The quiet town of Cloncurry has 2000 residents according to Wikipedia. It is famous for the highest ever recordered temperture in Australia which was in 1989 and topped 53 degrees. It is also the birth place of the flying doctors (museum still to be visited). The town is built to serve the purpose of housing the copper mines in the area (just for you mum) It is the type of town where it is acceptable to ride into town on your horse and "park" outside a shop, there is one shop that can meet all your needs including; buying a gun, shoes, clothes, camping equipment and get intimate body parts waxed. There are 5 pubs, one coffee shop and a selected handful of shops all based around two parallel roads. Yep you got it 5 pubs. You can see how I have been spending my evenings. Forced to save money by the lack of night life has meant an increase in my online shopping habits and a slightly higher tollerence to alcohol although not drinking excessivly, the afternoon beverage whilst playing pool has become the norm. I feel a little like a 16 year old again with the excitement that saturday night brings and the thought that I dont have to get up and go to work until 9.30. Saturday nights involve pre drinking at home after work then a trip into town with the debate of getting a taxi there or back. If you know me well you will understand how I prefer to walk. When we get into town we have the choice of 2 bars. The evening is then spent having a laugh with the locals, in a mining community it is mostly men in the bars with a few girls and the backpacking girls that work here. As I write this I am preparing for one of these nights as we speak with the exception that I have a very rare saturday night off so I will be meeting some friends for drinks before the girls finish.

The work here is ok, with the manager being a bit hard to handle sometimes but all the staff are brilliant. Working morning and evenings off everyday has its downsides as you end up with 6 hours off work during the hottest part of the day. We have tried to make use of these by visiting the coffee shop (yes I will find one everywhere...drink of choose iced mocha with ice cream and cream it is a days caleries in a glass), sunbathing at the dam, watching movies, swimming at the pool, having a nap or practicing my pool playing skills.

I handed my notice in this week so that I can try and gain farm work. Sorry to all those that thought I might come home soon...i am gonna stay here for at least another year. I am looking for work here in cloncurry if I can get it because I like the town and people here. Who knows what I will end up doing but here it will either be mining or station work both sound fun and will be a new challenge for me.

Anyways a cider is waiting for me...