Perentie Lizard!

 I saw my first Perentie today. Not sure if thats how you spell it but basically it is a huge lizard that can grow up to 9feet long. The one I saw today was about 5 feet long. HUGE!!!!!! It ran out on Ron (my boss) when he went to the bathroom hahaha. He nearly wet his pants is what he said. HAHA so I had to go take a look. It found some shade under a pipe rack right by the steps of the bathrooom. The bathroom at the terminal tanks office is about as big as a small trailer and it sits by itself in the brush with a walkway to it. So critters go to it all the time apparently. The Lizard looks a lot like the kimodo dragons. They look very prehistoric and very mean looking. They are awesome and a little scary. It would hurt to get bit so I was careful but awesome. Reminder IM ON AN ISLAND IN AUSTRALIA.

Kangaroo Rats

A miniature rat kangaroo was on the walkway and I almost stepped on it. These little rug rats size wise are between a small cat and a rat. They look like big rats but way better looking with a nice soft brown coat but rather than running they hop low to ground very quickly. Neat little guys actually.

This is an example of the kangaroo rat thing!

A Day in the Life

My Alarm wakes me up at 2:30 AM SHARP, and I'm very displeased when it goes off, but I know another day must begin. Every day is a new day here, meaning you don't know what is going to happen, you don't know what you are going to see, you don't know who you going to meet. So I hit snooze of course because if anyone knows me, It's like trying to get a bear out of hibernation when trying to wake me. 2:45AM My alarms (have about 3 of them) start going off. I have no choice by this time due to the fact I have to get out of bed to reach them. So the day begins and I get ready to go workout. 3:00AM The camp is asleep as I make my walk down to the gym. The gym is about a 150 meter walk straight down the sidewalk from my room. Very Convenient. 3:45AM Leaving the gym, I feel very tired and weak but very much alive. I know I have accomplished something today so I feel motivated to go on stronger and I know my day will go better than if I hadn't gone to the gym. 4AM I found myself getting out of the shower and trying to get ready for the day to come. By this time the Calls, SKYPE, And OOVOO are alive with calls from loved ones. Thank you everyone for understanding I must talk to Rachel the most due to the fact I'm pretty sure this has been harder on her than anyone. 4:45AM I'm ready now, dressed in my Daily Uniform (All Navy Cargo Pants, Bi Color long sleeve button up of Bright Yellow and Navy fully equipped with my stitched on Name) and having to say good bye to the loved ones for I MUST EAT NOW. 4:50 I head down to Mess which is located next to gym so another walk up the path. In Mess, I find the usual fried eggs with yoke still not broke with a mix of scrambled eggs. I add a couple pieces of Australian bacon (definitely not American but Pork never the less) and find me an empty seat in front of the TV to watch the usual rugby game replay from night before. 5AM I eat quickly in time to exit Mess and enter the CRIB. The Crib is a Room full of Premade meals and cold bars full of usual lunch meats, veggies, fruit, muffins, and breads. I usually find something I can recognize and pack it into one of the thousands of discard able Plastic Containers stacked up. Yes RACHEL I eat about 2 lbs of watermelon a day. ITS great due to the fact its fresh and readily available. 5:10AM its time to walk back down path, past my room, and about another 100 M's to my Bus. 5:15AM The driver announces the daily "buckle your seat belt" and we are off. The bus is A Brand NEW charter bus that is very spacious and comfortable. the bus is usually half full so  I always get a seat to my self.

5:15AM we arrive at our offices which is across the island. Its exactly the same route and same 15min ride everyday but the project changes daily so never a dull ride. We get off to be received by the orange glow from the island and the 2km long jetty that shoots out into the ocean. Its like walking out on to an Oil Rig with the breeze blowing and that Ocean fill. 5:30 AM I walk out of the office and down to the kitchen to fill up my water jug and while doing so I take in the Sunrise that wakes up the island.

ITS AMAZING!!! 6:30AM time for daily stretches. Our current office is comprised of about 4 trailers not connected and we pile out. Our stretch group contains about 8 people and we go through stretching lead by someone for the day. Mainly led by a lady who I think looks forward to it more than anything. 6:45 we finish up discussing our usual (Football, Dinner, Family, workouts, etc...) The day really gets cranked up by now. 12:00PM Work hits a grinding stop for it is lunch time. This time is used for eating, Internet browsing, and writing as I do now. 12:30PM the lunch dies down and the office goes quiet as People usually tend to their emails and the office almost takes a nap itself to let food digest.

