well hello all!!!

sorry this is going to be a maaassive blog. technically I'm lying, I am now in Perth, just arrived back after working in Coolgardie actually!! but I'll get to that at the end of this essay, here is what we have been up to! .......

Thursday 30th July - I got up at 5am to make me and rick some sandwiches for the train journey into kalgoorlie. We got a taxi to east perth train station at 6.30am to board the transwa prospector train, which was very nice and spacious, and I called it the hogwarts express! we had lots of legroom, headphones tv's comfy seats. aaaand guess what foster luck strikes again, tv's in cabin 2 are not working, what cabin are we in?? you guessed it...2!! so we couldnt watch the films. we arrived in kalgoorlie on time, it took around 7 hours to get there, we could not see a girl called jess waiting for us, instead there was a large bloke, who turned out to be Jason, jess's brother, jess had had a car accident or something. They are both part of a family called the biddles who run the "eagle roadhouses" in coolgardie and leonora, and their head office is based in kalgoorlie....I know this know mind you, when we turned up, he didnt tell us anything! we didnt know where we were going! we ended up in some office signing paperwork, the forms were complicated regarding things like addresses because we didnt have one! we got taken to coolgardie which was 1/2 hour drive away, and the irish bloke jo who arrived with us was being shipped off to leonora after staying the night in a backpackers in kalgoorlie. The roadhouse was on a long straight road, as soon as we turned into the driveway (the house we were living in was directly 7 feet behind the actual roadhouse itself!) me and ricky were looking at eachother, my heart was pounding, everything was dusty and dirty, the house looked like a sh*thole, Rickys face said it all - "i miss the flat already!!" we moved into the house and said we'd give it a chance, there was a tv with THREE channels on...so better than the ONE we had in the flat!! there was a random trampy looking dog called missy, who turned out to be owned by one of the local girls that worked at the roadhouse. and guess what...low and behold, the workers in the house didnt know wer were arriving, so we got put in a single bed in a room with a french girl called Liz, who turned out to be lovely! so we slept our first night after a tour of the place...what there was...not a lot really!! glad we took our bed covers with us, the ones they gave us were awful. the girls are nice, lucy and bec (they are leaving and we are replacing them) they have worked here for 6 months....i rrreally dont know how they did that long, i do not know how I will manage one month let alone 3 here!! went to bed early, because i was on a 5am shift! aagghh. ricky got the cushty 1-8pm shift.

Friday 31st - first day at work, early rise for me, had to put on an awful black cap and shirt that said eagle roadhouse "we'll keep you flying!!!" felt like and idiot. It was bitter cold at that time in the morning, so i had a jumper on underneath, I really didnt know what to expect. I worked with bec and lucy, and a local girl called Ngairie, who was adorable. First I made sandwiches, then cleared the brekky buffet (their heated food thing they call a bai marie - I have never even heard of it, its soon shortened to "the bay" once i learn the lingo! lol) I did lots of cleaning and washing up off my own back because there was nothing to do. Eventually I got trained on the till, met a convited paedophile and murderer, who had a thing for bec...lucky her. he was a real creepy looking bloke. Didnt have a clue what I was doing, went into the big fridge and re-stocked the drinks out of pure boredom. next I was shown how to pluck and de-gunk bits of chicken parts and baste them before frying them, which was absolutely gross. My first impression of Tash, who is the girlfriend of Jason was not I good one I will admit, but my opinion changed as time went on. Bec and lucy had warned us of all these things she does, she seemed a bit odd, didnt really talk to me at all and ddint really explain anything to me, i thought she was rude! Rick came in looking really cute and bewildered at 1pm, and it was my time to leave! thank god. I sat in the sun for a while, had a nap, and a shower which wernt the best shower ive had!. we went to the pub in the evening for bec and lucys leaving drinks, it was full of "yoculs" and was very odd. the workers seem like a laugh though and some of the miners. I'll see how I feel after a week, but i'm not sure I'm going to like it here!! hope to god we get our bond back, because every penny helps so we can earn enough to leave here!!

Sat 1st august - we got our own room finally, with 2 single beds which we push together, atleast we can have a comfortable sleep.

sun 2nd - i spent today mostly in the kitchen which made a nice change, dont like the till very much, the food is all greasy, chips, pizzas, burgers. Today I fought with a VERY LARGE TURD in the mens toilets which was not pleasant and made me heave. soon it was bedtime and rick rubbed my feet which was heaven, our feet were aching due to standing all the time, and rick's knee was playing up. its basically sleeping and working and remembering to eat...like when i did shiftwork at the airport!

