Not loving Marseille...

Since my last post was a bit short, I will take some time now to describe Nice. It was awesome!! So beautiful!! I will definitely be coming back here one day. Just sitting in Messina Square or on the beach makes you just forget about all your troubles. Nice is definitely a haven for old people. They're everywhere!! And they're so active. I don't think I've ever seen so many old people in spandex jogging. And they love to tan too. So many topless old people sunbathing. Quite disturbing. Even though it's winter, the weather was surprisingly warm. I guess it's more towards the south so it's still a bit warm. But I really wish I had packed some shorts. Had an amazing dinner with the two American girls that I met. Snails, lasagne, dessert and champagne for 14 euros. Absolute bargain!! And it tasted so good. It was a nice way to end my time in Nice.

Nice is nice...

So I'm in Nice now. Gonna keep this short because the French keyboard is really different and it takes forever to type something. Here's a summary of what's happened so far (Days 1-3).

Planned my awesome route
Ticket selling person took too long to validate my rail pass thus making me miss the train I had orginally planned to get
Took her option which was to go via Milan
Italian train broke down
Missed the last connecting train in Milan
Got knocked over by a pickpocket running away
Had to wander the streets looking for a relatively cheap place to stay
Finally found one for 50 euros but was a double, but had to take it
Left for Nice the next morning but French strikes cancelled almost all of the trains
Stuck in the little Italian town of Ventimiglia for 4 hours
Finally got a train to Nice
Found out that bed had been given away
Forced to wander again looking for another place to stay
Explored Nice
Forgot all about my troubles just admiring the beauty of Nice
Met two awesome American girls in my dorm
Explored more of Nice
Hoping to be able to get out to Barcelona tomorrow if the trains are running

Anyways must be off now. More detail later.

HBL signing out from Nice, France. Bonsoir!!

Money matters...

I've been trying to calculate how much money I'll be needing for my trip. It seems like such a big amount. Right now, I'm thinking it'll be an average of 20 euros per night for accomodation and then breakfast so in total that'll be around 1000 euros. Lunch and dinner may equate to 40 euros a day so that's 2400 euros (although I can just skip meals or eat fast food to lower this cost lol). I'm not really sure how much it'll cost me to go sightseeing and all that, plus not sure how much crap I'll buy. I also have to pay for some trains (cos some require reservation), which will be around 5 euros each, although I think the Eurostar from London to Paris or Brussels costs about 80 euros each way. So much money for a damn train ride. Anyways, I given myself around 4500 euros to last me for the two months that I'll be on the road. Hopefully it lasts. If not, looks like I'll be heading back to Emmenbrücke early lol.

Route decided...

So I've been spending last night and today planning my route across Europe. It's been giving me a massive headache since it's so hard to plan things out properly when you have no idea what you're doing, where you're going, and how long you're staying. I'm no longer travelling with the Texan because his route is pretty inconvenient. Have looked up hostels in each location, and will hope to be able book each one a city in advance, cos right now, I have no idea where I'll be at any given point. The only thing I do know is that I'll be flying into London on 3rd of November. Quite disappointing really, because I was planning on training it from Madrid to Paris and then going to London. That way, I could explore the French countryside, but due to all the strikes going on, it seemed like too much of a risk to rely on so many French trains. I'll be staying at Nice and Paris in France, which isn't nearly all that I wanted to do. However, maybe I can explore France more fully on my next trip. I was told that driving around was the best way to see France. Guess my next trip, perhaps in a few years, will be a France trip.

Quite an ordinary day...

Received my Eurail pass today, which means I can start travelling soon. They're really efficient. Ordered one day, delivered the next. Planning to leave on Tuesday now since my uncle and aunt have Mondays off so they want to do a hike up the mountains. Can't wait for that!! If I leave Tuesday, it will be valid until the 26th of December, which is fine since I need to be back before Christmas anyway. Also can't wait for skiing!!

Such a beautiful place...

