So, after a pretty long flight I arrived back in Melbourne and took the skybus to Southern Cross and found my way to my hostel. I hadn't talked to my family for a while so I talked to them for a bit and then went to my room. My friend Marj is also in Melbourne and I decided to take the train into the city and meet up with her. She was working at Peter Pans travel agency, outside handing out flyers. I talked to her for a while and then went to the IEP office to apply for some jobs online. Seek.com.au is a pretty sweet site for that. Afterwards I went over to Woolys and bought  some groceries. Woo. Trying to be healthy as I was just told by my mom, sister and brother that I looked like I gained weight!! As well as a crazy man on the street that looked at me and said 'fat pig' Can you believe that!! I was so shocked and then angry. Oh well, afterwards just went back to my hostel and watched tv and then went to bed at like 6 lol.

Woke up at like 12:30 the next day..how sad. I had some toast and yogurt and then got all ready to go out and apply for some jobs. But then I got sucked in to the living room at my hostel, applied for some jobs online..then sat and watched movies all day..how sad haha. But I did get 2 interviews that day! Woo. Went to bed earlyish as I had an interview the next morning at 10! So exciting.

Today I had an interview at SBM Marketing in Hawthorn at 10am, but I had no idea how long it would take me so I left at like 8:30...turns out it only takes like half an hour..so I sat playing tetris on my phone for 40 minutes before heading in. I had an interview and the guy seemed pretty impressed with the fact that I've done some travelling and have worked in customer service for a while so that was sweet. He told me to come in tomorrow at 12 until like 8!? Crazy long time. And its also my birthday tomorrow..oh well, I hope I get the job so I can start earning some money. After the interview I walked up and met Marj, we had some lunch and then I bought some clothes for working. And some shoes for working. Afterwards met Marjs friend and went to St Kilda and had a snack and sat on the pier. It was a beautiful day today! Also, at Flinders station a guy tried to sell me something but I wasn't old enough? But then I started talking to him and it turns out his company is recruiting and I gave him my resume and he said they'd call me in the next couple days. Then when I was sitting here watching TV I got a call from another place I applied at and I have another interview on Friday at 1! I also have one that day at 10:30! And on Saturday I'm moving to an apartment with a girl I met in Bangkok whos flatmate has gone to the UK for 6 weeks and she says I can stay there for free!!! Woo. Now I'm doing laundry

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chocoholics are gonna love their hot chocolate. they've made a flowery pattern on the froth with dark chocolae. the drink is so rich in flavour and so creamy u take a sip and the aroma of the chocolate remains in ur mouth. and the iced choc is OMG so good it's served in a big big cognac-ish glass, with 2 scoops of icecream, vanilla and choc (very rich dark choc too) drizzled with choco syrup, top with chocolate shavings... it cost A$5.5 for hot choc and A$6 for iced choc when i visited. the cafe on lygon is packed with students (mostly overseas) and at night it's crowded. there is another one in town but closes rather early. try also their chocolates :)

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I am down to counting 'days' now; what a milestone. It has been a massive effort to get to this place but I can now feel the nervous temperature rising in my stomach. I remember this feeling from last time.

The choice to walk the Via de la Plata (VdlP) was a brilliant one and I am so happy that the book fell into my hands and tempted me to walk 1000km instead of 800m. 'There are no accidents'. (Right?)

OK - so news to date: I have a (possible) hotel booked in Paris for 3 nights, a couchsurf for the remaining 2 nights and a meeting in Paris at Brasserie Au St Jacques for Pilgrims on my last night there. My flight to Sevilla is booked , arriving Saturday noon and a couchsurf for 2 nights over the weekend with a gorgeous looking Spanish guy (Eduardo!). I am thinking . . .tapas, vino, Flamenco, . . . .

I received my Credential, (Pilgrim Passport) this week from a member of the French confraternity (also met on CS). Such generosity and I have not even left home yet.  So you see, I am all set. My bag is packed and all I need is a very wide brimmed crushable hat and a corkscrew (I am not joking!!) - stelvins are not popular in Spain and wine is fabulous for muscle inflamation. . .apparently.

