First day off.....ahhhh!

So today was my first official day off since I arrived. It was great! I am looking forward to another tomorrow :). I slept in (til 7:00am) and when I heard the children getting up I didn't move, because it was my day off! Whoop Whoop! I got up and had a long shower, took the time to dry my hair and straighten it and then had breakfast with the family to start my day. Now let me tell you.....just because you have a plug converter doesn't mean that all things are able to be used elsewhere! I nearly turned my hair dryer into a frikkin flame thrower! I plugged my converter in, plugged my hair dryer in and began using it as normal. Then I began to smell this strange smell. Then as I moved my hair dryer a bright orange hue inside the barrel of the hair dryer caught my eye. It was then that I realized that the smell was coming from inside the dryer! I turned the hair dryer and looked down the barrel, and it was at that moment that I saw a small blue flame inside the hair dryer along with a red hot element. I then decided it was a good idea to stop what I was doing. Turns out Australia has wayyyy more voltage then we do in Canada. So moral of the story: the low setting on my hair dryer is like high at home, and even then you should give it a few cold shots to cool down the element...geesh!
After breakfast I hopped the bus to the nearest shopping centre, Rouse Hill Town Centre. I walked around aimlessly without a care in the world, it was great! I went from shop to shop browsing and looking. I ended up only buying a phone card to call home with but enjoyed seeing everything. I also learned two things. 1: I am soooo not trendy enough for most of the shops at Rouse Hill. 2: If I lived in Australia on my own I would be dirty, smelly, hairy, hungry and homeless. Everything here is sooooooo expensive! I went to the department store (Big W), very very similar to Wal-mart, and I bought 1 bottle of shampoo, 1 bottle of conditioner, 1 bottle of body wash and 1 small 100ml bottle of nail polish remover. I payed $31 for just that! It is nuts! The shampoo that I buy at home I pay 6 something for it because it is organic. I was surpised to see that they had it here, but here it is over $13! Just crazyness. I doubt I will be buying a lot while I am here.
After I came home I chilled with the fam for a bit then they were going over to a friends place and bowling. I opted not to go and spend the evening by myself. I think this was a great plan! I walked up to the Parklea Market that I went to last weekend. It is so close that I might just go back tomorrow. I took a picture of the the outside of the market as I approached it. I hope you notice that the white roof is all the market and extends far more then in the picture. While I was there I was looking for things to send to people at home. I know...how generous of me, not buying anything for myself and only thinking of others...I know, I know, but its what I do ;) So Matt told me to send him something 'quirky' from Australia. So Off I went for something quirky. Well I found the most wonderful thing at the market! However I did not buy it :( Sadly it cost too much. How can you get more quirky then a bottle opener made from a Kangaroo Scrotum!?! Hahahah I laughed right out loud in the little shop. It was the funniest thing I ever saw! "Here open your beer with my Roo nuts!" They also had a letter opener made from Kangaroo nuts, and just a scrotum with a hollowed out spot for a lighter! Haha. If it wasn't $30 I would have bought it for him! I still might decide that the funny factor is larger then the money aspect and under the Christmas tree will be a pair of Kanga nuts! Hahaha I am still laughing about it!
After the market I decided it was time for meat! The family I am with are vegetarians. So although I have been eating well since I arrived I couldn't help but notice there was a steakhouse just up the road. So they went out and I went in search of meat and beers! I went up to the local steakhouse and felt like an ass when I said "table for 1" but hey who cares anyways. My only regret is that I didn't bring my book or something to do while I was waiting. The service was terrible! I sat and waited nearly 20mins before I had to ask the hostess if someone was going to wait on me or if I had to make it myself. If it wasn't for the fact that the only other place close that serves meat is Hungry Jacks(Burger King) I would have left. However it was lucky for me that I stayed. They offered to buy my drinks for the evening and gave me a voucher for a free entree on my next visit. So I had 2 big bloke beers (about the same as 4 draught beers at home) that weren't that great but I chose a cheap beer anyway, and had a big steak. They were pretty good after I got slightly boshey (a word I picked up meaning crotchety or bitchy) with them about their poor service. After my meal I walked home, taking notice of the slightly humorous street sign and stopped at the lake to watch a wild pelican (See photos). It was overall a great day. I really didn't mind spending most of my time by myself, it actually was rather nice.
Tomorrow I think I will take the bus to Parramatta and a ferry ride into Darling Harbour (the classic view of the opera house and bridge harbour). Things are looking up the more I stay here and now I really do think my time will fly by. I know this is long, but hey, I have had a good day with lots to talk about :).