Explored Lucerne today. It is such a beautiful place. And Switzerland is really a low-key place. Not much hustle and bustle even in the main tourist areas. Definitely not like Sydney. I really like the calmness of the place. Went to see the main tourist attractions, which included a giant stone lion carved out in a rock-face, a museum about the history of the area called the Glacier Gardens, and a very old wooden bridge (that was partially burnt down, but rebuilt).

Emmenbrücke is quiet...

I've decided that I'll start travelling next Thursday. Well I didn't really have much choice since I only just bought my Eurail pass a few hours ago. I should have bought it back in Australia, but back then I was intent on flying everywhere. However, I'm so sick of flying plus I would need to catch trains to and from the airports anyway so I might as well just train it everywhere. Bought a "Continuous Global Pass" which covers unlimited travel in 21 countries for two months. Was about to purchase in Australian dollars when I decided to check whether the price in US dollars and Euros was equivalent. Apparently not. I guess these prices were old. The price in USD was around $110 cheaper than the AUD price. So glad the US dollar is weaker lol, which allowed me to saved myself some money there, even though the rail pass cost me $1015 (converted to AUD). They said they would deliver it by next Thursday (28th), so I should hopefully head out then.

Awesome weather...

It's the morning after I landed in Switzerland. Outside it's cold, gloomy and raining. But I guess that's what I signed up for. I was really hoping for snow, but apparently that doesn't come until around January or February. Not sure what I'll be doing today. My relatives are all at work or school, so I will be alone for at least half the day. And don't think I'll be driving here (not that I have a car to drive) but they drive on the other side of the road and the road lines are so confusing. Anyways, time for me to have breakfast and then start hopefully exploring the city!!

In other news, I got a rejection email for dentistry. Very disappointing because I thought I aced that interview. I'm on the waiting list, but that doesn't sound too promising. Don't think many people reject it. Oh well, as long as I get into Masters of Org Psych, then it's all good. Fingers crossed!!

HBL signing out from Emmenbrücke, Switzerland. Guten morgen!!

Europe at last...

Well I'm now in Switzerland. This Swiss keyboard is really weird to type on because letters are not where they're supposed to be. My plane was delayed for an hour so my Aunt went home when I wasn't there waiting at the train station. Had to call after waiting for half an hour at the station.

Anyway I'm so sick of flying now. I've been in the air for a total of 24 hours now. Not fun. And I found out why there was so much turbulence on my flight from Sydney to Korea. There was a typhoon in the area lol. So glad I didn't know that at the time. Anyways, I ended up meeting two Germans at my stay in Korea, and we had an awesome time chatting and having lunch. However, it was only after saying goodbye at the airport that I realised that I didn't even know their names. Fail. Must remember to ask for names straight up lol.

As for now, I'm at my uncles's place and it's 1:10am. I'm also watching CSI in German. It's a lot more interesting in German. Not sure what I'll do tomorrow. Need sleep. Will prob stay here for at least a week before I start travelling. So much to do and so much time to do it in lol.

HBL signing out from Emmenbrücke, Switzerland. Guten nacht!!

Safely in South Korea...

So apparently I look like a Korean. On the flight, I got asked in Korean what meal I would like. Passengers who sat next to me also spoke Korean to me. And the flight attendants gave me the customs forms in Korean and not English. And at the buffet, an Australian guy asked a white guy (from Germany) where the water was because he assumed that I couldn't speak English lol.

Anyways, I landed in South Korea about 2 hours ago. I got here safe and sound. Safe being the key word. The plane ride was so turbulent that at some points, I was wondering whether I would even make it here. I'm so over plane rides. Can't believe I have to take a 14 hour flight tomorrow, and will then have to make both these flights again in January. Damn you Europe for being so far away!!

So I'm currently in the hotel that Korea Airlines put me up in for my overnight transit. It's really nice. The buffet was awesome!! The best thing I had there was this mushroom thing marinated in sweet and chili sauce and wrapped in bacon. So good!! However, I may have overdone it, because by my 20th piece, I was thoroughly sick of it. Was thinking of going into the city to explore a bit, but it's a bit of trek, plus I would need to exchange money. I think I'll prob just have an early night, so I can be all ready to face that 14 hour flight. And I can hear some fobby Korean singing "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

Can't wait to get to Europe!! It actually hit me this morning as I was using the free internet at the airport. To think, that in another 31 hours, I'll be touching down in Zurich!! So close!!

