Monday, February 06, 2006
Work
Hi folks,
I'm sitting in an internet cafe in the township of Moree close to the border with Queensland. I am about to start work this afternoon, for three months, so this might be the last chance I have in a while to update.
Got back from Tasmania last Thursday night, and had a night out on my birthday on Friday night, after spending the day around Bondi beach. Had quite a good night out. Then on Sunday morning I caught the train from Sydney to Moree, a 9 hour journey into the vast plains of NorthWest NSW. The contractor im working for is based near a town called Goondiwindi, which is just over the border in Queensland, but most of his operations are South of here. Currently he is doing mainly ground prep work. Haven't seen the machine yet, but he's talking about 500hp tractors and 40ft cultivators. !
Anyway, I'll let you know how I get on when I get a chance.
I saw my first kangaroo from the train on the way up. And was caught up in a huge thunder storm. When it rains here, it really rains!
Anyway, must run.
Enjoy your skiing trip pap & el,
Jan
I'm sitting in an internet cafe in the township of Moree close to the border with Queensland. I am about to start work this afternoon, for three months, so this might be the last chance I have in a while to update.
Got back from Tasmania last Thursday night, and had a night out on my birthday on Friday night, after spending the day around Bondi beach. Had quite a good night out. Then on Sunday morning I caught the train from Sydney to Moree, a 9 hour journey into the vast plains of NorthWest NSW. The contractor im working for is based near a town called Goondiwindi, which is just over the border in Queensland, but most of his operations are South of here. Currently he is doing mainly ground prep work. Haven't seen the machine yet, but he's talking about 500hp tractors and 40ft cultivators. !
Anyway, I'll let you know how I get on when I get a chance.
I saw my first kangaroo from the train on the way up. And was caught up in a huge thunder storm. When it rains here, it really rains!
Anyway, must run.
Enjoy your skiing trip pap & el,
Jan
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Tasmania part deux
So, I'm back in civilisation (somewhat)
Just to update - I spent the Monday night in Queenstown, a mining town on the West coast. The environment round there is bizarre, the smelting and other processes having polluted the air and water to create a barren lunar like landscape. It's very pretty in a very strange way. Not much like the Queenstown in New Zealand anyway...
On Tuesday I then drove the short trip to Strahan, a small town on the coast. It's most famous for its' various cruises that run up and down the Gordon(?) river and right into the national park (pretty much from the other side from where I was before at the dam). Nearby is Sarah island, another tour location, where the very worst of the worst convicts were sent during the empire, and, well, kept in a concentration camp. I ventured on neither of these trips.. far too expensive! I did enjoy the scenery of Hells' Gates and Macquarie harbour, the huge sandy beaches and sand dunes. Oh and the cricket at night over a few beers (I had a TV!) (I'm beginning to like cricket!?)
Wednesday saw me having to cover some 500km to get back to the East coast. It wasn't too bad a drive, and I hit Hobart by around 5pm, and then headed further east again to the Tasman peninsula to see Port Arthur (another penal settlement). It was quite impressive (as far as [not really very] old buildings go). The peninsula was also really impressive (reminded me of the National Park of almost the exactly same name in New Zealand).
This morning I had to be up at 7am, in order to get the car back to the car rental place in Hobart. Got there with plenty time to spare, and I've just spent the morning catching up on a few things, and strolling round town. Got a shuttle bus to catch to the aiport in a few hours to get back to Sydney. Sorry mum and dad for ringing at 20 to midnight - I lost track of the time difference. - hope I didnt wake you. Nothing important :)
In any case, I'd better go. Hello to everyone reading this who I hadn't expected to read this. Best wishes & de groetjes
Jan.
Just to update - I spent the Monday night in Queenstown, a mining town on the West coast. The environment round there is bizarre, the smelting and other processes having polluted the air and water to create a barren lunar like landscape. It's very pretty in a very strange way. Not much like the Queenstown in New Zealand anyway...
On Tuesday I then drove the short trip to Strahan, a small town on the coast. It's most famous for its' various cruises that run up and down the Gordon(?) river and right into the national park (pretty much from the other side from where I was before at the dam). Nearby is Sarah island, another tour location, where the very worst of the worst convicts were sent during the empire, and, well, kept in a concentration camp. I ventured on neither of these trips.. far too expensive! I did enjoy the scenery of Hells' Gates and Macquarie harbour, the huge sandy beaches and sand dunes. Oh and the cricket at night over a few beers (I had a TV!) (I'm beginning to like cricket!?)
Wednesday saw me having to cover some 500km to get back to the East coast. It wasn't too bad a drive, and I hit Hobart by around 5pm, and then headed further east again to the Tasman peninsula to see Port Arthur (another penal settlement). It was quite impressive (as far as [not really very] old buildings go). The peninsula was also really impressive (reminded me of the National Park of almost the exactly same name in New Zealand).
This morning I had to be up at 7am, in order to get the car back to the car rental place in Hobart. Got there with plenty time to spare, and I've just spent the morning catching up on a few things, and strolling round town. Got a shuttle bus to catch to the aiport in a few hours to get back to Sydney. Sorry mum and dad for ringing at 20 to midnight - I lost track of the time difference. - hope I didnt wake you. Nothing important :)
In any case, I'd better go. Hello to everyone reading this who I hadn't expected to read this. Best wishes & de groetjes
Jan.
