David Gray - White Ladder

David Gray is not an Aussie but I know him in Oz. I remember when the Irish girl ask me "Did you heard of David Gray?' when we were having an afternoon break in the car after working as a vine pruning worker for long hours,  I gave her this stupid answer "I heard about Craig David but I've never heard of "David Gray". She didn't say anything after that and played "White Ladder" in the car. I was surprised how come a small girl likes such an old man and boring song. But later I found that David Gray's song is sad, touching, and it's suitbale to listen when you are doing something eles (like typing blog, tidy up your messy stuff).  I brought this CD in Melbourne right after I sperate with Tak in Oz, feeling a bit lonely. And on the last few day I stayed in Emerald Backpackers (the backpackers that I 've stayed for more than 6 months totally), I played this CD and pack my backpack by myself in my room alone for hours. Emerald Backpackers is not a very comfortable place to sta. It's dirty, untidy and messy. However, since I stayed there for such a long time, I feel a bit sad when I was leaving.  I met lots of people and experience a not during my stay, and leaving this backpackers mean the Oz journey is come to the end. Even after I come back to HK, when I listen to that album, I can stiil have the sad feeling of packing alone in Emerald. I truly believe every single song can have different meaning to every single people.

 

 

Slim Dusty - Duncan

Another thing that make the trip so impreesive is the crazy tour guide (but he doesn't think he is crazy) , Carl. It's not a bad thing to have a crazy tour guide as long as he's not annoying. Carl is confident, positive, passionate, and willing to face challenges. These are the things I don't have but I need to have. I really appreciate a man who can have such a high capicity to survive and live in the wild. He was a city boy but he gave up the city life and live in the wild. He can make fire, use camp fire to cook nice dinner, and even catching gocodise in hands. Can you find a young man like him in Hong Kong? I afrad you can only find HK boys playing his PSP or mobile phone indoor. In Hong Kong, 十個男仔九個愛打機，第十個係非常愛打機。   

The song "Duncan" is so cute. It just talk about a man who want to have a bear with his friend Duncan and that 's it. I remember Carl sang it loudly while he was cooking with the camp fire. He even applied our names into the lyrics. How funny it is. 

 

 

Slim Dusty  - Duncan

I love to have a beer with Duncan   I love to have a beer with Dunc.
We drink in moderation    And we never ever ever get rollin' drunk
We drink at the Town and Country Where the atmosphere is great
I love to have a beer with Duncan
'Cause Duncan's me mate, yeah

I love to have a beer with Colin   I love to have a beer with Col.
We drink in moderation   And it doesn't really matter if he brings his doll
We drink at the Town and Country  Where the atmosphere is great
I love to have a beer with Colin
'Cause Colin's me mate, mm-mm-mm

I love to have a beer with Kevin
Oh I love to have a beer with Kev.
We drink in moderation
And he drives me home in his big old Chev.
We drink at the Town and Country
Where the atmosphere is great
I love to have a beer with Kevin
'Cause Kevin's me mate

I love to have a beer with Patrick   I love to have a beer with Pat
We drink in moderation  And it wouldn't really matter if the beer was flat
We drink at the Town and Country
Where the atmosphere is great
I love to have a beer with Patrick
'Cause Patrick's me mate - Change key

I love to have a beer with Robert
I love to have a beer with Bob
We drink in moderation
Just one more and back on the job
We drink at the Town and Country
Where the atmosphere is great
I love to have a beer with Robert
'Cause Robert's me mate

Slim Dusty - G'day G'day

Slim Dusty should be the king of country music in Oz, but may be many youngster in OZ don't know him. Even one of my HK friend who lived in Oz for more than 10 years doesn't know him.

I know him when I was having the Kimberley camping 4WD tour. The crazy tour guide of the trip, Carl addicted to him and played his song evrey day. The song "G'day, G'day" is most impressive as there's not of Aussie snag (such as "G' day", "How's going?", "Aussie") in the lyrics, making the song so Aussie, and at the end of the song, Slim Dusty sing with a group of children.

