Off to the Races!

Wednesday was a day off of school, called Ekka day. Ekka is basically this huge carnival fair that Brisbane holds for a week. There are animals and motocross and lots of food. Since there were no classes, Kylie, Erin and I decided to go to what is known as the Ekka Races!

Unfortunately Erin got sick. Kylie and I got dressed up and let her sleep in and headed off. We met with a bunch of people from the beach volleyball club (which Erin and Kylie are both members of) and took the CityCat to the races. It was probably a 45 minute ferry ride through Brisbane, so some nice sights were seen.

The races were very fun. Kylie rides horses, so she knows quite a bit. Apparently normally horses run counterclockwise around the track, but here they ran clockwise which is a strange difference. Also they ran on grass, which is also peculiar apparently. I’ve never been to another horse race, so it is difficult to make comparisons.

There were lots and lots of people there. When we first got there, it wasn’t bad but as the day wore on the crowds were overwhelming. Some girls were very dressed up (floor length dress that would fit in at prom) while others were on par with Kylie and I in nice sundresses, and everything in between.

There were food places; one was a fish and chips place which was named Nemo’s Café! It even had a Finding Nemo sign, Kylie and I had a good laugh over this.

I bet on two horses, two dollars each. The first was named American Gangster (I felt obligated to show some country pride) and it lost pretty badly. Actually I think she (Kylie thought they were mares) was fifth, but that wins me nothing!

The second horse was named Linear (nerd horse!) and she won! She didn’t just win, she slaughtered. Nerd horses for the win! My winnings almost made me break even. If I had bet Linear to win instead of to place (which is first and second place) I would have come out ahead, instead I ended up losing twenty cents total. Not bad for my first time.

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(The above shall from now on denote a time change in my blog post. For example, from Wednesday to Friday as the one here does.)

Today (Friday) Erin and I headed to Indoorpoly shopping center to look around for some things. We found a fantastic shoe store and bought some flats (I got a pair of green ones!) and I also got a swim suit. Why did I get a swim suit you ask? Well maybe you aren’t really asking, as I’m in Australia, but pretend to ask just for a bit.

This weekend we are flying to Townsville. Erin knows a girl there from her StudyAustralia orientation that is letting us stay there for a few days. We got a decent deal on plain tickets there and then got a hundred dollar voucher for a flight on Jetstar airlines, which pushed it into fantastic deal land. We are going to go on an all day snorkeling trip on the reef among other things. I’m pretty excited.

Expect a fun update about how beautifully wonderfully spectacular Townsville is Tuesday or Wednesday. Stay, snazzy folks.