First actual blog update

Gidday.

Well, another hot day here. It's getting to the point we should probably just take it as read that it's hot... 35 degrees today. When it's actually cold, then we will have reason to write home about it.

Pretty busy day at work today, they seem to have caught onto the fact that I can do stuff, so had several jobs to do today. Pretty good company to work for overall, I suspect I am going to enjoy my time here. Well worth the trip on experience points alone I reckon.

Whoever told me that you don't burn as quickly in Australia was a flaming lier. 2 minutes was the official burn time in Brisbane in the weekend. And I beleive it. When I mistakenly got burnt in the weekend I thought "That was foolish, oh well, now I know". Now it's a case of "hell this sunburn hurts consistantly, I am intending to never get burnt ever again." 3 days later it's still giving me greif. They consistantly warn about sun exposure here, and it's classed as a major workplace hazard. Which it is. Trust me.

There's a "mountain" nearby needing some repeater work on it, (NZers, read Hill, it's not quite tall enough to be a mountain even though over here apparently it is) so looks like I may have drawn a short enough straw to be included in the assult mission.

This could be by helicopter, or by shank's pony. The conversation went something like this:
Boss: "it's only about an hour and a half... if you don't get lost".
Me: "Gee, thanks."
Boss: "Oh, I've never actually been up there myself, but I hear the tourists do it all the time for excercise".
Me: "Thanks again."
Boss: "You will know the repeater hut, it's next to the white cross where someone fell off the track and got killed".
Me: You really know how to encourage people don't you...

So anyhow... I'll let you know how I get on with that one.

Early start tomorrow, I was told what for but I've temporaraly forgotten to remember exactly what that reason was. However, I will no doubt find out.

Seem to be getting on top of the mozzie problem, they don't seem to be bothering me as badly as they were, the repellent seems to be working. Coincidently I read somewhere that mozzie repellent doesn't actually repel per say, it actually "hides" you from the mozzies radar so he doesn't know you are there. A bit like that black radar absorbing marterial they used on the blackbird so it didn't get seen by radar. Very clever stuff.

Internet. Don't get me started on internet. Over here "ISP" obviously is actually pronounced: "License to print money". Everyone is out to get you. They charge stupid prices for basic products, for example one provider works out to be $109 Auzzie per gigabyte. I mean come on, if that's not daylight robbery I don't know what is. Cheapest I found was an ADSL provider providing naked ADSL for around $100 a month, 30 gigs "On peak" (12 AM till 12 PM) and 60 gigs "off peak" (12 PM till 12 AM). We thought "righto, sounds good, lets do it". Went through the motions.. but wait. The provider doesn't actually have ADSL equipement in our town. The competition does, but they want about $160 for 25 GB all up. Bugger that.

"Righto" said I, thinking there must be a better solution, and not happy paying over the top pricing for basic internet services. We investigated the wireless internet option, which the cheaper provider also provided. $55 a month for 7 GB on a 12 month plan. Sounds good, given the options. Right, very well, head down to the shop to jack it up then. (You also need to buy a modem for $150).

First problem: "Do you have ID"? yes, yes we do. Here, have our passports, bank cards, letters from the bank, letters from the australian tax department, NZ drivers licences.... surely that's enough?

Apparently not. You also require a medicare card. Which is fine. Except under normal circumstances most NZers wouldn't get one for 2 years. We can get one because we have permanent employment here, but again the list of requirements and "supporting documents" is as long as my left arm.

So, not liking to be beaten so easily, I hatched a cunning plan. I noticed there were prepaid options. I thought to myself: Righto, if we went prepaid for a month until we get medicare cards sorted, that's gets us going even if the first month costs us a bit more, and then once we are ready we will go directly onto the contract, using the same modem, and win all around.

Apparently not. Yes, you require a modem for the prepaid data at a cost of $99.
Yes, you could start a contract once you have the medicare card (assuming they accepted us even after that.) BUT... you would still require a new modem, because it transpires you cannot go onto a contract without them suppling you and charging you for a new modem weather you require it or not.

Did I mention every big company is out to get you?

I can't win... I was hoping my luck would change when I hopped countries but apparently it followed and got through customs. Damn them and their instant photo ID. Christ, I can get into the country without even talking to a customs official, I can open a bank account with only a passport, but I cannot even pay an entire 12 month contract in advance to get flaming internet.

I rest my case.

Anyhow, time I went and constructed a meal, I'm quite getting the hang of this cooking lark. Much like chemistry at school really. Quite exciting.

Bye for now.