By the way, I really have no idea why I spend so much money to join a camping 4WD tuor in the Kimberley.  I have never heard of the Kimberley before I went to Oz. And even in Oz, I also don't know much about the Kimberley. I have no idea how does it look like and I didn't hear any other backpacker talk about it.  Even in Lonely Planet there's not much pages about the Kimberley. Maybe the god force me to go.  On the nine days tour, I saw so many gorges and gorges, of course some of them are really imprssive and gorguoes. For me, the most meaningful and impressive part of the tour is the original life style and the tour guide. In HK, I can't imagine to sleep under the numerous stars in less than 10 degrees, no shower, going to toliet by digging a hole on the ground, having a natural spa at night,  washing hair in the middle of a lake with the help of a white man and  screaming "Fuck you" in Cantonese on a hill.  

G’day G’day   -   Slim Dusty  

*G'day g'day, how ya goin', what d'ya know, well strike a light
G'day g'day, and how ya go-o-o-in'
Just say g'day g'day g'day and you'll be right*

Isn't great to be an Aussie
Takin' a walk along the street
Lookin' in shops or buyin' a paper
Stoppin' and havin' a yarn with people that you meet

Down at the pub or at a party
Whenever you're stuck for what to say
If you wanna be dinky-di, why don't you give it a try
Look 'em right in the eye and say goo'day

repeat *

Now when Italians meet they all go crazy
The blokes all like to hug each other too
The Yanks invented "hi" "and see you later"
While the Pommy will shake your hand and say "how do you do"

Now watch out for a Frenchmen or he'll kiss you
The Spaniards go for "Olah" and "Olay"
But in the land of the cockatoo, pole cats and the didgeridoo
When you meet an Aussie ten-to-one here's what he'll say

repeat *

It's a greeting that you'll hear across Australia
From Geraldton to Goulburn, Gundagai
It's as dinkum as the Dingo and the Dahlia
And you spell it with a G, apostrophe, a D-A-Y

repeat *

The Veronicas - 4ever

The Veronicas is a successful girl group in Oz. It's obvious that they are Aussie as the way the drss and make up is a bit "娘" compared with some British or American girl bands. Even Twins in HK dress better than them. (Actually the 2 member of the group are biologically twins)

Normally I don't really like the stupid and girlish love songs of those girl group. But I really like that song as the lyrics is easy for second language speaker like me to listenand  understand and also I think the musical arrangement is great. Pop songs can also be brilliant and impressive.  I always can't help to sing along when I listen to the song.    

THE VERONICAS -  4ever

Here we are so what you gonna do?
Do I gotta spell it out for you?
I can see that you got other plans for tonight
But I don't really care

Size me up you know I beat the best
Tick tock no time to rest
Let them say what their gonna say
But tonight I just don't really care

*Come on baby we ain't gonna live 4ever
 Let me show you all the things that we could do
 You know you wanna be together
 And I wanna spend the night with you
 Yeah, yeah with you, yeah, yeah
 Come with me tonight   We could make the night last 4ever*

I've seen it all I've got nothing to prove
Come on baby just make your move
Follow me lets leave it all behind tonight
Like we just don't care

Let me take you on the ride of your life
That's what I said alright
They can say what they wanna say
Cause tonight I just don't even care

repeat *
Lets pretend you're mine We could just pretend, we could just pretend, yeah yeah
You got what I like
You got what I like, I got what you like Oh come on
Just one taste and you'll want more
So tell me what your waiting for

repeat *

 

She's Love - End of Fashion

"End of Fashion" is one of my favoutrie Aussie band. Their style is a bit like Suede and other British bands I like. I know them at the final part of my journey. I think the first time I heard of the show is from a TV talk show called "Rove Live". Rove is a handsome and talkactive TV star. End of Fashion perform "She's Love" on thw show and I found that the song kept playing in my head. The song is not very popular , I cannot listen to it very often. Maybe because of it I 've never tired of it. I just addicted to the song and almost buy the album. One of the Korean girl in the backpackers I stayed bought the album and burn it into CD for me. Suprisingly, I found the CD in HK HMV costs $145, but I got it for free. 