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Almost at the head of Spencer Station (The station end of the bus service that moves as one of the airport) and almost in the corner of Spencer Street and Flinders Street is a practical and beautiful Hotel in Melbourne "Explorers Inn Hotel in Melbourne" . As already indicated the best thing of this hotel its the location, because it is in one of the corner of the rectangle which means the centre of Melbourne, also crossing the bridge over the Yarra River will reach the Crown Entertainment Complex. This hotel offers all necessary facilities for a pleasant time, however the room as the bathroom were quite small and even the entrance to the shower was very narrow. The price, I think is according to this hotel and the breakfast good, but not incluyed

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um mich noch ein bisschen in die aussie aktivitaeten einzugliedern, hab ich mir ein ticket fuer ein aussie rules football match gekauft (fuer alle, die sich fuer weitere infos interessieren, die ich nicht wirklich liefern kann, weil ich die regeln noch nicht so ganz verstanden habe, hilft vielleicht dieser link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_rules_football). leider hab ich dann noch bei den gegnern im fanblock gesessen. die haben am anfang auch ziemlich gut gespielt und gefuehrt. es gibt 4 quarter, wobei die spielzeiten von 29 minuten bis 45 minuten gedauert haben (keine ahnung warum ;)). in der zweiten haelfte hat melbourne es dann geschafft den rueckstand von 50 punkten aufzuholen und nach einem spannenden finale letztlich zu gewinnen. als das geschafft war, sind die aussies ausgeflippt. das komplette stadion hat die hymne der melbourne demons gesungen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-NznmUykqQ). danach durfte das publikum dann aufs spielfeld. da haben die aussies ihre mitgebrachten footbaelle ausgepackt und mit ihren kindern zusammen noch ein paar baelle geworfen. alles in allem eine aeusserst interessante erfahrung ;)

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Melbourne offers a handful of attractions, but what differs Puffing Billy from the rest is the experience to recapture the romance and charm of the bygone days of steam as you enjoy a train three-hour train ride. Built in 1900, Puffing Billy is Australia's oldest steam railway and one of the finest preserved steam railways in the world. It runs on its original mountain track from Belgrave to Gembrook in the scenic Dandenong Ranges, just 40 km east of Melbourne, Victoria. With a ride that costs USD33.50 per adult, Puffing Billy promises everyone to experience the beauty of some of the most magnificent countryside that Victoria has to offer as you travel through the beautiful forests and fern gullies. HOW TO GET THERE: The easiest way is to take the suburban trains that run frequently from Flinders Street (City) to Belgrave in 70 minutes. The Puffing Billy station is a short walk from the suburban station.

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I have realised that a lot of people may not know what I am doing or why. Perhaps this small explanation of how the Camino came into being will help in some way:

9th century sources have the apostle Saint James (Santiago in Spanish) preaching in Northwest Iberia, not far from Fisterra/Finisterre a coastal village on the North Western corner of Spain. The translation of the village is literally  “lands end” and from here you could almost see America!. 

Saint James’s was beheaded by Herrod in AD44 and according to legend his remains were placed in a stone boat and guided by God to the Galician river Iria Flavia, near Padron. As the boat approached, a horse on the beach panicked and bolted into deep water only to emerge with its rider, covered in Scallop shells. The scallop became the symbol of Saint James and the pilgrimage to his tomb in Santiago de Compostella.
Much later, in 813, religious leaders unearthed a sarcophagus said to contain the remains of the apostle James. A Cathedral was built in the spot at Santiago de Compostella. The word Compostella is said to come from the Latin campus stellae (field of stars). At peak periods in the 12th century up to 2 million people walked to Santiago each year from throughout Europe. Various routes developed, the most famous being the route across the North of Spain (originating from France) called Camino Frances. Other major routes include the Via de la Plata which originated from Sevilla but has not been walked by many pilgrims in recent years. A yearly average for the Camino Frances is arund 80,000 and in comparison only 4000 will walk the Via de la Plata.

