The Travelling Fund; £10,000 in 10 months!!!

NinjaSavingKat

AM - I have a lockable drawer but it's not too bad carrying those items. Just wish we had a kitchen!!

NinjaSavingKat

Can you imagine - I actually felt GREAT this morning once I was at work and changed. I had a good old look at my bum this morning and it's responding to all this exercise so I am feeling positive.

I have never had a stomach so to speak, always flat, 4-pack and very tough - obviously not right now which is disheartening although it's not "over-lapping" just yet I still notice it when I sit down or have to bend over and that was the moment something had to change in my exercising routine or lack of...

Anyway that might have been an over-share... deciding whether to gym tonight or not....

On route home last night I detoured to a friends house to play with her 3 week old bub and toddler. She has convinced me since I am working so hard that I can at least "splurge" a little with my accommodation for the first 10 days in Thailand... and she doesn't want me to "work" for my accommodation either - she says I have to relax and enjoy what I have been worked so hard for.

I was looking at 10 days following my two in Bangkok to truly relax and unwind but was limiting myself to prices of £10 a night and under - which meant compromises of Wifi coverage (essential), fan instead of air-con (mosquito issue right there), shared bathroom (??), and dubious safety... So she has told me £200 is acceptable including breakfast whereas I was looking at under a £100...

So back to the drawing board however the cheapness issue was getting to me a little considering I will be heading out there with at least $12000 and only in SEA for 5 months...I need to learn to live a little perhaps.

Anyway - another person has given me a BRILLIANT idea for work whilst in Australia so I will be sharing this later or tomorrow. Am very excited about an entirely different work arena...

NinjaSavingKat

Often when I book overtime for the weekends I think entirely of the end result; the money that can be transferred to my special travel fund and the satisfaction knowing I will hit my whopping great £12,000 self-imposed goal.:o:o:o


It’s hard sometimes though, when reality bites to realize I actually have to do these shifts and I don’t feel so smart when I am sat on my butt until 11pm on a Sunday evening when I actually wish someone would have invited me to a leisurely pub lunch instead.

I finished this morning at 0700 and because I am a bit smug I have convinced the people that dish out the overtime that I live close enough to be back in at work for 3pm. I have managed to get away with this “quick turnover” for the last two years.

The reason for this entry today is simple; Do What You Have To Do!

When I leave this place in September I NEVER want to work like this again. EVER!

Now that doesn’t mean I condone a bank robbery, mooching off other people, being a burden by never buying your friends drinks but happily accepting theirs, nor does it mean becoming a stripper or a drug baron. It simply means hard work! And I mean hard work when I say hard work.

• You might have to give some things up. Big deal.

• You might have to work a bit more. Oh poor you!

• You might have to miss out on some big nights out. Stone the crows your life is over…

As you can see I have little sympathy for those who complain that they have to give up something here and there, deprive themselves of material goods to make ends meet while they pay off debt… You got yourself in it now by hook or by crook get YOURSELF out of it!!!

Be extreme. It’s the only way forward. Don’t be shy about what you are doing. You will be amazed by how many people will admire you for what you do, give up everything that costs you too much money, keep one thing for a treat to amuse you in the darkest hours, and throw everything you have at your debt.

I mean it.

THEN you start planning what you will do when you are debt free. Then you work even harder cause that dream is all yours. You won’t be paying into some one elses pot - you will be paying into your own.

You own your destiny Reader - time to make some major changes in how you grasp it yes??..

Onwards and Forever upwards!!!

killerpeaty

Hey kat, you seem very determined today. : )

I have a question for you. What do you want to do once you've come home from your amazing trip?

NinjaSavingKat

Hi Peaty - I haven't thought that far ahead. I intend to avail myself of every possible experience while away and something will "come" to me. I can't come back to this job - the restrictions are too much for me now and will more than likely be too much after I have traveled...

So watch this space - hopefully will make something of my blog while on the road then who knows.

The more I am sat here the more I realize just how much I hate it and never want to return. I am always for pushing forwards, coming back here would be regression - mentally and physically. Does that make sense?

killerpeaty

Well, that being the case, I challenge you to do one crazy thing each week when you get back.

fufu_banterwaite

NinjaSavingKat wrote: »

I was looking at 10 days following my two in Bangkok to truly relax and unwind but was limiting myself to prices of £10 a night and under - which meant compromises of Wifi coverage (essential), fan instead of air-con (mosquito issue right there), shared bathroom (??), and dubious safety... So she has told me £200 is acceptable including breakfast whereas I was looking at under a £100...

Anyway - another person has given me a BRILLIANT idea for work whilst in Australia so I will be sharing this later or tomorrow. Am very excited about an entirely different work arena...

Where in Thailand are you heading after Bangkok? You’ll still get somewhere nice for £10 a night.

I think the most I paid when I was in SE Asia was £12 a night and that was for a couple of nights in Vietnam after a horrendous 30 hour bus journey. That got me almost luxury!

What was the BRILLIANT idea for work whilst in Australalia?

