1) This clearly isn't a lore-related question, and the post would have likely received more relevant attention in the General Discussion or New Player sub-forums.

2) I don't understand why you need to create two alternate characters just to focus on crafting. Have you missed the memo about how one character could potentially master all classes/jobs? Do check it out. It'd potentially save you from all the frustration of having to gain access to Ishgard on two brand new characters.

3) The speed of progression varies from player to player. But it's not unheard of for level 50 characters to hit 60 within a week. Going from one to 50 takes about just as much time, probably a lot less, if you rush through the content.