Plans are emerging

So I'm starting to form some ideas of what this six months (five left) is going to look like...

In September, I'm tossing up between two weeks in the NT on a conservation project with people from the CSIRO and indigenous rangers, monitoring ants; OR four weeks on a youth exchange with the California Conservation Corps who do lots of different conservation projects all year round. They both have limited places, apparently the NT one is very popular and the CA one won't go ahead if there aren't enough people... we will see what happens.

Then... I have a couple of girl friends who are interested in going on a holiday to Thailand. You know, the standard - get massages, manicures, pedicures, lay on the beach and go shopping sort of holiday. Sounds great to me!

Then... I'm working on some other girl friends to figure out if they want to come to Thailand as well, or anywhere else in Asia after that.

So it's taking shape. So far it's all fairly cheap and sounding really great. In the mean time I'm going to try to find some casual work (only 3 to 6 weeks worth though!) and make plans. I have a group interview tomorrow for some promotions work, which is usually pretty fun and they're not likely to get too sniffy if I leave really soon. Mind you, I'm not letting on about next years plans or even travel plans. I figure if someone was able to let me go after one week, I'm allowed to leave an unskilled job after a month.

I actually applied for this and another similar company after someone offered me a day's work filing. At first it seemed like a good way to waste a day and earn some cash, until I found out it was for $15 an hour. For filing. Which is boring. I decided to use the day to find some more interesting and better paid casual work, so voila... interview tomorrow.

I may also go resume dropping in cafes and bars around my area... they have high staff turnovers usually too. Although, I don't know how to make a resume for cafe and bar work any more. It's been years since I had any relevant experience! Which reminds me, I could apply for catering jobs too...

Peace, love and counting ants!

UPDATE: Crazy Ants is all booked out, now looking at Koalas in QLD instead...

Travel Plans

So since Monday when I found out I could do any number of things for the next six months, I've been starting to think about things to do. I think travel is a good plan, and others certainly agree with me. The question is where and how?

My brother is going on a trip to L.A. next month, and so is a good friend of mine (with her brother and another friend I don't really know). I was thinking of tagging along with my brother and meeting up with my friend there. The only trouble is, both have planned these holidays long in advance, and I feel awkward jumping in on their plans. What a fantastic time to go to the USA for the first time though!

It turns out that brother dearest doesn't really feel comfortable with me tagging along, because it would be an extra burden to think about. I tried to convince him that all he needs to do is tell me his itinerary and where he is staying etc, and we could just hang out when he has time. No need to babysit me, just maybe introduce me to some friends and we can all do our thing side by side. I didn't get the best reaction from those suggestions and felt a bit dejected. I haven't approached said friend about the idea either because what if she isn't comfortable with me tagging along and is too nice to say so? I'm not sure yet how to approach it. I'm also not sure whether this is the right path to go down, maybe the states can wait.

The trouble for me with travelling is finding people to go with. Wiesel is busy with uni until November, and is so damned well travelled that he just isn't excited by it any more. He's leaving the UK today after spending two weeks in Sicily. Jealous! Other friends of course would be great to travel with, but not at short notice. I'm pretty free now to leave any time, give me a week or two to plan but then I can be off! I don't really want to wait until our summer, because I want to go somewhere warm and a lot of the world will be cold then.

The other big option I'm considering is doing a volunteering trip somewhere, that way I could travel alone, but be part of an organised group. That also removes the annoyance of holidays where you just walk around looking at stuff, and dont' really get an experience of the place and its culture and people. I can't tell you how nonplussed I am looking at churches and buildings all day long. It's very nice to look at them, but I'd much prefer meeting the locals and admiring the buildings etc in between the experiences.

So, I'm trying to pick the brains of all the people I can think of who would know about these organised volunteering trips. I so far have a little info, from quizzing a friend who did 'nam, and picked up a G.A.P. Adventures brochure from the travel agents, but their volunteering only goes as far as 2-8 days volunteering as part of a holiday. I'm thinking more like 1-2 months, where you can really absorb the culture and get to know the people you are volunteering with, and the locals.

My only requirements are somewhere warm, not too politically scary (no China or extreme muslim areas), and somewhere I haven't seen much of.

If you have any companies you've heard good things about, or have had any experience with please do share! I'm putting feelers out far and wide.