HBL signing out from Incheon, South Korea.

Time to start getting excited...

It's a bit over 15 hours until I'm Europe-bound. Can't believe it's come so soon. It seems like so long ago when I was still stressing about the thesis and my post-grad options. Now I can finally relax and enjoy my holiday. Although at the moment, I am nowhere near relaxed. Just realised that I haven't printed my most current itinerary, and when I tried to do so, I found that my printer was out of ink. I've also forgot to let Centrelink know that I'm leaving the country. So I'll have to call them at 8 tomorrow morning (I think I'm boarding at 8:30 lol). In terms of packing, I think I have everything. But I guess as long as I have my passport and itinerary, then it's all good. Everything else can be bought over in Europe. And even now, it still hasn't sunk in that I'm leaving tomorrow morning. Had coffee with Jimmy today, and he told me all about the things he did in Europe when he just went. Sounded bloody amazing. That's gonna be me soon lol. Anyways, I guess I need to double-check everything to make sure I don't forget anything. This time tomorrow, I'll be in South Korea on my overnight stay!!

HBL signing out.

Still hasn't hit me yet...

Last night was my bon voyage dinner. Great fun. And great turn-out. It really makes me feel loved that so many people would show up just to see me one last time time before I fly out of their lives for 3 whole months. I'm really gonna miss everyone. To be honest, even though it was my bon voyage party, and people were saying goodbye to me, it still hasn't hit me that I'm leaving in less than 48 hours. It'll probably hit me once I'm sitting on the plane ready to take off. I've still got so much to do. Haven't packed yet. Still need to go buy a camera too. Must also sell my Bon Jovi ticket. But yeah, because it hasn't sunk in that I'm leaving so soon, there doesn't seem to be that sense of urgency. We'll see how I feel tomorrow lol.

In other news, USyd med offers came out yesterday. In the past few years, dent offers have always come out before med offers. I guess they decided to change it this year. Will be eagerly awaiting the results so I can know whether I have a confirmed back-up option. Results of org psych will be announced mid-December, so if at least, I have dent already confirmed, it makes the wait a little less stressful.

HBL signing out.

Lab201 Crew, I will miss you...

Well it's the day after the thesis was due. To be honest, it's an odd feeling. I'm sitting at my computer and I don't feel guilty for being on Facebook. There's no sense of urgency anymore. There's just an empty feeling. For the past few weeks, my life has been all about the thesis, and now that it's gone, I feel so empty. Hahaha I doubt that this feeling will last, as I soon realise that Europe is coming up so soon.

The thing that I will miss most about Honours year is Lab201 and its motley crew. I can't believe I didn't end up joining this lab until second semester (not that I would have had room to test in first semester anyway). Either way, it's a shame that the whole bonding experience didn't occur until the last month of thesis writing. To think that in such a short period of time, everyone became such good friends. It certainly made the last month of intense stress more bearable. Just knowing that I wasn't the only one going through all that made it a lot easier. In particular, staying overnight with a lab full of people was definitely better than being there alone. If only we had been pulling all-nighters/weekenders earlier. We could have finished so much earlier!! Anyway, I'm sure we'll be keeping in touch. Our next gatherings will under less stressful circumstances (and we also won't be in PJ's lol). Much love to the 201 Crew!!

And although I'm finished with the thesis, I can't relax just yet. I have my interview for org psych at 9am on Thursday. So much for sleeping in. I'll be the guinea pig, since this is the first year that they're interviewing, and I'm the first interviewee. Hope it all goes well. But at least getting it done now, means I won't have to worry about anything once I'm in Europe. I'll just be eagerly refreshing my email in mid-November for the results of dentistry, and then again mid-December for the results of org psych. In the situation where I don't get either (which will be a depressing day), I might apply to do a Masters in Human Resources Management at USyd. Either way, it looks like I'll be studying next year. I just don't know what.

