The Busy Bee Rests Her Rump

It's that time of year again. That time when consumers and retailers come to a mutual agreement that the consumer gods have been appeased with the season of rampant holiday spending. And all resolve to stop buzzing around frantically like bees from an angry, disturbed hive. 60 hour work weeks are no more. Gifts have been given and received. The holiday season is over (though I admittedly listen to Christmas music through February).

Time  To  Relax  Plan!!!

That's right. I may be resting my rump, but an open-ended trip to Australia in May doesn't plan itself!! Arlo and I just got approved for our Australian Work Holiday Visas, which means we're now legally allowed to enter the country and work. We have jobs lined up at a resort in the Outback. Our next step is to buy plane tickets! After that, it's smaller research type of stuff, like setting up a bank account, getting a tax number, finding a hostel to possibly stay at for our first couple of nights, and making final arrangements with our future employer.

We're also trying to brush up on the local lingo. Lemonade is called lemon squash, because their lemonade is something closer to 7-up. If you just got into a bingle (car accident) with another bloke (guy) who happened to have his wobbly boot on (be drunk), he'd be tinny (lucky) if the blue heelers (police) didn't make him blow in the bag (take a breathalyser test) and take him away in the booze bus (police car used to catch drunk drivers).

The work visa lasts for 12 months, and if we spend three of those months picking fruit, we're eligible for a second work holiday visa to extend our stay for an additional 12 months. I'm not sure how long we'll stay. I know that we can only stay with one employer for a period of 6 months, so maybe we'll be fruit picking come November? We'll see.


Only four months left in the states before heading to the land down under. Brilliant!