to all of you XOXOXOXO

~J

What can I say to negate the fact that I haven't blogged in 8 weeks?

Ummm.... I've been working every day? Would that one work? it's pretty flimsy but that's what I'm going with. SO I'm pretty much established here in Caloundra, somedays I feel like I'm just a babysitter but it's worth it for my zoo days. I love that place, I've come to the conclusion though that my half formed dreams of getting a paid position and immigrating are not going to happen but Canada's a good place to be and I haven't seen all of that yet either. So life's pretty repetative right now, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the zoo every other day at the hostel. I met a guy from France when Rainey and I were in Nimbin last May, we had been keeping in touch (facebooking each other), so when the kangaroo processing plant that he was working in shut down he headed up to Caloundra and spent the last 6 weeks here. He flew back to France last Saturday so we'll see how the facebook thing goes and who knows I may need to stop in Paris on the way home. I've got a bunch of new pictures up on facebook so you guys should all take a look, I went camping in the hills West of Caloundra (really we just drove until the car couldn't drive down the road any further) while my car was getting serviced in a town near by, the guy I bought it from works at a garage in a town about 20 minutes from Caloundra so I dropped it off in the afternoon and we picked it up the following evening. Anyway Beautiful scenery and sunset eegad. I also went on a sunset cruise about a week and a half ago around Caloundra, the company was offering a free ride to backpackers and it was totally beautiful.

On a sadder note I got Bed Bugs... yes again now the treatment for bed bugs is to wash what articles you can in VERY hot water, and for the clothes you can't wash you freeze for a week. For things like shampoo bottles and books and backpacks, you place them in garbage bags and leave them to bake in the sun for 3-5 days with the garbage bags well sealed. It was the evening of day 4 that someone stole my beautiful orange (the one I spent like 3 retarded months trying to get my hands on) BACKPACK. The rat bastards opened the bag took my backpack (which was empty no worries I have all my stuff just missing my beautiful $400 backpack)and made off with it... I would like to mention that the idiots left behind the hip belt that was strapped around the backpack, so it's not going to be a very comfortable backpack with out the hip belt. I put up signs and everything but no go. I let the owner of the hostel know that I would appreciate if he could find me a second hand one somewhere as I kinda need a backpack to keep traveling on, and my financials are ridiculously tight. Also I have a $500 deductable so it's not worth claiming it through insurance either. Can't really be bothered to let it ruin my mood though.

I've been thinking alot lately about what I want to do when I grow up, and I can't say as I've accumulated many answers. I definatley want to see as much of the world as possible, and I'm really enjoying the volunteer work I'm doing at the zoo maybe I can travel and work with endangered species, that might be very full-filling. On that last pensive note I'm going to do some french lessons on line (if I'm going to go to Paris I need to understand the language a little better). Love you all and tonnes of hugs

~J

At long last.......... New Update!!

Well everyone... I've once again been delinquent in my blogging capacity, and since I've been chastised by friends and family alike, I'm finally rectifying this situation. Dun dun nu-naaaaa.... presenting the new Blog!!!!!

So a lot has happened in the last little while, I've been getting used to my new job here at the hostel (in caloundra, queensland) and trying to get on track with the weight loss thing, but let's not go into details with that... lack-of-willpower Jess is in the house. I've also experienced Bed Bugs, that's right "Night Night sleep tight don't let the Bed bugs bite.." not just a cute poem let me tell you. But although I'm ludicrously itchy there's no complicating factors, worse case scenario one gets infected because I've been scratching them... Go Lack-of-Willpower Jess!!! Although the concept of Bed bugs is horrifying, some people associate them with dirty bedding and poor hygiene, they are tenacious little bastards that manage to hide in the stupidest places making them extremely difficult to get rid of and really not connected with personal/facility cleanliness at all. So even though I'm itchy to the point I fear scarring I really can't blame the hostel, and they're letting me utilize all the laundry facilities for free, so it's spring cleaning time!!!

