So now for my small world story. This evening we met up with a lad who i used to go to college with bout 8 years ago. Knew he was here and so on. So he was telling us that a couple of months ago he was really skint and that his mum had said that her mate who lives in Oz would put him up if he was ever in trouble. So he had to make this really awkward call to this woman he didn't know to ask for a free room for the night. He was on about this woman called Liz who is English but her husband is an Ozzy. Turns out its Kev's mum. It just clicked when he mentioned his mums friend who had been here couple of years who was called Liz and I presumed she was from GY.
Weird.

HOT

Hello up there in the cold wet northern hemisphere, hows the torrential rain? So in the land of Oz it's becoming hotter by the day. It's been around 40 degrees today- a little too hot for our liking, it's meant to be slightly better tomorrow.

SO Sydney is very much like a nice city at home, similar to London but a lot smaller, and less grubby. It actually has old buildings including Victorian shopping malls ( namely the Victoria Building and the Strand) which are really posh and spangily. It is also pretty clean and everything is easily accessible if your willing to walk in the heat. The only thing that is a bit discouraging is the copious amounts of tramps and odd bods. You'll be walking the street when some old man is talking to himself and another's asking for cash. There seems to be more here than home (Even though I hear GY is building a new homeless shelter near fremo) there are also more here than in the Dam which last time I went was full of tramps and odd weirdo's.

So the best bit is the odd wildlife, which you know is there but don't expect to find in the city, like cockatoo's, parakeets and some odd ugly bird who's name I don't know- lets call him Jeremy for want of a name.

So along with Jeremy and the others trawling the City streets at all times are the Bats. Bloody huge bats- flying foxes to be exact. They are HUGE. In the daytime you can see them hanging by their hundreds in trees in the Botanical gardens and then at night they come out and swoop around the city. Approx 7:45 at the mo. They're an amazing sight.

Ben has seen a pod of hump back whales as well- I was too lazy to go and meet him and so being the lazy moo I missed out. The only thing that we haven't liked so far in the way of creatures is the fly's. One of the first really hot days seemed to wake the buggers up and they were every where. Thankfully this seems to have calmed down now.

So in our last 3 or so weeks in Sydney we have pretty much covered the main sites- not that there is that many, but it's quite a nice city to have a wander in. So we've been to Harbour bridge and the Opera House and frequented the beaches of Bondi and Coogee a few times. We have also been to the grungy areas Newtown and Kings Cross. So we're covering it. No point of rushing when we're staying over Christmas.

We're living in the Newtown area which is the 'odd' place to be with grungy goth's and lesbians on every corner, but it seems to be ok and at least it has some life in it. We're both working in a call centre which is tedious but the money is ok and we can choose the hours that we work. They didn't tell us off the other day for missing a shift after drinking too much and over sleeping. He HE HE.

Can think of anything else to tell you all apart from its BLOODY HOT and we quite like it here so see you all never!

Toodle Pip

P.S Here are some of our pics including the odd Jeremy Bird and a wonderful sign for the outside of a church.

JOB

Yippie I have a mind numingly dull job in a call centre whip de woo for me!!!!

Corporate whore

So have moved to a new hostel today- lots cheaper and only just up the road. Actually when I say that I mean a bloody huge hill which is a right arsehole and kills your calf muscles. The hostel is up for sale and therefore has hardly anyone staying in it apart froma big fat sweaty man in a string vest who is allegedly the caretaker. MMM, glad i'm not there alone. It's a bit fusty too as there doesn't seem to have been anyone in the room for a while- i'm expecting the residents to be spiders. But it has a swimming pool and an excellent sun deck with great views of the sea. Today has also been sunny which is a nice change after the days of drizzle.
Have had an interview for a telesales job today so will find out tomorrow if I've got it. $18+ an hour which at the current shit exchange rate is nearly 400squids a week if i do 40 hour - WHY DO I TEACH BRATS????????????????????????
Hemmmm, going to sit a the beach tomorrow doing diddely squat and possibly drink beer. See ya have fun

OZ

So we have been in the upside down world of Oz for neary 2 weeks now.
First we stayed in the city near Kings Cross which is a bit of an eye opener. You get people dressed up for a night out, backpackers, tramps, hookers etc all mingled in with one an other. We stayed in a basic hostel which was just ok- however they did a barbie with beer for only 3 dollars.
Then we headed to the beach just south of Bondi and are still here now. We're in another hostel but t's good and clean but a little (a lot) pricy. Ben's allegedly got a job and I have 2 intervews next week. Had one the other day to sell a kids toy- snake thing that we had when we were young- havent got the job thank god and the boss man was a cock and insinuated that as a teacher i wouldnt be up to the long hours- 8 hour shifts. What the hell does he think we do all day???!!!! COCK.
Anyway, we've been to see the opera house and the harbour bridge. Walked around pretty much all of Sydney centre and also been to see the sculptures by the sea which were excellent.
I started to worry about the prices of hostels, especially over christmas- your lookign at over 300 squids a week from now on. PANIC PANIC. However we have just signed up for at least a month in a shared complex, a bit like student accomodation but better than the Bedford hell hole.\, its much cheaper and has everything included in the price (about $300 not pounds), internet, own comp, tv, bedding, private bathroom, DVD, Fridge, pots, pans etc so hopefully it'll be ok. Think the area isn't as bad as the kings cross but could still be interesting.
Moving to another hostel in the meantime, still in coogee- best to have a beach when you have no job! hopefully it'll be as good as this one, this one is full. :-(

Weather is a bit up and down one day it was 36 degrees and then the next day it rains.
Sea is cold but your able to still swim after the initial shock. They have swimming pools set into the edge of the sea so you can swim without the current, (or sharks).
Sydney has lots of reconisable place names too:
Covent garden
Hyde Park
Kings Cross
Oxford Street- you name a street in london and it'll have it. Very unoriginal.
And randomly you get cockatoos and small parrots flying through the streets which is pretty cool.
Toodle Pip.

Sculptures by the sea

bras and birks

So apart from the silly bit I wrote the other day about Ben and the man chatting him up, I have been avoiding writing too much after deliberating over Blind Faith by Ben Elton. So whilst rather not giving too much of my soul away and whilst still having the privalige of being able to keep secrets I though I wouldn't share ought with you so there!
However the mood has changed from last weeks living in the van from HELL, which by the way they refunded us for 4 days for all the hassle, I have entered the land of OZ and its warm so alls good. Isn't it amazing how when its raining all you can do is sit in a van (OF DOOM) or spend loads going in museums and such like, but when it's warm its soo much better. WOOOOO

Anyway...
Let me see what have I lost... / got....
somehow I have lost 2 bras
a cardigan
my camera's buggered
some socks
Broken 2 pairs of birks- admittedly one pair was old and knackered and the other was a rip off version from thailand for 4 pounds and they did last a month.
I've gained...... not much actually. mmm
ITS HOT YIPPIE.