I departed Denpasar (Bali) at around 2200 on Thursday 11th May, 5 hours later and with the time difference - approx at 0630 I landed in Oz! Wow! After going through another load of human-traffic jams - passport control, visa collection, luggage and anything to declare (yes - Bali Coffee!!!)! I got through the departures section and spent half an hour wandering up and down the departure area looking for my name on piece of paper - preferably with the "travellers contact point" logo on it too! So after half an hour I did what it said to do - ring a number and tell them you can't find your transfer. Less than 20 minutes later I saw a guy (can't remember his name now!) with my name on it, and another girl's name! There had been some confusion as to which departure gate I had come from - apparently the flight had not landed on the scheduled runway! He says to me "okay now we have found you, we are waiting for a girl called Beth." So we stand around, not long (another half hour) and she sees us straight away! "Hey, I am Steve!" and "Hey, I am Beth!" ... little did we know how much time we would spend together and what great friends we would become over the next four weeks!!!! So we venture over to the van, and dump our bags into it. Our transfer dude hands over a fairly fat plastic wallet with lots of paper and leaflets etc. etc., heavy reading for two people who are feeling a bit jet lagged! (Me-I shouldn't have complained). Beth lives near Belfast, and had just spent several months in the Ski season in Norway and had just has flown from Norway to London to Belfast for two days and then Belfast to London to Tokyo to Sydney - she was really *n*ckere*). Our transfer dude gives us the low down on everything Sydney! We pass the Wake Up Hostel our home for the next few days - and gives a 'touch the surface' of Sydney tour. He tries to tell us things you should know... useful facts etc... every time he is quiet Beth and I keep exchanging facts about ourselves... you know those same questions that you ask each other for the first hour or even day!!! He stops on the very top of the South side of Sydney so we can see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Harbour. I say "Ah, I should have got my camera out of the van!" He replies "What, how long are you going to be around Sydney for?!" But it was just the shock that I could actually see the Harbour Bridge and the fact that I was actually in Sydney!!! As we head back to the van it starts to rain!!! He explains to us that most of the time in winter here it is dry, and most of the rain happens in the summer!! So after our mini tour of Sydney, our transfer dude drops us of at the Wake Up hostel, in the south end of the city. Beth and I check into our room, and discover we will be sharing a 4 bed dorm! As part of the starter pack we got two nights included! As we enter the room, we discover one of our fellow 'dormies' (if there is such a word) is still asleep. By this time it's approx 10-11am. We try to make as little noise as possible as we rustle through our plastic bags and the rest of our luggage. Our fellow room mate starts to stir, moan and groan, but doesn't say anything to us. He pretends to continue to sleep! After Beth and I had sorted ourselves out a bit, and unpacked a bit we whispered to each other shall we get out of here! So we decided to go and explore Sydney!!! We took a couple of maps with us, and started to walk into the main parts of the City and towards Circular Quay (to most of you... this is where the Opera House is!). At this point Beth and I are still exchanging facts about ourselves....! I begin to realise that Beth likes to walk, and likes to walk at a fair pace!!! Considering she was far more jet lagged than I, I was wondering where her reserved energy was coming from! Eventually after walking around for about 40mins, we end up in the Rocks! The Rocks are where the first settlers of Sydney and even Australia arrived over 200 years ago! The Rocks is also the closest direct point to Sydney Harbour Bridge, so after we have seen this and head back into the Rocks... we stumble on an average, clean, funky-modern looking bar/cafe! By this time I was starving, so I had a full brekkie and Beth just had a juice. We sat there for about an hour, generally talking about what we were expecting from living and working in Sydney, and still talking about ourselves and asking each other questions. After our 1 hour pit stop we decided to head over to the Opera House! Then we walked back into town, did some shopping or tried! Beth was really beginning to feel tired now, and headed back to the wake-up to sleep of her jet lag! I unfortunately had to continue shopping for another pair of jeans or at least a jacket! All of the warm clothes that I owned at the point of arriving in Australia were 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair of combats and 2 long sleeve t-shirts! So I was very desperate to find a jacket! So after much shopping around Sydney (bare in mind this was our first few hours in a new city etc. etc. - so you know what it's like when you are still trying to find your way around!) So I had two tasks of shopping and navigating! I eventually found a cheap black jacket (visible in photos on website - www.statraveljournals.co.uk/stevenhart). I decided to leave purchasing some jeans for another day - and would just be a 'smelly' traveller for once - and wear the same pair of jeans! (",). After finding my way back to the hostel, and get back to the room I find