The Last Mindle Markets

We don’t seam to be doing much at the moment, working lots and trying to get into some sort of a routine seeing as I work to 9pm most nights dinner has been a bit tricky but I reckon we nearly have it sorted out. I like working in the bottle shop there is lots of interaction with so many different types of people. It has had it’s moments when people won’t leave when asked or you have get the security guards involved, when they get upset and slag you under their breath or break beers, always cleaning up after someone else, ha ha those sorts incidents don’t happen very often but they are a regular occurrence. I think Andy is settling in well, The person he has taken over from left last Friday so is he is running solo, although he does not work for the government he has to deal with them on a daily bases, so he getting to know the good coffee houses as that is were they hold most of their meetings ! Nah just joking but he may be getting a caffeine addiction if we don’t keep tabs on it.
Thursday night was with last night of the Mindle Beach Markets, and yes I have the night off so we arranged with Dad & Jan to pick us up and we head down for a glass of wine and a beer with dinner while the sun goes down, the sunset is a little cloudy and I left the camera back at Dads place. Then at 9pm they let of a bunch of fire works it was very beautiful, no wonder the Markets fund is going broke
The Tojo has been sent down to Palmerston for some serious repairs. A new genuine clutch kit and all the seals as well as the new Timing belt and injector pump leak fix. All is good and only for $ 1800 a bargain. Its first test is out to Dundee Beach and back. Its mostly Bitumen but still has a stretch of nasty dirt road.

Earthquake hits Darwin

Well as you can see I’m not quite as good as Andy is at keeping a daily account of what we have been doing I certainly need more practice.
This week while lounging around the pool with some other people from the park that we often see of an afternoon there, commented on our veggie garden & fridge, their quite happy to know they have cold beers available even if we are not home & some herbs to add to their meals! They are definitely a good conversation starter with some of the other residence of the park.
Dad & Jan came back from Boyne Island very early Wednesday, that dam 1.30am flight hey Mel! I caught up with dad and had a coffee, gee he is looking really good. He looks like Uncle Warren! With his cute chubby cheeks!
I am still working most nights which has been a little tricky working out how to get home so Andy doesn’t have to always pick me up after 9pm, I m sure we will work something out, it also means we have still not had our celebration dinner with Dad & Jan for our new jobs, and they are off to Dundee Beach for the weekend so still no fishing for Andy.
Sat-24-Oct-09
The first time I get to drive to work (free parking on Saturdays) and I’m late, seam it takes a bit longer then I would have thought, especially when you get all 5 red lights on the way in. I finished work at 9pm and Andy and I had a BBQ and sat up reflecting on the week gone by drinking the hot night away when the concrete began to shake and wobble, for a moment there we thought it may been the effects of the beer and heat, that was until several of our neighbours jumped out of their van/bus and asked if we have felt that too! I think is registered at around 7.6 on the rector scale. It was Andy’s first earth tremor and my second; I remember one from when I was in grade 5 or 6, I thought is was mum shaking the bed to wake me up. It seems to me that a lot of this trip has been reliving many childhood memories; I suppose that is not so hard to believe I did live in the NT for 15 years on and off.

Hilltop Hoods in Darwin

Hi it’s Tina, Andy has asked me to help out a bit more with the blogging now that he has to work 8am-5pm Monday-Friday. So you are going to hear more from me, not a bad thing though I need to practice my typing now that I don’t work with a computer everyday. Tonight we are going to the Hill Top Hoods concert at Discovery it is kind of like HQ in Adelaide, man it was so hot in there we were both completely drenched by the end of it. They did a good set though shorter than we expect, it was great. We have now seen them in 3 states. DJ Vent rocked the house.
Sat-17-Oct-09
I spent today recovering from the HTH concert, I was not very hung over its just in Darwin you can still smoke in pubs & clubs, so I had that passive smoking hang over. Someone also stomped on my foot so I am hobbling around, as if my feet didn’t hurt enough already, I am not used this working thing & being on your feet all day. It is Andy’s last day at Liqourland, I think he is a little sad about that.
Sun-18 Oct-09
We started our veggie garden today I was so happy doing this cause I have really missed it since being on the road. We found a large Styrofoam box by the rubbish bins, yes we are stilling making use of other peoples rubbish. We used this box for the lettuce, Thai basil, sage, parsley, thyme and spring onions, and we got a big pot from Dad’s place and planted a cherry tomato bush. Today we also picked up a very large tarp to put over the caravan and slab so we are always under cover, it is quite good and with the fan going it is wonderful. This hopefully will keep us dry and the bat poo off the van.

