Mitch Moffit Sings About Not Getting the Best Job in the World

A while ago I wrote about the “Best Job in the World” contest being held by the Queensland tourism folks (that’s Queensland, Australia).

The winner was announced this week (congrats, Ben - I’ll keep an eye out for my invite to visit), which means thousands of other people found out they were losers.

One of those losers was Mitch Moffit, from Canada. Not only does Mitch not have the best job in the world, he apparently has no job. Bummer, Mitch.

What Mitch does have is a knack for music and humor, a combination that I would expect to score him a prime gig with Joss Whedon. For now though, check out his song to Australia, with a nod to his mapleicious homeland.

Australia Travel Guide: Two Days in Sydney

Elizabeth enjoys breakfast by the Harbour Bridge

How to do Sydney properly:

First, get Bill Bryson’s brilliant book, Down Under (also published under the title In a Sunburnt Country). It’s not a guide to help you decide where to stay or eat, but it will help you get to know Australia, including all the bitey things that can kill you here. His hilarious explanation of cricket alone is worth the price of the book.

Next, stay in Sydney for at least three months, preferebly six or more so that you can enjoy Spring and Summer.

No, that doesn’t help you much if you really only have a few days, but at least think about it. My first trip to Sydney was as a student ambassador with People to People. We spent a couple of days there, then spent three weeks going up the coast, but it was enough to make me want to go back.  So much so that when I had the opportunity, between jobs after college, I got a working holiday visa and spent three months in Sydney and another three months traveling around.

Fondue for two at Max Brenner on Oxford Street

That still wasn’t enough, so I applied to the University of New South Wales and spent a year living in Sydney and earning a Master’s in English. So yes, I really love it here.

Knowing how much Sydney has to offer, it’s really difficult for me to narrow it down to just two or three days of sightseeing. But that’s what I did for my friend, Elizabeth, who came to Sydney with me from Christchurch, and if that’s all the time you have, here’s what I recommend:

Sydney Opera House

The Opera House at Circular Quay- Sometimes, when you see something in person after seeing it in books and movies your whole life, it doesn’t quite live up to expectations. The Mona Lisa, for example, made me say, “Sooo… that’s it? Kinda small, isn’t she?”

The Opera House is not one of those things. With any luck you’ll get to see it on one of Sydney’s sunny, sparkling days. Aside from the strange beauty of the building itself, you have the charming Harbour Bridge as a neighbor, and a bay full of ferries and other boats surrounding it. I love to grab a drink or an ice cream and sit and watch the whole scene.

Royal Botanic Gardens- Right next to the Opera House, the Gardens are a wonderful place to get lost in with a book, some postcards, or a picnic. Walk out to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair for another view of the Opera House.

Luna Park (North Sydney) – You can hop a ferry over to North Sydney, or walk over the Harbour Bridge. Even if you don’t want to play any games or try the rides, the view of Sydney from here is worth the trip. Check the ferry schedulesand from here you can also get to Taronga Zoo,  Balmain or other suburbs worth checking out.

The Rocks – This is the oldest part of Sydney, just across from the Opera House. The Museum of Contemporary Art is here (and it’s free), and there’s an outdoor market that’s fun to walk around. Some of the pubs here have been around for more than 100 years and are a great place to start a night out.

Darling Harbour

Darling Harbour- This area got a nice polish when the Olympics came to town in 2000 and it’s still a great place to catch a cultural festival or an IMAX film, shop, eat, go to the Japanese Gardens or hands-on Powerhouse Museum, and enjoy the nightlife, as you might have seen when MTV’s Real World called this place home. Some of the city’s coolest bars are around here (pontoon, Bungalow 8, Cargo Bar), so dress to impress and don’t expect to find any happy hour deals. 

Oxford Street – This is where you’ll find most of Sydney’s gay bars, as well as boutiques, cafes and my favorite place, Max Brenner’s Chocolate Cafe. (Try the fondue for two, even if there’s just one of you.) Every night feels like a weekend here, so bring your best dancing shoes.

Bondi Beach- If you only have time for one trip to the beach, Bondi is where everyone goes. There are lots of cafes and shops on the main strip and plenty of hostels if you want to be just a few steps from the sand.

Playing on Bondi Beach

Coogee- You can avoid some of the crowds, and a lot of the English backpackers, by choosing Coogee beach over Bondi. Or, do the Bondi to Coogee walk and see all of the beaches in between.

Weekend Markets- If you’re around on the weekend, head to Glebe, Manly, Paddington or the Rocks to shop for handmade goods, arts and crafts and souvenirs. There are also lots of food options for lunch.

Nightlife- Everywhere. Backpacker bars can be found on Queen Street (Scruffy Murphy’s is infamous), but if you want to go where the locals go, try the more low key scene in Newtown (Marlbourough Hotel, the Bank) or Surry Hills. A few streets over from trendy Darling Harbour, on Pitt Street, try Art House.