 

She's Love -  End of Fashion

Time and time again
I'm over seduction
Closer now closer now stop
With my hand on a fire
Of a desire
When all I want to do is relay

She's love
She's love woah
She's love
She's love la da di

Sit don't stay
It's only the weekend
It's only that I care
Come on lover, love me like that
Why are you so windy
Where are you going
When all I want to do is relax

She's love
She's love woah
She's love
She's love woah
She's , She’s love la da di

She's love
She's love woah
She's love
She's love woah
She's love
She's love woah
She's, She love la da di

 

O YEAH -  End of Fashion

 

I’m lazy, she ‘s a cow

The way she's looking at me now, wow,
When conversation comes my way,
I say I go to church to pray,
You know almost everyday,
It's then she walks away,

*Oh yeah,  So you wanna talk about it for a while,
 Oh yeah  So you went to school to re-learn how to smile
 Oh yeah  She said la di da di dream, she said c'mon
 Oh Yeah, Well Oh yeah,*

Smoke too much and nod your head, (Yeah, yeah, just like that)
I can't remember what you said,
And your name again,
Constipation verbally,
Its then I walk away,

Repeat *
Come on
sweet candy,
Just give me some sweet candy
You make me feel oooh baby
You think you're all that

Oh yeah,  Wanna talk about it for a while,
Oh yeah  Went to school to re-learn how to smile
Oh yeah  She said la di da di dream, she said c'mon
Oh Yeah,
Well Oh Yeah!

On and on and on and on and on...
Oh yeah

 

In the Summer Time - Thirsty Merc

 

"In the Summer Time" is so Aussie, or I should say, so east coast. This is a song for lazy people, especially those lazy backpackers who do nothing, just smoke and drink or swim in the pool under the damm hot burning sun in Queensland. I can always listen to this song when I travel along the east coast in Oz. Actually, I don't really enjoy the east coast as it was always party and party and crowded with tourists. Things are expensive as well. Those beachs and lake are undoubtly beautiful, but there just too many people and too noisey. I prefered quiet Tasmania or Western Australia. Party and party is  a part of western culture, or backpacker culture, but not my cup of tea.  Anyway, "In the summer time" always remind me the lazy travel days I was in the east coast,  as I was there in the lazy summer time, making my skin turned darkest I have ever been. People even think Tak is Thai. Funny!!

By the way, I highly recommend the vocal of the band has his haircut.

THIRSTY MERC  "In The Summertime"

I don't have a job I never liked them
I just wanna play in the sunshine

They say I was wrong But I know better
I live my life like I'm dying

Gimme a chance I'll do my best to kick and scream and dance
When winter comes I'll turn around

*Take me back to the sweet times  The hot nights
 Everything is gonna be alright In the summertime
 Baby, in the summertime
 And even if I have to wait til next year I don't care
 All I know is that I'll meet you there
 In the summertime Baby,

in the summertime

That is where I'll be*

I can't complain 'Cos I'm still breathing
There's nobody breathing down my neck now

Gimme a go Like an open furnace setting fire to snow
When winter comes I'll ask the crowd

Repeat *

So let me run I'll dream until my head weighs 16 tonnes
And when I wake sometime in June  I'll say

Repeat *

 

Surfer Paradise, a "must-go" sightseeing sight for people visiting Oz, crowded with tourist (you can even always hear Cantonese), too comercial, I don't really like there.

Try kanoeing in Nossa River, Queensland. I really don't know why I will take this challenge. I was fucking tired after doing tbis just for an hour. However, I did quite well and our boat ran quite fast. But I can't seat at the back as I am a poor directer. After this trip, I get sun burn and darkest skin I have ever have in my life.

Funny experience. We parked our boat at a small pier and waiting for our teamates. A group of locals were playing in the water near the pier and they inviteed us to join. They knew I am a non-swimmer so they put everything which could be float on me, making me look like an idiot. (The one in red safety suit is me). But it was really fun!!! I have never jump into the water with underwear.

At Fraser Island, the biggest sand island in the world which is famous with lake, sand, and dingo. Our teamates include an Irish couple, Aussie brothers and the girlfriend of the younger brother, Israel couple, an Israel boy. All are heavy-drinker.What a strange combination! But we have fun anyway.

