You all know the film Australia right? Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman? Good. Well, I saw it a few months ago with my favouritest people back in the Bridge, and thought it was absolutley superb. Now, remember how stunning the setting was? The proper Australian outback when they were driving the cattle north to Darwin? I thought it must be enhanced or something just because it was that spectacular.
However, it really wasn't. Now I haven't seen a lot of the Northern Territory yet. I only landed in Alice Springs an hour and a half ago (where I got the fire exit seats so extra legroom with the window :D) but even the fifteen kilometre drive from the airport to the town centre I was simply in awe.
The rolling and rocky hills, the red dust, the amazingness of it all. I can't honestly say I've seen a prettier bit of God's earth. It's beautiful.
In my last blog, I emplored all you people who are coming to Australia to come inland and really see the country, as I have now, and I am emploring you a second time. The backbackers hostels and all the buses up and down the East Coast are full to the brim of every nationality, apart from Australian. I found myself getting frustrated at the fact that the usual question and beginning conversation of people you met in thes places are, "My name is Nic, I'm from England - Where are you from?"
Not that I mind meeting new people, I've met some fantastic people from all over the world (German, South African, Niambian, Dutch, Spanish, Irish, Canadian, American, English, New Zealanders) who are just willing to talk and help you out and things and give you advice, calm your nerves about the next part of your journey. But I found when I stayed in Brisbane last night that it wasn't what proper Australia is about, that's not the lifestyle that keeps the economy here going. The bushfires in Victoria nor the floods in Queensland affect the backpackers, where as for the Aussies, they do.
I love that I've fallen into what I'm doing. What other way to see the Northern Territory then to work the land there?
Saturday 14 February 2009
Friday 13 February 2009
Springbrook Farm, Goomeri
It's the end of the week and near the end of my time at Springbrook Farm here in Goomeri, an hours drive from Rainbow Beach. And it's been the most amazing week of my life.
At the beginning I wasn't too sure about all of it. The first evening, Monday, which we arrived here and settled in was an hour or so on the motorbikes. Now, the other four people here had already driven motorbikes before, and I had only been a passenger. So I was extremely nervous about it. As you friends in Cambridge will know, I am much more suited to a non-motored two wheeler. However, I was getting used to it, it was actually quite fun after a while. Though I stalled like a gazillion times and couldn't kick start it or drive off without releasing the clutch quickly and so it all went to pieces, by Wednesday, which was the second time we took the bikes out round the farm, I was flying about. Getting up to fourth gear, driving up steep hills and what not, I was absolutley loving it. So much so I am determined to get my motorbike license when I get home. Santo, the trainer here, was simply amazed when I misjudged a turn and went down a really steep hill and into a ditch with tall grass in (so you couldn't tell if there were logs or rocks in the bottom) and came out the other side ok. It was scary when it happened, but such a rollorcoaster thrill when I came out alright on the other side.
Now, moving on from the bikes, we go onto the chainsaw. Not quite as much fun as you may think. We were trimming down trees for room for a fence to go up and it's bloody hard work I can tell you, but good all the same. However, unlike the motorbikes, I'm not so much of a natural at it. Plus, it was absolutely tipping it down when we were doing it - so the moisture on my back was a mix of rainwater and sweat. (That's an attractive image for you just there ;) )
We also did many other activities, we did build build such fence that we were cutting down a tree for, which looked bloody good if I may say so myself. Basically, the wooden posts had to be alligned so we dug holes to adjust the posts already in place to make a straight line, as well as Santo pushing them with a tractor. The we pulled new barbed wire through the holes, in one hole we found a frog which made us laugh, and then strained the wire to make it tense. You feel such a sense of acheievement when you stand back and look at it and say 'I made that fence'
Ok, now we get onto the horses. We took them on two hacks in total, and the land and the sights and everything were simply gorgeous. I rode this beautiful lazy boy horse called Prince, who had two girlfriends named Duchness and Princess. People, I call out to you, come to Australia and do not only travel the East Coast. Go inwards and see the sights properly on horseback, it's simply superb, and this farm is only fifty acres and really hilly but oh my word, you cannot image it. When I nick some pictures from Veronika I'll show you. We also mustered the cattle on horseback too, which was fairly easy (I think the cattle know it's Thursday and so have to walk back to the yards) but it was fun all the same.