mon 3rd - my first day off! we had a few hours together today, we went on the internet so everyone knows we're ok, because we had no phone reception. we got some shopping from the one shop in the town!! and made some lunch. Rick went to work, I did some washing, read some magazines in the sun, watched the pursuit of hapiness - great film! had a nap! I keep getting anxiety like I have the time wrong and i should be at work! its weird. me and rick feel liek ships passing in the night, we're only together when we're asleep, we're starting to miss eachothers company. cant beleieve its been only 5 days here!!

tues 4th - 1 yr anniversary of my implant in my arm! and after a whole year of no women's monthly problems...now! it gives me trouble! ricky joined gym today, his first day off. my evening went quite well and I got on with tash, think shes maybe a bit misunderstood...we'll see. I bought some things for women's problems....turned out to be bloody maternity pads!! hahaha which ricky aptly named "crash mats" so that was funny.

weds 5th - me and rick worked together today, i got sent home at 4 though, tash said there were too many staff and it wernt busy. There were 4 drive offs today, where people drive off and dont pay for their petrol, so she got the hump with us and told us it would come out of our wages. I told her what i thought about the situation, its ridiculous theres no cameras, i cant see out of the window due to promotional massive stickers as i am only small, so how the hell can i see the cars and serve people at the till and cook in the kitchen. I dont think she liked me answering her back and has it in for me maybe lol.

thurs 6th - frenchy - liz's last day! i am seriously thinking about staying here until the end of the month and then heading back to perth and arranging to look after sascha and house sit again for 3 weeks. I might suggest it to Rick if he's feeling the same as me! I am missing my friends and family at the moment, ready for home before xmas definitely.

fri 7th - ricky was on his first early shift today 4am! i have the nice 5 hr shift. we have a day off together weds which is nice of tash to arrange on the rota. I am writing pay scales in our room to give us motivation to keep going!! in 2 months we will be nearing the $6000 mark which is bloody good really. its hard to be motivated getting up in the freezing cold to fry chips!! went on internet today then watched twilight before work. we still have not heard about our bond on the apartment yet!!

sat 8th - had the best nights sleep! never woke up! heard andy sliced his wrist open this morning, so he's of work for 6 days, this might mean we get more hours? I'm not sure. Tash is away in Perth and I'm glad, I'm sick of her being overly happy one day and miserable the next, I can't be bothered with it. We have new backpackers arriving monday, hope their normal and ok! ricky met jess today, he said shes evern worse than tash, her and her mum came in and were ordering everyone around like blue arse flies, talking to workers like crap, he said they were like the trumps, and the roadhouse was their little empire in these crap towns! its quite sad really, I feel sorry for them living here.

sun 9th - my first 4am start, I only slept for 1-2 hrs, had a bad belly ache all night and back ache. I would have definitely been rubbish at fruit picking!! standing up doing this is killing my back! I was kind of guessing what to do, I was on with Alan, and he wernt overly helpful. I felt ill, and ran to the toilet and was sick twice, but managed to get through the shift. I got a bit down and didnt want to be there today, why is it taking so long!! Phil goes to thailand today - lucky boy!!

mon 10th - I felt much better today! had more of an appetite. the landlady jen emailed us saying shes been trying to get in touch, and needs an address to enable us to get bond back - twat! ricky is gettin really annoyed. The 2 new people arrived, they are a welsh couple, carly and ryan, they seem so nice, but I am so rubbish at understanding irish, welsh and scottish i have no idea what they are saying and am constantly saying what what what. They seem a lot more relaxed than when we arrived. I had a good shift today and borrowed Kayleigh's (another manager girl, except she's really nice!) car and went into kalgoorlie with andy and allan. I bought some toiletries, rickys contact lenses, bought ricky a war book to read as a pressie and me 3 t shirts and a little tassley waistcoat thing, and loads of shopping from coles supermarket. Think ricky was upset and maybe wanted to come? but he had to work, he's being very weird with me, nice to everyone else it seems, I dont know, maybe its me. Maybe iv'e annoyed him, or he's just having a depressed day like i do every other day in this place!! hope he's ok, dont like seeing him upset. Back home, hannahs sister has had a baby boy called scott, cant beleieve her and jay are uncle and auntie!! its brilliant. I can imagine jess being a good auntie when i have kids one day. I'm really pleased for hannah.