Beth is totally conked out! After some more unpacking/organising - I felt very tired too, and slept for an hour! I woke to still find Beth sleeping heavy! I got up, showered and changed (except the jeans part!! :-)). Eventually Beth woke to discover she had been sleeping for sometime, after her showering and changing etc. We headed out in to Sydney for our first night out in Oz! We were both very hungry and stopped into a cheap Thai restaurant; I talked to Beth about all my Thai food experiences from the Intrepid trip, for most of the meal. We then headed further into town, walking towards Circular Quay (but we didn't really know this until we got there!). We found a bar called the Ship Inn! People were sat both inside and outside, but for me it was so cold, even with my new jacket on, I was really missing the hot Asian and Indonesian temperatures from the past month! We ended up having a few drinks there... we got chatting to a guy who works for Hilton Hotels, and he gave us a big lecture on working on a Visa in Sydney! He was leaving Sydney in a week, going north to Brisbane - he does this every winter! He also bought us a couple of rounds - which was good! At approx 1am Beth and I looked at our watches and realised it was time to hit the dance floor somewhere...but where?! This guy we met can't remember his name at all... suggested we got a taxi to Kings X - this is the night club district of Sydney!! We ended up in a club called Empire... we stayed there for maybe 3 hours... did lots of dancing and drinking!!! Once we were ushered out of Empire we some how got recommendations of another late night club to go to... Beth and I cannot remember who told us to go there (or even how we got there!?). When we did we had a crazy, crazy, but 'ab-fab' time for another few hours... basically it was 9am when we left the place. As I had only slept some 3 hours in 36 hours I was really ready for my bed... so we went back to the Wake-Up. We were very, very bad backpackers and slept most of Saturday... until 4/5pm! We didn't do much until around 6pm we were walking through the YH reception and some reps from "Route 69" backpackers bar crawl tour thing!! They asked "Hey what are you guys up to tonight?" Me and Beth just looked at each other and laughed, then replied "Dunno we are still hung-over from last night...." Anyway we get roped in to going on this bar crawl for 30dollars we got 5 free drinks and went to 5 different bars and got free entry to a nightclub! So we had an hour or so to get something to eat and revive ourselves for our second night in Sydney! You can see the photos on website! The tour took us around on a bus, from bar to bar, and on the bus there was music and it was all dimmed looked like a mini mobile dance floor! This was a really good night, as Beth and I had really good opportunities to meet other travellers in a cool way! One girl who was on the tour was actually in my year at Uni - but on a different course - but she recognised me (just for you SHUs we agreed it must have been from all the time we used to spend in Adsetts!!!! Arrrgh!!!). After the third bar we lost quite a few people and they had disappeared back to where they were staying. There was still a good few of us on the tour... our last bar before the club was actually the side bar - the basement of our youth hostel! We must have stayed there for about an hour and half. We then all got the bus to the night club... which Beth and I had discovered during the night it was Empire - the club we were in the night before!! So we pretty much did the same all over again in Empire! But this time we didn't go anywhere else after, and had an earlier night (4/5am)! We did try to accumulate a party in the hostel TV room, but no one was interested!! Okay... now today was Sunday a day of rest and relaxation! This is precisely what we decided to do. We woke at about 9.30am and had to rush down to reception and change dorms as we would have to pay for the next few nights. We tried to get in a 10 bed (cheapest) but we could only get an 8 - still cheap! After moving to the top 7th (top) floor, and packing and unpacking of stuff! We headed downstairs for some brunch, as we discovered the Sunday roast didn't start until 3pm; I decided to have another nice healthy Ozzie breakfast! Two of the guys from the Route 69 Tour (Vince and Boris) were supposed to meet us in the lobby at around lunch time - and we were going to do some site seeing together - but they never met us!!! So after spending a little time on the internet in Wake-Up we walked into town and decided to do our own sightseeing! We ended up down by Circular Quay (CQ) again, and discovered a street entertainer (see photos) he was really good but his show takes a long time!! He does lots of flame-throwing and chainsaw-knife-apple-fire juggling on is bike, this is his finale! (I have seen him doing this on numerous other occasions since then at CQ). Another opportunity to walk around the Opera House rose... so we did! A walk around to the harbour bridge and the rocks was called for again! At the foot of the south side of the bridge stood a very lonely ice-cream van... Beth and I decided to give him our custom. I had a 99 and Beth had a choc-top-cone... I was v. envious as she had chosen the better one, and this became the trend when ordering food over the next few days! We stumbled on a craft market in the rocks and had a wander around there, walking back in towards town we stumbled on "The Fortune of War Hotel" (by the way 