Try Israel "水煙" (forgot the name of it).  Suprisingly, it tastes quite good, like fruit juice.

Main road in Fraser Island - beach.

Party on the last night in Fraser Island.

Sailing in Whitsundays Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Very relaxing, but also quite boring actually.

Beautilful White Heaven Island. I swam here even though I can't swim.

Try snokeling in Whitsunday Island. You will not know how muh does it mean to me as I am a non-swimer.

Try scenic flights in Canis, to see Green Island. Not that impressive.

Shannon Noll - Shine

I fell in love when I fisrt listened to this song, which was the time I worked in TNB farm, a farm located in Monbulk near Melbourne. I was doing tulip planting, a simple but super routine and boring job. The melody is easy to remember and the lyrics is so positive and optimatic. These two things are what I 'm short of  and what I need.

The job in TNB is shit but I have a good time there. It's because firstly, the pay is very good for backpacker ($16.5 /hr) but the job is not physically hard (but mentally hard). Secondly, the local worker are very nice and most of them won't treat Asian backpacker as cheap labour and have an intention to communicate with us, especially David, a funny black man and also the supervisor of the planting team. He likes talking to backpacker and always ask me to be his girlfriend (but he is  married with 3 kids) for fun, maybe because I looked shy and cutie. He gave us candy and gave me and Tak nice tomatos he planted in his garden. Thirdly, most of the co-workers in TNB, or other backpackers I should say,  are also nice and friendly. I remember on the night we worked for TNB, all backpackers who worked for TNB has a very nice chat until 3 am.

Shine - Shannon Noll

 

Get up, get out, get out, get out and lift your head,
Come on, come on, get up out of bed,
Today's the day you hold the world with your song.

Go now, go now, go now, help escalate.
Angels come down, help with this parade.
To hear your voice ring out,
Come on and shout it,
Let your song be heard.

*This is the time,
 This is the day that we've been waiting for,
 All the world will stop to watch you shine. *

Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now sing your hymn,
This is the new national anthem,
We will all stand on guard to let you be heard.
Let go, let go, let go all that can ask,
How beautiful this world has become,
Now everyone will see what I believe,
That these words should be sung.

repeat * X2

And if you fall,
And if you fall,
And if you trust and,
Yes it will come true.

Hey, hey
Yeah.

repeat *

With David and the German girl.

I remember after working as a planting working for a whole day, when I close my eyes, all I can see is those moving seed.

Having a five minutes break (per hour). This break is very essential to us. If not, we will lose our arms.

We took a group photo on the last day we work for TNB. From right to left: TNB日女、DJ Alo、高荷蘭佬、masa、黑人、永薰、橙帽、德情女、德情男、咸濕佬(老細). Of couse all these nicknames are "assigned" by me and Tak. It is fun and necessary to assign nickname to others as we need to 講是非 using Cantonese in front of them.

This tulip is a goodbye gift from TNB 老板娘. As Tak, me and Masa worked for them for couple of times, we can have more expensive tulips. This is the first and only time for me to recieve goodbye gift!

Delta Goodrem - Little Too Late

 

I think I should do something to remind me those Aussie songs I like and meaningful to me as music is an important part of my journey in Oz, especially when I am doing those boring and routine farm jobs. Without music from the radio, I might die of boringness. Let's start with one of my favourite, Delta's "A little Too Late".

Whenever I listen to this song, I think of the time I work as a orange picker. (actually is "tangerian" picker but no one know what is "tangerian" and "tangerian just look like orange) The job is so hard for girl like me and I can only pick 1 and a quarter bin per day, so that's only sixty something AUS dollar I can earn after workiing for 7-8 hours without toliet rest. The reason why I related the song with the picking job is,  one of the picker,  a kiwi, 紐西阿叔, who also stayed in the working hostel we stay, turn on the radio of the car when we were picking. And once this song was being played, I would slow down to listen. I really like the lyrics of the song which describes a young girl who is looking for love.

With music, orange picking is not that hard. Actually I missed the time when I picked orange. I could not earn much, but I have freedom, nice music, and  紐西亞叔 is told me that after working as a ornage picker I can do any other job in the world cos it's the hardest. 

