We have been 'down under' for 10 days...I have no idea where all those days have gone though! There was I, thinking now we had set foot on Australian soil I would be writing more regularly, and yet another week has gone since my last post.
Our bodies are finally getting used to the time difference. The jet lag for the first days was...well, full on; 'What's going on? Why is night day and the day night?!!' jet lag.
On our first night here on Thursday we were in bed asleep by 6pm, but then were wide awake at 2am, so we got up and had a cup of tea (very English) then went back to bed 5am and slept until 11am. Friday night, we managed to keep going until 10pm, but then when we woke at 2am Saturday morning we got up for a cup of tea...and then failed to get back to sleep again. Saturday was a groggy day to say the least! After that we continued to wake up around 2am for the next few nights but the desire to stay in bed and doze won over cups of tea until we stopped waking up at that time and slept right through until...6am!
On our first night here on Thursday we were in bed asleep by 6pm, but then were wide awake at 2am, so we got up and had a cup of tea (very English) then went back to bed 5am and slept until 11am. Friday night, we managed to keep going until 10pm, but then when we woke at 2am Saturday morning we got up for a cup of tea...and then failed to get back to sleep again. Saturday was a groggy day to say the least! After that we continued to wake up around 2am for the next few nights but the desire to stay in bed and doze won over cups of tea until we stopped waking up at that time and slept right through until...6am!
But jet lag or no jet lag, we had stuff we needed to do. First on the - long - list: find a place to live.
We had booked a holiday apartment for a week, with an option to extend if we needed, whilst we looked for somewhere more permanent to live. After finding a house/apartment in countries where we didn't speak the language, we assumed it would be so much easier in Australia...
Oh, so foolish!
We knew we were looking in Sydney; a city where accommodation is expensive and the demand high, but still we were a little taken aback by just how stressful the search was...
On the Friday we called in at a local real estate agent and got genned up on the whole rental thing: where to look, what the protocol was, pricing, etc etc
It turns out that in Sydney most rentals are open for viewings for a 15-20 minute block on Saturdays and Wednesdays. The time of this short viewing is displayed on the website ad. If the property is available straight away (i.e. no tenants) then you can make an appointment to view it at any time. Prices are per week, rather than monthly - at first glance at the prices in Sydney, you wish they were monthly!!
We realized we couldn't waste any time in that case, so hurriedly looked for apartments to view on the Saturday, shortlisting 7 possibilities (and 7 possibilities with different viewing times, and times which allowed us to travel form one to the other). It was a none-stop jam packed day - just what we needed after waking up at 2am.
Oh, so foolish!
We knew we were looking in Sydney; a city where accommodation is expensive and the demand high, but still we were a little taken aback by just how stressful the search was...
On the Friday we called in at a local real estate agent and got genned up on the whole rental thing: where to look, what the protocol was, pricing, etc etc
It turns out that in Sydney most rentals are open for viewings for a 15-20 minute block on Saturdays and Wednesdays. The time of this short viewing is displayed on the website ad. If the property is available straight away (i.e. no tenants) then you can make an appointment to view it at any time. Prices are per week, rather than monthly - at first glance at the prices in Sydney, you wish they were monthly!!
We realized we couldn't waste any time in that case, so hurriedly looked for apartments to view on the Saturday, shortlisting 7 possibilities (and 7 possibilities with different viewing times, and times which allowed us to travel form one to the other). It was a none-stop jam packed day - just what we needed after waking up at 2am.
Apartment 1: We turned up five minutes early, and not quite sure how these things worked, waited outside the apartment block on the pavement with the other young couple who had arrived before us. After 5 minutes they came up to us and told us the agent was inside - they were the current tenants...
The view from the main window was amazing, but the apartment itself was so small, the spare bedroom was an awkward shape, it would take some imagination to figure out where to put even a single bed, and so different to the pictures on the website. Still, it was the first place we had seen so had no benchmarks, therefore we took an application form anyway. But the agent rang back that afternoon saying the landlord wouldn't accept a pet either.
So all in all that one was a no.
Apartment 2: Just around the corner from the first apartment, we drove straight to this one and had to wait 10 minutes for the agent. As we waited, more and more people turned up; couples seemed to appear from nowhere - altogether there must have been around fifteen of us. There were so many of us crowded into the small apartment we kept bumping into each other, and there was a traffic jam in the tiny kitchen; some people sheltering in the hole where the fridge went in order to enable others to enter the room. The apartment was larger than the first, but again, we weren't taken with it. And to be honest, we were a little overawed with all the other people.
But we didn't rule it out totally as it was in a good area, and would take a cat.
