Two-and-a-half weeks gone now, another week and I will be halfway through my time in Sydney!

The uni stuff is great, on Thursday I went out on a boat in Sydney Harbour with one of the researchers to collect data from experiments she is running at nine different sites in the harbour, so awesome to see the Opera House from the 'other' side, and Harbour Bridge from underneath! Then on monday I spent most of the day with my eyes glued to a microscope, counting oysters on the plates to double-check her counting... it was very close! Is all part of an investigation into the effect of a company discharging waste water from cooling systems into the harbour, containing this new biochemical they are using to stop molluscs etc settling on their pipes.. only no-one knows (yet) the effect it will have on the wildlife, so she is investigating! Also have spent two days at the uni making limpet "tenacity jackets", which involves drilling holes in empty shells and strapping on a wire mesh and creating a wire handle, all in the name of seeing how tightly they hold on. Exciting stuff.

At least fifty companies in the Sydney area now have copies of my CV, which I thrust into their hands with my best winning smile, but to no avail... they don't want me! Only hopeful was a pub we wandered into last night for a pint of cider, which had a 'staff wanted' notice up, took my details and said they'd give me a call. A nice-ish pub, quite a lot of freakshow-esque weirdos and homelessness around on the streets beside it, but a job is a job (if it ever materialises).

Monday eve, got a long-awaited call from Work&Travel saying they had a job for me, just a one-day one, spent Tuesday 9-4 stuffing AGM letters into addressed envelopes... pick, stuff, peel, stick, pick, stuff, peel, stick, repeat X2000000. But paid work is paid work and such is my desparation that I actually enjoyed working for money, nevermind that it was mind-numbing. Have got another for tomorrow, too! Will be working in a sports equipment warehouse doing what is described as "picking and packing". Money is money.

I cannot upload photos here with any speed beyond snailspace! Fast uploader doesn't work, only the two-at-atime jobbie. Very frustrating.