This post, that post. Next post please

Well I can only offer my sincerest apologies for there being no painting a the end of my last post, that was the problem of living in the middle of the (wait for it) Nullabor, yeah I thought not you have no idea what the fuck that is and neither did I, until I ended up working there for almost three weeks (by far my shortest tenure in a paid position) apparently it's a rather daunting stretch of desert/pain in my arse/highway that is ever so difficult to cross unless like many a modern traveller you have an automobile then it just becomes a game of when your gonna pay the most for fuel and how much are they gonna screw you over? Turns out it was the place where I worked that was the most expensive for pretty much everything, thank's in part to one of the managers saying if there are two prices re price everything the higher one even if it's wrong what a twat.

Anyway let's get down to business that's why your here after all. Well what started out as a rather rage filled post aimed towards my previous landlord (a fifty something ex con with door issues), my now ex-employers (I am ever so glad to have escaped that awful place, overtly patronising management one of whom I can only assume could be categorised on the autism scale as I not once witnessed him have a conversation with anyone he just talked at people anyway this is becoming a rather long bracketed part of the post so I'll end this here) and I was sure there was another thing that was filling my mind, body and soul with rage but seeing as I've forgotten it can't have been all that important. 

After driving well over a mile 2000km (and whatever that may be in miles*) from the isolated prison known to the world as Border Village WA/SA even google doesn't want you to find it. Some recently arrived inmates told us of a place called Iron Knob so I just had to see that road sign and not only did I see it but spent the night there next on the list is Fanny Bay but that was a rather large detour and we were on a tight schedule. On this rather epic journey we passed though the town where some films were made things like The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and I was supposed to be able to see the space ship that crashed in Pitch Black but that was nowhere to been seen (probably half inched by some scoundrels, no doubt)

And so after a few days of driving, the car overheating at one point cos I thought that so long as the thingy was in the "normal" range everything was fine turns out that's not the case when your pushing the car to it's limits for most of the day (Betty, that's the car btw won't even make 170km so that's less than 100 miles an hour) so she needed a drink n a cool down it is a good job I decided to stop there anyway. Oh and just in case you were wondering yes I have seen a kangaroo I've seen lots and a few wombats, all the latter were dead and probably 90% of the former too. Yeah there's not much alive round these parts not even the owl that unceremoniously flew in to the car in the night although I did miss a few lizards that were warming themselves on the tarmac and after a short detour we saw a few whales off the coast it's the end of the breeding or calfing season (when they give birth) but some must be lazy fuckers tired new mothers as they were still knocking about, quite a lovely experience really although they didn't "preform" as much as some would like but that's nature for ya (I have another brilliant tragic nature story I'll retell next time, with pictures). So after all that malarkey we arrived in our latest and (so far) greatest home in Australia and that is Alice Springs not too big n spread out, a la Perth and not just the complete arse end middle of nowhere. With sponsorship on the horizon it may be home for some time to come but as soon as I find a job n get a routine I'm sure it will all slot in to place. 

Oh and this week I will definitely contact the local hospital as I apparently need my HSBC1 checking regular like now I'm "on the threshold" (anyone who knows the real blood sugar test name please let me know in the comments section) there is no dedicated CF unit I already checked that so will just have to wing it, not that I'm not used to that quite a bit of my existence up until recently has been winged, wunged? I dunno what the past tense for winging it is so I'll just leave it at that.

Take it easy, I know I fucking do and don't be too hard on yourself I know I fucking am.

* it's about 1346 miles

Self Imposed Exile

Well it's been even longer now since I last got down to some blogging, don't get me wrong I've spent some time at my laptop in the weeks (more like months) but there have been a few things going on that have resulted in my self imposed exile from the UK to be suspended and I spent the lovely month of August back in Salford.

All things that needed to be done have now been done (not dusted but I couldn't stay there much longer, the weather n all that) and here I am back in Australia after a few days travelling last week slept in a few airports, on a few planes you know how it is for the jet set (anyone remember Jimbo) and a drive that has taken us almost across a timezone I'm stuck on Central West Australian time which is half way between Perth and Adelaide a relative no man's land when it comes to time. We are again working in a Roadhouse and this place is a little more formal than the last place but not too bad when other things are considered.