Now, the other motorised vehicles. Namely a tractor - so much fun on a tractor! We mowed the olive grove lawns in the tipping rain on a tractor and then with the bigger and older tractor we moved some hay bales with the front end forks. Also, I learned how to ride a quad bike, which is the easiest thing in the world as there's no clutch and you can't stall it (a winner for me, since that's my downfall) and good as I am going to be riding a tractor and a quad bike at my new job. But the final thing was that Santo allowed me to drive. He took us all onto a paddock a bit far out and allowed me to drive the ute. He sat in the front seat and taught me the basics of driving, though I can't brake and can't do smooth gear changes but still, I DROVE A CAR!
Furthermore, here is the best place in the world to live. All of our meals have been exceptional, thanks to Santo's wife, Jo, who has also been an amazing help in pushing us to call our perspective employers and making sure we are generally ok with ourselves and our wellbeing. She's an absolutely lovely woman who'll get along with anyone. Also, there are six absolutley gorgeous puppies here, which we can go and pet when we want. They're collie pups and I so want to take one home. Maybe a 50th birthday present for Dad eh?
We're all leaving tomorrow, and I'm actually quite sad to go. I really wouldn't mind staying here for a few more days with these people here. Not only the fantastic people who look after us and train us, but the people I've met and been trained with. There are five of us here. There's myself, and another english girl named Amber who is absolutley fan-bloody-tastic with horses, and is going to a horsing school in the Gold Coast to work. There's Veronika, a German girl, who's off to Alive Springs to work on a really big cattle station. Also, Pierre, a Niambian who's very lucky and had his job sorted by Monday and is going somewhere near the coast. And Dean, a South African who has his job in Western Australia in a few weeks and so is staying here to work and gain more experience until that time comes. After only five days of knowing each other we've become quite good friends and I hope we keep in contact! (*HINT HINT*) :P
As for my job, I'm going to a town near Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, where I would probably die of the humidity, to work on quads and tractors cultivating and sowing seeds and what not. I think there's also work feeding horses and cleaning their stables. To be homest I'm not quite sure, because the job I was offered on Tuesday fell through today (which makes me what to slap the woman who offered it) so I was quite desperate for a new one, and this woman was keen for me to come on board also. I hope it'll all be ok.
I don't know when I'll next be able to come on tinternet - but don't forget to check this - you could be missing out on my new found amazing life.
Goodbye from Goomeri!
xxx
Anyway, it's our last night and we're watching a DVD.
At the beginning I wasn't too sure about all of it. The first evening, Monday, which we arrived here and settled in was an hour or so on the motorbikes. Now, the other four people here had already driven motorbikes before, and I had only been a passenger. So I was extremely nervous about it. As you friends in Cambridge will know, I am much more suited to a non-motored two wheeler. However, I was getting used to it, it was actually quite fun after a while. Though I stalled like a gazillion times and couldn't kick start it or drive off without releasing the clutch quickly and so it all went to pieces, by Wednesday, which was the second time we took the bikes out round the farm, I was flying about. Getting up to fourth gear, driving up steep hills and what not, I was absolutley loving it. So much so I am determined to get my motorbike license when I get home. Santo, the trainer here, was simply amazed when I misjudged a turn and went down a really steep hill and into a ditch with tall grass in (so you couldn't tell if there were logs or rocks in the bottom) and came out the other side ok. It was scary when it happened, but such a rollorcoaster thrill when I came out alright on the other side.
