Back in the Wheatbelt, Brookton it is this time

Good afternoon,

Instead of writing this from Fremantle, this blog is written from Brookton. A little town in the Wheatbelt and two hours away from Perth.

As most of you know my job in the aluminium factory wasn't the most challenging one and also the hostel life doesn't really helps when you're trying to save money for your next adventure. That and the fact that I still need 28 days of farmwork done if I want to stay in Australia for another year (which I still don't know I will, but better save than sorry) Made that I was looking for some opportunities to get my second year visa.

I rang my boss in Hyden (yes the rock picking guy) but they didn't had anything at the moment and I also messaged Ley (Ley is the founder of to work in Oz (she provides three day farm course and helps you out with getting your regional work done for your second year) I did this farmcourse ages ago in april but so far I didn't worked anywhere through Ley, mainly because I was in New Zealand the beginning of Harvest and I found the Hyden job through Dirk Pieter.

Ley rang me up on wednesday with the offer of working in Brookton for a couple of weeks as a driver of an safety vehicle behind the sprayer. The company I work for sprays the sides of the roads in this part of Western Australia to prevent trees from getting bigger and destroying the roads. And i'm driving behind it or spray as well.

I stay with the family that is owning the company and bed and meals are provided so it is an excellent way to save up some money to visit Asia before I go home.

I quit at Alutech last friday, had one last weekend in Freo and left sunday morning for Brookton.

I arrived here yesterday and got introduced to the family. Louise and her husband Craig are running the company and living in Brookton together with their daughters (Georgia and MacKenzie) Graig parents are living on the same premises and I am having a room (with airconditioning, awesome when it's 40+ degrees outside and when you're used to fans in the Old Fire Station). At Graig's parents place.

After the OFs, Kiwi for 5 weeks and the OFS again for a month and a half it is pure luxury to have my own kingsize bed and room again. The family is really nice and so far the meals have een outstanding (yesterday there was a monster of a steak on my plate accompanied by a couple of cold beers so I'm not complaining.

Today I had a few hours work but because it is way to hot we didn't go spraying yet but cleaned up a bit and washed the trucks. We finished at noon and i've been watching moviesand reading a book this afternoon.

Tomorrow the spraying is going to start which commences at 4 o'clock in the morning (thank god for being a morning person ) and we will work straight on till the 24th without a day off.

Christmas eve Craig and Louise will drop me off at the Old Fire Station in Fremantle for Christmas so I can enjoy the hostel life over Christmas.

So far the short update, and if I don't write another one before Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

Cheers Thijs

I arrived in Brookton yesterday after a three hour bus drive on what was by far the hottest day of the summer so far 47 degrees.