It was a Saturday morning ( 02 July 2005). I am still in St.Leonards, not able to find any apartment still ! Anyway, the real estate agents will not work on weekends( some work till noon on Saturday). So why not start enjoying the place. This place I stay is anyway very near to the city centre, only 3-4 stations away. Again, the train crosses the Harbour bridge everyday on its way to Parramatta, and we can see Opera House at a distance.
We started around 10:30. Train to get down at Milson’s Point, which is just before the bridge. Walked to the end of the platform and there was a spectacular view of the bridge which was taking a right turn in front of me. The bridge was huge than I have thought even while crossing it in train, containing a 6 line highway, two rail lines, and foot paths at two ends( the one on the right side is dedicated to cyclists, and the left one for pedestrians) ! It grows high to the middle and comes down like a trajectory of a body in projectile J. At the top in the middle, two Australian flags flying gloriously ! Took some snaps, we walked down and climbed the steps for the pedestrian footpath for the bridge( first with climbed the cyclist one, which was not steps, and then saw it was only for cycles).
The bridge seem to be too long. Checked the actuals to see I was true, it is something around 3900 feet (1.1Kms) ! It was a fantastic view of the Opera house and land part surrounding the waters with an island in between ! This experience was almost same as the one I had, when I first got out of Westminster station and saw Big Ben just in front. From each step I walk and look back, I feel that is the best spot to take a snap, and across Thames, seeing the big picture with house of parliament included, you feel that is the best and by that time you would have blinked your lens eye for at least 5-6 times L ! The same was here with the sights I got about Opera house. It was getting closer and closer, and at distance some Yatches became visible. Each beam I cross, I get a new view, a new look, of the waters below !
I finished some 8-10 snaps there itself! Walked down some steps in the direction of Opera House. It was still far away! But, these are some times we really loose the sense of time. I don’t have an idea how long we were there, watching the ferries coming and leaving 6 jetties in Circular Quay, licking a cone with chocolate and raspberry flavours reluctant to melt even with afternoon Sun directly falling on it, watching the Seagulls. Then, we slowly started walking to the Opera house. It was much massive than we thought, took some snaps around, and went in till the area where we could go without a ticket. The souvenirs seemed much costly than those in UK, and anyway, it is too early to buy them.
The time was around 3. We tried the local McDonalds for ‘lunch’J. I would say, I have never expected McD to be this bad – they still got the crowd, but they don’t have a veggie burger, and their finger chips are stupid! But anyway, we were enough hungry to eat a so called veggie pesto, and chips with coffee spending some 8 AU$ each for that stupid meal.
It was raining, all of a sudden, when we finished our ‘lunch’ and came out. We just waited for the rain to finish off and then slowly walked towards the nearest station. That was the end of the day for us. During the walk around, we have collected some information brochures for Sydney site seeing trips, harbour trips and some maps which could give us an insight of what all to see, and where !
The walk was tiring for Krithi, she was looking at me pathetically and then I let out the secret, anyone walks with me ends up in the same state :D.
Tail piece :- As if now, I have got a place to stay and have almost settled down. The rest of the renting home story, I will send sometime in the middle of next week. I have given my magic castle's address below. Why 'Magic castle' ? Wait. I will tell you in a couple of days.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Friday, July 15, 2005
AUSSIE WEEKENDER 2
Looking for a house never was so tough during anytime in my life. I had a couple of constraints with me – mainly it was financial, and then, locality. Normally a decent place will start with AU$ 200 per week, and it can be AU$400 also if it is a double bed room apartment. I am talking about the unfurnished apartments only. If you are looking for a furnished one, you are looking at paying around AU$ 475 and above.
As for locality, we prefer to stay near the office, and at the same time stay around the railway station.
Again, normal bond (deposit ) is 4 weeks rent and you have to pay two weeks advance. Most of the apartments are leased through agents( brokers) only. They say leasing for renting here ! Crazy people !
The process starts with you searching the net in some sites and giving them a call, or you just walking in to their office. Again, you can also call the number seeing any board in front of an apartment saying ‘For Lease’.