4:45PM Well the day has gone good, The usual breaks were taken, Casually walking outside to take in the scenery. One view comprised of the most Deserted Outback Landscape you have ever seen. With the landscape only broken up due to construction and a couple of roads. Far from us you can see the Heavy machinery stirring up dust and Moving the heavy loads brought in on the big ships. Once you turn around you see these big ships waiting to come in. The Ocean is Alive with big ships and big machinery working on the Jetty. 5:00PM Well enough about that, Bus is here right on time like always. We get on the same bus and take the 15 min ride home. The Ride is usually quiet while everyone gazes upon the new construction that went on through the day. 5:15PM Arrive safely back at camp. We pile off with the other buses and it looks like school (everyone with same Uniforms) is out and headed home. Im tired by now and hurry back to my room.

5:30PM Im ready to hit the gym ( sometimes Im to tired and just lay down) and get my cardio in. 6:15PM Im really tired Now after my cardio (Elliptical and 2000M rowing machine workout) and head next door to the Mess. 6:45PM I'm stuffed. Yes I did the bad thing and gorged on the well cooked many option buffet style dinner. The desert bar is huge. The Ice Cream bin has about 20 different flavors. Yes very hard to turn down day in and day out. 7PM Well back in my room to wake up Rachel. She's just as hard to get out of bed. The Internet is packed with people using it so a phone call is usually suffices. 7:30PM I've said good night to Rachel and whoever else I could get through to and its time to fall asleep to the ESPN2 Updates. 8Pm I'm fast asleep. The thoughts that Im on an island off the coast to Australia are so surreal and make me happy before I go to sleep. I say my final Prayers and Now I'm fully OUT! GOOD NIGHT!!!

I hope this helps all that is wondering what a day on Barrow Island Is like. I hope to get pictures soon and fill in the big gaps about my day (work, island, facilities, etc...)

The fat kid inside me

My first visit to the gym was good. I broke in the old back and got it moving. You don't realize how bad you're out of shape till you get there. But i got a plan so I think I can get back in shape. You have to do something or you will just eat the whole time. The food is great and there is an endless amount of it hahaha. NOT KIDDING. ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET ALL DAY!!!! CRazzzZZYYY. Not good for the fat kid inside me. Luckily they dont serve all foods that I love from back home. Most stuff is the Australian form or flavor and it takes a little adjustment in taste buds. I'm trying to convince myself it's awful and quit eating so much. It's helping a little. I had 2 full plates of broccoli last night haha. and 2 pieces of chicken. Pretty good I thought.

It's a bit cool and breezy this morning. A little chilly. But mornings are great over here. A swift breeze, and you can just feel the island as the sun comes up over the horizon breaking across the ocean and onto the jette. It's amazing.  We also do morning stretches every morning at 6:30am for about 15 mins. Everyone does it. It really does help morale and gets the blood flowing. I almost laughed the first time but we all take it serious and it really helps.

Skype me!

I hope to be blogging every other Sunday on my half day. Internet doesnt work so well back at camp so if you want to SKYPE me the best time is before I get to work, so 3 am here would be 2 pm for all of you back in bama. Every day I will be on OOVOO and SKYPE between 3 am and 4 am. Contact Rachel or mom if you have trouble getting either setup or working. Skype has been working better here. Also I cannot have my phone on me at anytime while at work so I will only be available to use it after work. If it is an emergency though use it or email. I do keep it on and silent in my pack during the day so I do check it perodically but email is better. Please contact rachel for my number if you do not have it. Also I havent quite figured out the reliabilty of the mail system just yet so dont send anything just yet. When I know more details I'll forward them on.

