HI folks! It's Sunday afternoon and I have at last found a place where it is easy to upload pictures! No more complaints about lack of photos please.... I was not aware that we were in direct compettion with James and Ange (Needham!) Anyway, had a pretty busy week. Went out with the telesales people last Friday, which was really bizarre! It was more of the old 'forced fun' shenanigans! We all had to wear a hat (I borroed a trilby from a housemate) and then we went to a karaoke bar after work. There was space for about thirty people, but we managed to squeeze about fifty in. The only people who were singing were the team leaders and they were all pushing each other out of the way to see who could make the most spectacle of themself! They were also very creepy towards young, drunk female backpackers (luckily I didn't fall into the drunk category!!) Now, bearing in mind the only reason I stayed on for an extra week was for the free booze and food, you can imagine my disappointment to only have one beer and a stingy slice of cheese and tomato pizza! They 'ran out' of everything within the first hour and people were told to go and buy their own at the bar. I couldn't believe it! It was the only thing that kept me going for the week! Some people had the sense to go to the offi and smuggle booze in (Scottish people, I might add), but a few of us just purchased a bottle of wine between us and made do. The night actually tuinred out really well, becasue most of us left the house of fun and went for a few drinks up at King's Cross. Anyway, it was my last day there, and nothing was going to dampen my delgith about that!! I started my new job on Monday, which is working with 0-5 in a private nursery in the suburb of Alexandria. I am really enjoying it (no, really!!) and I have work there this week as well. I have to get there by train, which has been quite interesting. I bought ticket to last me the week and assumed that it would cover me for going to Alexandria. As I stepped off the train at Alexandria, I oput the ticket into the turnstile to get out and it cam up as saying 'ticket invalid'. I was a bit confused by this, so tried again and the same thing happened. However, rather than heading off and purchasing a valid ticket, I discovered that I could squeeze through the gap in the barrier and proceeded to do so! The same thing happened on the way home, but this time I stood very close to the person in front of me and sneaked in on their ticket - ingenious! I got braver/ stupider as the week went on and even did it in front of security - I can't believe I have resorted to a life of crime in such a short space of time! But can you imagine the embarassment if I was deported for fare evasion...so I have decided I will buy the proper ticket this week and return to my law abiding self. Another thing we have resorted to doing is fillling up returnable wine bottles (I don't think you get them at home?) from a box of wine and take them to the bring your own restaurants. The theory behind them is that it is an excellent way of recycling, so when you buy your first one it costs you a certain amount, but when you take your bottle back you get three dollars off your next purchase (kind of like when we got 10p back at the shop for lemonade bottles) So, we done this the first few times, then last week had the cheap skate brainwave of filling the bottle up from an even cheaper box of wine! The things you do to save a dollar or two.... I actually discovered the empty wine bottle in my handbag at work on Friday after being out for a meal on Thursday night, which could have made for interesting reading! On Friday night I went out with some girls I had been working with at the call centre. Carly (a friend I made at the hostel) and her fella Daz were heading up the coast on Saturday, so we had a bit of a cheerio do. Fuz went upto the roof of the hostel with the lads and Carly and I went out in town with the girls. It is the first time I have actually been fairly dressed up since being on my travels and it felt quite odd! Anyway, we had a good night and one of my housemates phoned to say they were at a bar where there were drinks for $2.80, so we decided to head over there. Had i realised how drunk he actaully was, I wouldn't have bothered! I spotted him from a distance, stotting along all chummy with a tramp (a real tramp, not just someone who is untidy!), then he spotted me before I could run away. He yoohooed in his thick Irish accent and headed towards us, much to Carly and my amusement. After a slight discussion with him (generally one sided) we decided he needed to go home, otherwise he was a) going to get a hiding, b) going to get lifted or c) lie in his own urine on the streets for the evening. We boarded the train to Kings Cross and were basically propping him up like a ventriloquists dummy, when he went the bluest shade of white I have ever seen. He then proceeded to vomit all over the train, including mine and Carly's feet!! It was a rather surreal moment. Luckily we were only a few seconds from our stop, so we hopped off (taking the reprobate with us) and then carried him to the house. Once Carly and I left him with the other house people he apparently continued to vomit, but it luckily was not in the house. I have told him he owes me big time and that he will be doing our share of the cleaning until we leave! We are heading to buy a vehicle soon, so i will get away just now. Still loving the message board - apart from the cheek! Lots of love, will update again in the week.XX