The problem starts slowly. You find a place which suits you - by net, by seeing the board or seeing in their office – you give them your contact details, and they will say they will get back to you. This getting back will take 24 hours, just to check whether it is still available ! Again, if you act smart by telling 3-4 options in the list so that you have got more chances of getting one, then they will outsmart you by being silent, as they get confused :). This is common for all real estate agents in Australia ( they are just like our brokers, they got their level and speak in that language only), I have tried most of them by now. For the net queries, normally it takes a fortnight for you to get a response. I responded for some 20 apartments in net to different agents, all the responses I got was 2 ! I am not sure where they are having the problem, in finding someone who could read and write, in browsing net or just a problem to work !
There is another point here. You don’t have to pay anything to the agents. They will take you to the apartment, and show it. If all goes fine, and once you have signed the lease agreement ( it is normally 6 months to 1 year), you pay the first two weeks in advance along with the deposit( that is normally 4 weeks, and is paid to the Rental bond board). So, this first two weeks rent is the brokerage for them. After that only you start paying to the landlord !
All I had was a map of my area and was clear of my boundaries – that is from where walking is feasible to get to office and railway station by walk.
I applied all three ways for finding a house, but this fast and smart real estate agents kept me searching, checking and following up for a week ! I think, that is a big period because there is demand and there is supply too. Then, I have no clue why these stupid, lazy anti-catalysts are slowing down the process in the middle !
As for locality, we prefer to stay near the office, and at the same time stay around the railway station.
Again, normal bond (deposit ) is 4 weeks rent and you have to pay two weeks advance. Most of the apartments are leased through agents( brokers) only. They say leasing for renting here ! Crazy people !
The process starts with you searching the net in some sites and giving them a call, or you just walking in to their office. Again, you can also call the number seeing any board in front of an apartment saying ‘For Lease’.
The problem starts slowly. You find a place which suits you - by net, by seeing the board or seeing in their office – you give them your contact details, and they will say they will get back to you. This getting back will take 24 hours, just to check whether it is still available ! Again, if you act smart by telling 3-4 options in the list so that you have got more chances of getting one, then they will outsmart you by being silent, as they get confused :). This is common for all real estate agents in Australia ( they are just like our brokers, they got their level and speak in that language only), I have tried most of them by now. For the net queries, normally it takes a fortnight for you to get a response. I responded for some 20 apartments in net to different agents, all the responses I got was 2 ! I am not sure where they are having the problem, in finding someone who could read and write, in browsing net or just a problem to work !
There is another point here. You don’t have to pay anything to the agents. They will take you to the apartment, and show it. If all goes fine, and once you have signed the lease agreement ( it is normally 6 months to 1 year), you pay the first two weeks in advance along with the deposit( that is normally 4 weeks, and is paid to the Rental bond board). So, this first two weeks rent is the brokerage for them. After that only you start paying to the landlord !
All I had was a map of my area and was clear of my boundaries – that is from where walking is feasible to get to office and railway station by walk.
I applied all three ways for finding a house, but this fast and smart real estate agents kept me searching, checking and following up for a week ! I think, that is a big period because there is demand and there is supply too. Then, I have no clue why these stupid, lazy anti-catalysts are slowing down the process in the middle !
Friday, July 08, 2005
AUSSIE WEEKENDER 1
It is another morning. The temperature outside is 8 degrees. It is 7:40, still the Sun is sleeping !
We both started to walk from our hotel - or will call a Studio Apartment with breakfast served - to the local station, St.Leonards. Krithi had covered herself with all she got, and still feeling the chill. A ten minutes walk, collected the tickets to Parramatta. Return for two people cost A$17.60( around 600 INR), down the escalator to the platform to board the train going south. A huge two storied train arrived in no time, with body looking like a rolling shutter's. You board in the middle and can decide to go down to the basement or upstairs or stand in the boarding floor( let us call ground floor). There is just a little space for the people to stand, in the ground floor. The basement and first floor are full of seats like or buses (3+2 configuration).