Now, moving on from the bikes, we go onto the chainsaw. Not quite as much fun as you may think. We were trimming down trees for room for a fence to go up and it's bloody hard work I can tell you, but good all the same. However, unlike the motorbikes, I'm not so much of a natural at it. Plus, it was absolutely tipping it down when we were doing it - so the moisture on my back was a mix of rainwater and sweat. (That's an attractive image for you just there ;) )
We also did many other activities, we did build build such fence that we were cutting down a tree for, which looked bloody good if I may say so myself. Basically, the wooden posts had to be alligned so we dug holes to adjust the posts already in place to make a straight line, as well as Santo pushing them with a tractor. The we pulled new barbed wire through the holes, in one hole we found a frog which made us laugh, and then strained the wire to make it tense. You feel such a sense of acheievement when you stand back and look at it and say 'I made that fence'
Ok, now we get onto the horses. We took them on two hacks in total, and the land and the sights and everything were simply gorgeous. I rode this beautiful lazy boy horse called Prince, who had two girlfriends named Duchness and Princess. People, I call out to you, come to Australia and do not only travel the East Coast. Go inwards and see the sights properly on horseback, it's simply superb, and this farm is only fifty acres and really hilly but oh my word, you cannot image it. When I nick some pictures from Veronika I'll show you. We also mustered the cattle on horseback too, which was fairly easy (I think the cattle know it's Thursday and so have to walk back to the yards) but it was fun all the same.
Now, the other motorised vehicles. Namely a tractor - so much fun on a tractor! We mowed the olive grove lawns in the tipping rain on a tractor and then with the bigger and older tractor we moved some hay bales with the front end forks. Also, I learned how to ride a quad bike, which is the easiest thing in the world as there's no clutch and you can't stall it (a winner for me, since that's my downfall) and good as I am going to be riding a tractor and a quad bike at my new job. But the final thing was that Santo allowed me to drive. He took us all onto a paddock a bit far out and allowed me to drive the ute. He sat in the front seat and taught me the basics of driving, though I can't brake and can't do smooth gear changes but still, I DROVE A CAR!
Furthermore, here is the best place in the world to live. All of our meals have been exceptional, thanks to Santo's wife, Jo, who has also been an amazing help in pushing us to call our perspective employers and making sure we are generally ok with ourselves and our wellbeing. She's an absolutely lovely woman who'll get along with anyone. Also, there are six absolutley gorgeous puppies here, which we can go and pet when we want. They're collie pups and I so want to take one home. Maybe a 50th birthday present for Dad eh?
We're all leaving tomorrow, and I'm actually quite sad to go. I really wouldn't mind staying here for a few more days with these people here. Not only the fantastic people who look after us and train us, but the people I've met and been trained with. There are five of us here. There's myself, and another english girl named Amber who is absolutley fan-bloody-tastic with horses, and is going to a horsing school in the Gold Coast to work. There's Veronika, a German girl, who's off to Alive Springs to work on a really big cattle station. Also, Pierre, a Niambian who's very lucky and had his job sorted by Monday and is going somewhere near the coast. And Dean, a South African who has his job in Western Australia in a few weeks and so is staying here to work and gain more experience until that time comes. After only five days of knowing each other we've become quite good friends and I hope we keep in contact! (*HINT HINT*) :P
As for my job, I'm going to a town near Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, where I would probably die of the humidity, to work on quads and tractors cultivating and sowing seeds and what not. I think there's also work feeding horses and cleaning their stables. To be homest I'm not quite sure, because the job I was offered on Tuesday fell through today (which makes me what to slap the woman who offered it) so I was quite desperate for a new one, and this woman was keen for me to come on board also. I hope it'll all be ok.
I don't know when I'll next be able to come on tinternet - but don't forget to check this - you could be missing out on my new found amazing life.
Goodbye from Goomeri!
xxx
Anyway, it's our last night and we're watching a DVD.
