A year away and look where I'm at!
Trip Start
Mar 15, 2006
1
38
42
Trip End
May 30, 2007
Bundaberg,
Australia
Friday, March 23, 2007
After finishing my stint in Tasmania I flew back to Sydney for a weeks break, and to catch up with old friends. Whilst there, I was fortunate enough to see the Mardi Gras parade, which I thought I had missed while a was away. That was certainly a colourful evening. A 3 hour long celebration of everything gay, lead by the 'Dykes on Bikes'!
I have now moved on once again to complete the second half of my required 3 months of rural work. This time I figured I would go north from Sydney, to experience another different side to the country
40 beers to taste. Better get started.
. So after an hour and a halfs flight, followed by a 5 hour train ride, I arrived here - Bundaberg.The town is probably most famous for producing the rum that is Australia'a most popular spirit, and is served in every bar around the country (despite the fact nobody seems to have seen it anywhere else in the world). So hence the obligatory day-off attraction of visiting the distillery, and getting your free samples at the end. Unfortunately thats pretty much where the list of things to do here ends!
My arrival into Bundaberg was a bit of a shock to the system. Having just come from Tasmania, the most southerly state in Australia, I was quite unprepared for the temperature difference of the first few days in near tropical Queensland.
Over the course of 3 days it built to a whopping high of 40 degrees in some areas. At which point I found myself chasing a conveyor belt down a field, whilst hacking eggplants (aubergines) off of low bushes, with just a sun hat for some shade. I can honestly say I have never sweated so much in my life. I also don't think I will ever be looking at the fruit 'n veg section of Tesco's in quite the same way again.
For the last week I have been picking lemons, and thankfully the temperature has dropped a bit. This at least provides the advantage that you can hide yourself from the sun under the tree when it gets too much, but everyone comes back looking like they've been defending themselves from some crazed lunatic with a knife, thanks to all the thorns!
So, five more delightful weeks and I shall have well and truly paid my dues to the Australian Immigration Department. At least there's 'Happy Hour' to keep us sane!
Hmmm.......
