True to my word, this week was all about work and the gym. I got plenty of hours in at work and each shift was backed up with a gym session in the evening.

It was 'Labour Day' on Monday.. another public holiday in Australia so we only worked half a day. Most of the shops and businesses in town were closed again so it was the only day I was unable to get to the gym. The historic event of Osama Bin Laden finally being killed kept me occupied for the rest of the afternoon watching the coverage on all the news channels.

I've made progress with every gym sesh so far and I'm chuffed with my level of fitness but eating a big chocolate Easter bunny after every workout is probably a bit counterproductive.. how could I refuse stocking up on another five though after they were further reduced to 56c!!!!

I was let loose on another tractor at work this week.. one with a forklift on the front to pick up big logs of wood. I drove the same one as last week too but it wouldn't start one morning as I left the ignition key in the wrong position overnight so the battery died... ooops! No-one told me about that!

Worked till 12noon on Saturday and then headed back to the hostel to get ready to go to the races with a few of the lads...... yes that's right, Stanthorpe races!! Apparently it's a big date on the Stanthorpe calendar and with it being cancelled due to poor conditions the previous two years Saturday was even more of an event for the local community. The sun was shining and it was nice and warm so no chance of it being cancelled this time. We arrived to a small jockey club just after 1pm where the locals were attempting the old 'dress to impress' thing... one guy wore a fluorescent hot pink suit and another chose a fluorescent bright blue one!! Very amusing :) They were the butt of our jokes for the first part of the afternoon!!
It was only a small flat race meeting with very average horses but we had a great day out drinking plenty of beer and losing money.. mainly me!! I didn't win anything at all whereas a few of the lads got a couple of big-ish wins.
After the five races finished we were told there would be a live band playing for a few hours so we hung around. On drove a truck, sound system on the back with an overweight, shaved headed woman singing country and western songs!! What the......?! :)
I'd had a few.... so I ended up bouncing around with the locals infront of the scary lady singer!! Haha.. country and western baby!!
After a few hours of impressive moves we jumped on the free bus service back into town where we grabbed a Red Rooster for our tea and then back to the hostel. Quite a few where heading down to the creek and then onto the pub but it was too cold to be drinking outside and I didn't want to waste my money in Central again so I ended up just chillin in the room watching an AFL game. I'm glad I didn't bother going out as a big fight broke out between the drunk aggressive locals and the backpackers.. won't be going there again any time soon!

It was just another regular Sunday in Stanthorpe today.. Cosmo's for breakfast, a small food shop, a bit of laundry followed by more relaxation.

More of the same for the forthcoming week.. work and the gym!!

Three weeks to go!!

Oh.. and I've bumped into the first person from Blackburn on my travels.. well Darwen but it's close enough. A lad called Tom aged 21, moved into the hostel this week but I don't know him and have never seen him before. Still, small world!!

Caio for now ;)

xx