“Sorry, It’s Not Available Anymore…”

Great. Now this blog looks like has been abandoned for years, or at least for months. I almost doesn’t realise it’s been nearly four weeks since my last post (on July 4). And now, to be honest, I still don’t really know what I’m going to write here at all – right on the day when the new semester of my study is starting.

So, as some friends who regularly check out my blog would ask: what happened? Been busy working? Or enjoying holiday perhaps? Or maybe I’ve been on some kind of special duty, or winter-course? Nah! None of those actually.

The one that’s right is: I’ve been really having trouble to write anything on this blog, or to do any other writing, because I’ve been distracted by some matters. Not just writing any post, I sometimes didn’t even have the chance to check out WordPress site for a couple of days. How ‘pathetic’… (especially for a guy who claims he likes writing).

But anyway, no time for whining, or self-reflecting like this. Who cares anyway, right?

On the other hand, well, perhaps I just need to spell out what mostly was the distraction I’ve been through in the last few weeks. And what I can tell here is: there were three main ‘mind-occupier’ that I had at the same time.

First, it was the obligation to finish one of my final study assignments from last semester. It’s an investigative story about Indonesian illegal logging, to be exact. And it was kind of hard for me – at least regarding my ‘style of work’ – and guess what, I’m still not done with it yet until now.

The second thing is this idea we call “Project Eyes” – the code name. Now, about this one, I’ll probably write something more detailed in the near future. So, just stay tuned if any of you really like to know.

But perhaps, the most time-consuming, energy-sucking and mind-distracting of all the three matters, was my personal agenda to move out from my previous place, to another place (still in Sydney though). And it was just yesterday, when finally the new place where I’d live for the next couple of months was settled.

For me personally, this kind of ‘nest-seeking’ activity (especially in Sydney) is a new experience. Lucky you who has experienced this, but for those who hasn’t, don’t under-estimate the complexity.

I was a bit lucky when I settled my self the first time in Sydney, in a 2-bedroom flat in Surry Hills, about a year ago (I’ve written before about the place … I mean the balcony). I didn’t even have to search for other options, because after I contacted this friend who lived in the flat that time, and checked it out on the same day, I simply moved in the next day.

But now, I mean, in the last few weeks, I had to search for room or share-house ads, contact the owner or people who placed the ads, check it out if it’s available for viewing (inspection), or look for other options if the answers are “Sorry, the room is taken!”, “It’s gone.” or “Sorry, it’s not available anymore…”. And that would just make it become more stressing.

Well, anyhow, enough about my personal business I guess. Just to put some kind of reference for my point here, this problem probably has become a similar problem for a lot of people in Sydney lately. It’s a typical metropolitan city problem, like the one mentioned in this Sydney Morning Herald’s report.

While many ads provider, including website such as the Gumtree, might help in terms of finding available accommodation, some other factors would still make it hard. Let’s say for example, the price (main factor), the quality of housing, or the good location to have while the city becomes ‘wider and wider’, etc.

Still, lucky for me, finally I found the most suitable place – at least for now on until a few months ahead. It’s in Ultimo, and it’s just a room, a single room to be exact. Not a big house, not even a spacious shared flat. But it’s good enough for me, and the most important thing is: I like it.