Melbs third time lucky? in Stuff

So upon realising that I am in fact returning to work on the 19th and not the 12th like I originally thought (bravo Matt, not even knowing when your own holidays are), and that the new housemate has his keys from the old housemate and the bond has been transferred, I have decided to finally take a much needed vacation, as I haven’t really had one since prior to Covid, unless you count a few days at Mardi Gras.
I’m still awaiting the lease to come through to sign, but that’s the only thing left to do.

So I did my research. Fucking hell things (namely hotels) are expensive. I even looked into Air B&B (which I’ve never actually tried yet) and didn’t think their prices were much better. So basically everybody is gouging consumers like crazy. Even me wanting to go for my go-to 3 days away on the Gold Coast was out of this world - well over $1000. I get that it’s school holidays and the property market is fucked, but it really is a joke, and scary times we live in, at least here in Queensland, it seems. I keep saying it, but I feel a riot is on the cards soon.
So I looked into my favourite city, Perth. Doable, but effort plus time (it’s 10 hours in a plane there and back), but I think I’ll leave Perth as my jetlag-recovery city from an overseas trip, depending on if I end up in Europe later this year (a possibility with the Belgian GP).
I looked into camping in NSW. A possibility. The place I’d want to camp at has the shittiest website and wants people to enquire with them about unpowered sites, which is all I’d want for my little tent, so I did so. They replied with an email this morning asking me to RING them, so they’re out. Fuck that. RING them? Who rings people anymore? Get with the times people. You either got space or you don’t. Andrewis camping down there somewhere (I think at that holiday park, but not sure) and said I could crash in his tent, but I really wanna use mine as I haven’t even used it yet and have had it for a year. Car hire is a possibility. Anyway, due to most of the places being unavailable (that I could at least find out about from places that actually listed their availability online), I’ve opted against it, for now. It is still a possibility for the few days I’ll have off before work, but I’ll see how I feel.

Then I had a thought. A controversial one. What about Melbourne?
As soon as I told Brande’, he was like, “But you hate Melbourne” LOL. Yeah, I haven’t had the best experiences there on my two prior trips, but I figure that I won’t really care, as I need a break anyway, and I used to think the same thing about Sydney. I think I will just be touristy. Hopefully the weather is kind haha.
So it was either Melbourne or Adelaide, since I haven’t been to Adelaide since 2000, and I think that’s a bit too long. Although I haven’t been to Cairns either since 1999, and that is in my STATE.
So I looked into it. I can book flights and stay somewhere decent-looking (in Melbourne) for twice as long as I could if I booked the Gold Coast for a more expensive price. Sure, the GC is only an hour train ride and cuts out flights, but hey, that’s even flying Qantas, which was just named the world’s safest airline again, touch-wood haha. I’m a bit scared after that scary helicopter crash that happened at Seaworld on the Gold Coast earlier this week.
So in the only Saggitarian trait that seems to apply to me, I spontaneously booked it. I’ll be going for six nights. I did consider going today, but it would have been a rush. I’ll miss out on Saturday there, which is probably the best night for the clubbing gay scene, but it’s not like I’ll be game enough to talk to anyone anyway, so who am I kidding. I’m already trying to psych myself up to hit one of the gay bars tomorrow night. I’ll wait and see if that happens. I figure I’ll be on holidays, I can get drunk, make a fool of myself. They won’t have to see me again. I can sleep it off.
Maybe I can catch up with Luke, or Jazz, or this guy who’s been flirting with my lately. As soon as I post anything about being in Melbourne, I’m sure he’ll hit me up. He’s cute in the face but has such a hairy chest, which is a turn-off for me haha. Like I don’t mind some hair but that looks like a forest lol. Anyway, jumping to conclusions as I do. Maybe Kylie will be free, but probs working, as my timing is shit. I will also be there too early for the Australian Open, but oh well, can’t do much about that.
I have to come back in time for the Rina Sawayama concert next Saturday. She’s performing in Melbourne on the Friday (but of course sold out), so she may even be on the same flight as me coming back, but I’m cutting it fine by a few hours to make her concert here. At least it’s across the road from where I live. Anyway, a flight delay will mean I won’t make it on time, and my friend Julian in Canada will be pissed if I don’t make this concert, as he is obsessed with her. I figure “It is what it is”, which has been my mantra this past week, trying to sort out the housemate.

I don’t know how it’s going to go. I realised when the new housemate was here yesterday how monotone his voice is. It didn’t seem that way during the interview, but I guess everyone is trying to impress. So I’m a bit apprehensive, but I’m like that with any new housemate I guess. We don’t have to be friends, I just hope we get along. He found a chip on the wall in the bathroom which I had missed, and one of the lights in his room doesn’t work! How did I miss those? Either way, it didn’t bother him, and he transferred the bond. Of course, the lift is fucking up again (it’s been on and off heaps lately, so I don’t know what the fuck is going on) and he’s going to try and move in today with just the one lift working, so that’s probably gonna piss people off, but I’ve told him he’s most welcome to move in when it suits him. I could say to wait until the other lift is working, but who knows if that’s gonna happen, and he just wants to get in and settled I think. I’ve even offered to pay next weeks rent, just so that we don’t go into arrears, since I’ve basically been living alone the past two weeks anyway, and the new lease date starts on an annoying day of the week (a Tuesday, when I only get paid on Tuesday nights), so I figure by paying an extra week, we’ll always stay ahead by the six days. So the lease starts on the 17th, and I’ve said I prefer paying rent on the 18th, as that will be Wednesday. So he’s getting over a week for free here, which I think is quite kind myself. I was going to not charge for the bills, but if he’s moving in early, I’m certainly sending them to him. Anyway, see how this goes. He’d better get PAYID. I’m glad the onld houemate had his band details on him, as the new one doesn’t use PAYID. WHO doesn’t use PAYID in this day and age!? My God, people. SO much more convenient and you only have to remember a phone number and not damn bank details.

So yeah, Melbs here I come. I need the weather to be nice, and I need the guys to be nice, please lol.