Sorry it has been forever since I have updated. I am still alive. I started work at Tilmouth Wells Roadhouse two weeks ago. I am in the middle of nowhere. Honestly, GoogleMaps it. Haha. It's a nice job. I get my own room with a full size bed. So I have been spoiled a bit. I stayed at a hostle last night in town (Alice Springs) and was sad about my lack of moveability. I am "close" to Ayer's Rock. I found out that out here close is not the same as it is in America. Close back home means 20 minutes. Close over here means 5 hours. So I think that is how close it is from Tilmouth. I plan on going on all of these fun tours after I am done working. So around mid November. There is a place called Devil's Marbles that I want to got see. Look it up. The few photos I saw look nice. There is a place called Standley Chasm that I want to go to mid day. I heard the rocks on both side "blaze a fiery red from the sun's reflection". Come on, that sounds amazing!
Right now at the Roadhouse I currently work in the mini mart (think gas attendant..mom, dad, you must be proud! Haha), I help out a smidge in the kitchen (making sandwichs and frying fries..once again mom and dad.. be proud), I help serve food and pass out drinks at the bar, and I help with the motel. So I like to think of myself like the girl in the movie Blue Crush, except that I am not working with my best friends, surfing on my free time, or falling in love with the rich, good looking men who stay at the place. But she does work at a Hotel... so I feel that that is close enough for me. Haha. I get a chance to save up lots of money...seeing how it's a 2 hour drive to Alice Springs. So that is good.
I see lots and lots of aborignal people everyday. I have found out many things about them that you don't really learn about in school books, or on the Discovery Channel. A.) You can take photos of them. (it doesn't trap their soul). B.) They really are not that well educated. (NOTE: The ones I deal with... Not ALL. Just the some of the ones I see.) A few of them don't know how to count their money when they hand it to me. It's strange. C.) Australians think Americans have a problem with our "colored" people. Like African Americans and Native Americans... I have told a lot of them (when they bring it up to me) that there isn't really a problem with them... that they are like the rest of us.. and that they shower and wear shoes and work (unlike the Aborignals near Alice Springs)...
It's definitely a change here but I am enjoying the fact that I get lots of time to ponder my life when I am making beds, or scrubbing toilets (hey, I have to look on the bright side..). So that is pretty nice. The wild birds here are spectacular. I don't really like birds all that much, but it is so neat to see a row of rainbow colored birds on the branches or to see a flock of pink and grey cockatoos (or whatever they are). At work we have 6 guinea fouls that are like our pets... but the annoying kind.. haha. We feed them scrapes in the morning and they eat the bugs around the property (which I like that they do). We did have a pet baby emu for a few days.. but sadly it died. So we may get another one later.
On a walk one day I was able to see kangaroo tracks and dingo tracks (pointed out to me by an Australian person I work with.. cause I wouldn't have known...) so that was neat. Maybe one of these days I will get bored enough to start jogging again. I figured I would see some wild animals doing that.
We have one station on tv. So I have come to love the few shows I get to see. Like Two and a Half Men, Millionaire Hotseat, (and I am hoping to catch the Aussie version) Farmer wants a Wife. I decided that Rugby is the toughest sport I have seen.
Some of the regulars seem to like me at work. They like my constant questions of whether I am getting the true stories of Aussie culture right. One guy wants to set me up with his "pretty boy" son. Haha.
The sunsets and sunrises where I am at are amazing so I will put some photos up of that.
I miss you guys!!
Please write me cause I will be here til mid November. Send photos that I can hang up too!
Tilmouth Wells co Liz Tallman
Tanami Highway
PMB 3 Alice Springs, NT 0872
I figured out your blog site...as you can see! :) We are so proud that you are out braving the wilderness and being alone in a new place, and even cleaning toilets. And OMG, farm work?? I'm so proud that you are trying everything and putting your best effort and attitude towards it all. You are going to grow so much from this, I can tell! How exciting! :)
ReplyDeleteWe love and miss you, China & Tony (and Bentley, too...)