Next: Back to New Zealand and the Bay of Islands

 

Full Moon Parties in Australia

Full Moon Party on Magnetic Island

The first Full Moon Party took place on the beach of Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand back in 1987. Over the past 20 years it’s grown from a few dozen revelers to more than 10,000 celebrants each month. It’s a destination for many backpackers, and has spawned several other Full Moon events around the world.

If Thailand isn’t on your agenda, but you’re still headed south for the winter, check out the happenings on Magnetic Island, just off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Every month there’s a new Full Moon Party at base backpackers. Plan ahead for these dates:

• Friday 8th May 2009
• Friday 5th June 2009
• Saturday 4th July 2009
• Saturday 8th August 2009

Magnetic Island is a popular destination for diving, kayaking, touring the Reef, jetskiing, and just kicking back as well, so when you’re bored with Sydney (is that possible?), and looking for something further off the beaten backpacker track than Byron Bay or the Whitsundays, hop on a ferry and forget about civilization for a while.

And ladies, if you want to get away from it all, but not so far away that you can’t find a hair dryer, try base’s Sanctuary – girls-only accommodation that includes niceties you don’t usually find in other hostels. Co-ed dorms can be fun, but sometimes it’s nice to get away from the snoring and smelly shoes and things that go ‘burp’ in the night.

As always, get your ISIC before you go to take advantage of the great discounts. The more you save, the longer you can play.

Start Planning for ANZAC Day: April 25th

Yes, I got to spend three weeks playing around New Zealand and Australia, and I wish everyone else could go and have as awesome a time as I had.

Buy maybe a trip like that’s not in the cards for you right now. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some ANZAC day festivities in honor of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. In fact, why not host a party at your place? Invite some friends for a staycation and let your minds and spirits head Down Under while your bodies stay where they are.

First, hit up your local Cost Plus for some Tim Tams - Australia’s most popular biscuits (cookies). If you want to look like an Aussie expert, try a Tim Tam Slam: Bite off both ends then suck up your hot chocolate, coffee or tea, using the cookie like a straw.

Next, try your hand at baking some Lamingtons or a Pavlova, two traditional Aussie desserts. Top your Pavlova with Kiwi if you want to include New Zealand as well, and you should. It’s only fair.

If you want a main course as well, go for meat pies, or sausage rolls, or damper and billy tea. Top it off with some Bundaberg rum, or a case of VB if you can find it. If not, find anything flavored with passionfruit.

Load up your iPod or other DJ-ing device with Kylie Minogue, Men at Work, Crowded House, iOTA, Karnivool, Killing Heidi, Midnight Oil, AC/DC, Silverchair, Flight of the Conchords, Howie Day and INXS, and you’ve got an international event on your hands. (Shags in swags optional.)

Travel is a state of mind as much as a hobby. Put your mind in multi-cultural mode and your feet will soon follow. If after the festivities you can’t stand to stay home for another single second and are ready to make a trip to Australia or New Zealand no matter what, then talk to your friendly Travel CUTS agent.

Travel CUTS has excellent student travel deals to both locations, they can get you signed up for and ISIC and a hotel membership, and they can walk you through all the hop-on, hop-off bus routes you might be interested in.

Now, pass me a Vegemite sandwich and a Chocolate Fish.

My Travel “To Do” List

I’m not sure how it happens, but even if I start planning a trip weeks and months in advance, the last days before I go are crammed with last-minute errands, shopping, grooming and planning.

I’ve done enough traveling that, if hard pressed, I could have a bag ready in 15 minutes and be out the door. You can (almost) always buy the necessities as you go and do without the rest.

I’m leaving for New Zealand and Australia next week though, where I’m going to meet up with friends who I haven’t seen in years, and I’d like to look good when I see them. I’d like to have my hair cut, my nails not too mangy, maybe a nice, healthy glow to my skin.

I want to have some new summer clothes to enjoy after months of drab winter clothes. I should order some extra contact lenses, just to be safe. I wanted to have a list of possible side trips and activities for each stop on my tour so that I don’t waste too much time each day planning what to do. And I was going to empty out my mp3 player and start fresh with new tunes for this trip, as well as burn some CDs for the people I’m going to see.

How much of all that is really going to get done? Maybe half. Maybe less. Doesn’t really matter though. Sometimes, going without a big plan means stumbling on things you didn’t expect. Going without a pack full of gifts and supplies means traveling lighter, with more freedom. And traveling without an mp3 player might mean that I make more effort to talk to people.

Spike in Seattle

The one thing I always remember to take: Spike the Rhino. He’s my travel buddy (has been since way before Amelie and her garden troll showed up) and model.

Back in the day, I got really tired of asking people to pose for me and having them whine that they didn’t like to have their picture taken. Pictures of scenery alone can get boring, so Spike jumped in to add a little zing to my travel pics. Now he’s a favorite with my friends who always start a conversation after one of my trips with, “Do you have new Spike photos?”

