Photo: China Market in Auckland
Sep 19, 1989 My flight that left Los Angeles arrived in Auckland at 9:15 AM, three hours late. I left most of my luggage in the airport locker and took bus downtown. During the day I saw the China Market, the Auckland Museum, and wandered about the city. I stayed at the Parnell Youth Hostel.
The next day I completed the trip to Melbourne, Australia also on Air New Zealand. Paul and Angie met me at the airport. They took me to their home in Upwey, a suburb of Melbourne located on the edge of the Dandenong Range. Later that day we played some tennis and ran. Paul had been teaching Angie tennis.
Photo: Takeaway cafe in Melbourne
Sep 22, 1989 I took the train from Upwey to downtown Melbourne. The train cars and subways are all heavily sprayed with nonartistic graffiti. The first stop was to visit the Institute of Actuaries office. The sole occupant was a lady who was involved in administering the exams. She did set up a brief meeting for me with a couple of consulting actuaries. I got the impression that if I did want a temporary actuarial position in Australia, it would likely not be too difficult.
I visited some sporting goods stores, the Victorian outdoor market, and the Meat Market arts centre. That evening Paul & I rented the sci-fi classic, "A Boy and His Dog". Renting movies was cheap, about $2.00 to $3.00 and they did not have to be returned until a week later. Most selections were American movies and Aussie films. Going to a movie cost $10 per person.
Paul was teaching photography and media at a girl's catholic high school about 20 minutes drive from Upwey. Because of a scheduled break, he had the next two weeks off. He was also trying to develop his own photography business, Shutterbug. Angie, barely 21 years old, was working two jobs. From Monday to Friday she worked at MarcoPolo, a dress shop in a Box Hill shopping mall. In addition she waited tables Wednesday through Saturday nights at a Belgrave Chinese restaurent.
Photo: Ralph and graffiti
Map of Southeast Australia
