And so it came to pass…

It’s been almost two years since I left Bulgaria to spend a couple of months in Australia regrouping and restoring my spirit, which had been knocked out of me somewhat. Thanks to the economic crash, I’m still here…but that’s all about to change.

When I realised I would have to stay longer than a few months, I decided to try and get work in the mines…Western Australia was going through a mining boom and I figured I must be able to get something. Sadly, the recession put paid to that idea.  I was offered a job with the National Broadcaster, so I spent 18 months as the manager and breakfast presenter at the ABC in Geraldton, but even though I had a terrific staff and enjoyed the Geraldton part of it, dealing with the idiots in Perth was just about more than I could stand.  I used to work for them before I left Australia in 1998 and should have known better than to go back.  It was worse than the first time and it was with great relief that I bolted out the door just before Christmas. And then the mining kicked off again here and I got that job that I’d wanted since arriving back in Australia in 2008..

I’m a cleaner in the camp of an iron ore mine at a place called Tallering Peak, about 157 Ks from Geraldton, or as a friend of mine described it, ‘the back of buggery’…… and here’s the road that gets you there…

The mining operation is basically taking the  back out of Tallering Peak…

here’s the front:

and here’s the back:

Apparently, it’s traditional aboriginal ground and the mining company isn’t permitted to flatten the mountain, so at the moment, it’s basically a ‘facade’…looks normal from the front and its being mined furiously around the back. !

It’s all very new to me and it’s been an experience getting around the place, seeing the sights and seeing a mine in operation ….and running into things like this:

These haulpacs are HUGE and one of those tyres will cost you $35,000…but the old timers tell me they ones at this site aren’t even that big compared to some other bigger mine sites……I’d love to drive one and a lot of women are, but I don’t have enough time before I leave Australia again.

And speaking of big..the ore trucks that carry to crushed ore to the rail siding are damned huge as well. 53.5 metres long and bloody scary when you have to pass them on the highway.

One turned over the other day and when I came across the accident scene, there were eight of them lined up waiting for the rolled truck to be righted and the ore cleared up off the road…even passing them when standing still was an experience…

It’s an interesting place to find myself and I guess like all mining camps, it’s a somewhat different way to live

though it almost looks romantic by night…  🙂

I can hardly believe just how much I’m enjoying things out here…I ‘m absolutely thriving. OK, the first week the temperatures reached 56 degrees centigrade …in the shade…down in the camp…which is always about 5 degrees cooler than the minesite….and I did have a few moments when I thought I really might end up a large oily spot on the floor, but I’ve adjusted very quickly and am now thoroughly enjoying every day.

And yes, I’m tired, but it’s so nice to be tired for a reason and not just emotionally drained from dealing with bureaucratic twats.

And the best thing is, I only work Monday to Friday, so I still have my weekends off.  It has to be said though, I go back to Geraldton on Friday night, have a few wines and sleep the night away. I relax Saturday and Sunday and then head back out to the camp on Sunday evening..so not the most exciting life but at least I have purpose now.  I’ve made the decision (finally) to return to Bulgaria….more about that later.

For now, I’m working with three great girls and we’re all on a mission to fill our bank accounts and then do something…travel, buy a house, or in my case go back to Bulgaria..whatever..but it is nice to work with people with purpose and focus.

We have a lot of fun and certainly meet some interesting characters on the verandahs….and that’s just the humans !!  the wildlife is even more exciting.

These lizards (Bungarras) are all over the camp and as soon as the sun gets a little warmth in it, they emerge from under the donga’s, where they live, and start wandering around, catching a few rays and, if they’re lucky, find a rubbish bin to raid. When you get too close to them, they stand their ground and flick their very long, very dark blue tongue at you…just reminding you to keep your distance. And you have to watch out when they start running.  They move like lightening and will, apparently, run straight up the first tallish thing they see standing still…and that could be you !! 🙂

And it does make me laugh when I open my donga door in the morning to be greeted by a family of goats !!

Like the lizards, goats are everywhere out here.They try to keep them out of the mining area with fences etc, but they roam around in great numbers and it’s obviously a good paddock for them.  They’re very healthy and plump…..a good feed I reckon.

I’m not earning hundreds of thousands of dollars but I’m earning enough, and what have I got to spend my money on ?….nothing. All my accommodation, food, even flyspray and sunscreen is free.  I stood in the supermarket one day with my housemate in Geraldton and I said to her ‘ there must be SOMETHING I need to buy’, and there was….some deodorant….oh, and a little wine, but basically what I earn goes into the bank.  Just how it should be  🙂

Even though I am working very hard indeed and the work does make me tired, my energy levels are through the roof…if that makes sense. My old lady aches and pains have all but disappeared.  I work hard for nine hours a day, five days a week and I feel terrific..AND I’m starting to shed all that sedentary job weight that I’ve put on… the clanging sounds I hear as I work is the sound of the kilograms falling off me.

Clearly I’m a labourer at heart and posh, clean jobs just aren’t me scene.

So, this is where I am for the moment.  My plan is to return to Bulgaria in the next few months and get my house up and running again and get my dogs back where they belong….with me,  at St. Pirin 16, Miladinovtsi.

The guy who has employed me here is a terrific bloke and he’s been very good to me … I owe him some loyalty, and so will stay for a few months.  I’ll work hard, I’ll top up my savings and then it’s back home to Bulgaria for me.

I’ve had so much interest in Bulgaria from many people I’ve met here, that I’m going to crank up the Accommodation business again in my fantastic house and give it another go.  and in case you’ve forgotten what the house looks like, here’s a little reminder:

in summer –

and in winter –

enjoy the other pics…. they’re just a small slice of a very interesting life out at a minesite in a fascinating and interesting corner of Western Australia..and here’s a couple more for good measure…

To my Bulgarian friends…I’ll see you soon.