Australia is hell on my wallet. Food is expensive, water is through the roof. Hobbies like scuba diving can be hundreds if not thousands of dollars. But worst of all is alcohol.
Now, few are proud of being a lightweight. It’s just not something to gloat about. But it makes drinking cheap. There are been nights that 4 drinks, if quick enough, are enough.
Well, now I come here. Fun experience the second night. 4 glasses of Australia’s famous boxed wine, followed by 4 pints of Australia’s famous bottom-self beer. I threw up in the Regatta’s pretty new-age bathroom. The sink, naturally.
Now, I’ve had alittle more experience under my belt. Starting on arrival, I’ve drank Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Monday. That’s probably more drinking than I did all of last semester. Thanks, dry friends.
So the last time I was in the Regatta, I made their sink messy. This time, I hoped to not repeat. And I had a plan, specifically to avoid the boxed wine. So, one vodka tonic, two jagerbombs, two Smirnoff Black, two vodka/lime/bitter, another jagerbomb, and another vodka tonic later, I’m not even drunk. Hell, barely tipsy. Though, I must’ve been drunk enough to not realize the jagerbombs were 8 bucks each.
Herein lies the problem. My drinking habits are probably no the most frugal, and it’s not cheap, no matter how you slice it. Each afternoon I go to the ATM, and after drinking and lunch the next day, its gone. 40 bucks a pop, almost $400 in just 2 weeks. Put in perspective, that’s about 3000 dollars by the end of the semester. Just on eating and drinking. I haven’t even reached scuba diving yet, which is around 500 for gear and certification.
See why it’s great to be a lightweight? God, I miss it.
I know I can’t keep this up. Maybe food prices won’t go down, and maybe jagerbombs will still be 8 bucks, but there’s one simple trick I can try: Go out less. The fact is, I’m drinking against my will. I’m glad I took the weekend off from drinking; I’ve never been so disinclined for beer as I was on Thursday and Friday. Except maybe beer pong with Natural Light.
But I’m compelled to go out. Everyone else in my college is. I’m the new Seppo here, and I don’t know anything or anybody. If I want to make friends, I need to go out and find them, and they’re at the bar. I hope that after a few more weeks, it’ll settle down, and just be 1 or 2 nights a week. Lazy drinking, just like the good ol’ USA. Because at the end of the day, I’d trade all this booze in just for one or two solid friends from home.
2 comments:
Aww, poor Scottie. If it makes you feel any better, we'll drink a beer in your honor this weekend. (And, construction on the bar should be starting tomorrow!)
You could always just nurse your drinks, that way you always have a drink in your hand and not get bothered. Then intersperse them with a diet coke so you get full. That's usually what I do when I don't want to spend lots of money or get too drunk.
There's always the option to pre-drink (drink a bit before going out, that way it takes less to get you drunk once you're already out). It's cheaper that way.
You could try to get people to buy you drinks, too, though being a guy, its not as easy as if you were a girl (maybe if you go to a gay bar?).
Finally, there's always the option to go out and not drink. I know its a difficult concept, but you could just say you have a kidney or liver problem (I did that once, and it worked wonders, but I actually did just have kidney surgery before doing that). Plus, I think you may be becoming an alcoholic. Do I have to CAGE you?
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