Well it seams such a long time since I have made any comments on here. Firstly, both my nose and teeth are better and the fall definatly hasn't spoiled my good looks !!!
Since i last wrote, I have been away working at a station owned by the same family 5 1/2 hours North East of Jessievale. There are 5000ish cattle there which all had to be mustered, calves and weeners branded, and then walked/truck back to where they were going. We travelled up on the Sunday and hit a bird about half way which shattered the windscreen. Not a good start to the journey, but we batteled on and made it up there just after dark. The next day we began work and mustered using horses and the choppper.
We then worked in the yards the following day before mustering again, again on horseback. Me and Conrad (A belgum guy) were on the tail when two weeners turned back and ran off. This happens quite often so we were expectiong it at somepoint. When this happens you chase the cows and turn them back into the main group. We took one each and Conrad radioed Mark (in the chopper) to let him know we were chasing them. I looked around to see Conrad off his horse and lying between two trees. I rode over to offer my assistance but Conrad was out cold. I quickly got off my horse as he was coming round. To cut a long story short the ambulace was called and Conrad taken to the local hospital. From there he was flown to Cairns and scans showed that he had broken a bone in his neck. He spent just under two weeks in Cairns hospital and has just returned home.
On a brighter note, we also went fishing and caught some really good fish and red claw (like fresh water lobster) went shooting pigs out of the chopper and drank one or two homebrews !! We did 17days work without a break and get this weekend off as it is the Cloncurry Show.
Other thigs taht we ahve been upto which i hope will make you laugh. I went to see the police to obtain a driving licence - all i had to do was take a two part written test. Part One 10 Questions - I got 10/10. Part Two 20 Questions - pass mark 18/20. I got 16/20 and was told by the policeman - you may want to look at those answers again !! Second time I got 20/20 the licence was mine. Willy wanted to do his truck test - He had already done the written part but needed to do the actual driving. The policeman arranged to come and see us. In oz you can get a few different types of licence MR (medium rigid - one axle at the back) HR (Heavy rigid - two axles at the back) Semi (with a trailer) Road train (more than 1 trailer).
Time for Willy to do his test - he had to get in the truck, drive through the gate and down to the yards (About 300m) Reverse parallel to the loading ramp, (which the policeman couldn't see as there is only a mirror on the drivers side ! Then drive back to the house. On the way back the policeman asked what rating the truck was (MR,HR etc) Willy replied "Urm . . . H . . . R ?" The policeman said "well . . . I suppose it could be !!" HR licence was given ! As a side to this story, a HR truck normally has 15+ gears. This truck had 4 gears, a broken windscreen, no brakes (including hand brake) One headlight and no indicators and you can only open the doors from the outside. It could only happen in Australia !