'hotel' in Oz means bar as well as accommodation, if you didn't know). It claims to be the oldest bar in Sydney... we believed this, but now we know there are 3/4 hotels (pubs) in Sydney that claim to be the oldest! Anyway we ventured inside... and it was old... and had a lot of character. Beth and I had 1 schooner each! We then decided to head back to Wake Up! When we got back we realised we were hungry again! So ended up heading back into town, and ended up finding ourselves back in the Rocks! We tried this fish restaurant... an up market "chippy" with eat-in facilities - it was nice! So then we again, walked back to the hostel. Just around the corner from Wake-Up Hostel is the YHA Hostel with a cafe, and we could see through the window Vince and Boris who we were supposed to meet us at lunch time. So we go and say hello and exchange our experiences of the day with each other. Vince then suggests a quiet 1 definitely no more than 2 drinks in the side bar (hostel bar, downstairs). Fortunately it did only turn out to be 2 or was it 3?! (See photos) We were in bed reasonably early - before 1am anyway!!! Happy Birthday!!!! Today I wake up to realise I am now 23!!! I see Beth climb out of her bunk, pick an envelope out of her bag and pass it to me and she tells me "Happy Birthday Steve!" My first BD card, Ahh! After waking up etc. we walked into town to organise getting our bank cards etc. and then we had arranged the night before to meet Vince and Boris and do some sightseeing. So we ended up in the Sydney Aquarium, was good (not as good as Singapore though!!!). Towards the end of our tour around the aquarium, our stomachs began to moan, and by the time we left they became louder! We found the closest and cheapest food option around Darling Harbour (where the aquarium is). We all had door-stops for sandwiches with fries and a drink - for a good price! After lunch we walked into town, and did some shopping! I still needed some jeans and a pair of trousers for interviews! On my BD I was lucky to find both! We walked back to Wake-Up as Vince and Boris were only in Sydney for four days holiday from Brisbane! They are studying there (Vince is from Belgium and Boris is from Germany). Vince was flying home early that evening, but Boris had accepted our invite to come out for some BD drinks with us. For convenience that night we ate in the side-bar and had something cheap again - good value - but like student canteen food - filling and still nutritious (I think!). Our plans for my BD night were to go back down to Darling Harbour and have a few bevs there, Boris came with us, and we met some other people we had met on our first night out. Only one guy Soni (see photos) stayed out with us, and Boris had an early flight so he stayed for a couple! On my BD night we soon learned that Sydney is not a big night spot on a Monday night! But we made the best choices out of what were the best bars to go to on a Mon night! We tried to get into Scubar (close to the hostel) but as we were in the queue a bus of soccer players arrived who had VIP access and entered the bar which was already at full capacity! We asked the doorman how long it would be before we could get in... he wasn't very helpful and said it could be anything up to an hour! So straight away we left the queue, ventured around the corner to an Irish bar where we spent a good couple of hours there, as you can see by pics!). But as usual the night didn't end there! We spent the next few hours in some random places that were still serving! We also went to McDonalds, but apparently didn't eat anything! Somehow we got a pizza and ate it in the lobby of the hostel at 6.30am!! People were checking in and out and laughing at us... we were not at our best by this point. We finished the pizza and headed up to what we thought would be bed... for me it was sleeping with my head in my arms by the phone in the corridor of our floor. But for Beth she tried to help a couple of painters in the corridors! Beth had booked her RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) course. You need this to get a job anywhere that serves any form of alcoholic beverages! It started at 9.15am; two girls in our dorm had booked it too. These two girls hadn't been out the night before though, and so were ready and on time! As they were leaving to walk to it, Beth had just walked back in to the room after having a shower!!! I was now laid in bed trying my best not to laugh at the stress that was Beth that morning! She left, and I slept later to find her in bed... she had missed it!!! But I can truly say I had wicked 23rd BD and night! It was so much cooler than what I expected it to be!!! So we woke to feel the most hung-over ever... and during this day we vowed not to drink or go out until we had found somewhere to live and had close chances of getting a job! Today was the day we had to go to Travellers Contact Point (service included - part of our starter pack) for the introduction to Sydney seminar. This is why we hadn't done anything in the way of job hunting or house hunting as we were having fun while waiting around for the weekly seminar (4 days after we had arrived!!). We got there at 4pm; to discover only 2 other travellers were there, (Grace and Kelly)! So for 2-3 hours we were given the low down on everything possible you need to know about working in Oz/Sydney! We were also told that we are the black sheep backpackers - at this time of year there is supposed to be more jobs and accommodation than travellers! Unfortunately