tues 11th - we went to sleep not talking last night! lol got in at 12, had a wash, straightened my hair which was nice. was watching tv when rick got in from the gym and walked straight into the bedroom and didnt come back. I thought ok, somethings definitely up, and I am starting to get upset and feeling a bit used, i bought all the shopping, his contacts, a book as a pressie and he aint even spoke to me so i went in to confront!! I instantly thought he's obviously gone off me and is going to dump me, so i went in all guns blazing and then promptly burst into tears lol. after begging him to tell me whats wrong, it turns out that I said something and he has taken it completely the wrong way. i said once, "I'm only here because of you" he said if you dont like it here then just go. I was trying to explain, he's the only reason I am still in australia, if i was on my own now I would be in thailand or at home! We sorted it out in the end, but I did see and hear a side to him i didnt like for the first time. I was irritated at the fact i was apologising for the fact that he misunderstood something I said, and yet i had to ask him to apologise to me! i can sense arguements are going to be fun between us in future...hopefully there arent too many though! lol I think we'll have a nice day off together tomorrow :-)

weds 12 - slept in till 11, had a walk down to the gorge, took some photos. came back watched australia, chilled out. I asked rick what he was thinking of doing next, has he thought of any ideas because he has'nt said anything. He said he wants to do Bali with me, a 2 week holiday, and then he wants to do a months tour in thailand...on his own, and then mentioned something about returning to australia possibly before. I must admit I was a bit taken aback at hearing this, I assumed we'd carry on together and arrive back in england together and meet eachothers families etc etc. But I shut my mouth and thought to myself right!! think of yourself then Amy. and decided i wanted to go to fiji after bali, and my original plan was then thailand before home, but now hearing this, I thought well i cant go thailand because we'll be there the same time and he wants to go on his own, and thus started overthinking like i usually do! It will suck being away from him for that long, but I suppose I just have to let him do what he wants and hope we're together when we get home.

thurs 13th - we have made it 2 weeks so far!! woo. I went on the internet today, we've been paid which is good, no news on bond yet! I had dreams last night of rick meeting another girl and going travelling with her, and kept wondering why I am not invited to thailand and confusing myself.

fri 14th - I am finding it harder to understand carly than ryan at the moment but im getting better! Natalie another local worker left today lo, everyone seems to be leaving! says a lot for the place. Rick was being very sweet and attentive today, think he feels bad because I said I feel a bit taken advantage of.

sat 15th - had a god squad in for breakfast meeting, had a preacher shouting and all the people crying - very weird!! it was fun working with rick, we were passing eachother love notes and smacking eachothers bottoms! like silly little kids. I have 2 days off in a row starting tomorrow, and we're off together on monday.

sun 16th - its so cold at the moment. I am constantly thinking about what am I going to do on my own, where do i want go on the money i will have, and i have to consider i'd like to go back to england with some money to do what i want before going back to work again. Think I need to start thinking about myself a bit more.

mon 17th - day off togehter, slept in till 10, went on internet - bad idea! made me miss home a lot today. I cut ricks hair, then watched finding nemo, been a bit down today, went for a walk by the gorge and wrote a letter to rick to explain what I'm thinking. When I got back we had a chat, and the bottom line was I didnt understand why he wanted to go off on his own again, and why he had kept it from me. I got angry because first it was the "i want to do a degree in sept" so im going with him and trying to sort out where we'd live. that idea was scrapped, then twice it was the "im going to china to teach" idea and each time that was scrapped, and then there was the "im going to sydney to work" which we both couldnt hack. We came to the conclusion that I was overly organised and he was a last minute kind of bloke and it was clashing. I kind of understand, but it still makes me angry when i think about it. he said some lovely things like ive changed for the better, he's found me, and in doing so has found himself. I cant hel thinking ahead its what i do. I am wondering if an egypt/jordan/africa tour would be better for me than thailand. who knows lol. I do hope rick is home for xmas though or atleast new years.

weds 19th - we have made it 3 weeks!!! wooo. ricky had severe bottom burps and thought it hilarious to hold the cover over my head...we are seriously going over some boundaries here!!! things are going great, coming to this dump has brought us even closer together. we've travelled together, lived together, flipped burgers and worked together! not many couples can say that i suppose. We are very happy. He was quiet tonight, and i said whats wrong - he said he was having bad thoughts, and I thought oh no what. When he really likes a girl he sometimes turns his phone off for a week and goes off somewhere, but i think he's a little scared because he dont get the urge to do it with me. Tash and job is getting him down, and he wants to pack up and leave, he could be working at home rather than here. I told him we have to stick it out so he can do what he said he wanted to do and go to thailand so he has no regrets. I'm finding it easier to be here now, its like we've swapped places.

fri 21st - hannahs birthday back home!!! hope she has a great day, i sent her some tacky aussie gifts lol. little scott is a great present for her. One of the lads andy who works with us was telling me today his story is exactly the same as mine and rickys. he wanted time alone and they never got back together because he upset her. He said you are a great couple, please keep in touch when you go your separate ways, because he regrets it and wants to get back with her. i tell rick to just keep thinking of hot bali!!! can't wait.

sat 22nd - rick had a better day today - no tash! i didnt get up till 10.30! working with the welshies tonight, should be fun, they are sweet.