In terms of Europe, I now need to get a camera. My camera died. It was kind of symbolic. As soon as I was finished with my thesis, I took one last photo of my home (Lab Room 4) and then it vibrated in my hand and died. So I'll be needing to get a new camera. Possibly a laptop. Need to pack so much, and I have no winter clothing. Guess it's too late to buy any now, so I'll just have to buy it once I get there.

Anyways, I need to start researching org psych so that I'm prepared and awesome for my interview on Thursday. Plus I still need to find a restaurant for my farewell. Hahaha I'm kinda wishing I hadn't booked my flight to leave so soon after the thesis now.

HBL signing out.

Mission accomplished...

THESIS IS DONE!!!

Well, done in terms of writing. I might still need to edit a few more times (if I have the time or can be bothered). I don't really want to go through my thesis again. It was so painful to write that it would just be torture to read it again so soon after writing it.

The feeling of finishing the thesis is so awesome. It was like a massive wave of euphoria engulfed me. I really wanted to do cartwheels down the hallway in joy, but there were others in the lab plus my prior experience regarding hallways and cartwheels was not positive (although no alcohol was involved this time lol). I can only imagine that the feeling tomorrow when I actually hand it in - it's gonna be a million times better than right now.

The thesis now stands at 14000 words of content, and at 76 pages with everything included. My "whole" year has been for the sole purpose of creating this piece of work. And now that's done, it does feel like I've accomplished something major.

The issue that I have is that I absolutely hate one aspect of APA formatting where you're not allowed to have a gap between the previous paragraph and the next subheading/heading. Between normal paragraphs is OK, but I think that a gap is necessary if changing to a different topic area. I've always done it my way, and have never been told otherwise during the earlier years. And I refuse to change it. I tried doing it, and the ugliness of my thesis made me want to vomit. To me, it was just that bad. I've been working my whole year for this thesis. I should be able to look at it and feel happy about it. If the markers are petty enough to deduct marks for that bloody gap, then I honestly have no idea what to say. All other aspects of APA formatting, I've followed. I just really hate the fact that you can't have a bloody gap. I'm keeping it the way I want it (and besides, I followed the formatting of a previous year's thesis which got a HD). We'll just see what happens, not that I would know whether they had an issue with my "gaps". Regardless, as long as I'm happy with my work, that's the best anyone can hope for.

And in Europe news, I finally bought my travel insurance today.

HBL signing out.

So close...

It's now 11:30am on the Sunday, which is 29 hours before the thesis is due. Managed to get most of my discussion done last night/this morning, and was so close to finishing. However, fatigue/delirium set in about 7am and I was forced to sleep after I couldn't think of suitable implications and a conclusion.

Hopefully I shall never have to do an all-nighter ever again. Although in actuality, the way I feel right now is exactly the way I feel after a long night of drinking (except my eyes are stinging so bad). So therefore, I can conclude (quite loosely) that alcohol does not actually affect me, but it's the fatigue that does all that shit to my body.

Just had some Maccas. Now that I've got food in me, I should be able to function properly. This weekend has been so unhealthy. Constant junk food snacks and fast food for every meal, plus all these caffeinated/energy drinks. No wonder why stomach's all weird and in pain.

I should really get back to work. I'm so close to finishing. In my refusal to do my discussion, I've completed everything else that needed to be done. Hence, my abstract, acknowledgements, contents page, tables and figures page, PSY output, appendices, and references are all done. All I need now are those final few paragraphs. Then I'm done. Finally.

HBL signing out.

Camp...

It's the Friday before the thesis is due. Lab201 camp begins now. Hoping to get it done by Sunday evening.

After redrafting again, the intro and two experiments are now 10063 words. That's 1100 cut from my first draft. Discussion will hopefully add another 3000 words.

I've got some food with me, as well as change of clothes and a sleeping bag. I'm prepared. Time to get cracking!!