we left the seminar pretty much none the wiser - and overwhelmed with lots of information! Not good for 2people who weren't feeling their brightest!! We find something to eat, and head for a really cheap internet cafe (1 dollar/hour), and begin our big big search for accommodation and jobs!! We stay there for about 3 hours, head back to the wake-up and have a well needed early night! Today, (Wednesday) we decided to check out of the Wake-Up! Beth had discovered that one of her friends was staying in Sydney - and was happy to put us up for 2nights! Today we spent more time on the internet job hunting and house hunting - kind of stressful - and nothing interesting to write about... so I'll move on! Late that afternoon we did a tour of some travellers accommodation (basically all I can say is it was no no good!!!)! Fortunately just as we were heading back to the hostel we stumbled on the accommodation office for where I am still staying at now! We booked a tour for the next day! Then moved to Beth's friend's house! Had a very quiet night in front of the TV there! Thursday!! Beth and I ventured into town for more job hunting! I got a phone call from a job and arranged an interview!! Good News!! (Originally applied for Guest Service Agent, but they were not employing anyone for that who is not a permanent resident in Oz). So they offered me Food and Beverage Associate - (basic - but some income!!!). We had the tour of the two places we could stay, and chose the "Sydney Terraces". We decided to move in the next evening! Today (Friday), a lot of time was taken up doing my RSA!! Yawn!! Very boring and our certificates were ready before we even had finished the exam (which was open book, and the radio was on while we did!). I finished this at about 5, and met up with Beth! We then had to travel to her friend's house to get our bags, come back into town, and meet our lift to our new home! After a brief introduction to our new house mates; Pete, Ray and Stuart we went food shopping. Then we decided to head out, as we hadn't been out since Mon!!! We went to George Street for a random drink, then an Irish bar, and then the familiar Empire and Arq. This became another 10am finish!!! Saturday was spent sleeping and doing nothing! For our second Sunday in Sydney we went into town shopping again - well just for black shoes for my interview I had the next day. I found some for 29dollars - absolute bargain!! (They're starting to fall apart a bit now though! :-). We then met another friend of Beth's from the time she spent a Uni semester with in Holland - and we had 1 drink! We then headed back home to our new place, and cooked pasta Bolognese between us for tea. We had an early night! Interview!! Today I had an interview for the F&B job at Citigate Sebel Hotel! Went well, and was told would hear outcome in a couple of days!! I then met Beth and we went for lunch! Beth had also had a second interview for a job! Beth was feeling very generous and shouted our lunch! We then wandered around town for a bit, and I eventually got my hair cut! (See the difference in the photos!). More time was then spent on the internet in search for more jobs - just incase we didn't get the ones we had had interviews for!!! At some point today I knew that Helen and Amy (two of the girls from the Intrepid tour) would be arriving into Sydney, but I didn't know what time! At around 6pm I received an email from Helen and Amy. Just as I was reading their email - Amy was also calling me!! Fortunately we were just on the internet around the corner from the Wake-Up, where we stayed for a first few nights! So after an exciting reunion with Amy, she took me and Beth up to their room to meet Helen, which unbelievably, no seriously unbelievably happened to be the 8 bed dorm that Beth and I stayed in!! Out of all the possible rooms for them to stay in it was this one!! So after the whole catching up etc. and excitement of the reunion was over we went to the Cinema with Helen and Amy and the people who were on their Oz Experience tour. We saw the Da Vinci Code!! After we shamefully popped over to McDonalds! Today was a crazy, weird day! So much happened, and Beth (remember Beth??) you were very silly and giddy on this day! Okay we both were!!! :-o Tuesday, Beth and I were slightly late in meeting Helen and Amy in town (like an hour - but the buses were crazy this day!). They wanted to do some shopping, but Beth and I didn't have any money spare to buy shopping! So after a couple of hours we came home, and used the free internet at home! In the afternoon I got a phone call from the interview I had had and was told I got the job! I arranged with Nikki (HR Mgr) to go in for a mini induction on Thursday! I met Helen and Amy back in town that night, and we went for an amazing Indian, a recommendation from Amy's Lonely Planet Guide! Amy didn't trust my choice of eatery! (Only jokin' Amy - it was a good choice - still haven't been back yet though!). After the Indian we discovered a quicker/shorter way of walking back to the Wake-Up from the restaurant. We went to the side bar (I just could never get away from there!) When I met Amy in the lobby the previous night the reps from Route 69 were there, and very confused as to why Beth and I were there!!?? So as you can see by the last photo of Sydney - Amy likes to drink fast! (Ah yeah right, half of it's in the glass I'm holding!). On Wednesday I had a fairly early start, and met Helen and Amy for a full day of site seeing! We walked to