Halas newbie area is literally hell incarnate.

[Crawdad]

Its tough to start out in Halas/Everfrost, but the entire Qeynos area (Halas included) is actually on par with Cabilis and Kelethin for starting zones.

You'll feel cut off until you learn the way from Halas to Blackburrow, but the entire newbie area offers better than loot most newbie fields. Tons of armor, weapons, bags (had 8 boxes/bags by level 3 on my Barbly rogue) and pelts to make patchwork without a hassle. Just make sure you check if you're targeting a decaying skeleton versus say, a vengeful soloist.

And it only gets better. Rabid wolves/grizzlies in Qeynos hills, gnolls in Blackburrow, wisps in NK or Erud's crossing, bandits in WK. Tons and tons of great Exp/cash all on your doorstep.

[Expediency]

everfrost is terrible. its too hard and very cut off. Blackburrow and qeynos are fun and if you want to go that route you should bind at qeynos gate immediately. Shaman are kind of stuck unless they have money to buy spells and bank them, rogues/warriors can go immediately.