Darwin and the Mango Farm.
So this is it. sweaty Hot Australia. I got all sorted in the first few hours having arrived stupidly early Friday morning. Not able to check in smelly jet lagged me wandered into the bank and got the account sorted and then a phone.
IN the hostel I ended up with two Aussie women, telling me interesting tales about the area and where to go etc. Yep, the croc danger is real. A child got taken just 6 weeks ago. And some drunk local not too long ago too.
Saturday I went to Parap Market. Amazing fruit (mainly PawPAws, Jackfruit, Bananas and the first Mangoes) They do have a thing for Laksa Soup and Thai curries in general here. For breakfast too. Any time is good for a curry at the market apparently :D This was a little saviour for me, having left Thailand, land of fruit a bit sad... being up here in the tropics makes it all half as bad.
Met up with lovely Lauren Saturday night. Mitchell street is fecking mayham! Kinda like Bristol waterfront, 100 percent more men, and generally twice as bad. eek. Had one drink amongst the masses then hid in a really expensive wine bar of a hotel and eventually watched Two Guns at the Deckchair Cinema. Lovely evening aapart from being jumped on by some drunk Oz girl on my way back. WTF?
More market action on Sunday! Rapid creek, which is more Thai veg and fruit and none of the lovely clothes, jewelllery and arts that Parap has. Mindil Beach in the evening was definitely a favorite so far. Amazing live didgeridoo music, fire show, more lush fruit smoothies and thai curries, lotz of local art and clothes and jewellery...and the beach to chill on and watch the sunset. To give you an idea of how serious the stinger and croc danger is: The beach was absolutely packed and ONE, only one mad woman went in the water. Silly girl distracted me from watching the sunset as i looked on waiting for the drama to happen ;-D She was fine.
Oh I have started running again and Christ all mighty,...after weeks off this climate doesn't exactly make it any easier! :D it's kinda lush at the same time though. I only ever sweat this much in the steam room i think. nice. ;)
I have been at the Farm since Monday 30th. NO work! Apparently it's the worst season in something like 15years as the wet season last year was crap. Oh dear. Great timing! So I just hung out at the farm spent the first day just sleeping and eating fruit, nursing a very sore throat I got myself from the freezing aircon in darwin!
Not much else all week. I spent a lot of time with Ben, the managers son who I go bird spotting with. he brings me lush flowers too and we arranged a little display of shells and flowers... and been looking at all sorts of deads things ;) not much crazy wild life other than that. Although, there is a dingo. We saw his tracks and some hair at the fence. just hasn't shown him/herself yet.
THE STARS! I went out the first night and nearly got dizzy from looking up! If only I could take proper photos of that! WOW. it's just one huge sparkly blanket above me! amazing. Beautiful. Spotted the Southern Cross straight away too. :)
Kelvin, the supervisor has been my only other company and source of good advise for further travels as he has been on the road for the past four years himself (after 14years in the army. on the frontlines!!! :/)
Favourite quote. Kelvin"WOW, You are the oldest backpacker I have ever met!" :D whatever. ;)
I have had lush honeydew and water melon for breakfast all week from the guys staying here but working at a melon farm down the road. yummies. and figs Kelvin brought from a farm next door. mh mmmh.
Thursday, 3/10/2013 --- yeah, boredom was broken with a trip to Berry Springs with Kelvin. THANK YOU! it was so lovely i didn't want to leave, just swam around in circles until my fingers were so shrivelled i figured I should get out and dry up. Proeplem there: the sun had actually disappeared! We were cold! would you believe it!
And then the rain! Just as we got back to the farm it started raining. And what a rain! Yep, the mosnoon is sloooowly coming.
As if the fruit not ripening wasnt bad enough BAng the electricity went. Water must have gotten somewhere in the mains.
Friday was going to be the first day of picking. We spent an awefull lot of time sitting around waiting as Darryl had to firgure out what happened (turns out one of the main cables is buggered) the did one hour of picking... :/ no good. no work no moneys. I didn't actually pick, I drove the machin collecting/ washing the fruit. pretty cool job ;)
Then I escaped. Friday- had to go get my new bank card and seeing there isn't any fruit yet i will stay the weekend in the city and booked a tour to Arnhem Land for Monday. So there goes all my cash. Those freaking mangoes best be ripe when I get back. I need to really start making money now.
Went to Parap again this monring (5/10/2013) and bought me weeks supply of PawPaws ;), Deckchair cinema tonight. Until then. rest and chill. Might go for a swim (in the fenced of bit ;) ! )