HBL signing out.

Almost over...

89 HOURS TO GO!!

As of this point, I've finished redrafting my intro and Expt1. Expt2 is taking a while since I had the whole idea of the rationale wrong, hence all my predictions and results are not worded correctly. Word count is a bit hard to say since everything is being redrafted, but a rough estimate for my intro and experiments (when it's done) should be around 10500. My discussion section is currently 800 words (although it might be more since my supervisor told me to move some stuff from my Expt2 into the general discussion).

Anyways, this weekend will one hectic ride. Planning to stay there Friday and Saturday nights to hopefully finish by Sunday evening. Actually not hopefully. I will finish by Sunday evening. Come Monday 4pm, I will officially have finished my degree. I will be a graduand!!

In other news, I have just found out that I will be having my interview for org psych before I fly out. They finally got back to me. But the good news is that I won't need to change my departure date!!

HBL signing out.

Easy part done!! Hard part still to go...

I'VE FINISHED MY SECOND DRAFT OF INTRO AND BOTH EXPERIMENTS!!

Yes, it's a day late but at least I got it done. Currently on 11227 words. Hoping that feedback is good and I won't have to change too much. Need to focus on the hard part now: the discussion. I think 3000 words should be a good length (that's if I can even get 3000 words).

The feeling I'm feeling right now is indescribable. I'm just feeling so...happy. Can't even imagine how I'll be feeling when I actually finish the whole thing.

HBL signing out.

No time for sleep...

8 DAYS TO GO!!

And that's if I work right up until the deadline. Ideally, I would like to get this done by the Saturday night or Sunday morning, so really, I've got around 6.5 or 7 days. I keep trying to wake up early to do work, but it just seems impossible. I find that I'm sleeping in til 12 or 1, and I definitely do not have time to be sleeping (or Facebooking for that matter, but I can't help that).

Aim: Finish the redraft of intro, method and results by end of today (end is defined by when I go to sleep, and today could go on for a while lol). Also need to send an outline of discussion section too.

Tomorrow is Labour Day. Hoping to head into uni to work, and then spend the night there as well. But it all depends on how tired I am and if I can drive there in such a state.

HBL signing out.

Confident and happy...

It's been a while since my last post. It's been a very cognitively demanding week. Psychologically speaking, this should mean that my level of willpower is diminished. So if I gorge on food, or splurge on buying clothes, I can blame this week. Finished both exams feeling like I could have done more (had I only studied more), but there's nothing I can do about that now. I just hope that they scale final marks up so my marks don't look too bad.

As for dentistry interview this morning, surprisingly I feel optimistic about it. I've never walked out of an interview feeling that happy and confident (if I find out that I don't make it -*knock on wood*- I'm coming back to delete this post lol). I felt like my answers were coherent and pleased the interviewers since they were nice and joked with me (or maybe they're like that with everybody). Nevertheless, I was so nervous before the interview, and being me, I showed up 40 minutes early. That gave me time psych myself out, and then calm myself down (slightly). But once I went in, I think my first interviewer was just so nice that it made me feel at ease for the rest of the interview. Even when they threw some hard scenarios at me, I felt like I was able to explain myself without sounding too lost. I'm actually glad that we had an ethics course, cos that helped me so much in answering the questions. Anyway, I'll find out sometime in November so it'll be a bit of a wait.

Now I've completed everything I needed to, besides the thesis. From now til the 11th, it's gonna be all thesis. Maybe a few more all-nighters at uni, but I won't be alone anymore since most of Lab201 are staying over as well. I've told my supervisor that I will send him a redraft of my intro, method and results by Sunday night, so I need to really get cracking. At the moment, it stands at 9500 words, but after cutting out the apparently irrelevant sections of my intro could bring the word count down a bit.

Well, I'll be staying at uni til 1 tonight to work on the thesis. John will pick me up. Don't think I could do an all-nighter at uni in my formal clothes. So bloody uncomfortable. But alas, I needed to look good for the interview.

HBL signing out.