 

紐西亞叔 and me after picking tangerian for a whole day.

Tangerian farm. No toliet, no other facilities.

The size of a bin is 1.2m x 1.2 m. Fucking huge. Pickers can earn $45 per bin. Fucking low.

This is how I pick those tangerian on the top of tree. We have to use slapper to cut the stick and get the tangerian. I can still smell the tangerian under the trees. The green bag is my belonging. I would sit beside the bin to have my lunch.

DELTA GOODREM "A Little Too Late"

(They say) I'm a little to young to understand
But it's a little to late too hold my hand
You know I never subscribe to yes sir no sir
Gonna learn gonna love gonna take my chance
It's a little too late for you to say
That I'm a little too young to feel this way

*'cause I just wanna be loved just wanna be heard
 Be lost in the feeling standing here
 At the door to my life
 Now that day has arrived so loud and clear
 You'll hear me singing
 Do do doo do do do do do do
 I'm singing   Do do do do do do do do do *

(They say) I'm a little too lost without you here
(They said) that I'm a little too soft and too sincere
'cause I never subscribe to who sir me sir
Gonna stand gonna fall gonna face my fears
It's a little too late for me to wait
'cause your're never to young to feel this way

Repeat *

If I want your help I'll say help me
I'm okay I'm alright won't you hear me loud and clear

repeat *

 

I'm a little too young to understand
But it's a little too late to hold my hand
I'm a little too lost without you here
That I'm a little too soft and too sincere

好累好累

開始多野做，面對前人留低0既極混亂database，好頭痛。番完夜間番早間更是想死

覺得公司好多做野0既手法問題，例如有野delay，冇人會通知學生; exam頭四十五分鐘唔可以去toliet，好唔人道。考完試要學生0係name list簽名，浪費時間，又對杜絕頂包毫無幫助。ka ha講得0岩，唔可以將成套新加坡0既野搬過來，但舊人都只有跟舊rule，唔想/唔能夠改變。一諗起今日第一日考試七國咁亂又有人冇名又唔夠question paper，星期日要自己一個去搞實在擔心。

今個星期無la la試左d唔同0既野。首先係星期一要同阿head開會，(好似之前十年都唔開一次)

無la la被"安排"做"take minute，要我地幾個新同事問問題提意見，之後仲會每星期開一次會

阿頭0係會上話好記得我講過complaint係一個driving force，當堂呆左。係咩? 我有講過咩?

努力去revise..係wor，好似見工果時吹下吹下吹左出來，但係我真係無咩深印象

估唔到呢句無心插柳0既說話會係我獲聘0既關鍵。冥冥中自有主宰?!

跟住就係星期四開email發現自己被安排做咩"graduation ceremony committie"，唔係呀嗎?

sevice0既同事就只有我、ka ha、don (好彩呢個配搭都幾唔錯)

阿頭話我同ka ho剛畢業，所以想我地俾d新意見公司。我想講，你選錯人了，因為我連自己個大學畢業禮都冇去，我都唔知一個grand 0既畢業禮係要點。anyway，被選中應該係一件好事。公司fresh grad有四個，四個選兩個，如果冇份，或者我仲多野諗。

呢個星期有兩日同ka ho一齊放工，發覺佢份人好正面。我同佢係工作上0既拍檔，連committie都一齊被選中。佢好treasure可以做committie同uop，因為呢兩樣都係公司0既重頭戲，workload係重d，但應該可以學到好多野。佢唔講我都唔覺tim。原來佢放棄左sony psp cs0既工作，我係佢實take sony la!

*********************************

退稅終於拎到手，第一期糧都出左，番得23日所以得六千九，唔覺得自己有錢左，因為還債後冇幾多會剩

***********************************************

睇詩遊記講北京，介紹埋798藝術區‧記得當年我去北京搵798，問左好多人行左好多冤枉路先搵到，好多local都唔識。去到，emily又冇心機睇，我拿拿臨行左個圈就走左，睇電視發覺miss左好多野‧798真係好型，他日有機會再去北京都想再去。