On an Extra Super Duper Exciting note yesterday was my first day as a volunteer at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. I got to follow around the nurses there and help out where I could. We're still at the social fencing stage, they're trying to keep me busy (and figure out how competent I am) without insulting me, and I'm trying to be extremely helpful and prove myself (without overstepping the boundaries), Ha ha ha arent' new jobs fun???? But I had the most fantastic day of my life!!! I spent the first hour and a half intimately cleaning up koala diarrhea, followed by some laundry and stocking, signing the volunteer papers, and finishing up with turtle treatments... That's right Turtles!!! I got to hold a long-neck turtle (fresh water) for a bandage change, and then a hawkbill (marine) turtle for Subcutaneous fluids. I learned that Marsupials all have cloacal vents (that means one exit hole only) didn't know that, and I got to see a day old bush tail possum baby, flash back to Biology 1080 lol. They weigh the koalas daily to closely monitor any drastic changes because they can go down hill rather quickly and from my understanding unexpectedly, and they had one of the females in the treatment area and her joey was clinging to the side of her head like an off-kilter beret, it was the cutest thing I have ever seen!!! Except for the 2 month old Sugar glider that I saw about an hour after that, or the 3 month old Flying Fox that came in at the end of my day:) I haven't heard of half the drugs and the one's I have get muddled in my head from the Australian accent that's speaking them, but it was still the best day on the planet!!! So excited to go back next Tuesday!!

The only problem with my fantastic new job is that the public transport out to the zoo and back makes it impossible to work a complete shift, so the solution is... New Car. That's right Jess is on a roll, I bought a Mitsubishi Magna from a mechanic that a friend knows. The guy is fixing the car up and doing his best on some of the superficial body damage but all in all I'm really happy with the car and I'm hoping to be able to sell it for close to what I paid for it in about 4 or 5 months when I continue on with my travels. It's a V6 but most of my travels will be highway kilometers so hopefully the gas consumption isn't too bad... it drives nice though, definitely more guts than the focus:) I haven't decided yet what the car's name's going to be, it's a toss up between Da Beast and Green Machine... maybe Maggie lol.

So that's Jess land right now... New car, new job, maybe new life we'll see how things go. Right now it's all just flying by the seat of my pants, I gotta say though I'm getting good at this random plan making. I love you all and miss you.
Take care All XOXOX

~J

P.S. I found new jeans for $10 at the second hand store so very fabulous... I do like this place.

La la la la la la la Life is Wonderful...

Living at Caloundra is pretty quiet but the bus ride to Mooloolaba is only $3.80 so I'm winning and able to visit once a week or so. The training is all over and I officially start my job on Thursday morning, I'm not worried though I feel that I've got everything down pat. I haven't heard from the zoo yet but they are busy people I'm sure so I'll give them a few more days and then I'll phone to see what the story is, I'm so excited. I may hoewever have to buy a car, we shall have to see... because it's a 20 min or so walk from the train station to the zoo and it's freeway so you're not allowed to walk beside it, and I'm a little snake phobic about walking in the ditch. But I will not be deterred my friends, I shall prevail lol even if all I can afford is a beat up old mo-ped I will be taking that job when they call me and putting down the freeway doing 5okm/hr!!! So that's all for now except that I bought new running shoes to work out in so I can loose 10 lbs before I buy myself a new pair of jeans ( I ripped mine while partying but i feel that they were on their last legs anyway lol pardon the pun.. so new jean skirt coming my way lol.) Love you all and take care
~Jess

Victory is mine!!!

Well I need to leave the Hotel California (Mooloolaba backpackers) and although I'm sad to be leaving all my friends here I got a job at the sister hostel to this one. It's in Caloundra which is a small sleepy town just next door to Mooloolaba, and although it's small it's really quite cute and the beaches are beautiful so I figure it will be a perfect place to spend the winter (although by winter I mean mild rain and a little wind lol this place has nothing on Alberta although the locals are bundled up like no bodies business), and I'll be able to easily come back and visit my friends here. I'll be doing reception for 30 hours a week and my accomodation will be free and then some cash under the table as well so that rocks the kasbah, I'll also get 2 full days a week off so I can ring up the zoo when we've got my schedule banged out and volunteer those days, I talked to one of the volunteer coordinators already and it sounds like they would let me volunteer in the Wildlife clinic as a Vet Nurse, so I may not have to clean koala shit although I was perfectly willing to put my time in at the end of a shovel like everyone else. Zeke the owner of the hostels is also talking about starting up a sunday session... Open stage perform and get a beer and he's unofficially asked me if i would be willing to come back to Mooloolaba on Sundays to kinda run/promote that for him, so that would be fun too. The only problem with me staying and doing this is that I may have to buy a car to get back and forth to the zoo, and I may miss the dry season for Kakadu park up in Darwin but alas I came to Australia to get some Zoo experience so I really can't cry about achieving that can I?

