From: "Pete" <[email protected]>
To: thegang
Subject: How I survived three months in a town without a record shop.
Date: 07 June 2001 04:15
Well, greetings to all of you who are currently back in the real world.
Firstly my apologies for being unusually quiet over the last couple on months but in all honesty, there hasn't been that much to tell you about. I've been in a small town in Victoria called Alexandra (that's not far from Lake Eildon for those of you who know where that is). We arrived here (Chris and I) in March after responding to an ad in a backpacker rag calling for fruit pickers, and harvested nectarines for a couple of weeks. Once the harvest was in Chris and I, having heard of further employment opportunities coerced a fellow nectarine picker, Paul, (he had a car and we needed a lift) into applying with us for jobs as potato pickers. Interviews concluded ("It's a shit of a job but if you want it, how soon can you start?") we began picking potatoes and have been doing so right up until Tuesday when I proudly lifted the final spud from the earth at around 3.30pm. While those of you who were foolish enough to ask have already recieved detailed descriptions of the sizes, shapes and colours of the restaurant quality potatoes which we have been gathering, the responses of general disinterest have spared the rest of you from this particular insomnia cure.
But although the work has been backbreaking, physically demanding and underpaid, the job does have a couple of redeeming qualities (for those of you who've asked - again and again - why I'm still here). The first is that I'm the fittest that I've been in ages. I've lost a bit of weight and got paid while I did it. (The Self-help book based on my experiences available from the back of a Sunday supplement near you very soon!). The other is that the people I've been working with are some of the best I've encountered.
Since the mysterious disappearance of the constantly whining Graham a month ago (the most plausible rumours involve the discovery of a fake Tax File Number and probable dole fraud, but are you sure that those were cow remains that Laurie's dog dug up in the corner of the paddock?) the atmosphere has been one of the best I've worked in.
Other than that there is very little to tell about my time in Alexandra. Weekends have consisted of newspapers and library books (my Murrindindi Shire library card being one of the more unusual souveniers I take with me). This being due to Alexandra's somewhat limited facilities and even more limited public transport - the one bus a day arrives from Melbourne, stays three minutes and returns to Melbourne - ruling out any more exciting pursuits. Although I did manage to drag Chris and Paul up and 810 metre summit, called Cathedral Peak, one Sunday. The frustration of seeing its dramatic, craggy, form from the spud field everyday being too much for someone accustomed to having to drive for three hours to reach anything worth climbing. Unfortunatly the extra discomfort on Monday morning, in addition to the usual sore back, hamstrings, and arms ensured that neither was willing to accompany me again.
So anyway, Chris departed this morning on the road for Adelaide. I am here until Sunday when I will depart with Paul to head up the East coast. First stop is Mount Kosciusko, the highest Peak in Australia. Final stop will be Cape York, northernmost point on the Australian mainland. This distance will more than triple the miles that I've already covered.
In other news, communications company One.Tel have just gone bankrupt and they owe Lucent Technologies (otherwise known as those miserable swine that fired me for no good reason) $400 million for the project I was working on. Not that I'm one to laugh at the misfortunes of those who have wronged me but I allowed myself a hollow chuckle, especially since the money is unlikely to be recovered.
Oh well...I guess that's about all for now. Hope the right party wins the election.
Bye for now
No Worries!
Pete