JUST A QUICK BLOG AS MY TIME ON THE INTERNET IS RUNNING OUT!! SO HERE I AM APPLE PICKING IN STANTHORPE, WELL ACTUALLY STAYING AT A WORKING HOSTEL IN WALLANGARRA, ON THE BORDER OF NSW AND QUEENSLAND, ITS FUNNY, OUR HOSTEL IS IN QUEENSLAND BUT THE PUB ALONG THE ROAD IS NSW TIME SO IT WAS HARD ARRANGING A TIME TO GO!!!

IT WAS SUCH A CULTURE SHOCK ARRIVING HERE AND STARTING WORK IN A FARM. FIRST IMPRESSIONS WERENT VERY GOOD, GOT PICKED UP FROM THE BUS STOP ON THE BACK OF A TRAILER AND DRIVEN TO THE FARM AT A FAST SPEED, CLINGING ON FOR DEAR LIFE!! THEN IT WAS INTO A BUS HEADING TO THE HOSTEL WHICH IS ACTUALLY 40 MINS AWAY FROM THE ORCHARD.

THE FIRST DAY WAS TERRIBLE, HAD TO START WORK AT 6AM, SO UP AT 4AM, BUT GOT WOKEN UP AT 3 WHEN OUR ROOM MATES HAD TO GET UP TO GO ON THE EARLY BUS! I WAS BATTERED AND BRUISED AFTER THE FIRST DAY, WAS SO HARD TRYIN TO MOVE 11 FOOT LADDERS WHILE CARRYING A BAG ON YOUR SHOULDERS TO HOLD THE APPLES!! IM NOW USED TO BOTH SO IT ISNT SO BAD AND MANAGING TO PICK UP SPEED!! STILL LOOK LIKE IVE BEEN IN THE WARS, WONT BE ABLE TO WEAR A SKIRT FOR A WHILE!!

THE HOSTEL ITSELF IS NICE ENOUGH AND THE GIRLS (APPROX 40 OF THEM AND 2 GUYS!!) ARE NICE AND FRIENDLY. HAVE FOUND A COUPLE OF HUGE SPIDERS, ONE ON THE SHOWER CURTAIN WHEN I WAS IN IT AND APPARENTLY THERE WAS A SNAKE IN THE GROUNDS!! NEVER WENT NEAR IT THOUGH. THE PUB DOWN THE ROAD IS GREAT, WE WENT ON OUR FIRST NIGHT AND THEY HAVE LOVED US EVER SINCE, EVEN MADE A BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR ME AND STEF EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD MET US TWICE, THOUGH WE MUST BE GOOD CUSTOM - THE REGULARS ARE A BIT WEIRD AND THEY TRY TO GET IN THE HOSTEL AS THEY KNOW ITS FULL OF YOUNG GIRLS!! THE PUB DO A CRACKING SUNDAY ROAST SO THINK ILL BE THERE EVERY WEEK AND THE CIDER IS CHEAP (WOULD HAVE TO BE SINCE WE PROB PICK THE BLOODY APPLES). IM EVEN HAVING DREAMS ABOUT APPLES AND FILLING THE BOXES!!

THE BEST PART ABOUT IT IS DRIVING THE TRACTOR, I GET TO DO IT SINCE I HAVE A LISCENCE, WAS A BIT DAUNTING TO START OFF WITH BUT QUITE LIKE IT!!!

SORRY THIS WAS A QUICKIE - WILL UPDATE IT AGAIN SOON!! JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW IM STILL ALIVE AND MY TAN IS COMING BACK AND IM GETTIN SOME BICEPS!!!