Sydney Harbour Bridge, but first we walked through the Rocks, there we went to the Rocks museum first. This was really good and gave a lot of information on the history of Sydney etc. details on the first settlers etc. It was free entry too! Then we spotted a sweet shop called Sticky! We watched the guys who work their make some sweets - strawberries! Helen could see straight away how they were making them. Amy and I could not understand how they were going to look like strawberries, until the very end when we realised they were making it into long sticks and then cutting it! (See photo on website!). While we were there watching them, with a big group of school kids too, we ate a lot of the free samples!!! Helen and Amy bought XX$ worth as presents for Amy's family, who they were going to be staying with for 3 weeks in Melbourne. As they spent of XX$ they got a free block of sweet - the end of the batch of strawberries they had just made (see photo!). After all the excitement that was Sticky we eventually ended up on the Harbour Bridge! Then for lunch we discovered another pub that claims to be the oldest hotel in Sydney; "The Australian Hotel" - very original name! As for all 3 of us every penny counts - so we decided to order 1 big pizza and wedges between us - well worth it, and plenty to go around! After lunch, while we still sat outside the Australian Hotel, we got the beast of a piece of rock out and took photos! Helen attempted to break it but didn't succeed - her efforts were to follow later in the day!! So I volunteered - and said "don't shout/blame me if this goes everywhere!!" So I hit it against a neighboring metal chair outside - and a quarter of the rock flew everywhere over the floor, and I merely broke the giant sugar sweet into 5 smaller bits!! So we put it back in the bag, and saved it for later! After lunch we walked to CQ, and decided to catch a ferry to Darling Harbour! By this time all 3 of us actually fancied a piece of the rock - that was actually quite heavy, and that Helen was happy to carry around - until towards the end of the day - when she couldn't feel her arm anymore! To break it we wondered for a moment or two for the best possible way (obviously not the way I had tried to do it!). So Helen decides to drop it on the boat - actually she smashed it against the iron of the boat, which made an almighty clanging noise, everyone turned to look!!! It sounded like some kind of bomb!! Funny but a bit embarrassing!! It worked though, and we were able to eat mouth size pieces of solid sugar!!!! (Bad!!!). By the time we arrived into Darling Harbour - the sun was beginning to set - see "sky @ Night" shot! It was very weird, it kept changing colour, and you could see it go from yellow to greenish to red to orange - changing at least twice every minute! My battery ran out on my camera - and Amy and Helen didn't take any pics of this! (At least I don't think you did! - I can't find any!). So we had a big debate on why and how the sky is like this etc. etc. we got all scientific and started talking about the Ozone etc. We walked around Darling Harbour, and back over the bridge, during this time Beth called me - she had just finished her training (1st day at her job!). So we met at the ferry port - near the Sydney Aquarium - she knew where this was! All four of us got the ferry back to CQ. We then got a bus from CQ to Central Station; we probably would have been better walking - as it took the same time by bus because of peak hour traffic!! That night was fairly quiet - Beth and I went home cooked some food and had an early night. On Thursday I had to go to my new job/work to fill in some induction forms etc., so I was there for 9am. I was only in work for an hour or so, and gave Amy and Helen a call to see what they were up to - as they were leaving Sydney today to go and stay with some of Amy's family, so this was the last opportunity to spend a few hours with them until about a years time, when we have promised to meet up again in the UK! So I met them bth on George Street, and we walked to CQ and ended up at the Opera House. We booked a tour of the Opera House too! This was good and we got a chance to see inside - we could get a feel of the 70s era, which is when the inside was finished. Unfortunately we were strictly prohibited from taking pictures of the inside - but Helen got one - see website. The lady who gave us the tour was very strict at first and kept making Amy, Helen and I laugh - but we were trying not to show it! After she would say something to the group she would end on "So, does that make sense?" Helen and I kept joking about this for the rest of the day! After saying something Helen or I would go "Did that make sense?" After our tour of the Opera House, we got some sandwiches from a cheapish shop in CQ and sat and watched the street entertainer Beth and I had seen a couple of Sundays ago!! After the excitement of the street entertainer (2nd full time for me!) we walked through the Botanical Gardens and Hyde Park - relaxing! When we were close to the shops again, Helen wanted to buy some souvenirs, and I had to buy something too. Amy walked back to the Hostel, and Helen and I did half an hour of shopping. An hour later I helped Helen and Amy with their bags to Central Station - luckily across the road from wake-up (you guys certainly have accumulated more stuff since the Intrepid days! lol). So after another emotional goodbye - and wishing each other the best for the rest of our travels - I met Beth