Jan. the 20

Andrew zoolander, male supermodel of the year and Australian backpacker fashion icon. Yesterday, faced the world through the lens in the shoot to re-brand BASE hostel's website and brochures. From evening wear to beach gear, Andrew worked with the likes of 6 other models (most of which were found on the street the day before) in a photo shoot that will change the face of the hostel forever.

Lest we forget the free lunch and dinner, the complimentary drinks during the shoot, and of course getting paid on top of it all.

It's tough being a model.

January Seventeenth

Every agency I go to the employees are all Scottish! I'm trying to get a job in Australia not the UK. Not to mention all the bloody English at the hostel--yeesh I mean they mean well and all but all they do is watch 'Corny' Street and The In Betweeners while taking the piss out of ya for not laughing at their dry and tasteless humor. But it's not all bad, at least the know how to drink... Well thinking back to midget KY Jelly wrestling last night, all the English blokes and birds were drinking snakebite, an awful thing as such, taking the lovely drinks of beer and cider, ruining them by mixing them together and then adding red cordial to complete the royal fuckery of alcohol.

My my, i must watch my temper. It was the damned Scottish after all that gave me a chance to test my computer skills. Twice within a week I have taken typing tests, numerical and alphanumeric data entry tests, excel and word tests and not to mention the grilling interview that followed... Okay the interview was not so bad. In fact they were great, the agents were really kind and warm-hearted people who seemed to genuinely care about my best interest, taking the time to ask my preferences for wage, hours and industry. WHY THE EFF HAVEN'T THEY GOT ME A JOB YET!! I sure as hell ain't looking myself... Yeesh

NYE X SYDNEY

A record television audience of 1.1 billion people across the world watched the pyrotechnic spectacular.

Last night, Sydney made its mark on the world... Broadcasted out through the BBC, CNN and for the first time, the Chinese broadcaster CCTV.

A pulsing X on the Sydney Harbour Bridge reflected the Make Your Mark theme, replaced shortly after by a gold hand. Apparently, this was to celebrate the 10-years of fireworks designed and executed by the same person--this is to be her last and final year of fireworks.

A total of 56 tonnes of rubbish was collected - less than last year. Likely because we got a $1 return for any wine or beer bottles we returned to the bar.

With just 40 arrests that night, less revelers were arrested than an average night in Kings Cross (Sydney).

CHRISTMAS ON THE BEACH

Our green Christmas got hot, sandy and wet on Tamarama beach!

King-size prawns and mongolian sausages on the barby with some Aussies, Blokes, and Kiwis. Yum-didily-um...

CHISTMAS EVE BOAT CRUISE

What a wonderful world.

We cheaped out on the boat cruise, opted for the $30 boat, nothing included... But we lucked out: Same views of the harbour as the $100 boat, and our drinks were only $5 (for a can of VB)

:)

BASE X MAS WORK PARTY

DECEMBER 22

Gday mate, how you going?

Beginning of week four—feels like we have been here heaps longer. Time is moving fast and days are flying by. Quite the adventure it has turned out to be... Last week I was working for accommodation, serving breakfast at the hostel bar 7am-10am, scurrying off to any given suburb of Sydney – from Blacktown to Paramatta – to work from 11am-5pm getting charity donations on the street. I knew this was a working holiday but did not realize how much emphasis would be on the working part!

Anyhow, we got off to a work-picnic at Coogee beach on Sunday with all the hostel mates who work here. We played football, a.k.a. soccer, and some cricket, followed by a massive BBQ (which included sausage, meatballs, wings, salad, and more). Not to mention that on the graffiti-painted bus we rode to the beach, they loaded on nearly 10 crates of beer, a.k.a. 24s, mainly Haghn Super Dry and Busweiser, plus a few of cider. The cider here is much different than the cider-beer we have back home, it is much more like sparkling wine, but made with apples instead of grapes, and contains no grain. The standard back home is don't mix your beer and liquor, here they say don't mix your grain and fruit.

Our Christmas plans are starting to come together, but we expect the home-sickness to kick-in anytime now. We will really miss seeing our friends, but more so our families over the holidays—especially for the 12-drinks of christmas, and tips-eve... And don't even get me started on having a green Christmas; not only is it green, but the malls don't play Christmas music, and I am hard-pressed to find any decorations in the windows. Usually I am the biggest scrooge around Christmas because we over-do-it so much in US and Canada, but here I am starved of the sensory experience I am usually bombarded with.

Well, Dr. Oz signing off, warm wishes from Aussieland this holiday season!

Peace and love,