Life In Darwin

Liquorland isn’t open so we have a day off. Plenty off things to do Swimming in the pool sitting around it seems weird because we haven’t been here that long but it seems like we are already settled in. We buy a fridge from the Good Guys because the caravan fridge hasn’t been working very good for a long time and the heat is really making the car fridge struggle. It’s a good buy, last floor stock. We are bulk excited this is the first time Tina has ever brought a new fridge. Its great cold beer, water and room to actually buy some stuff. Can’t get carried away though its not that big. Watched Bathurst shame Lowndes & Winncup didn’t win but it was pretty exciting. In the arvo we headed down to Mindal Beach markets.

Got an interview or two but not really what I’m looking for we worked most of the week and got a phone interview for a cool job as a project manager for a company that does IT infrastructure projects for the NT Government. I must of done alright because I start on Friday, first time I ever got a job without a face to face interview. It’s a little bit of a shame because I actually enjoy working for Liqourland just the pay isn’t that good.

3 days of work done

Oh my god we are working again today, both 12pm-9pm shifts, three days in a row. Tina is quite content and thinks she will continue to do this. I have my sights set on a senior management role and have a job agency on the job already contacted major firms dropping of my CV for them. I’m happy though to keep working until I find the right position. I told them I was looking for other work and they were OK with this and gave me a job anyway. I have been very honest about this and will continue to do so. I have had feedback form a couple of jobs and so has Tina but she is happy where she is. For me it’s a bit more about the salary and I just ask them and if its not enough I just tell them.
It’s the AFL trade week, what a week it is been, the Fev is gone to Brisbane and although I’m a little sad Carlton had to move him on. They don’t want anymore bad press and I’m surprised Brisbane took him. I hope the can keep him away from the nightclubs.
Sorry Mel to many trades for me to name them all but the Doggies got big bad Barry Hall so I hope he can stay out of trouble to. (you can always go to the AFL site and see all the transfers)

Working LIfe

Its are last day of not working and we are in a bit of a panic lots to do and only one day. We are both a bit nervous not really about the jobs but having not worked for so long. The tarp is up and we have a huge shady area now. Guess what more pool action and down to Parmerston for some last minute shopping. The only Target is there and
They have the biggest women’s clothing section I have ever seen.

Today is the day, Tina is working at the Mitchell Street store and I’m at Casuarina. Tina is 12pm-9pm & I’m 10am-6pm, so Tina catches the bus & I take the car.
Its pretty straight forward register work and stacking shelves of liquor. The staff are friendly and it seems like a pretty good environment to work in. Its over our first day working is done. It will be good to see the bank account finally going forward again after 12 months of shrinking funds.

It’s our second day today and we are both working 12pm-9pm shifts. It’s a long day and we have sore feet from not being used to standing up. After work Tina heads across to the Tap bar where she is quickly picked up by some Navy guys, while waiting for me to drive from Casuarina into the city. A pretty girl sitting alone in Darwin will not have any trouble attracting men. So a big kiss from me when I arrive just to let all the boys know she is taken. Trust me an engagement ring will not scare them off. The boys work on a hospital ship and are off to Indonesia tomorrow to help after all the earth quakes We have a beer an wander down to the Wisdom bar for another and listen to some live music for a while before heading home.

Tina & Andy get a Job

We are pumped and start applying for jobs about 6 each. My wireless is either getting hacked or we are just to close to the tower so we head over to Brian’s and work there. Off to Drake a job agency, they have some temp work and we could start tomorrow if we wanted. We decline in search of something a little more permanent. I’m keen to pick up a managers jobs and there are plenty on offer in Darwin. Mostly in Mining based or construction and I’m hoping with all my experience I can get into construction. This will really broaden my employment prospects anywhere. Tina is more interested in retail but there are plenty of Customer service jobs on offer.
In the arvo we call past Liquorland who are advertising for staff so we both grab a form fill out and hand it in. We are told that we are a shoe in but we will se what happens.
Back home late in the arvo and off to the pool.
There are heaps of Midgee’s here but there are lots of trees so I suppose you must have both.
Off to Bunning’s today to get the tarp and more job applications
Guess what more pool action and sitting around outside with ever increasing Midgee bites. In the arvo we get a call and head over to the main store and we both have a 5 minute interview. I’m not sure they are going to give me a job given my experience but we will have to see.
But not long after the interview we are called both offered jobs, and have to start on Thursday.