So again I will attempt to blog more regularly this time. There is no mobile coverage out here we've had to resort to buying a dongle for a meagre internet connection but it's better than nothing. As things are going I'm getting to grips with the tablet I treated myself to back in the UK I did have to buy it from an Apple shop (shudder, I looked like an apple fanboy walking around town that day) one of my first "paintings" will be attached to the end of this post, I'll tell you know its no oil painting and it's a landscape of Kuching the capital of Sarawak (I think either that or Sabah) so don't be too scathing with your criticism although I'm not asking for a critique of the crap I produce (I'm still getting used to all the tools and shit anyways)

So it's back to the roadhouse work, I did not think that after all my years in further education I'd end up at a service station over 300 miles from the nearest town, that's right town not a city that would be asking far too fucking much wouldn't it (that by the way might be Adelaide or Perth makes no odds to me at the moment both are over 12 hour drive away) but the car is dying so we need pennies to get her fixed up and epic road trip ready. We broke down here a few times, once in the scorching heat (on as it happens the longest piece of straight road in Australia, that's 90 miles) the LPG pump had snow on it in the heat it was a shocker to open the bonnet to see that anyway after a few (unplanned) stops we switched back to petrol and whilst the ride was bumpy it wasn't as bad as on the gas so let's just keep our fingers crossed that it's a cheap fix and not a total write off.

Any way I should get going as I am once again on the early shift (for this week anyway)

Take it easy 

Oh so very long.... Again, I apologise.

I will be the first to admit that I am not the best at sticking to something once I've started it, I keep plodding on and on and on. By doing this I get better at whatever it is I'm attempting to do.

So we got booted from the Big Liberty Roadhouse (#BLRH on twitter to read up on that farce) and I am not surprised in anyway to announce that Mark (the guy who's non appearance at work due to getting pissed led to the sackings evictions) has been invited back to the BLRH those Glasfurd's like to screw around with youngsters. I got what I wanted and needed from that gaff and that was the cash to buy this

Yes an automobile and it's all ours it's 15 years young, runs on both gas and petrol, the only downside is that it's an automatic (a 4 litre injection vehicle, why did they do this?) I know you don't have to tell me I'm the one who let chickens decide which car to buy but they were both automatic and the other didn't run on gas. If any of you have chickens and are in need of an absolute random decision as to which way to go, what to choose or where to eat then chicken racing is so the way forward 'cause I "cheat" at rock, paper, scissors apparently (I have no idea how I do but there you go, do not ask for tips)

I did mention my hope for employment with the Man from Monton but that hasn't been as fruitful as I naively expected and while job hunting has been easier with a car I also relied on him arranging my forklift ticket, which surprise surprise he hasn't come through on so I have gotten off my arse and done it myself I will be a fully licenced forklift operator as of Thursday and I'll be back in the earning seat quick snap. In preparation for being involved in this area of work I am now the proud owner of a florescent polo shirt and steel toe capped boots. Wearing "proper" shoes/boots is something that I have not been dreading since having to find work I'm so used to minimalist footwear (since Dec and most of last year I've only worn my fivefingers and flip-flops until they broke whilst escaping a research only area in Bako) I've not had them both on at the same time and only put my foot in to see if they fit with "normal" socks on another thing I've got to get used to but thems the breaks ain't they.

Being back in Balga is a bit strange as we have the same landlord but we are now in the house not out back in the "granny" flat hopefully the tardy payment of the guy out the back will result in him getting pushed and we can have that space back, didn't think I'd say that any time soon or later or ever really.

There might be a surge of short incoherent posts as I am going to attempt blogging from my mobile and as I can't strikethrough when I do that they will be edited at a later date (not too late I will not promise but promise to try).

So that's that for now, apart from a possible lead on getting in to mining work a friends cousin is out here in that game so going to meet up with him before he heads out again next week.