I've had a week to ruminate on my decision to walk the Via de la Plata and read as much as I can to see if the pro's outweigh the con's.

In fact, I found quite a lot of information but much of it is in Spanish therfore I enlisted the trusty translation site (Babble fish) and translated one of the better sites. Here is an example of the direct English translation!

In a section warning of the dangers of dehydration (the temperature approaches 50C iin the middle of summer)

"...with respect to the heat blow: 'it can be dangerous if importance does not occur him. It consists of an alteration of the conscience produced by the elevation of the corporal temperature and the dehydration. Symptoms: headache, confusion, vacillating march, hallucinations and even can arrive at the coma. Remedies: the affected one must be put in the shade, knocked down with the turned head, drink liquids and warn meanwhile the aid station closest. And if for some of this that it supposes an advantage, I can aseguraros that to piss, which is to piss, pisses little"....

Hilarious, isn't it! I still have a lot of research and reading to get done but with 4 weeks left, I should make it. I have ordered 2 more books on Amazon with maps and more Camino information. Today, I feel very confident and as long as I am mindful of dehydration and cover up from the harsh summer sun, I believe I will make it.

Hasta luego !

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So I've spent a little time in Melbourne and I'm heading off to Sydney today - I hope Syndey lives up to the hype as I really like Melbourne and I'll wind up wishing I'd spent more time here if it doesn't!

I arrived very early on Wednesday morning after 40 hrs travel/waiting in airports. I won't give you the details of the rabies treatment I had to go through as my first introduction to melbourne but I will admit to fainting - I blame the jetlag though! I spent the rest of the day in a bit of a daze and sat on the free city circle tram so at least I could see some of the sights!

After an good night's rest I hit the streets to get a feel for the city, just a meander round the CBD and Southbank and a visit to the Immigration Museum.... it was an easy day :-)

Friday, I made a slight error and went on a day trip to Phillip Island to see the penguins with a winetasting on route - I really should have opted for the Great Ocean Rd daytrip as this was far too commercial for me. Why spend money to see animals in a wildlife park wehn you can see them in the wild?

Saturday morning was wiped out by my next rabies jab (only 2 more left now though, yay!) but I took the tram down to St Kilda in teh afternoon for a coffee and cake and to gaze at the see. Then walked back to the city through Albert Park and the Botanical Gardens.

Yesterday I had another day trip, this time to Wilson's Promontory National Park which was much more successful - a walk up to the top of Mt Bishop and then another walk from Tidal River to Squeaky beach. Absolutely gorgeous scenery and a whole host of wombats and kangaroos.

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All Nations Bar was my favorite hang out place in Melbourne. Located in Spencer corner Flinders Streets, the bar is home to regular backpackers who are up to share their travel stories with anyone, thus, giving you a more enjoyable nightout. All Nations Hostel is just beside the bar, making the latter their automatic drinking sanctuary. The bartenders were equally friendly, too. While they play some cool sounds in the bar, they would be happy to hear you request for your kind of music. The bar also has a billiard table that is open for anyone to play while drinking your beer. All Nations Bar is indeed the ultimate drinking place for all travellers in Melbourne.

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Just when I thought I've seen enough of Australia in Sydney, I found myself in a place that is ready to make one feel good all the time--- from the friendly people, to historic buildings, to excellent transport system, to outstanding shopping areas, Melbourne just took my "other" heart away.

(2b continued)

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I was in tears, physically and emotionally, while counting my last few hours in a country that made me see a world where dreams come true. Yes, more than Disneyland can! I will be missing Australia. But I promise, coming back will definitely be on my priority list of future travel plans. Goodbye, Australia!

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Puffing Billy, Olympic Park, ROD LAVER ARENA (that I have been dying to see), Yarra River, Federation Square, St. Kilda. I wished I could extend the day for a few more hours. There are just thousands of places to see here! I just wished I was born in Melbourne. *Sigh*

(2b continued...)

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