NinjaSavingKat

Attention all diary hunters; 12 days of relaxation and food / yoga booked on the Island of Koh Lanta. Vegetarian cooking school close by, Muay Thai school as well and I will be renting a motorbike!..;-)

NinjaSavingKat

Morning Diary Hunters....

This morning sees me rather awake and alert which is tremendous. It has nothing to do with caffeine........:p.

So the Aussie job hunt. I think I have kept you all in suspense long enough. A colleague of mine is from Tazmania - when he came to London his brother went to Perth to work in the mines.

Mining in Oz is big business and they are continually looking for minority staff - females being one of these obviously. My colleague (lets call him Bruce) has stated, quite rightly, that wages are around the $100k mark (£55k) when you are settled and have some months under your belt.

Now Bruce has described Australia as "one big giant f**king mine" :rotfl: and the jobs are endless. His brothers wife (and the bridesmaids they had) are dump truck drivers. However I am not that naive. Everyone has heard of the money that can be earned at the mines and the list of folk seeking a position is limitless.........

But its something I am willing to look more into.

Some area of the mines work on a FIFO basis "Fly In Fly Out" with 2 weeks on / 1 week off or thereabouts. Training is generally paid for but I need to look in to this more as well. There are many many companies that hire for the mines whether they are coal / iron ore / gold etc and the recruitment process is tight. There is a change of going through an agency who won't look at you without experience - or straight to the hiring company themselves where I might have more success.

But my research has to start now. Without experience I won't get a job, without a job I won't get experience.

So what do I rely on - my ability to talk my way into anything, my focus, determination, work ethic and sticking power. I simply have to prove my worth in the contacts I make before I get there, the enthusiasm I show, the determination and contacts I create ( it's all about who you know) and the references I can take from the UK.

The work is hard, long and boring. The monetary rewards make it worth it. If I can leave Australia with money in the bank I would be happy - with two weeks on and one week off I can fly home to Sydney from Perth to see family without being a burden OR fly to the Great Barrier Reef for a week.

There are many aspects of this work I need to look into - living on base could be in the middle of 40deg heat in the desert and then being flown back to Perth meaning I need to pay for my onward journeys elsewhere - it will be monotonous and very dangerous...

Look at the size of these trucks..... The wheels apparently cost $10k each. It's 5 meters to climb into the cab which is air-conditioned etc... This isn't a job for just anyone.

So my day of research is upcoming (Sunday) where this is another aspect I need to look into....

Namely

• Which companies would accept a Pom with no qualifications?
• Which companies are the best to approach cold?
• Find email address and contact each company individually.
• Where do I want to be based? ( WA / NSW..?)
• Where should I be based?
• Would I be happy with this type of work for a year at least?
• What other options are available for making ends meet...?

So much more ( can you suggest anything else? ) that I need to think about but this is the best option to allow me to explore more of Australia and not worry about money - HOWEVER right now it's all pie in the sky and wishful thinking.

I will have a bank account, tax file number and 3 months living expenses for when I arrive. I would expect the process of meeting people and finding work to take a LONG time despite how much research I do before hand.

Best be prepared for anything!

---

In other news ................

• I have just purchased one of these...My travel wardrobe needs to be versatile, compact yet stylish. And they were offering a discount for the next 3 days. (£46.85 was my total = $80). I don't like wearing new clothes on holidays - they need to be familiar so some clothing needs to be bought now.

• Trying to justify these... but failing considering they are two weeks worth of accommodation in Vietnam....Any other suggestions out there otherwise I might just go to New Look and buy a pair of the ones I have been living in recently.

• And awaiting international shipping for this... Oh yes! I am traveling SUPER light! Would like to try it on first but can't - still in two minds. Otherwise it's this but not from this company as it's MUCH cheaper elsewhere....(which I think is too big but fits the requirements that I want)...and there is a chance I will get rid of the little backpack and get a safer one like this.

There are also some things I need to think about before I leave the UK - The JR Rail pass for Japan canonly be purchased in your home country 2 months prior to its use - I will be in Cambodia or Laos so will need to pay for that while still there. It's £350 for 21 days unlimited consecutive travel - the places I want to visit will cost me £475 - so I will do the routes I want and end in Tokyo for 4-5 days while I await my flight to Australia which again I will need to book while in SEA.



I also need to plan around the Cherry Blossom season in Japan - the blossom "move" according to the weather down from the mountainous regions and into the cities. I would like to be in Kyoto on my birthday (5th April) to see the blooms...



The places I want to visit are quite far apart so transits might need over-night stays as well although there are some places where I can travel overnight thus saving on hotels - hah! #cheapskate


Anyway - enough rambling for one post. Lots to do!

liltdiddylilt

Just reminded me of my favourite teenage perfume. Japanese cherry blossom from the body shop... Such an amazing scent!

Loving the idea of mining. My uncle did similar in Canada. He moved to Winninpeg and he works part of the year driving very similar trucks around the oil sands! Makes a tonne of money in a season and can then relax for a few months

This trip has a life and momentum of its own these days it seems!! Soon be starting out Kat. Are you getting nervous? I am for you!!