sun 23rd - cant beleive by next week we would have earned $3000 mark already! thinking about getting a telstra simcard so i can talk to my mummy!

mon 24th - could not get up this morning!work was ok till tash came in being a misery guts, why dont she get another job because she obviously hates this one. Got my simcard working and spoke to nan, she wernt impressed with rick leaving me again lol but i told her that i think this one is actually worth all the fuss, and to watch this space basically. im looking forward to hearing from mum! apparently jess has bought a new convertible?!

tues 25th - my day off, washing and emailing threats to landlady! we went to lindsay pit to relax today, was nice nice, took a blanket on the very edge thought we were going to fall in!

thurs 27th - GOT BOND BACK FROM JENIFFER PIPER FINALLY!!! thats an extra $600 in each of our pockets. Spoke to mum and nan, they are so funny like to peas in a pod, ricky was laughing at nan having a senile moment when i asked for deoderant and she started going on about some random hair product that sounded nothing like the word deoderant from qvc lol. he cant wait to meet them, and i cant wait to get home and see them, wish rick was coming with me, but i'll wait for him.

fri 28th - its been 1 month working here!!!! one month!! feels like 3!

sun 30th - actually got out of work at 8pm tonight, which was a first normally i am o.c.d. cleaning the place till 9pm had a bit of a crap night, didnt feel like being there or talking to anyone! finished the memoirs of a geisha book, that was good

mon 31st - not much happened today. me and rick worked with tash. we helped her change the rosta so us couples could work togehter because we hardly see eachother! she was extremely happy and hyperactive, which was better than her being miserable like usual. me and rick have kind of decided we might leave around beginning of october. he asked me tonight if i was going to wait for him. which ofcourse i am, think he is worried lol.

tues 1st sept - mums birthday!! hope she got my moooonpig card. found out the other day some gggrrreat news jamie has finally asked hannah to marry him!!! took him long enough, i burst into tears when mum told me, i was so happy for them, and she said they are having their engagement party in time for e to get back for it, which is lovely.

thurs 3rd - Tash has been great to work with this week, she told us a new couple are arriving next week and jess is coming in to have a chat with us and basically they are staying for 12 months and get a room of their own, so one of us couples is going to egt kicked out and god knows where we'll sleep! Ricky has suggested maybe shes going to ask one of us couples to go to leonora and he dont want to go. thats enough for me! I'd leave here at the drop of a hat to be honest. its not so bad here, but i have had enough i think.

sat 5th - after frantic cleaning jess never bloody came in!! so we are all none the wiser.

mon 7th - I am liking the idea of leaving here earlier and earlier lol! didnt sleep well last night, read the book my sisters keeper - sooo sad, was having nightmares about people dying.

tues 8th - rick didnt sleep at all last night and he said i was talking in my sleep... oh dear lol. did some washing, put some photos on finally of coolgardie for mum to see, ive eaten 3 slices of cake and had a nap and am gradually turning into a fat porker with a little belly hanging over! need to sort that out while in bali and thailand!! ...yes decided i am indeed going to go thailand as it was my original plan.

thursday 10th - rick renewd gym membership and internet membership

fri 11th TODAY WAS THE FINAL STRAW!!! we were asked to leave and go to leonora tomorrow. alistair the stock bloke was begging us, but due to the rudeness of the biddle family in general, it would be for them, not him, and we genuinely like alistair. We made the decision to leave tomorrow, which we were both exstatic about. we plan on going to bali for 2 weeks after heading to perth for a few days to book everything and sort ourselves out. then do our thailand tours separately before going home. We have enough money to do what we want, so sod it!!! the new couple are causing absolute havoc. the bloke danny is the biggest arse i have ever met, his girlfriend is a moron, and nobody likes him, I feel so sorry for tash who i have changed my opinion about immensely and just feel sorry for her having to work there, she's a nice girl, but has too much responsibility and not enough praise....like all of us there really! lol. the biddles should be more appreciative of all the backpackers they take on as staff, we do a bloody good job, the miners like us because we're nice happy people, unlike the new couple theyve taken on who is causing up-roar! things were running fine, but its changed now and we know we have made the right decision. carly and ryan and andy are so sad to see us go, they got us a card and sweets, bless them, would love to meet up with them in the future, the fact that they were nice and we had our own room was the only things that got us through working there.

sat 12th - mo the miner kindly offered to drive us to kalgoorlie to get the 7.05 train back to perth, and so! here we are!!! we have booked into a hostel for a few nights and will be booking all our trips tomorrow. we are both very happy to be out of coolgardie. and wish the other guys we worked with all the best and hope the biddles have the sense to get rid of that new couple because they are awful. Ok I've said enough!!! gta go, I'll let tyou know what we're doing when we do! byyyyeeeeee xxxxx