But we didn't rule it out totally as it was in a good area, and would take a cat.
Apartment 3: This was a lovely old, characterful - and huge - apartment. It had an amazing water view from the terrace - we could see the sea! The rooms were all pretty dark though, and the dark wood everywhere didn't help. But the main factor working against it was the busy road at the back; not at all Albie friendly, and very loud too. Three other couples were there too, everyone eyeing up the others, wondering who would get the place - were we a threat or not?!
Again, we didn't rule this out totally straight away - maybe we could persuade Albie to be a house cat...?!!
Again, we didn't rule this out totally straight away - maybe we could persuade Albie to be a house cat...?!!
Apartment 4: We nearly missed the viewing for this one, turning up just as it was due to finish. The agent was really pleasant and didn't seem to mind showing us around (some of the other agents had clearly been racing to their next appointment and were virtually pushing us out of the door when the allotted viewing time was over). The apartment was light, but very small, and although the view from the sitting room featured a great view of the harbour bridge, it also looked out over a big garage forecourt. Downstairs seemed to be pretty noisy too. On enquiring with the agent, this one didn't take pets either.
So that was a no.
So that was a no.
Apartment 5: In a different area than the previous apartments, we raced over there and arrived two minutes before the viewing time was due to end but could't find any parking anywhere - that in itself a bad sign. But as it turned out to be situated on a high floor, in a tall apartment block which was situated on the corner of two busy roads, it really was not Albie friendly.
We wrote the place off and drove on to the next viewing.
We wrote the place off and drove on to the next viewing.
Apartment 6: This one was so horrendous we still cannot believe anyone would want to live there. Right next to the motorway, the apartment had paper thin walls. Even when all windows and the door were closed; the traffic noise was so loud. Its one redeeming quality, the only positive thing about it in my mind, was the fact it had an awesome view of the harbour bridge and opera house. This one looked so different from the website photos it could have easily been a different apartment. We were the only people there. The other people obviously knew...
This apartment was definitely a big NO!!
This apartment was definitely a big NO!!
Apartment 7: This was in another suburb again, where one of our favourite beaches is. On the corner of two pretty busy roads - not as busy as the ones before - it was not ideal for Albie. The photos again looked as though they had been photoshopped. It was tiny, dark, and had a horrid bathroom. We stayed a little while, but other couples zoomed in, and zoomed out again, clearly not so interested in humouring the agent.
Disappointed , it was a definite no.
Disappointed , it was a definite no.
The conclusion was: we had to rethink our strategy.
And soon.
We were in holiday accommodation: expensive and not ideal - plus it was booked again on the 17th July. Albie was in a cattery.
All in all, not ideal.
We looked at places in different areas; we searched for apartments with 1 bedroom as opposed to 2 (not ideal as T is working from home for the next few months at least and ideally needs an office, plus it's nice to be able to put people up if they come to visit us).
Both searches proved pretty fruitless.
Therefore we had to raise our budget.
And soon.
We were in holiday accommodation: expensive and not ideal - plus it was booked again on the 17th July. Albie was in a cattery.
All in all, not ideal.
We looked at places in different areas; we searched for apartments with 1 bedroom as opposed to 2 (not ideal as T is working from home for the next few months at least and ideally needs an office, plus it's nice to be able to put people up if they come to visit us).
Both searches proved pretty fruitless.
Therefore we had to raise our budget.
There were three apartments with the new budget I bookmarked on the Sunday, all available now and which meant we could book an inspection with the agent. Handily, they all turned out to be with the same letting company.
We were at the agents 9am on the Monday armed with our list. Two listings were under the same agent, so she said she would ring us back that afternoon and try and arrange a visit that evening. The other one was under a different agent, so she said she would get him to call us.
On the walk back to where we were staying, we passed another estate agents. T suggested we go and ask if they had any properties...
They did!
And the tenants were away, so the agent offered to take us around it there and then.
Turned out the tenant had just got back from holiday, and was jet lagged and in need of sleep, but we were still able to have a quick look around.
An amazing view.
A fantastic terrace.
A good kitchen.
2 bedrooms.
Lovely area.
Albie friendly...
We went away not daring to hope, and focusing on the other viewings that evening.
We were at the agents 9am on the Monday armed with our list. Two listings were under the same agent, so she said she would ring us back that afternoon and try and arrange a visit that evening. The other one was under a different agent, so she said she would get him to call us.
On the walk back to where we were staying, we passed another estate agents. T suggested we go and ask if they had any properties...
They did!
And the tenants were away, so the agent offered to take us around it there and then.
Turned out the tenant had just got back from holiday, and was jet lagged and in need of sleep, but we were still able to have a quick look around.
