Martha and Stacy Trailer - A Short Film

When I mentioned being a movie enthusiast in my introduction on the sidebar, I meant it. Here's a little trailer for our student short film I'd like to share. Enjoy.

     Role: Cinematographer 
     Location: Hong Kong

"Martha and Stacy"

Mildura Fruit Picking

Arrived in Mildura for my grape picking job. Northwest of Victoria, Mildura is famous for its large production of grapes - providing 80% of Victoria's grapes - and a major producer of citrus fruits.

Our dorm room on the grape farm. 

On our first break day my roommates and I went to the supermarket for some groceries for the rest of the week. Since between us and the backpackers in the other room there is only one car for us to drive, we were forced to take a two-hour walk to town as the other group had taken the car.

As soon as we reached the bifurcation point at the end of the pathway of our dormitory, one of my roommates said, "maybe we should turn back; it's not too late".

Maybe we should go back and call for a taxi, I pondered.

"What other options are there? Taxi is way too expensive for us." Another backpacker read my mind.

I had no idea what had taken over us when we decided to take a two-hour walk in a 35°C day; though at that time we didn't really have a choice.

During the walk we had plenty of time to get to know each other better, as this was still the second day of our jobs. I learned about each of their places of origin and the local culture. Three of my roommates are from Taiwan, while the other is from Hong Kong. One of them - 右右 is from Taiwan I-Lan (宜蘭). Their local culture involves an annual festival called International Children's Folklore and Folkgame Festival (宜蘭國際童玩藝術節), in which children from various places of the world gather together and perform their individual cultural dances. "It is fantastic to see a variety of different cultures gathered together to perform. It's also a great chance to do many water activities you otherwise couldn't."

I explained to him traditional Hong Kong festivals such as the annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival (包山節), in which contestants have to climb a mountain of buns to collect buns for points.

We bought simple ingredients for the following week. These included cabbage, rice, eggs, carrots, chicken drumsticks, green beans and a bag of frozen veggies; which encompasses all six essential nutrients of a meal - carbohydrates, protein, fat, minerals, vitamins and water.

Our dinner for the first night. 

Cooking for yourself when traveling is the easiest way to save money and eat according to your own flavour palette. For the second night we made use of our drumsticks by slow cooking it in a pan with sweet garlic sauce with soy sauce and two packs of instant soups plus some green beans and carrots.

We shared travel stories over the dinner table (or coffee table) and had a great time making new friends. Working together with these irreplaceable people will surely make this an enjoyable experience.

Feeding One Day Old Chicks

In Australia, one day old chicks can be bought with . My host had bought four of them in an attempt to invest in four fine egg-laying machines. They eat two times a day but is also opportunistic when it comes to food. 

If you want them to not be scared of humans and thus run away when let out, you can try playing with these furry balls of cuteness often to let them get used to getting handled. You must also put them indoors at night as they are afraid of the cold. One thing to keep in mind when considering buying them though - they chirp quite a lot when they are hungry or want attention. Nevertheless they are adorable; one has even learnt to follow me around closely when let out, impatiently waiting for more bread crumbs. 

I will be sure to post updates of these chicks in the future - I heard they'll learn how to fly (kind of) - so stay tuned! 

Half Moon Bay Beach

Having a phone number in Australia when on a working holiday is essential; not only is it useful for keeping in touch with anyone you meet during your travels, it also has to be included in your resume for your employer to contact you. After acquiring mine for $25 for 2.25 GB per month (a limited special offer of the company), Chloe and I went to the Half Moon Beach on this perfectly scorching 34°C day.

One benefit of being on a working holiday is you don't have a regular working week schedule. Another is you can go anywhere anytime. Going to the beach during a weekday means you won't have to touch towels with other beachgoers. We found a parking spot and bought two cods, some chips and calamari rings from a nearby Fish and Chips store and walked down to the beach.

Half Moon Beach is a perfect beach for any travellers currently in Melbourne. It holds a 1924 warship shipwreck, Red Bluff Cliffs which was featured in the movie Mad Max (1979), and is home to fantastic corals and aquatic life, making it a popular snorkelling site. You may get there from Melbourne CBD with just a forty minute drive by car.

HMVS Cerberus shipwreck site in Half Moon Bay. One of the last surviving 

monitor warship of the Austrian colonial navies used in WWI.

Half Moon Beach as seen in movie Mad Max (1979).

The climb up the cliffs was tricky, though if you're anything like me, then you'd rather get your hands dusty than wet and salty. The view also makes the climb worthwhile.

Click on the pictures to take a closer look!

Arrival

Arrived at the Melbourne Airport, aka Tullamarine Airport hopeful, but sickly. Uncle drove me back to their house. The front porch was not as I remembered; the interior was messy as usual. They have resourcefully sectioned out a part of the living room to transform it into a makeshift bedroom, in which I will stay in until two more female friends of Chloe come to live here as well. 

Luckily Chloe had invited me to come with her to take photos of her best friend’s graduation, allowing me a taste of Australia on the very first day of my trip. 

University of Melbourne - “the uni that everyone wants to get into” - was expansive and aesthetically full of life. You can virtually sense the excitement of everyone’s graduation. In traditional graduation outfit, holding bouquets of flowers and stuff toys,  the students are getting their photos taken all around the campus.

Here I met Chloe’s three best friends - “The Four Heavenly Kings”, they labeled themselves. They have known each other ever since kindergarten. Armed with a Canon 5D Mark II , we took photos around the campus, all while not losing one bit of enthusiasm. It’s baffling how they can keep up their similes after so long!

University of Melbourne

A meal in the restaurant Universal.

Afterwards we went to an Italian restaurant called “Universal.” The food there was cheap yet plentiful, naturally a popular selection amongst uni students. One pizza, three pastas, two fried chicken fillets and a calamari later, our stomachs finally felt sated enough for this long night. 

This working holiday will be a memorable one.