Well, I did get a job but not on the pearling boats! I am now working for Nitmiluk Tours in Katherine Gorge - basically in the arse end of nowhere. Katherine is a sleepy town 330km south of Darwin (I actually stopped just outside the town for one night on the way to Darwin) and the National Park is another 30kms away. I am totally isolated and the lack of communication is really strating to get to me. My phonecards aren't working and the office closes at around 6.30pm so I can't even talk on MSN. Being away from everything is what initially attracted me to the job as I saw it as an opportunity to save A LOT of money. I became an absolute spending fiend in Darwin - mainly clothes and souveneirs! I ummed and aahed for ages over didgeridoos - even conned the poor girl in the shop to give me a lesson in technique - but after much deliberation over expense and shipping, I decided on something far more practical......an Aboriginal fishing spear!! Don't ask me why but it's pretty cool. I have images of it hanging on my wall and me using it to chase away would-be burglars!!
I was quite sad to leave Darwin as it is a nice city but like all the other places I've been since leaving Thailand, I spent the last few days there bored out of my skull with nothing to do. All my own fault of course! I have found hostelling extremely difficult and I discovered that actually, I am incredibly shy and probably come across as a standoffish cow! Whatever, the result is that I spend much of my time laying on my bed and reading, eating alone, watching TV alone and turning in about 8.30pm, having only spoken to shop cashiers and waitresses all day! Ooh, it's a thrilling existence! For a short time there was a middle aged German man staying in my room who tried to talk to me a couple of times. Unfortunately because he was always attired in a pair of saggy, too-small briefs and nothing else I wasn't inspired in the art of conversation. After being stonewalled for several minutes he finally got the message and retreated to his own bunk to listen to his Ipod and break wind loudly and gusilty on a regular basis!!
Luck was with me on the day I walked into the employment agency, the job had only just become available and I managed to get my application in first thing. I didn't even need to do a phone interview. Half an hour later I got a call saying I had been successful and so began a long and arduous journey around the shopping trails of Darwin and and the surrounding suburbs for a pair of black trousers which didn't look like they had had an argument with my ankles!! The longer-leg revolution doesn't appear to have hit Australia yet but at least taking hems down gave me something to do of an evening, until I left for Katherine on Sunday. That, and policing the washing line. Some utter scabber nicked my All Blacks tshirt, my leggings, my zipthru hoodie and 3 pairs of knickers! My knickers, for God's sake!! That's so gross and I was livid about the All Blacks t which was a gift from Laura! Means I HAVE to go to New Zealand now, if only to replace it!
Luckily another girl had also taken one of the jobs at the Gorge and, even better, she had a car which saved me from faffing around with the stinky Greyhound. Becky is a great girl but she was in the Navy for almost 10 years and comes across as very capable and no-nonsense. It was hard to hide my anxiety about the job, the people, the house, the everything from her! We stopped in Katherine to do our food shopping then drove the 30kms out of town to the Gorge, each of us growing noticeably quieter, drowning the silence with a good old outback, country and western radio station, which seem to be prevalent in the Northern Territory.
We arrived mid-afternoon and met Clare and the others in HR. We found out that we had both been assigned to Bookings/Reservations on the front desk rather than Catering, the position we had both applied for! Then we moved into our new house which is actually ok. It's nicknamed the Pizza Hut (as that's what it looks like). It's big and roomy with a huge verandah, is on stilts and constantly surrounded by wallabies. I have adopted one and called her Sue, her little joey is Eddie. After me and Bex, there's Marion and Diane (French) and the two Canadians; Dee and Sally. Although they are hardly ever around as they are dating the Gorge chopper pilots and spend most of the time at their house! Lots of people dropped by to check out us new girls on the first night and although everyone was nice, like always; put me in a group of more than three people and I clam up! I was tired, homesick and intimidated and ended up having a really long shower so I could be on my own and cry in peace!
The first morning when I woke up and realised where I was I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I have never felt so isolated in my life. Usually when I'm feeling homesick I send Mum a little text and I feel better but out here, with no signal, I can't even do that. I stood in the kitchen and closed my eyes. With the sun on my face and the sounds of birds chirping and the kettle boiling I concentrated fiercely and told myself again and again that I was back in the kitchen at home and I almost believed in. Until the bats started squalling in the trees. I realised I was being silly. Super-savvy travellers (which I am trying desperately to be) do not stand around in kitchens with their eyes screwed shut meditatinjg on bird sounds!! I felt like a wally! "We're definately not in Kansas anymore, Toto" I said to myself, as I fixed a cuppa and sat on the porch, waiting for the day to begin.