for a quiet drink at the Side Bar. We just couldn't keep away from there. After one drink, we decided to eat there instead of cooking at home - it worked out maybe 1 or 2 dollars more! That night we both had an early night - I started my new job tomorrow and Beth had her second full day at work! Friday morning - in work for 8am! First shift was okay, (very easy job - it was busy and went v quick - people were v. nice too!). I got finished at about 4pm and headed back to base. Beth finished late on Fridays, so I ate at home and Sat with the guys in the house - and we got engrossed in Australian Big Bro - sad I know - but only thing on TV at the time. Friday night is a big Big Bro night - they have games!! (Personally the whole show is still not as good as UK, and Davina is a better presenter!). But I try not to watch it if I can! So once Beth had arrived back from work, eaten etc. we headed into town! They guys had been working all week, they do labouring - so very physical! We invited them but they were going to stay in. Beth and I had arranged to meet Grace and Kelly two girls we met at the starter seminar! We met them near CQ and had a couple of drinks in a bar called Republic - cool with good music (see photo entitled weekend!). Then Grace and I were slightly hungry - and shamefully saw a McDonalds! We just had fries! But as we entered we saw stairs leading up to a bar!! (What? A bar upstairs in McDonalds?!) Yeah! We heard 80s music there too! By the time we got up there some other people's requests had been registered in the juke box! But we stayed there for an hour or so! After here, Beth and I were ready for Empire - I know shocking - fourth time! Kelly and Grace were heading off to meet their flat mates at a 24 hour bar near where they live. Beth and I spent a couple of hours in Empire! Good fun as usual!! Saturday we didn't do too much!!! :-o On the night we met another friend of Beth's from Holland, in a local bar. We were then invited to a party with them - this was good - and Beth and I were surrounded by lots of 20something professionals with high class jobs - it was funny - we felt out of place but it was still a good night! On Sunday we finally did something with our house mates! We went up to the local Irish Bar for Sunday lunch; this is 10dollars for a really good roast!! Just before we were about to be served our meals (btw we were sat outside - not warm but warm enough with our coats) a random women asked if she could sit with us! We politely said yes, she did the whole rounds with where we were from etc. Then had the rudeness to ask for one of us to buy her a coke! We all claimed we didn't have anymore cash on us! (Yeah, right!). Five minutes later she muttered "okay I'm just going to go and get a glass of water!" As she went to the bar - we couldn't stop laughing - she was so random - and just didn't seem like the kind of person we should have invited to sit with us. Fortunately she got her water, came back and said goodbye, as our yummy Sunday lunches had just arrived! After a few drinks in Kelly's and a couple of other bars we ended up home by 5pm. I had an early night! I was at work at 7am today, (Monday), but got finished at 12.00pm. So I wasn't impressed, and decided to search for a new job! Spent an hour or two on the internet and applied for lots of jobs, then walked the streets of Sydney handing out my CV to anyone who was advertising for workers! On Tuesday I worked and finished at 11am - so by this point I wasn't happy - but I was promised by managers that I would get more hours!! On Wednesday I had an interview and enrolment with a recruitment agency!! (I should know better from my experiences last autumn!!). For the rest of the day I searched the streets again for anything with good hours and reasonable pay! Thursday and Friday I worked and finished later on Fri! Yeah! Saturday I finished early, so in the afternoon Beth and I decided to test out the local swimming pool! What an experience! We headed over at about 2pm, and it cost us $2 each for a session. After seeing the sign 27'c we were pleased - something to warm us up. After finding our way to the changing facilities and fighting with the technology of automatic lockers we headed for the pool! Beth and I both climbed in at the shallow end - only to discover it was freezing - no where near 27'c! What a disappointment! So we both agreed that we would just have to swim to keep warm!! So we tried to swim for about 45mins!! (All I can say is that I really need to get physically fit again - big time!!!). After our swim and before heading home we went to the supermarket for a few things - including some essentials for a party that was happening in one of the houses on our street! So later that night we head up the road to No. 18 (where the party was!), and Beth, Ray, Stuart, Pete and I the tenants of No. 23 arrive! We thought we were fashionably late too, i.e. hour and half late! But no, there were only about 8 people in the house! The music was on low, and everyone was very unsure of what to do, who to talk to, or what to say! Beth and I whispered to each other "Don't think we will be staying here for long!" But then within the space of half an hour the house was full to bursting! The night turned out to be very good, and we met some cool people that lived in all 25 houses around the street! (All travellers houses - "Sydney Terraces"). At approx 2/3am Beth, Pete (one of our house mates) and I were feeling the need to head into town for some dancing!! But