It started moving slowly, and the whole journey to Parramatta was literally slow ! It took almost 1 hour, which I would expect a tube to cover in 30mins ! So my estimate to reach the destination by 8:30 went wrong, and reached there by 9. Then, I found it was not stopping in all stops, skipping some stations in the city. If you want to go there, you have to change in some major city stations. After all this, it took an hour plus !!!
My first day in office, in Sydney after landing here yesterday night. My brain is still sleeping for two reasons: it is only 9 even in Sydney, and in India it is worser, only 3:30 am.
This time, unlike my adventurous evening in London, TCS had arranged a place for accommodation, in another suburb on the opposite side of the city ! What a favour ! Still, just paying A$105 per day for that. I think, it was better in London where I paid only 40 pounds per day for a B&B in the middle of the city. Again, please note that, it takes only one hour for a slow train to go across the suburbs crossing the city. So, I won’t say Sydney is a big city. It is green, and peaceful except for the centre part. That is yet to be seen.
I see a bit a South Africa here with the colour standards of the name boards, and greenery. But, I am yet to see an African here( But this was on week days, week ends they are available in plenty! I have no clue what it means) !
* * * * * *
The flight was cool. Singapore flight took off from Chennai by 12:00 midnight and reached 6:30 AM local time. Again, 9:30 AM flight to Sydney took a long time to drop us at the destination by 6:50 PM local time. Singapore Airport window shopping was good. It is bigger than Dubai Airport, the shopping area is also more. As hubs, these airports (Dubai and Changi) sees a lot of transit passengers and so, the shopping area really does matter.
Again, Sydney airport was friendly. Just took red channel as the checking's were heard to be more than in any other place, for the preserved food and all. They are heard to not allow even medicines sometimes. But, all went fine. They just had a glance at the packs, and once it is sealed and manufacturing date given, there was no issue to let it through. But, there was a police dog at the airport checking for drugs and all, it barks at an aunty who came with us. It was barking staring at her hair. It was because she had put flowers in the hair the previous night while leaving Chennai and the smell was still there !
I hired a cab to the hotel and to pay him I had only 50$ notes. His charge came to 50.10 . The Punjabi driver, Gurcharan, was OK with 50, but just for my comfort found a 10 cents coin and gave him. Later, I was just wondering where I got a 10c coin when I have done no transaction in Australia at all. It was actually Singaporean 10 cents, which I had converted there for a coffee :) !
The sleep, the tiredness, all make you do funny things. The taxi was a bit rash like all taxis here, and the place at night looked like Jo'burg to me - all those ups and downs, single Villas, greenery and breeze. Again, I saw a lot of people crossing the road just by a dash which was again similar to Jo'burg !
We both started to walk from our hotel - or will call a Studio Apartment with breakfast served - to the local station, St.Leonards. Krithi had covered herself with all she got, and still feeling the chill. A ten minutes walk, collected the tickets to Parramatta. Return for two people cost A$17.60( around 600 INR), down the escalator to the platform to board the train going south. A huge two storied train arrived in no time, with body looking like a rolling shutter's. You board in the middle and can decide to go down to the basement or upstairs or stand in the boarding floor( let us call ground floor). There is just a little space for the people to stand, in the ground floor. The basement and first floor are full of seats like or buses (3+2 configuration).
It started moving slowly, and the whole journey to Parramatta was literally slow ! It took almost 1 hour, which I would expect a tube to cover in 30mins ! So my estimate to reach the destination by 8:30 went wrong, and reached there by 9. Then, I found it was not stopping in all stops, skipping some stations in the city. If you want to go there, you have to change in some major city stations. After all this, it took an hour plus !!!
My first day in office, in Sydney after landing here yesterday night. My brain is still sleeping for two reasons: it is only 9 even in Sydney, and in India it is worser, only 3:30 am.
This time, unlike my adventurous evening in London, TCS had arranged a place for accommodation, in another suburb on the opposite side of the city ! What a favour ! Still, just paying A$105 per day for that. I think, it was better in London where I paid only 40 pounds per day for a B&B in the middle of the city. Again, please note that, it takes only one hour for a slow train to go across the suburbs crossing the city. So, I won’t say Sydney is a big city. It is green, and peaceful except for the centre part. That is yet to be seen.
