Escape from Mildura
Yeah, grape picking = no fun.
I lasted for two days - I probably would have done a week but then the hostel lady told me and a few others about this job in Hillston, NSW, which pays better with a cheaper accommodation. The actual picking work wasn't too bad but the wages kept plummeting so it eventually went down to $1 per bucket and the supervisors (one of them in particular) were complete assholes who treated the pickers like shit. So yesterday we ended up leaving Mildura very quickly and driving 6 hours or so to Hillston in the rain, mega winds and sandstorms. That was really fun actually, though at times the car was almost picked up by the wind and we were all exhausted after some very early mornings. But luckily we got here without anyone falling asleep at the wheel...
And we're living in a motel. OMG a motel! With great beds (mine is even a double), a lovely bathroom that I only have to share with two other people, a TV, microwave etc. And it's cheaper than any hostel I've been to thus far. I'm sharing with two very sweet Japanese girls while the guys are in the other room. Work hasn't started yet but maybe tomorrow...I'm not even sure of what we'll be doing, to be honest, but at least it's not grape picking. I don't care what it is, as long as I get to live in the motel. No bunk beds!!! And all the other people are so nice too.
I'm at the local library now, but I don't know how often I'll be able to use the Internet as the library closes at 5 and we might still be working at that time. So if you don't hear from me in a while, I'll be living in what is possibly the smallest town in Australia, doing who knows what but...a motel!!
I lasted for two days - I probably would have done a week but then the hostel lady told me and a few others about this job in Hillston, NSW, which pays better with a cheaper accommodation. The actual picking work wasn't too bad but the wages kept plummeting so it eventually went down to $1 per bucket and the supervisors (one of them in particular) were complete assholes who treated the pickers like shit. So yesterday we ended up leaving Mildura very quickly and driving 6 hours or so to Hillston in the rain, mega winds and sandstorms. That was really fun actually, though at times the car was almost picked up by the wind and we were all exhausted after some very early mornings. But luckily we got here without anyone falling asleep at the wheel...
And we're living in a motel. OMG a motel! With great beds (mine is even a double), a lovely bathroom that I only have to share with two other people, a TV, microwave etc. And it's cheaper than any hostel I've been to thus far. I'm sharing with two very sweet Japanese girls while the guys are in the other room. Work hasn't started yet but maybe tomorrow...I'm not even sure of what we'll be doing, to be honest, but at least it's not grape picking. I don't care what it is, as long as I get to live in the motel. No bunk beds!!! And all the other people are so nice too.
I'm at the local library now, but I don't know how often I'll be able to use the Internet as the library closes at 5 and we might still be working at that time. So if you don't hear from me in a while, I'll be living in what is possibly the smallest town in Australia, doing who knows what but...a motel!!