unfortunately, or probably luckily I didn't get into town! I stayed at the party until I realised I would get 2 hours sleep before I had to be at work the next morning! Ahh, my first late-night / early-morning work session in Australia! Whoa, I felt rough for a couple of hours - but luckily got through my shift! Today of all days I was kind of pleased to be finished at 12noon! On Sunday afternoon I get back to the house to find four people feeling slightly sorry for themselves! They are still feeling rough, but I am full of energy somehow (work really must have woken me up). A couple of hours later my fellow house mates and I manage to get over to Kelly's and we have a Sunday lunch! Well, what we thought would be a Sunday lunch! The bar maid told us that there were only four lunches left - 3 beef and 1 pork! So Pete unfortunately went to the bank and was last to enter the pub - so he didn't qualify for a roast and had to order something else. However, a little later Beth had to go to the bar for something (I can't remember) and the bar maid tells her "We are actually out of roasts, sorry!" Beth comes walking back into the beer garden with a smile on her face and tell us! We just don't believe her, but she has a menu in her hand! For five minutes we don't believe her! Then I ventured into the bar and check with the barmaid - it's true - no roasts left! So once we all got over the big disappointment we managed to change our taste buds for some alternative food. Stuart and I went for the closest option to a roast, chicken breast with mash and veg. Ray had the same but with chips, Beth had (I seriously can't remember what you had!! Sorry!!). Pete had chicken schnitzel. We had 2 more drinks in Kelly's and then had a slow wander home! This was the evening when Beth decided she would go fruit picking! She had left the job she had a couple of days ago because it was really really bad - and she wasn't making any money - it's a long story! (Beth will defo vouch for that!). So over the next few days she set the wheels in motion to go fruit picking! Monday and Tuesday I was in work! Wednesday I was off, and Beth, Ray and I headed into town and did some sightseeing, well we did the Sky Tower and Oz Trek - photos to be added again soon! We also spent some time in Travellers Contact Point researching possibilities of me moving west to Perth and Ray moving north to Brisbane and Beth defo moving to Mildura (fruit picking country!). So Beth booked her ticket, and then we did the Oz trek and Sky Tower. But today had to be the day that was at the top for encountering weirdoes and freaks, one by one they seemed to find us or we found them. First the travel agent was extremely hyper and just never stopped talking, or giggling or fighting she must have had one real high sugar dosage that day! Then we went next door to Dymocks - a book store - Ray was looking for a guide book! As I was talking to Beth and Ray I happened to look over at the nearest person, just for a second. Then she shouted over "who are you looking at? Yes I am a human being you know! I do have feelings you know!" Beth looked into her book she was holding in her hands, I immediately looked away, and Ray couldn't stop laughing or looking over! She wandered around the book shop shouting things like "People have brains but they just don't use them!" Anyway on a serious note it may not have been her fault! But I seriously just looked at her for a second, and she flipped!! - So funny, we laughed hard when we left the book shop. So the next weirdo was experienced by Beth! She was waiting to be served in McCafe, but the guy took ten minutes to make one cappuccino for the customer in front!!!! Beth wasn't happy! Next it was my turn again; I was in the queue waiting to pay for my ticket for the Oz Trek and Sky Tower. Beth and Ray paid by cash, I was paying by card - she was a trainee and took ten minutes to cash me out!!! Eventually I get my ticket - we have to wait 50 minutes for the next Oz Trek and decide to go for a wander around the shopping arcade downstairs! On our wander we find a shop called "Ray's Jewelers." So this is obviously a call for a photograph! Ray wants us to use his mobile, so I take it and focus him in the background with the sign above his head. A couple of moments later a random guy, really random looking too, freakish, anyway offers to take a photo of us all! Ahhh, what a shambles! He tries to take the photo with the camera viewer facing him! We tell him no, and he tells us that that's news to him!! We wait while he attempts to take our pic, and while doing so shouts at an innocent by passer "Don't walk past here! I am taking a photo!!" The shop keeper and by passer are stood watching and laughing! The random guy hands back Ray's mobile - and we discover he never actually pressed the right button - so we never got a photo! In the lifts up the sky tower (I have to say no where near as good as the lifts in the Menera Tower in Kuala Lumpur!) we experienced a group of French school students being very giddy and crazy in the lift - the lift is so small its like being on the tube at rush hour! The lift takes at least 3 minutes from top to bottom - so it was v. annoying, especially when they were laughing and talking in French. Ray, Beth and I were looking very paranoid by the time we got out of the lift at the bottom! Finally the weirdest and most surreal guy was a beggar dude! He certainly didn't seem homeless or totally broke for that matter! It was when we were leaving the