Life is beautiful!

Isabel arrived the same afternoon. One glance, one kiss – and she was my first girlfriend in Australia! Well – she still is. Chris is no Single anymore. Unbelievable, ey? After one whole year of travelling around, I finally found a girl, which seems to suit me not too bad.
At least we’re living in the same room, sleeping in the same bed and doing the same sort of work. Maybe we’ll hire a 4WD some time and drive straight cross the Outback over to Broome. Would be a great adventure. And Isabel is the sort of girl who could handle that... but well, we’ll see.


In the first place, we have to keep working. Earn some money. Last week was very busy, all the school kids from NSW and Vic came along with their parents to fossick for opals or just on their way through to somewhere. Had 52 hours in the end, busiest week ever – and damn good money. Only drop of bitterness: Richard, our beloved boss, went on a motorbike ride with his son, Dan, and never came back. Not yet. He fell over, broke his leg, and is currently in the hospital down in Adelaide. Poor man. His wife, Jenny, took over the management, and she’s unbelievably stingy. Results are: Less working hours, less food, less fun, less motivation. None of us can really stand her. I had two big fights with her, she blamed me for corrupting the pool, stealing food and that sort of stuff, which I absolutely couldn’t understand. Well, somehow we managed to sort that out, and we agreed on living together in some kind of peace. I do my work, and she lets me do it, without talking into it. I can live with that solution.


Isabel gets some hours as well. On the first day, we walked around in White Cliffs, looking for a job in the hotel, the pub and the shop (hey, big choice out here!), but had to experience we were two days too late. Well, we talked to Richard, and he found some little jobs that needed doing, and Isabel also got into making beds and stuff. All good.

My birthday was brilliant! Thanks everyone for the lovely wishes, mails, ecards... Got a cake, a “no worries”- Shirt and some chocolate from Isabel, bought some Baileys and we had a great day. In the evening, we went out for some shooting and came back with a roo. Markus wants to use all the meat, make some steak and goulash, and we’ll try to tan the skin. Amazing, how much you can learn out here!!!


20 sounds a bit old. In earlier years, I always thought, as soon as I’m 20 I’ll go to Uni. Well, this “plan” has changed. Uni will have to wait. :-)
So, now I’m a twen, and it doesn’t feel that bad. It just sounds old.


Isabel had birthday as well, just 9 days later. I returned the favor with brekkie in bed, 120 candles, a volleyball and baked a handmade cake! (Thanks for your hand, Markus!)
Isabels parents advised me to buy an opal for her daughter, and she couldn’t believe her eyes, when she first thought, it was from me. *lol* Beautiful piece, that she got!


My visa application was unsuccesful – in the first instance. Was some sort of misunderstanding, cause I didn’t receive that letter with the required contact details in time, so the government sent me an email, that my visa was refused. Oh dear, I was happy!
But well, two days later I got the letter, arranged an appointment with the doc in Broken Hill, informed the governent about these news and got the answer, that all is fine. Further processing depends on the results of my examination.

The tanning of the roo-skin is making good progress, should be finished in a few days time. Harder work than we thought!


I finally got my tax back! Awesome! Took only 10 days to receive the money! Terrific. Markus told me, he had to wait 9 months once back home in Germany. Ozzie bureaucracy rules!

We’re trying to keep our staff quarters neat and clean, so Markus and I repaired the warped bathroom door, while Isabel and I tried to catch some mice. But these bastards ate our bait and left the trap behind! Damn. Gotta think of another solution to get rid of these “$)%I?=”$...


Plans about the future are a long way down the road. Now, that Richard broke his leg, we’re waiting for Chris and Steve, the two managers, to come back, to take over the business, so that Jenny can head back home.
Nobody can tell me, how long they’ll need my hand, maybe until the end of October, maybe til the mid of November... who knows? And – who cares? I don’t. I just enjoy my time out here, earn some money, have some fun and gain some life-experience. Life is beautiful!