Back to the Real World

I knew it would end at some point. I went from feeling so distraught everyday that I couldn't start work to looking back at my first glorious week of travel here and craving it again. I'll have logged in a solid 44 hours by the end of my first week here, a sort of rude awakening for me.

Luckily, the job itself seems to be just what I had expected/hoped it would be. There are tons of fellow travelers here as well. The lifestyle is just too good to be true here. Except of course, for the accomodation, which is grungy to say the least. I do have my own room though. I've gotten used to cleaning all my dishes before using them, brushing aside the dead bugs that remain in the cupboards, day after day, and cooking like I would be at home. If I hadn't of had the 17th ave experience (and learned how to cook), I likely would have been eating out all the time, which is ridiculously expensive here. Luckily, accomodation is dirt cheap (note the picture though) and I can afford to travel around Sydney while I'm here.

The work itself should be fine except that for the next few months that is ALL that I will be doing. However, Australians are huge believers in vacations and national holidays, which there are quite a few of. I seem to be working the vast majority of them, so I can rake in the cash and receive a day in lieu. It's also quite civilized schedule wise- even if you work the wknds, you receive time plus 50% on sat's and time plus 75% on sundays! Not a bad deal and makes up for the otherwise pitiful wages I'm receiving.

Christmas should be a scorcher. So sorry to report to all of you back home that on sat it's to be 38C! I should easily be able to spend x-mas day at the beach as well as catch the fireworks NYE. Should be a great time as all my hostel buddies and my friend from Brisbane (who I met traveling and haven't seen since 2004) will be together!