An amazing view.
A fantastic terrace.
A good kitchen.
2 bedrooms.
Lovely area.
Albie friendly...
We went away not daring to hope, and focusing on the other viewings that evening.
The other two apartments were both huge. One had a stunning view from a huge terrace which opened off the kitchen. The neighbourhood was fantastic - a ten minute walk to another of our favourite beaches, Balmoral. There was one snag though:
it smelt.
There was one other lady viewing it the same time as us, and so we kind of rushed around the place and then went on to view the other property. This next one was vast, too big to be honest! It was incredibly dark, nestled in a rock face. And whilst in the height of summer it would be nice to be in a place that isn't in direct sunlight, we would have to have the light on most of the daytime - not good at all.
it smelt.
There was one other lady viewing it the same time as us, and so we kind of rushed around the place and then went on to view the other property. This next one was vast, too big to be honest! It was incredibly dark, nestled in a rock face. And whilst in the height of summer it would be nice to be in a place that isn't in direct sunlight, we would have to have the light on most of the daytime - not good at all.
That Monday evening, we were confused. The first viewing from that day, with it's stunning view and compact (not estate agent for small!) size, neat, great quite roads for Albie...or the other, larger one, with a tiny bathroom not at all in keeping with it's size...and that smell. We decided we needed to go back and check out if the smell was due to it being shut up - despite the agent saying it was only vacated a few days beforehand - or if it was something else.
The agent who showed us around wasn't in on Tuesday, but another agent from the firm showed us around.
The smell was horrid!
It's hard to describe: it wasn't fusty or musty; it wasn't mould; it wasn't drains or spilt milk. Whatever it was was very unpleasant though. Strongest in the main bedroom, it permeated throughout the whole apartment. After being in there for just 5-10 minutes, it had seeped into our clothes.
This just reconfirmed our thoughts: this apartment was not for us!
The smell was horrid!
It's hard to describe: it wasn't fusty or musty; it wasn't mould; it wasn't drains or spilt milk. Whatever it was was very unpleasant though. Strongest in the main bedroom, it permeated throughout the whole apartment. After being in there for just 5-10 minutes, it had seeped into our clothes.
This just reconfirmed our thoughts: this apartment was not for us!
We submitted our application for the other apartment on the Tuesday morning as we knew there were viewings booked to see it on the Wednesday and we were well aware we weren't in the most appealing for landlords position: we were from abroad, therefore we had no credit history/renting history, and we had a cat.
For a pet, not only do you need the landlord to agree, but also the apartment block 'strata' (management agency). It did cross our minds maybe we shouldn't mention Albie but it's better to be straight up. Plus, Albie is a somewhat loud cat and therefore hard to hide from prying neighbours...
For a pet, not only do you need the landlord to agree, but also the apartment block 'strata' (management agency). It did cross our minds maybe we shouldn't mention Albie but it's better to be straight up. Plus, Albie is a somewhat loud cat and therefore hard to hide from prying neighbours...
All in all we daren't get our hopes up.
We continued our search on the two main housing websites out here: Domain.com.au and realestate.com.au. There really wasn't much on offer. Those which looked remotely OK we enquired about, many agents not returning our calls, messages left on answer phones not being answered. I spent the most of Tuesday on the internet trying to find places...all the while a clock ticking in my ear.
We continued our search on the two main housing websites out here: Domain.com.au and realestate.com.au. There really wasn't much on offer. Those which looked remotely OK we enquired about, many agents not returning our calls, messages left on answer phones not being answered. I spent the most of Tuesday on the internet trying to find places...all the while a clock ticking in my ear.
Tuesday afternoon, we got a phone call from the agent looking after the apartment we really wanted whilst in the supermarket.
T answered the call; I walked away, pretending to suddenly be very interested indeed in jars of beetroot, knowing I would cry if it was bad news - I really wanted the place, and somewhere to live and start really 'living' in Sydney would be nice! We had no other options in the bag; we really needed to get Albie out of the cattery soon, poor boy, plus we only had a limited number of days in the place we were staying...
Thankfully, it was great news: Our admission was successful! They approved of us, and they didn't mind Albie!!!
We viewed it again on the Wednesday morning before we signed the lease, and it was even so much better than we had remembered!
Thankfully, it was great news: Our admission was successful! They approved of us, and they didn't mind Albie!!!
We viewed it again on the Wednesday morning before we signed the lease, and it was even so much better than we had remembered!
We couldn't move in for a week, but knowing we had a place - and a lovely place at that - on the horizon made it so much easier to be in temporary accommodation and away from the Albitron.
With that over, it was on to the next task on that list...