Saturday 7 February 2009
Australian Sun
Now, being ginger and pale I knew that the sun would disagree with the exposure of my skin, it always has been. So, coming to the tropics I knew the sun would burn me without the use of sun cream - but come on?! This much pain is so ...painful! Wearing straps on my shoulders hurt, and my stomach is stinging with my t-shirt over the top. Oh well. Lesson learnt. REAPPLY EVERY HOUR.
:D
On another point - remember the arguement between me and the sea as to who owned my camera? Well, I'm afraid the sea most definitley won that one. So I'm afraid my skanky 8.2 megapixel samsung camera has died, encrusted with sand and sea water and my camera now is my 2.0 megapixel phone camera. I'll try my very best to recreate some of the best pictures that I took the other day down at the beach, though I'm not sure me heding down there is a good thing today considering what it did to me yesterday.
So yes, this is the story so far. Today is the last relaxing day before we go to Gympie and begin working.
TTYL
xxx
:D
On another point - remember the arguement between me and the sea as to who owned my camera? Well, I'm afraid the sea most definitley won that one. So I'm afraid my skanky 8.2 megapixel samsung camera has died, encrusted with sand and sea water and my camera now is my 2.0 megapixel phone camera. I'll try my very best to recreate some of the best pictures that I took the other day down at the beach, though I'm not sure me heding down there is a good thing today considering what it did to me yesterday.
So yes, this is the story so far. Today is the last relaxing day before we go to Gympie and begin working.
TTYL
xxx
Friday 6 February 2009
Rainbow Beach
After a five hour coach ride in the blistering 31 degree weather, we arrived at Rainbow Beach. One more person joined the VisitOz crew, another girl called Nic as it happens. Fraser Hostel is lovely, which is where I'm speaking to you now. Fraser Island is not so far away, can easily get a boat out (but not yet Sam G-B - will try that later on in the upcoming months) Such lovely people here, and last night we pretty much drank the bar dry, and for those condoning readers this is my relaxing time before I start working - getting over the jetlag etc etc. Drank Australian beer so that's Victoria Bitter, better known as VB, Coopers and Broegs. Coopers is one of the best beers I've drank in a long time. Then moved onto whiskey and such things.
Soon, at 11.30pm, the bar closed and a bunch of people at the hostel moved down to the beach where we lit a fire (a guy called Kenny with aborigini roots led us troops) we drank more wine and we stumbled back to our beds as the sight of daylight.
Unfortunatley, for me, something occured which isn't good. My camera was in my short pockets, which are baggy and it fell out. I spent a long time on my hands and knees looking for it, but it being very dark and all I couldn't find it. naturally I assumed someone had picked it up and taken it back to the hostel. However, when I asked this morning it was not anywhere. I jogged down to the beach and then found it in the surf. It's drying out now - so all you looking forward to pictures - watch this space. I took some beautiful pictures of the beach yesterday as well.
:(
Hopefully it'll be ok.
So - how I am feeling is fantastic. You meet some amazing people here. When I was eating discounted pancakes and a coffee for breakfast, Sammy, the chef, played his digeridoo for us. Last night round the fire we had Canadians, Aussies, Brits, Yanks etc etc. It was just good to exchange stories and everything.
So...that's all that's happened so far here. Today we hope to head to the beach, get some form of brown in my legs (even if I just rub sand in) and then Monday we're going to a place inland called Gympie which is where Springbrook farm is, where we start training.
All is fine and dandy here in Oz. Hope you're enjoying the snow back home. Make a snowman for me, I'll make a sandcastle for you.
To be continued.
xxx
Soon, at 11.30pm, the bar closed and a bunch of people at the hostel moved down to the beach where we lit a fire (a guy called Kenny with aborigini roots led us troops) we drank more wine and we stumbled back to our beds as the sight of daylight.
Unfortunatley, for me, something occured which isn't good. My camera was in my short pockets, which are baggy and it fell out. I spent a long time on my hands and knees looking for it, but it being very dark and all I couldn't find it. naturally I assumed someone had picked it up and taken it back to the hostel. However, when I asked this morning it was not anywhere. I jogged down to the beach and then found it in the surf. It's drying out now - so all you looking forward to pictures - watch this space. I took some beautiful pictures of the beach yesterday as well.
