Friday, December 09, 2005

Australia V

Had a normal day on Monday. On Tuesday Billy and I went down to Dunsborough to install a couple of windows and sliding glass doors. We disassembled all the pieces and packed them onto the ute and drove down. Arrived and inspected the gyprockers' work and found it amiss. They didn't finish it correctly with reveals and neither of the windows were cut right or even level for that matter so the windows aren't going to fit. One of the doors was alright but the other we had to do some work on to get it to fit. Oh well, I guess 1 out of 4 isn't bad. To make matters worse we realized that the screen doors we were given were the wrong size also. So we did all that we could and then stopped by on the way home at "The Shack". It's a $7 million beach front estate they're working on.

On thursday I was really feeling like going out, but after work Greg invited me over to meet his misses, Amanda, his mother-in-law and baby girl Lisa or "squid" as she is affectionately called. Had a few beers and was entertained by Greg's stoner cocateau.

On Friday we were flat out right up to the end of the day. Fifteen year old aboriginal Johnathon who is racking up some work experience was there to help us out though. Gup and I were planning on going up to visit his sister Kirsty on Rotto island for the weekend, but he had to work on Saturday. That in conjunction with the fact that Jame's Birthday party was canceled was enough to bag the trip. Which is a shame because I've heard really great things about that place.

Decided not to go out, but get some rest because Penny is picking me up at 6am for a surf. Checked out North/South point in the morning but they weren't happening. Another couple of spots also weren't happening except for one spot which was lit up! But too big for a 6'0" board so we wound up surfing Boranup again. This time it was much more set up with solid head high rights and lefts. Nice and glassy also for about an hour when the wind switched and chewed it up. Four by foured it out of there and enjoyed a nice sunny drive home. In the avo Penny and Gup went to a concert "a Day on the Green", but since I wasn't into the bands or the steep ticket price I decided to hang out with Birch, Joe and Amy. We hung out with his mate Matt and talked about going out, but never did. Eventually Gup and one of his sisters friends showed up, but didn't stay long. We were too pissed to drive home so Amy and I were given a spare bedroom to crash in. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas :)

Next Monday was a killer. Did a few deliveries in the morning and then @ 2pm a forty foot sea container from Bali arrived packed to the gills with much too heavy items. Clint (on a bum knee he wrecked jumping his mini 125cc cycle), Wayne and I attacked it and had it unpacked in 3 hours. With only three tragedies: 2 beers split and Clint got his hand crushed a little bit. Nothing compared to his knee though! The next day I learned Wayne got shit from his girlfriend cause she thought he'd stayed late just drinking. If she had only known! Completely exhausted none of us made it passed 8:30 before going to bed.

The radio advertising for the Bali pieces started and on Friday they had sold $4000 worth of stuff before I even got there. Unfortunately that meant that less than an hour before knocking off we had to deliver some of the much too heavy features. As Greg and I pulled away he realized that he forgot his phone so we backed back in, retrieved the phone and then Ray decided at the last second to give us another Bali delivery on the opposite side of town. And at Beer O'clock on a Friday!!

So we loaded up and made the first delivery. Then off to the last one of the day. Well we pulled up to drop the thing off, but didn't get off that simply. The wife, the mother and the kids all really wanted it set up before the husband arrived. Not our job, but we gave in. Big mistake. The tube was too long. We tried cutting it but it wasn't rubber and just shattered. The pump was too big so the feature wouldn't set up right. And after several attempts to put it together we realized that the base had cracked. Some of the pieces are about as tough as crusty toothpaste regardless of their immense weight. So we were pissed and she was disappointed, but their is another one back at the workshop so we can do an exchange. Got back and managed to get one altogether and found a smaller water pump. The one we had been given looked something like Niagra falls. But by now it was past quitting time so we called it a day.

Earlier in the day I had gone to the post office and paid my $32 for a rock lobster fishing license because Penny is taking me diving for Crayfish Saturday morning. But I'll save that adventure (nay, fiasco) for the next blog. Let's just say for now that we made the newspapers.

PS. I'm back in Bangkok. I found out that my return ticket must be used earlier than expected. It turns out that it must be used one year from date of issue, not from the day the trip begins. So I'm changing plans as I write this. I'm leaning towards touring Laos and Cambodia and maybe finishing up with some time down in the islands, but anything can happen. Projected return date right now is Jan 20th, but I may extend that a week or two. I'll keep ya'll posted.
So stay tuned.

I guess this could be considered a season cliff hanger because if I head off tomorrow I may not be able to blog again for a while. Who knows what internet service is like in Laos/Cambodia??!!

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