Sky Tower, outside, this beggar guy comes up to Ray and I, "Hey, you two look really cool!" Ray and I just look at each other puzzled and shocked lol! He continues "Yeah, you both look really cool... How interested would you two be in me giving you a million dollars?!" Ray and I look at each other again, puzzled and confused, but thinking yeah of course! "We say, yeah! What, of course we would!" The beggar guys replies "Well if you two can give me a dollar each now, I will come back to you in a year's time when I have made my millions if you two can just give me 2 dollars now!" Straight away I go "No, sorry, no sorry!" and begin to walk off! Ray is kind of still stood there, and I am like come on Ray! This was the day that we were traumatised by so many weirdoes and freaks! Unfortunately Beth wasn't with us at this point; she had other plans and had headed off in the opposite direction!! Thursday and Friday I spent working! On my return from work on Friday, Beth informs me she has changed her bus ticket to Saturday!! I am dumfounded!!! I was kind of gutted that she was going to go and do fruit picking! But I knew that she would stick around for a week or so to see her tenancy notice through. Unfortunately she was tired of not being able to work or find a job, and needed to earn some money soon! So that Friday night, we headed to North Sydney to see a couple of Beth's friends from her time in Holland, and say goodbye to them! Tony one of the guys - it was actually his leaving party - he was going back to London for a year! Before we got to the party... we got acquainted with two new house mates! Stuart had moved out earlier in the week, and two new guys had moved in Chris and Mike! Mike, Ray, Beth, Pete and I played a few card games (these involved a little alcohol - as usual). (NB. I have to state now that I am not an alcoholic - I am beginning to realise that every 3rd paragraph has something related to drinking in it - it just comes across that way!). Before heading to the party we ended up in Kelly's! Beth and I got to the party and told everyone else to follow us later! We had a cool time at the party! But I was again at work the next day! This time I actually got 45mins sleep!!! After work I arrived back at 12noon, to find Beth already for the off!! About an hour later I walk her up to the bus stop... the bus arrives straight away... and there is enough time for a hug... awkward as she had her day bag on her front (it's very hard to hug someone when they're wearing a backpack on their back and a daypack on their front). Then in a flash she was on the bus, and off! I gave a quick wave, and slowly wandered back down to the house! Feeling v. tired and sorry for myself, and knowing that all the guys in the house were in bed, I decided to hit the sack myself. So later on this tiring and emotional Saturday, I woke up at around 5pm! After spending a couple of hours with the guys in the lounge, I ventured over to the shop. Came back and watched TV, and most of the England game with the guys in my house for another couple of hours. On Sunday I actually woke up at a reasonable time! After a slow process of getting organised I headed into town to meet a guy who was at the RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) course called Tim. He is Korean, and has 3 Korean friends in Sydney; all four of them have come over to Oz to try to learn English!! So we have some lunch together, and I discover that their English is quite good anyway! After lunch we wander over to Darling Harbour to watch some of the Jazz festival, but on this particular day the temperatures were very low, and the wind was quite strong! We stood and watched some of the festival for a little while. Then a decision was made on behalf of all of us to go and play pool - inside where it would be warm. We play pool for a couple of hours! Won't mention scores (my efforts were only average!). Then we sat for an hour, and I taught them some English and Australian slang, was good! They really appreciated me telling them, and were eager to know/learn more. At around 7/8pm I headed home to sort things out for an early start at work. Monday (Mon - was actually half day - went to Bondi Beach in savo) Saturday I spent working, all 6am starts! But hey, I was working full days!! So Saturday night, I met up with Kelly and Grace and some of their flat mates, we had a few drinks in Darling Harbour! Grace was at work the next morning and went home at around 11.30/12. Kelly, Pat and I ventured into city and went to Scruffys an Irish bar; where we met some of Pat's friends we spent a couple of hours in there! Then Kelly and I went to Arq! So this was another late one, a record I think, I got to bed at 10.30am on Sunday morning! On the evening, you can guess what I did... nothing... stayed in and played a few games of cards with Pete, Ray, Chris and his girlfriend. Monday, yeah, off again today! Unfortunately had to do some domestic duties, e.g. shopping, washing and tidying up the state of my room! Oh yeah and I spent a fair bit of time on this beast!!! Back to work on Tuesday for another full day!! Spent a bit time on internet trying to finish this in the evening!!!! Wednesday, today!!! I am off again today, but I have 6 shifts in a row coming up tomorrow! It's raining very heavy here in Sydney again today - but we have been quite lucky over the past 10days it's been quite sunny and bright - and slightly mild! Will keep you all posted of what I am doing again soon! Take care, Steven (",)