Barrow Island

I arrived on Barrow Island in a twin Prop 48 passenger tin can onto a grass airfield. That was a 3 and half hour experience in itself. It was very neat, and felt like I was in an Indian Jones adventure. The views from there are amazing. To describe Barrow Island is like being in the Bahamas. The views are amazing, the water very blue, it's winter here so the weather is near perfect at the day topping out at 70 degrees and the cold getting down to about 60. Once you get out of the view of the muddy bahama beaches you are in the middle of the outback with no trees reaching over 2 meters and those are sparce. The land here is full of red dust and it covers everything. Red barron land is all the place is with shrubs and weeds everywhere. I LOVE IT haha. My temporary office is kinda on a hill and I have a view of the the 2km jette with big ships coming in and the beach. I REALLY LOVE IT. We get to work at night and by the time you get setttled in I watch a sunrise of the beach and drink coffee every morning with a slight breeze in my face. The Site comes alive with tops of cranes moving off in the distance. I'm in a dream enviroment. I really enjoy my managment and co-employees. They all have favorite football teams and some use to hunt. I think I bring a youthful new spirit to the group. I'm the youngest here but treated as an equal already. I think because I came in with a respect and not the usual young guy like so many of my generation that they have accepted me much more quickly. I havent quite got work to do yet but I know it will pickup quickly. I'm very excited to get in and show them what I got. I am officially "Planner Permanent Buildings/Gen Services" so I feel that I can do this job very well. The days are long but each have their points and keep me coming back for more. I am learning the island and enjoy every new door I open. I have been very well taken care of so far. I was placed in the newest camp rooms and have great accomodations.

I also will be placed in a brand new office in a brand new building this upcoming sat. so I will offically be there for the rest of my term while on BWI (barrow island). Im pumped. but back to the camp. The wet mess allows me offically 4 beers a day that you cannot store. I do have a mini fridge in my room. I also have a 30" flat screen which I am one of a few who have ESPN 2 baby!!!!!!!!!

 

I watch it every morning. I watched Gameday before I went to sleep and catch the games before I go to work. It's awesome. Also I have a desk and many shelves and cabinets for my things. I have a spacious bathrooom with hot water and walk-in glass stand-up shower. Also very nice.

The lighting is very cool here too because it's all LED bulbs and at night the place sounds and feels like an oil rig with the orange glow of the high pressure sodium lighting. Generaters run everything here so the smooth exhaust is a relaxing sound haha. They have huge conex box style Cats running everything and smaller 100KWs running individual offices like hour. We make our own water with huge Osmosis Plants.  Everything is brought onto the island and everything leaves the island (including our personal waste). We recycle everything and have to seperate all our trash. The food is amazing here, so I will soon need to get a plan together or I'll be 250lbs when I get back. You can take as much food from the Crib as you want. Also I meant to tell you Rachel, I eat approx. 5lbs of watermelon a day. Its all fresh and served daily with all the other fruits. They have plastic contariners and fridges everywhere so I take a lot with me for the day. You pack your lunch everyday but it's pre-made cartons of anything you can imagine plus everything else. Lasagna, Sandwiches, SUbs, muffins, fruits, etc. etc.. anything. Everyone here is real nice even the laborers. They are from everywhere but everyone speaks some kind of english. Its great. Everyone here explains their sports to me and I tell them about american stuff so I'm getting very cultured over here. There are countless amounts of procedures here due to the animals and environment so I will just tell about them as time goes. Well this is not even close to the amount of stuff I can tell you so I will save some for tomorrow. I miss you all greatly and Cant wait to share my picts (I'll post them here soon) and stories. I love you all. Please feel free to write me back because I very much enjoy anwsering questions via email and corresponding this way. More the better.

Driving in Australia

So after settling in my new environment, I have been scheduled for many training sessions. One of them as of yesterday was defensive driving. Well with the usual NO WORRIES from the locals I didn't think nothing of it till I was told I had to drive about 20 km! So indeed with video to prove I went 4 wheel driving in with a left handed 5 speed while driving on the left side of the road with no training other than a good luck from my instructor. I also saw my first kangaroo, about a family of 6 hopping like whitetails through the pine trees much like at home in alabama. No I didn't get pictures. Sorry. But on the way back I had to drive on the freeway. Crazy! Perth has been full of surprises so far and everyday is an adventure of a lifetime while learning the local culture. I'm also finally bringing a real southern America view to Westwrn austraila for they have been duped by tv over here. I am now learning how this blog works and hope to be posting more often.

Bon Voyage!

Before leaving for Australia my family hosted an Australian themed going-away party for me.  Mom cooked Australian food (meat pies, smashed potatoes, lemon chicken, sausages, etc) there were Australian decorations. I appreciated the love and support. I will miss everyone!