….as we are set to leave Darwin. We arrived here on the 9th August prepared to work our asses off and that we have. It’s been tough on very little sleep and treats but we knew we’d have to put our heads down for this time. It’ll be worth it too because we shouldn’t have to work for the remainder of the journey so it’s six months straight backpacking from here on out. I know it’s going to go all too quickly. This month I left home six months ago, so I’m almost half way through and there has been a few reminders of how fast the time is going. For instance it kinda surprised us when we heard the Bank Holiday Jazz weekend in Cork was happening and the clocks going back was a bit of a milestone. I know that when the clocks go forward again at home that my time will nearly be out. I think Christmas will be another big occasion where we’ll be thinking of home but I’m also pretty excited about spending a Christmas on the beach!! 

We finished work last wednesday and basically we’ve been partying ever since!!! Finally we’re social beings again!!!!! Had some really fun nights out.

Including the most fantastic dinner in Lewinskys (where Kate worked) Myself, Kate and Janz (our chef in the hotel) were treated to tasting plates so we basically got to try the whole menu!!!

So we’re now leaving Darwin after it being home for four months. I don’t think I ever really considered it home though to be honest. In fact one day when Kate was leaving work and said “see you at home” I was kinda thinking “home? huh? I really don’t consider this home” Darwin is nice and small but is really a jumping off spot for National Parks like Kakadu and Litchfield. It’s served it’s purpose for us as there isn’t a whole lot to do so we didn’t really feel like we were missing out while working all the time, which is a good thing. So will I miss Darwin? Well someone told me it would surprise me and I’ll end up missing it and now the night before I leave, there are things and particularly people that I will miss, of course there are. We spent so much time here.

Things I won’t miss though are getting up at 4.30am and meeting people going home after a night out at 5am when I’m on the way to work!! Goodbye and good riddance to greasy hair and skin which had to be scrubbed within an inch of it’s life everyday. No more deep fryer, grill, steam or oil burns. (Presumably the hair on my arms will grow back in time). No more swollen legs and aching knees and generally feeling about 80 years old!!!!

No more bacon, eggs, sausages, omelettes, beans, mushrooms, scones, pies, sausage rolls, soup, scones, fruit platters (awwww) or Janz shafting me by getting me to do the vegetarian option 🙂 No more retarded mop buckets that take two feet to squeeze out the mop. No more washing and wearing uniforms and horrible men’s chef pants that are waaay to short (permanent list pet hate!!!) Back to wearing flip flops again, incidentally these are our work shoes, like us, they barely made it!!  

We’ve almost forgotten what’s it’s like to wear our own clothes besides pj’s. And finally NO MORE 70 HOUR WEEKS. We’re through, done, finished and in a couple of days we’ll be back on the road. Woooooooooooooo hooooooooooooooooooooo. Can’t wait!!!!!!

What I will miss though is the fun Janz, Kate and I had in the kitchen, messing about the savages we have to feed. Me putting him on a butter ration (it’s still a bit of a novelty for him as the quality of butter is really poor in the Phillipinnes) of 20 kilos or so a week!! Also trying to stop him eating pork belly to reduce his risk of heart attack. Me slapping his hand like a little kid, when he tries to steal something I’ve just made and trying in vain to get him to make a healthy option.

I will also miss having a washing machine and clothes line (it’s the little things people), a power shower (useful for scrubbing off bacon fat – mmmmmmm) and I’m sure in another couple of months I will be getting tired of not being able to unpack and carrying all my wordly possessions in a 16 kilo backpack (hmmmmm it’s more like 20 kilos these days so I’ll have to streamline when we get to sydney)

I will also miss the craic I had with the customers in the Italian restaurant. I basically played a cross between a demented leprechaun and Mrs. Doyle from Father Ted, really just for my own amusement to get me through the hours but they lapped it up I can tell you!! When I collect people’s dishes I say things like “ah you didn’t finish your dinner, what’s wrong with ya?” You can get away with murder when you’ve an Irish accent. (although it’s also got me into trouble, particularly one night when a very elderly enebriated gentleman took a shine to me – much to the amusement of my boss and the rest of the staff). I will also miss getting to try the chef, Frankie’s, new specials – yum!!

And we’ve made some friends here, we will miss them too. Hopefully we’ll meet up with some of them in Sydney for Christmas. I’ll also miss our house mates, especially Shane when he’s making his two minute noodles!!! 🙂

And now as the weather builds up and the rains are about to begin, we’re leaving Darwin and not a moment too soon, remember people this is a year of summer – no rain allowed!!!!

On that note, we’re outta here………

P.S. I know it sounds crazy but I’m also a little scared to stop work because over the last few years I’ve no attention span and need to be occupied constantly. I can’t even concentrate on a half hour tv show. So a 65/70 hour week did distract me enough, although I used to be climbing the walls on my time off. Anyway now I have to learn how to relax I think, wish me luck……..