Peace 

All things come to an end

It's not just the good things, everything comes to an end good bad and indifferent, just remember that when your having the shittest of tomes. At least I'll have more time to blog now, now I've not been sacked but sadly my employment has been terminated.

What a fucking joke, I've been sacked that's not even sugar coating it I'm not a young, impressionable fool (like some of the staff well ex staff). I was here to earn cash while lining their pockets, immigrants do get paid less over here so exploited might be the right way to describe it. 50 hour weeks without any sort of benefit other than the knowledge that I am good at my job (mind numbing and dreary as it is* was) and I have been told by the owner to stay in hospitality as I'm good at it. So good in fact that I got the sack, bellend.

That's about enough of that for now on to bigger, better and far more challenging ventures. I met a man from Monton the other day, on the other side of the planet and here of all the God awful places, I meet a man from Salford who says he might have work for me, it might be the only time coming from Salford has been a good thing. I'm not sure how my chest will cope with tarmacing but if there is yard work away from the fumes I'll be sorted if not some sort of mask might be in order.

I do have another post about the management or lack thereof round here but I think I needs amending after events of the last few days. So back to the big bad city tomorrow and the new #JobHunt #HomeSearch and #VanHunt has already commenced. Updated cv at the ready and interviews here I come, hopefully not as many as last time and employment finds me again soon as the savings will not last forever (as if they ever do)

This post will be edited as soon as I get to a laptop so check back for the revised and unabridged post in a day or so along with the amended management post yet to be published.

Getting on with getting on

Feels like quite a few weeks seem to have past since I last sat down to write this. It's not that I don't love you all........... honest I do................. really it's just that what with early starts, planning road trips, searching for a van, starting my latest and largest tattoo project (this is what I am excited the most about) I've started drawing again and I don't know why I stop doing something I get so much enjoyment from.

Well I (and most other staff) were right about dumb & dumber the bar staff they are awful one is just new to bar work but the other one (the one who ran a bar (on Facebook) is arrogant, annoying, manipulative and something else but she doesn't really speak to me as there is nothing she can use me for, she has on the other hand got Mark running round doing little jobs for her, it's a bit pathetic and none of my business but I told him I'll throw that dammed coffee cup in the fire if he goes back to the house to get her a drink whilst she's working. She's not done any of us a favour so I have no idea why he's doing her some. Don't get me started on what happened on a skimpy night the other week and another night we had just started playing pool and after putting money is the jukebox she went n turned the fucker off she is also not against potting peoples balls whilst they are playing and taking their drinks off them. I think that she might just get her lips kicked off before her time here is over.

My health is doing well, I've started doing some regular exercise, do nebs, and take most of the medication I'm supposed to. I must admit I go through phases of looking after myself well and then drop off after a few weeks/months never years not yet managed to look after myself well for that long consistently but I do hope that this is the start of a good year. I did start taking most of my meds more after we set off in Dec but since being in Australia and having some kind of routine even when I had no job there was a routine and having my meds was part of that and then since having a job doing my nebs and starting some exercise has been part of that routine and I do feel better for it even though the rough weather we've been having here has made my chest a bit more productive but I noticed when travelling that after heavy rain this happens. I never noticed that back home as it rains quite a lot, that coupled with not actually being the most compliant of patients means that getting away form home has given me the chance to notice this and when I get back home I don't know how I'm going to manage that. Maybe being more compliant will be enough and the environmental factors won't be that much of an issue. Guess we'll only find that out when I do return for good.

I think just one day off a week might be a bit too much but it's not forever, if it was then I would get run down eventually but not having to commute is a bonus so its not like having a real job yet even though it is a shit load of hours.

This weeks photos are a few of the drawings I've done the past week or so, enjoy. I hope to have a few more of out and about next time as I have a trip to the Pinnacles in mind and as soon as my licence arrives I'll be taking a trip down there with Rahrah. A nice afternoon with a picnic and some good weather would be nice as almost every time we plan to do something the clouds descend and we have a good time but the photo opportunities are limited.

Jellyfish

Coral and Seahorse