Look out Darwin here we are

Today is the final leg to Darwin although we firstly decided that we would stay at Adelaide river we are so close and it is so hot we just want to get there. So we kept going only stopping there for a beer. And then it happens we finally arrive in Darwin we have made it ½ way around Aus. After we check into the Caravan Park a quick set up and into the pool.
We are planning to stay here so the job hunting begins using the paper and internet.
Today we set up properly and drive around Darwin having a bit of a look around. We need some stuff as well as some shopping. It is quite hot and although we have been to Cape York it will take a bit of getting used to here. Brian & Jan are still in QLD so no boat fishing this weekend. We don’t manage to get all the stuff we need.
Its so cool to be able to live outside of the van although we will need a bloody big tarp like the guys near us living in the tent. Our annex is just crap and the red roof would be unbearable here. Having a pool is great and we have more than the odd swim. It cools you down as well as some exercise, something we both need if we are going to fit into our pants for interviews.

Tenant Creek & heading north

We have complained a bit about the heat but we are getting soft you know. Up early after a crap night sleep but on the road by 7:00am and a tail wind today. It’s party Friday today so we are chirpy and off to Tenant creek or is that “Ten Ant” creek. Tina hasn’t been here for 20 years either but I don’t think it has changed.
We hit Three Ways where you stop heading west and can turn South to Adelaide or North to Darwin. Its 994km to Darwin and after fuelling up we are off. The run is good and the odd cloud makes driving good. This lasts until about 10:00am when surprise, surprise it’s hot. It has rained at Eliot and you can feel the increased humidity which actually makes it feel cooler. Our goal is Daly Waters and we arrive just after lunch. A powered site means on with the A/C and they have a pool where a couple of beers and a swim makes everything OK again.
We probably don’t talk about the wildlife enough because I suppose we are just used to it and only rave on about the road kill, but there isn’t anything much we haven’t seen lately. Sad really but we do really appreciate it and we marvel at everything we still see. In the last couple of days we have seen so many huge Eagles on the side of the road they are so spectacular.
Funny about wildlife but today in the pool some Male French tourists jumped in soon after startled by the water bugs, he said “what are they?” I said “I don’t know Australia is full of bugs, but they don’t bite”. He jumped out not satisfied by this. His mate had a little more trouble realising his pants were see through once wet. With Tina in the Pool he called a mate to bring over a towel, I suggested if just gave it a fluff he could jump out.
Back to the van where the A/C has made it quite cool. After dark we sit around and call up some family & friends and enjoy a nice steak on the BBQ.

Accross the border and into NT

Up early again this time we have bacon & eggs, on the BBQ which means we are not on the road until 7:30am. We have done 460k, 400k & today is nearly 400 again. We drive through Mt Isa which looks mostly like any other mining town and pushed on to Camooweal, which is just inside the QLD border. We stop for a beer it is not even 11:00am yet but its already hot and we are being slowed down by a near Northerly head wind. We make it to the border and we have left QLD, Goodbye for now we will miss you. QLD has been great and we have both fallen in love with it especially Innisfail.
Onward and there is a Highway Patrol car at the border where the limit drops from 130 to 100 at Avon Downs which is just a Police Station inside the border and then back up to 130km. It must of cost the NT government a fortune to put up all these signs.
Today’s rest stop is Suadan Bore, the first one we are staying at that doesn’t have toilets. It is hot and windy so we try to sit in the van with all the windows open. After a lunchtime play we decide it is to hot and out goes the Geny and on goes the Air Con. The bloody thing stall every time I put the Air Con on, oh no what could it be, its OK just needs petrol.
It will take us 6 days at this rate and it will be 35°+ every day. So if the wind stops at dusk we will drive at night tonight. At least try to get another 120k in. Once it hits dusk we are on the road again and drive through sunset and on in the hope we don’t get to see some of those bloody big Roo’s first hand. It’s all good and we end up driving further than we hoped. All the way to 41 Mile Bore only 100 odd Km from Tenant Creek. It doesn’t really cool down but we have a 2 minute wind storm with 6 drops of really big rain and then it passes and it’s hot again.
As you all know in the bush there are plenty of Grids but today we drove over 2 painted on grids. Yes that’s correct not an actual grid but ones painted on the road. That really just explains why humans eat the cows and not the other way around.