I see a bit a South Africa here with the colour standards of the name boards, and greenery. But, I am yet to see an African here( But this was on week days, week ends they are available in plenty! I have no clue what it means) !
* * * * * *
The flight was cool. Singapore flight took off from Chennai by 12:00 midnight and reached 6:30 AM local time. Again, 9:30 AM flight to Sydney took a long time to drop us at the destination by 6:50 PM local time. Singapore Airport window shopping was good. It is bigger than Dubai Airport, the shopping area is also more. As hubs, these airports (Dubai and Changi) sees a lot of transit passengers and so, the shopping area really does matter.
Again, Sydney airport was friendly. Just took red channel as the checking's were heard to be more than in any other place, for the preserved food and all. They are heard to not allow even medicines sometimes. But, all went fine. They just had a glance at the packs, and once it is sealed and manufacturing date given, there was no issue to let it through. But, there was a police dog at the airport checking for drugs and all, it barks at an aunty who came with us. It was barking staring at her hair. It was because she had put flowers in the hair the previous night while leaving Chennai and the smell was still there !
I hired a cab to the hotel and to pay him I had only 50$ notes. His charge came to 50.10 . The Punjabi driver, Gurcharan, was OK with 50, but just for my comfort found a 10 cents coin and gave him. Later, I was just wondering where I got a 10c coin when I have done no transaction in Australia at all. It was actually Singaporean 10 cents, which I had converted there for a coffee :) !
The sleep, the tiredness, all make you do funny things. The taxi was a bit rash like all taxis here, and the place at night looked like Jo'burg to me - all those ups and downs, single Villas, greenery and breeze. Again, I saw a lot of people crossing the road just by a dash which was again similar to Jo'burg !
Friday, July 01, 2005
AUSSIE WEEKENDER Introduction
It is again a chance for me to get a feel of another continent, another country, another city, and another culture, all at the same time!
I am in Sydney now, sitting in a time zone +10 GMT, somewhere in the east coast of Australian continent ( I will accept my geography is bad, so you can shout if I am wrong). As usual, I am trying to give you a feel of the country, through the eyes of an ignorant traveller, who just wanders around without any knowledge of where he is in or what is the importance of the place. But that doesn’t stop me from giving my personal comments, observations and throwing you some open questions when I am stuck!
It may be just a personal comment, and none of my observations need to be fully correct. All I know till now about this place is, it is situated somewhere South to Singapore and all (that is, if gravity was acting from North to South, you just need to sit in Singapore and you can skid down to Australia). Then, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide etc. I know because they have cricket stadiums. I know the seasons are opposite to that in India, because Australia falls in the Southern hemisphere. This wonderful piece of knowledge also, I knew only after being to South Africa. Now, I am in there, and having committed to write about it, I have no choice than finding something interesting to write about.
I am not sure what will be the time when I can send it through, Friday morning looks still the best, as none will be in a good mood to read this on Monday morning :).
But I would love to hear from you, good or bad. Silence means ignorance :(, anything else is better.
I am in Sydney now, sitting in a time zone +10 GMT, somewhere in the east coast of Australian continent ( I will accept my geography is bad, so you can shout if I am wrong). As usual, I am trying to give you a feel of the country, through the eyes of an ignorant traveller, who just wanders around without any knowledge of where he is in or what is the importance of the place. But that doesn’t stop me from giving my personal comments, observations and throwing you some open questions when I am stuck!
It may be just a personal comment, and none of my observations need to be fully correct. All I know till now about this place is, it is situated somewhere South to Singapore and all (that is, if gravity was acting from North to South, you just need to sit in Singapore and you can skid down to Australia). Then, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide etc. I know because they have cricket stadiums. I know the seasons are opposite to that in India, because Australia falls in the Southern hemisphere. This wonderful piece of knowledge also, I knew only after being to South Africa. Now, I am in there, and having committed to write about it, I have no choice than finding something interesting to write about.
I am not sure what will be the time when I can send it through, Friday morning looks still the best, as none will be in a good mood to read this on Monday morning :).
But I would love to hear from you, good or bad. Silence means ignorance :(, anything else is better.
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