Gordons, Five Mile, Paradise, Schuberts and North, South and West Buchanan.

I last posted ages ago - right? I bet people, well one person (mentioning no names, Father) who is probably getting annoyed that I haven't. There is one simple reason for this. TIME.

I have almost none for myself, since the work here is getting intense in the lead up to mustering. It's really tiring, and most of the time I just want to sleep or get wired from caffeine so I can keep working. Today is my first day off after seven days solid physical work in the tropical sun, and if you can give me a buck for how many times I have overheated I'd be a millionaire by now.

However, we've done some fantastic work recently.

In one of the paddocks, we've placed in another trough for the cattle to drink from which is a hefty job which requires a lot of poly pipe, vehicles and muscle. On the first day when we were taking everything we needed out to the paddock (called Gordons) we had two utes with trailers, the front end loader and the truck all moving out there. A few days later the Grader was out there too. It took four people to plumb in the trough from the Turkey's Nest in Five Mile (which is a big mound with a dip in the middle for a pool of water in the next paddock. There are several of these on the station) Anyway, poly pipe fitting is the easiest thing in the world. If you played with Lego as a child, then you'll be able to do it like that *snaps fingers*

The title of this blog is all the paddock's names of which myself and two other new pommy backpackers have been sent round to check the fence lines of. One of which - North Buchanan - was where I perfected my 4x4 driving skills. The roads around the fence line were simply eroded during the wet season. It was all sand, and had produces dry canals that swooped from side to side. Checking the fence line was meant to take us three hours, we got back nearly five and a half hours later, and my hand prints are still on the steering wheel of Eric. Poor sod.

This was very similar when myself and Dan drove around Schuberts. Again, eroded fence lines and very hilly. Took us six and a half hours. And we did see a dead cow on the Northern Side with a frilled-necked lizard on top. That was a pleasant sight.

The two new backpackers are lovely guys and have made me feel better about being just a backpacker ho is here for experience, as they are too. Dan and Mark make me laugh and even help out with the cooking, and sometimes offer to do it all. They even let me watch movies on their laptop and Jeff Dunham's stand up. Makes me happy. (Ant - buy Jeff Dunham's Spark of Insanity. He's the guy who does Achmed the Terrorist)

It's strange how settled you can become. I remember my first day here, but it feels like a year ago instead of two months. I am really beginning to enjoy myself here, and that's what I intend to do, enjoy it whilst it lasts. I've given in my notice to the boss, and I leave Buchanan Downs on the morning of the 11th May, to go and meet up with Jenny in Sydney for some fun times. But part of me doesn't want it to end. I can see myself doing this for a much longer time. Then again, I have had some of the worst homesickness recently - so I know I couldn't stay out here forever. Plus, I simply just LOVE Marmite far too much.

I've got to love you and leave you now.

Nic

xxx