I don’t blame them. He’s very cute.

Tour Australia Like a Rock Star!

Better yet, tour Australia with some rock stars.

Continuing with our Australia theme this week, Tourism Australia has a contest going on right now where the grand prize is a free trip Down Under with the bands Attack In Black, Bedouin Soundclash, Moneen and Rival Schools.

You’ll get all of your travel expenses taken care of, plus tickets and backstage passes for Soundwave 2009 – a festival that plays in five Australian capital cities.

So you get to go to Australia. You get to hang out with musicians. You get sent on really cool outings and activities and tours. Downside to living like a rock god? Nope, don’t see one.

Once you’re there maybe you’ll decide to do some backpacking on your own, or do a working holiday, or maybe you’ll love it so much that once you get home you’ll decide to turn around and go back for a semester or year abroad like I did. (Best decision ever, no matter how impractical my mother said it was.)

Who knows where you’ll end up, or who with, but starting your journey with an international concert tour doesn’t sound like a bad idea. If you win, promise that you’ll trash at least one hotel room. (Not really. You don’t have to. It actually sounds like a pretty rude thing to do. How about we settle for some mildly bad behaviour, like hogging all the pillows at the hotel or something.)

This contest is open to all legal residents of Canada (excluding Quebec), who are at least 18 years of age at the time of entry. The last day to enter is February 6, 2009, so get a move on. Contest sponsors include our happy friends at Travel CUTS, plus dine alone records and QANTAS, which is the airline with the prettiest planes.

All the details are available here: www.australia.com

Student Travel Deals for the Great Barrier Reef

Speaking of the Great Barrier Reef, if you don’t win this contest (and the odds are like 1 in 30,000 that you will, if you enter), take a look at the deal Travel CUTS has right now for student travelers headed to Australia.

This deal is for Canadians and Americans alike (hooray!) and will save you 10% on selected tours in Queensland. A lot of people don’t make it all the way north in Queensland. They get as far as Byron Bay, have a little too much fun in that backpacker haven, and wake up a few days / weeks later just in time to get back to Sydney and fly home. And that’s a shame. An embarassing shame.

If you can get up to Cairns and Daintree National Park, you’re in for a treat. It’s a great place to get out scuba diving or sailing, and once in the park, you have a chance to see some of the real Australia.

Americans, check out this deal just for you. Canadians, have a look at what Travel CUTS has available for you. Book by March 31st to take advantage of these offers. Good on ya!

Manage an Island, Get Paid to Lounge

It’s impressive what some places are coming up with to increase tourism. A couple of months ago I read about a new ad campaign for New Zealand that promoted it’s high female-to-male ratio, apparently to encourage male visitors. Feminists didn’t love it, but it was very creative.

Now Queensland, Australia, is doing it’s part to lure people to the southern hemisphere with a new promotion that asks you to apply for the Best Job in the World. And I don’t think they’re too far off.

It appears to be equal parts contest and job application, which makes sense as the person they choose gets both a prize and a responsibility. If you win, you get to live on a gorgeous island in the Great Barrier Reef and do mostly what you want for six months. And you get paid a lot of money. But you also have to spend time compiling a weekly blog of videos and photos that will entice others to come and visit. Which just means you’ll get your 15 minutes of Internet fame, which is sort of like another prize.

To enter / apply,  start by making a video of 60 seconds or less that will convince the board that you’re the one they want. Fill out the application and upload your video before the February 22, 2009 deadline to be considered.

You have 40 more days to apply, so get creative. And save a guest room for me.

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Change Your Latitude: Head to “Australia”

Baz Luhrmann’s “Australia” just had its Sydney premier and is set to take over theaters for the holidays. When you see it, you’re likely to walk out thinking a few different things. For example:

1. Wow, Hugh Jackman is hot even without the metal claws.
2. Wow, Nicole Kidman really doesn’t ever get to play an Australian, even in Australia.
3. Wow, Australia looks amazing. I’m packing my bags and going to see the red dirt right now.

For that third one, I can help you out a little. Luckily, Australia has a massive backpacker industry. Once there, you’ll have no problem finding hostels, cheap eats, surfing lessons, camping tours, pubs and nightlife and thousands of other backpackers to hang out with.

Getting there is the tricky part, because it can be expensive, even with student deals. Start by using Travel CUTS’ Australia Trip Planner, and talk to one of their agents. They send heaps of students to Australia every year and can help you save money wherever they can. (Or enter their contest for a free trip – now until December 31, 2008)

Another way to get to Australia – possibly with more help from your parents – is on a student visa. How about a semester or year abroad? Live like a local, meet students from all over, then take some time to travel around and see the sights.

Talk to your academic counselor about your school’s options, or, if you’re looking for a graduate program, you can apply directly to an Australian university. Just ask me about my year at the University of New South Wales. (Loved it!)