:(
Hopefully it'll be ok.
So - how I am feeling is fantastic. You meet some amazing people here. When I was eating discounted pancakes and a coffee for breakfast, Sammy, the chef, played his digeridoo for us. Last night round the fire we had Canadians, Aussies, Brits, Yanks etc etc. It was just good to exchange stories and everything.
So...that's all that's happened so far here. Today we hope to head to the beach, get some form of brown in my legs (even if I just rub sand in) and then Monday we're going to a place inland called Gympie which is where Springbrook farm is, where we start training.
All is fine and dandy here in Oz. Hope you're enjoying the snow back home. Make a snowman for me, I'll make a sandcastle for you.
To be continued.
xxx
Wednesday 4 February 2009
Queensland State Library
Blogging takes time, and for me on this computer, it is limited. You can probably tell by the title as to where I am. It's 4.41pm in Brisbane, and it all feels like a dream. Nothing is reality at the moment. It's not hit that I'm the other side of the world, on my own, doing my own thing - but yet here I am.
So, let's start from when I got through the passport control at Heathrow. I walked through, leaving the siblings and father behind to fend for themselves, and I wasn't sad (sorry folks) I felt good, I felt liberated. Something I had never felt before. No home-sickness. Nothing bad. Everything was just fine.
I found out the gate number (25 if you're interested) and wondered around for a bit. Looked in Harrods for bits and pieces, making a mental note to buy stuff when I come back through. (Georgina - maHOOSive bottles of Bombay Sapphire) Called a few people, texted a lot. Mustered all the strength I had to walk past a duty-free HMV. I then started to wonder to the gate, as it was nearly time for me to board. My stomach began to churn with nerves, like it does when major things have/are happened/happening. Called a few more people to calm me down, familier and lovely people. It was all a strange experience.
Now, the flights:
So, let's start from when I got through the passport control at Heathrow. I walked through, leaving the siblings and father behind to fend for themselves, and I wasn't sad (sorry folks) I felt good, I felt liberated. Something I had never felt before. No home-sickness. Nothing bad. Everything was just fine.
I found out the gate number (25 if you're interested) and wondered around for a bit. Looked in Harrods for bits and pieces, making a mental note to buy stuff when I come back through. (Georgina - maHOOSive bottles of Bombay Sapphire) Called a few people, texted a lot. Mustered all the strength I had to walk past a duty-free HMV. I then started to wonder to the gate, as it was nearly time for me to board. My stomach began to churn with nerves, like it does when major things have/are happened/happening. Called a few more people to calm me down, familier and lovely people. It was all a strange experience.
Now, the flights:
- Don't get a window seat in economy. You're boxed in by someone kicking your seat behind you and someone leaning back in their seat in front of you and a large smelly man to your left.
- It's so annoying that you have to walk through the better classes to get to yours - just to show you what you can't afford. Hmph.
- Aeroplane food - YUM. Seriously - give me more of that bad boy.
- Entertainment - there were good buits and bad bits. Finding Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison album was a winner - trying to watch Spiderman 3 was not. I had to turn it off when Peter Parker starts his emo-haired stance and dances down the road.
- Free alcohol - need I say more?
Everything was good overall - didn't get up as much as I wanted due to being boxed in but it was ok. I stupidly wore my contact lenses for the whole thing though, but my eyes feel fine now.
Tomorrow me and three other people are heading on a five hour coach journey to Rainbow Beach and hanging there for the weekend, which should be fun. I've met these other people. two girls, whom I share a room with tonight (at the Yellow Submarine, Corrina ;) ) called Lora and Amber and then a guy called Pierre.
So yes, this is my life in Australia so far. And it's dead exciting.
Oh - Woolworths is still live and kicking here - how cool is that?
Over and out from the land of Oz.
Nic xxx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
