Chasing Amy-Lou

*Rubbish blog post alert. Hangs head in shame*

Wow, so I’m entering my sixth week of being in Australia and I’m still in Brisbane, and I’m still working. Since I last updated my Blog, nothing much has happened to be honest. No wild adventures to speak of, no fleeting escapades and tales of debauchery; it’s all been a bit steady.

I have however, developed an unhealthy addiction to Sushi and an unhealthy approach to my fitness regime, as in, I don’t actually have one. Where once I was an avid gym goer and a keen runner, sometimes exercising up to six times a week (perhaps even a little obsessive), my attitude towards keeping fit has taken a nose-dive. I should feel guilty, especially as I’ve been drinking every night (I have literally only had around five nights off the booze since I got here) and not really been eating as well as I could have, but in a really strange way, I don’t. I haven’t had the urge to go running as much as I should. I haven’t felt bad for not going; I’ve just told myself that I’ll go another time. This could work to my detriment, and I have a feeling it is steadily going this way. Whereas I haven’t officially put on much weight (I’ve avoided the scales like the plague), my clothes do feel a little tighter and I am feeling more sluggish than usual; the 5am get-ups could be to blame for that though.

Although I have no particular guilty thoughts about the lack of exercise in my weekly routine, I do feel absolutely terrible about my appearance and the way my weight is heading (slowly up). Therefore, I have decided to try and be a little healthier: eating less in the day, mixing mainly fruit, vegetables, salads and eggs (no sushi, it’s now officially banned), and trying not to drink during the week. It would be a sensible idea to cut out alcohol altogether, but being in Australia, well, that’s virtually impossible. All I can do is try, so we’ll see how it goes.

I’m afraid this installment may be a little dull compared to my other posts. I haven’t much to write about unfortunately. I have been thinking a lot though; mainly about what I’m doing here and why I’m doing it. I currently have two jobs; one in an espresso bar and one in a restaurant. I could easily do these jobs back home. So why am I doing them in Australia? Why did I quit my career as a Firefighter to come and work in hospitality on the other side of the world, something I gave up when I left the Marriott in 2008? The answer? I have no idea? I suppose I’m chasing the dream, like every other backpacker out there, but is this really what it all comes down to? Doing the same things as I could do back home but in a much nicer climate?

I hear stories from friends about their time in Australia: swimming with sharks, diving off the Great Barrier Reef, hiring a car and travelling the Great Ocean Road, surfing at Byron Bay. So far, all I’ve done is work. This is something I’ve written about before so I apologise for bringing it up again, and I also apologise for whinging, and I know I’m only five weeks into my trip but come on, when is the fun going to start? Since I left the UK all I’ve wanted is to have this magnificent experience and it’s yet to happen. I know deep down that I’m just being impatient and I should bide my time, after all, I do have the beginnings of a good tan and I have made some great friends. Plus, I have some pretty decent things lined up in the next few weeks. Alright, I’ll shut up now and quit the moaning. Waaaaaaah *slaps self across the face*

Speaking of friends, since the last time I blogged, I’ve been quite the social butterfly – there’s been pub crawls with English friends and Halloween nights out with German friends; there’s been the Eat Street Markets and free Ferry Tours. I’ve not actually had a bad time of it. Getting up at 5am during the week is slowly killing me but I’m thinking of the long term benefits here: work until I leave Brisbane on 19th December and have an absolute blow out in Byron, on The Gold Coast for Christmas and when I get to Sydney for New Year. Now if that isn’t a plan, I don’t know what is.

A dear friend from back home recently gave me some wise words of advice while I was moaning that my “epiphany of realisation” hadn’t occurred yet, so I quote: “Instead of dreaming about what you don’t have, love life for what you do have.” I’m sure this has been said and quoted millions of times before, by countless philosophers and great thinkers alike; for example, I saw this the other day and had to write it down: “We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don;t have, but rather of recognising and appreciating what we do have.” So, to follow this, and Stacey’s words of wisdom, I’ll begin to look up, count my blessings, bide my time and enjoy the little things, and hopefully, fingers crossed and with a little luck thrown my way, things may just begin to fall into place.