Our first day was just a couple of hours of training on the computer systems with Clare. I felt utterly overwhelmed by the end of it. Becky said she felt the same but I don't see how as she was picking it up miles faster than I was! I never thought I would miss the archaic, computerless systems of Crystal so much. When we got home the first thing I did was draw up a crude calander in my notebook for the next three months so I can tick off each day as it goes. It seems I was also misinformed about the wages and tax rate! I was told $20 per hour and tax 13%. It's actually $18 per hour and tax 27%!! So I am getting about $13ph. I think I can claim tax back when I finish work but it was a big blow as I thought I would have to stay longer. I have given myself 2 months absolute minimum and 4 months max. The only great thing about this job is that the staff rent is only $30 per week and there really is NOTHING to spend money on except groceries and even those are 30kms away. I also have a really high interest savings account so I am looking forward to watching the numbers stack up!!
Over the next few days we both started to pick it up quite quickly - like all things, it's not so hard when you have to do it 3000 times a day! But it's become clear that once you know what you're doing it's a totally braindead job. The other poeple, Ben and Jenon are great. Kerry is a cow but she seems to think she is above work anyway so is never around! When it's quiet, we amuse ourselves by bullying Ben and educating each other in our respectives 'isms' (ie; Aussieiems and Pommieisms!) For example, did you know that 'tinny' means boat aswell as beer (cue embarrassing convo with 2 customers who wanted to know where the river was for their tinny. "What's the river got to do with your beer'? sez I!) Tippex is not Tippex, it's 'whiteout', and Aussie's do not know the term to 'blag' something. I have had to tone down my Pommieisms as whenever I say something like 'marvellous' or 'spot on' Ben squeals like a girl and makes me repeat it about 7 times. Becky should come with a manual as she is a Geordie and even I have trouble understanding her sometimes so the Aussie's have no chance!! Keeps us amused though! I am also having to be really careful about the way I speak. They're trying to create a '5* impression' here so I have been pulled up numerous times about calling people 'mate'. It just slips out!!
On Friday I was asked to cover the Canoe Shed for the day which turned out to be a hellish nightmare! I was with Carlie - who has never worked there either. We spent the whole morning rushed off our feet not even knowing if we were doing the right thing. Then, as I was loading the boats for the lunch cruise an elderly lady decided to collapse and have a mild stroke!! Bloody marvellous! Just as I was about to leave the dock and go back up to the shed her husband half carries her off the boat saying she's having a funny turn. Understatement! She's gasping for air, mumbling incoherently, dizzy, can't focus and grabs my hand in a vice like grip. Her face is odd looking; sort of slack. Panicing myself, I bellowed at Tour Guide Richard - who is halfway up the boat ramp - to get some water and a chair and alert the park rangers. I introduce myself and ask her husband her name, all the while having my fingers crushed. "It's Joan", he stammered. "She has a history of heart defibrillation, you know, irregular heartbeat." "Fuck me", I think, "the old dear's having a heartattack on me!" Luckily, Richard came back at that moment just as I was wondering if they could tell how scared I was. "Don't leave me" I hissed in his ear as we guided Joan to a seat in the shade and forced water upon her. "It's ok", he whispered back "the rangers are coming with the O2 and the ambulance is on it's way." Scraping the dark musty corners of my mind, I found the box marked 'EFR Training' (next to the ones marked 'Yr 8 Algebra & Long Division'
brushed the cobwebs to one side and recalled straggly bits of information. I asked Neville - the husband - her medical and prescription history. Joan had quietened down by this point. I tried to discreetly take her pulse with my one good hand. To my horror it was fluttery and erratic. I almost keeled over myself at this point, fear and adreneline blocking out all my knowledge of CPR! Good job I'm no paramedic! Thank Christ the rangers showed up at that point, the ambulance hot on their heels. I was then relegated to holding a blanket up and providing shade. Menial but infinately preferable. I happily let the professionals take over as they diddled about with sterilised packets of stuff I hope I never have to understand. As they wheeled her away I asked Neville to let me know how she got on but the poor man looked so dazed and bewildered I don't think he will remember.
I wish I could say it's always that exciting. Free time is becoming my worst enemy as we have no TV in the Pizza Hut and we're not allowed to have parties or get to drunk (technically the National Park is 'dry' as it's Aboriginal Land but the Jawoyn people are drunk all the time anyway!!) Most of the girls have found ways round it though! Bex has a portable DVD player but only 6 DVDs. We spend a lot of time on our own anyway as the two Canadians are always at their fella's houses and the french girls spend most of their time on the back porch whacked off their heads on Goon. I am getting through books at a phenomenal rate. I can borrow Ruby, Becky's car, on my days off which gives me a nice sense of freedom - I am even getting used to the automatic now! I managed to wangle a free helicopter ride aswell, as I need to know what I;m selling!! It was awesome fu and I got some cool photos. Am going to try and blag a free cruise for my days off this week...
love you lots xxxxxxx