Hitting the ground running...or maybe just walking briskly

While waiting to check into the hostel on Sunday, I decided to wander around town a bit.  I have to admit that what I saw wasn't anything as I had imagined Sydney to be--that's when someone kindly informed me I was in China Town.  I grabbed a chicken wrap for lunch and headed back to the hostel and got checked in, still without my luggage.

I met my roommates from Calgary and Italy but was sad to hear they were both checking out within a few hours of my checking in.  Spencer, the girl from Calgary, was only 18 years old and had just spent the past 6 months traveling on her own straight out of high school! I was highly impressed.  She gave me her hair straightener that she had bought while here and since the outlet is different than those at home she can't use it.  I may do more primping as a backbacker than I ever did back home now that I have girly appliances! haha

I did my best to stay up as late as possible but was in bed and fast asleep by 7:30pm. I didn't wake up until 8:30am the next morning.  I had orientation on Monday morning for the Work & Travel Company, to which I was late.  There were 10 of us in the orientation--3 Danish that will be doing fruitpicking in the outback, 3 from Norway and 1 from Italy who like me will be staying in Sydney to work for a little while and then 2 Americans who are heading to North Australia to do some scuba diving before finding work. 

All of the staff at WTC are wonderful and so helpful, not to mention patient! We got our local phones, bank accounts, tax papers, and travel information within a few hours--it was an overwhelming morning to say the least. 

What better way to shake off a busy day than with a kangaroo burger, crab racing, and a midnight stroll across the Harbour Bridge, right?! Yes, I actaully tasted kangaroo--I was also late to dinner so they ran out of enough meat to fill a bun but let me at least taste a piece of it--kind of tough but tasty.  I settled for a veggie burger and VB beer--locals say it's the "working man's beer."  We then headed down to the bar for the intense Monday night crab racing! Basically you bet a $1 to pick a hermit crab, name them and cheer them to be the first to get from the inner circle to the outside.  I jumped into round 2 picking crab #15 and named him Louie (a Louisiana shout out if you will).  Well, he wasn't too lucky but it was a good time anyway and I even won a free drink for being the announcer's assistant for a round! The 2 American girls I met at orientation, myself, and another girl they knew from Colorado took a cab out to the Harbour bridge where I finally caught sight of the Opera House! It was incredible! I couldn't get any good pictures at night with all the lights but I think the other girls may have so I'll try to get copies and post soon! All in all a good night!

When I made it back to the hostel I was excited to not only find that my bag had made it but also that I had 2 new roommates. Rebecca (a.k.a. my new BFF)--from the UK and Eva--from Germany.  They are here through the WTC as well so Rebecca and I have decided to try and stick together and maybe find a good deal on an apartment together.

Today it's raining out so I'm on the job hunt online...I'll keep you posted how it goes! Oh, and for those of you waiting to hear the lingo...I've started saying "university" for school and "dodgy" for the bad part of town--not there are any mom and dad! No worries!:)

Take care!:)

xoxo