On another note I caught swine flu!!! That's right full out mask wearing, coughing, snotting, body pain inducing swine flu!!! I had to go to the Dr and then get a blood test and a set of throat and Nasal swabs (If you've ever had a nasal swab done you'll know what I mean when I say OUCH!!!). Then I had to wear a mask for 7 days (apparentley that's all I was contagious for) and you wouldn't believe how paranoid people are when they see the mask... it's like Hello people it's the guy who's not wearing the mask that you need to worry about stop harrassing me. But it's been seven days already because I'm a delinquent blogger, and the mask is off so I can go in public without people crossing themselves and walking on the other side of the street to avoid me, so I win. I was really sick for about 2 days but then I got rapidly better with just a little of a residual cough to speak of, but other than that it's just like the normal flu... I think the media hype is retardo overdramatic because there is no way that I was ever in any danger of serious illness or hospitalization. I've actually been sicker with just the regular flu (last summer for example when Gord and I had to move into the apartment on 124th st and I spent 3 days passed out in delerium watching 3 seasons of drawn together and not remembering a single episode...). But that's all behind me now and I'm feeling about 95% so well on my way to normalcy.

So life is once again fantastic in Jess land and I'm looking forward to getting some Zoo experience... and free internet while I'm Receptionst at Caloundra Backspackers so I win!!! And it's supposedly ridiculously quiet at that backpackers so I'll hopefully have some time to hone up on the guitar skills and learn some new songs although I've got 2 more to add to my book already when I get back to Canada Zombie by the Cranberries and I'm yours by Jason Mraz... my next mission is Dun dun dun---> Bar chords!!! Should be fun because I'm lazy and my fingers are weak. I can't remember if I told you guys about my new guitar, it's purple and sparkly and I've named it the Jellybean or the Mooloolaba Jellybean (MJ as it's informally known). I absolutely love it and I only paid $170 AU for it (~150 cdn), and it makes me laugh because I didn't want to buy it because it was purple but now every time I break it out it makes me giggle oh and best part built in tuner!!! Although I really should try to learn how to tune by ear... maybe after Bar chords are mastered lol . That's all for this time around folks I love you all and miss you tonnes
XOXOXOX
~Jess

Welcome to the Hotel California...

So I said I was out of here and on to Noosa... but apparently I'm a big fat liar, lol. I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to stay and try to volunteer at the zoo's wildlife clinic but so far no luck finding vet work to help supplement that adventure. I've picked up some under the table cleaning work here and there and I'm getting pretty comfortable in this place. The two girls that I got really close with here are Emma and Celia, they're from New Zealand but they had to go home this morning... *tear* I miss them terribly already. We spent all last weekend partying for their going away, so much so that I got pretty worn down (own fault I know) and then came down with the flu... And guess whose stuck in a surgical mask with Swine Flu?!?!?! Me that's right I am!!! And let me tell you the sheer fear I see on people's faces when they see me in my damn mask is idiotic. Hello it's not me in the mask you need to worry about people it's the one's that aren't in masks running around and coughing. As for my well being it laid me up pretty much flat and unconcsious for 2 days, that's when the hostel owner requested that I go to the doctor, but now I just have a minor cough that is more annoyance than anything, and the mask seems to aggravate it, but I only have to wear it for another 3 days, so meh. I even feel good enough to clean tomorrow morning (I get a week free accommodation if I put in 14 hours so boo-yah).

On other news I have gotten mildly pudgy again... lol I'm telling you lot this so that I'm obligated to smarten up and slow down on the boozing so my pants will start fitting me again. That's right you guys are my accountability since i don't' have Rainy to keep me on track anymore and all my friends here are little twiggies who eat 4 pieces of toast for breakfast and then McDonald's for lunch, lol one of my roommates doesn't know what a vegetable is I swear lol. So the mission is to start getting that under control and I think I'm gonna try to go surfing with the girls on Monday, so if I can make that a regular occurrence and start my morning walking again I'll be back in fighting form in no time, lol not that I intend to start any brawls, although if I pin down who gave me swine flu they better hope I'm still a little too fat to run very fast...

So that's what's up in Jessalyn Land, Surgery mask wearing, Zoo Volunteer striving, Part time working, weight watching fun times. Wish me luck I love you all.