a fork in the road

Hi folks, I know, once again I've been slacking at keeping you all up to date with the crazy ongoings of this journey. I've found that I am more inclined to write these entries as I grow closer to the next fork in the road, rather than when I'm cruising down it. And so as you may have assumed, here I am at the end of a road, glancing left, glancing right, and then once more over my shoulder. Before I get ahead of myself and tell you all about what paths I have to choose from, I suppose I should catch you up on where I'm standing. 

As I described in my last entry I had three job interviews, each of which very different from the next, and all of which just below my level of compromise. Well almost, I decided to give the hotel all-rounder position a try. No commitment necessary, paid work, new and beautiful town to explore, whats the harm? Well aside from a sinus infection and a slight case of the heebie-jeebies, no harm at all. I have been treated very kindly and I have no desire to hinder the business here, but I cannot work and live in a place that consistently grosses me out. It was mostly the staff cottage that caused me to quit. The accommodations were supposed to make up for the pay that was really just enough to scrape by on. But after scraping by on minimal pay and then resigning to my pest filled, fetid domicile every night I knew I'd had enough. Believe it or not I wasn't that in love with housekeeping work. But I come away with a new found respect for the brave souls who walk into hotel room after hotel room day after day turning trash heaps, stained sheets and unpredictable toilets into pleasant lemony scented nooks, ready for the next heathen to befoul. It's thankless work, and it's exhausting. My hat's off to the housekeepers of the world.

When I wasn't trudging through the darkness of housekeeping I was serving breakfast, doing dishes, setting tables, or working the reception desk. All of these other tasks were pleasant by comparison. All in all it didn't add up, I felt as though I was getting the short end of the stick on this deal and I was giddy as a school boy when I told them I was leaving. 

So we're almost to the fork, but there's more catching up to do. I can proudly say that I was not the only sucker duped into this role at the hotel. My first day on the job I was introduced to two other travelers both about my same age who had been there for a couple of weeks, and guess what? They were both quitting! It was about as subtle as a neon sign flickering "closed," swinging precariously from one hook before crashing to the ground in a cloud of dust. I quickly found out that these were two very cool, very normal people, with very good reasons for leaving. The greatest thing about having a shitty job is having someone to commiserate with. There has been no shortage of material, and we've been laughing our way through this hilarious muck hole. 

With one day of work left here I am standing at the fork. Here's what I see when I look ahead:

 Prong #1: Indulge in Australia. Spend my money on food, hostels, transportation, and pure leisure. Go rock climbing, mountain biking, trekking and kayaking. Not splurging or being careless with my money, but accepting the fact that it will run out and make the most of the few great weeks ahead of me here in Oz. Then cash out, buy plane ticket back to the states, and go on welfare.

Prong #2: The long road. Hunker down, find a better job, settle into Katoomba (or wherever this job may be) for a few months and save up the cheddar. Thus opening the door to countless travel options. The drawback: putting off travels, adventures, and the explosive spontaneity I've been feeding into.  

Prong #3: Push on and explore Thailand. Thailand and most of Asia will be extremely affordable. With the money I have saved I could live very comfortably in Thailand for a couple of months. It will be a completely different experience than anything I've encountered so far. New Zealand and Australia have been great but I am eager to get to a true foreign country. Thailand may be more westernized than most Asian countries but it is a good entryway into the continent. There are several possibilities when I get there but I think the best way to get settled would be to volunteer at a meditation center. This way I can take classes, meet people, have my own room and learn about the culture in a group setting. After exploring Southeast Asia my funds should be pretty well tapped and I'll either have to go back to Australia and work or go back to the states… and go on welfare.     

magpie

The Handle: It wouldn't be a true fork in the road if didn't have a road from which you came on. And if I am being totally honest with myself I have to look back that way as well. Obviously I would not backtrack my steps all the way and go home the exact way I came. It would be a waste and I could also not afford to do it. But I always do have thoughts of home in the back, front, sides, and middle of my mind. I would be denying myself if I said they didn't tug at me from time to time. This journey is totally in my hands and I can pull the plug whenever I want. Eventually those thoughts of home will tug at me enough to get me to make that call. I imagine at that point I will feel like my travel is fruitless, tiresome, and just too distant to continue, or I'll just be broke. But now is not that time! Onward.