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Sunday 25 February - Tuesday 6 March

G'day all!

Last Monday, I went into a place to check out jobs. Little did I know that I would get a job straightaway starting the same day! I started working in around an hour in Flemington, packing organic fruit and vegetables. Every order varies so it is not repetitive. There is only two days work each week, comprising a total of 20 hours work (7:30-5:30). As I started late on the first day, I finished at 7:00.

I was working the next day also, finishing earlier than usual.

The weather has gone cooler now, and while I was around Sydney town, it lashed heavily and the water levels rose quite fast. There was lightning and thunder also.

I left Coogee the next day with Kris and moved to a hostel in Collaroy which is on the way to Palm Beach. We are staying in Sydney Beachouse YHA. The manager gave us a family room instead of a dorm, and the family room is expensive (A$104/IEP47.84 for the whole room per night). The manager offered the room to us for $80 but it was still expensive. He changed his mind and offered it to us free! We stayed there free for three nights in the family room with a private bathroom. Why? Because I work on the website of Home and Away! How very generous of him. Please check out the site at www.homeandaway.org and if you mention the site at the hostel, you may get a discount (please check with the hostel first).

Everyone is friendly there including the staff, particularly one who is willing to make arrangements for me to see the cast of Home and Away!

I had an interview at Grace Bros on Friday afternoon - it was quite difficult. The manner in which the interview was carried out was quite different - we were not interviewed individually but were asked questions as groups. We were divided into four groups. We will hear from them on Friday as to whether we get the job or not.

That night, we went to a party. I was put off as the people were older and seemed uninteresting so we left - lucky we saw what it was like before we paid the entry fee!

On Saturday, I tried body boarding in the beach at Collaroy. The waves were too calm - the sea pushed me to the shore, and it was a great feeling gliding along the sea!

At night I went to Mardi Gras Parade with others but it was OK - the parade itself was too long. I met a few deaf people there. I missed the last bus so I went around a few places and walked around with others until the next bus (the taxi is $100).

The bus service seems to be terrible at night here and we waited for a while - after arrival at the hostel, we checked into a dorm a few hours later as it was the end of our stay in the family room. I was very tired. I tried body boarding; the waves were quite rough but I went anyway. I was sucked under the waves twice and went out of the water a few minutes later. I would like to try again but not when the waves are that rough. It was just a few minutes later when the signs were put up: 'Beach closed, dangerous surf'. That's how rough the waves were!

That evening, I went for a walk along the beach for over an hour walking via South Narrabeen and then North Narrabeen. I think I may have been about a quarter of the way to Palm Beach.

I was working yesterday and on Monday.