Day 174 – 6th July 2018 – Darwin

Another shift at Club Tropical.  They pay you with cash in envelopes and you have to line up at the end of your shift to sign for your pay and the General Manager hands them out to everyone!  I haven’t done that since Hungry Jacks days in 1986!  It made me laugh to arrive home with all this cash.  It was the weekend and I couldn’t get to a bank so I wasn’t really sure what to do with it!!  Bit of a time warp, only when I collected my money from HJs it would have been less than $100.  It really was amusing to tip out your notes and coins out of your envelope.  Col and I never really carry cash, we are so used to pays going into our accounts and using our plastic to pay for things.  Kind of weird being cashed up now.

This weekend we are going camping to Kakadu, Barramundi Gorge Maguk with Kat and Angry and the wider crew.  So Col and I did a big pack up and prepare when he got home from work.  We have been using our tent as a shed, so needed to unpack everything and collapse the tent so we could use it.  We haven’t done a lot of camping in the tent, so there was a fair bit to organise, but not such a big deal when you are only going overnight.  The group going includes Chris, Shannon, Dan, Lenny, Kat, Angry, Col and I and we were assigned to look after one meal each.  Col, Lenny and I got lunch, so I headed to the shop to make some purchases.  Oh and of course we needed a cheese platter as well.  Are you really camping if you don’t have a cheese platter for happy hour????  Leaving bright and early tomorrow morning.

Day 173 – 5th July 2018 – Darwin

Another shift at Club Tropical and definitely getting the hang of it now.  Worked with someone really nice today.  I am guessing that she might be late 50s or early 60s.  This job keeps you fit and agile and it impresses me to watch people who can work at this pace and do this type of work at that age.  It is a challenge even for the young ones (not grouping myself into that bucket, I was meaning the 20 year old back packers). Inspirational.

I am liking walking to work in the morning, it is a really nice start to the day.  This is my ‘Office’ currently.

Club Tropical Resort, Lee Point, Darwin NT
Club Tropical Resort, Lee Point, Darwin NT

Day 172 – 4th July 2018 – Darwin

Today was my first shift that I was not a ‘Trainee’ at Club Tropical Resort and I started the shift working with two other people who were really lovely and it was shaping up to be a great day.  Unfortunately someone had to leave work after morning tea and I was reallocated to work with one of the people I had trained with the previous week and it turned out to be a very stressful shift.  I survived it once again but am beginning to see that the job enjoyment is very much linked to who you are partnered with for the day.  I think that is the same with any job actually, it doesn’t matter so much what you have to do, it is who you work with that makes ALL the difference.

Day 171 – 3rd July 2018 – Darwin

Today I had my meeting with the Store Manager in the Darwin City Woolworths store to discuss any potential job opportunities.  As my situation had changed and I had started working at Club Tropical Resort, the plan was to go in and introduce myself and thank him for his interest and  the opportunity to meet with him but to explain that I was now working for the Resort.  The Resort is seasonal work and I thought there may be potential to get some work with Woolworths when things quieten down a little later in the year.  As it turns out he was lovely and someone that I would really like to work for.  I was impressed with the staff there from the moment I walked in, everyone was happy and positive and the place had a good vibe.  He was interested in offering me work and asked me to follow the normal recruitment process and submit my application.   I am keen to see if we can make this work and so will progress with my job application and see what happens.

Some of the benefits in working for Woolworths as opposed to the Resort is that I would have a set roster with every second weekend off, I can choose how many hours I want to work and can pick up more shifts if I would like to.  This will help for Col and I to be able to plan some more trips to explore NT.  The Woolworths Group includes many other businesses such as BWS, Dan Murphys, Big W to name just a few, so lots of job opportunities to move around as well.  Anyway, will submit my application and see what happens.  In the meantime I will continue to work at the resort and hone my newly acquired skills and fitness levels!

Day 169 – 1st July 2018 – Darwin, Territory Day and Fireworks

June, where did you go?  Hello July and hello Territory Day.  Territory Day is a celebration of becoming a Self-Governed Territory on the 1st July in 1978.  As part of this celebration people can let off their own fireworks.

Anyone who has been in the NT on Territory Day will understand what I am talking about… THIS PLACE IS CRAZY!!!!  OMG Darwin was out of control on Territory Day and it certainly was an interesting experience indeed.

Angry and Kat asked if we wanted to join them and a group of their friends to have a BBQ and watch the fireworks, as well as let off some of their own fireworks.  We thought this sounded great and picked them up mid afternoon to go and set up our spot.  Angry had been there earlier to leave his car and a friends car there to claim our spot, as things fill up pretty quickly as the evening approaches.  We went to Cullen Bay which was on top of a cliff overlooking Mindil Beach and the Casino.  There is a show put on with live music down on Mindil Beach and then some serious fireworks are let off in the bay.  People can start letting off their own fireworks between 6pm and 11pm.

The afternoon started well and we chatted and nibbled and had a few drinks.  It was a beautiful spot and a great group of people.  It all looked so civil initially.

Cullen Bay, Territory Day Celebration, Darwin NT
Cullen Bay, Territory Day Celebration, Darwin NT

The large boat in the photo below was carrying the fireworks to be set off later in the evening.

Cullen Bay, Territory Day Celebration, Darwin NT
Cullen Bay, Territory Day Celebration, Darwin NT

There was a large flat carpark area behind us where people were going to let off firweworks, we didn’t quite make it to 6pm and people started setting off the odd one or two.  It wasn’t even dark but they were just too excited to wait.  It had not been dark long before one of the fireworks tipped over and shot off into the long grass near where we were sitting.  Quite a few people ran over and started working together to put it out and they did manage to get it under control.

This continued on into the night, but as people were drinking and more people setting off fireworks, things quickly got out of hand.  At one point Col, another lady and her young niece and myself needed to go to the toilet and one of the people we were there with had an apartment across the road that we could use.  So we started the walk to the apartment.  It was terrifying!!!  We likened it to navigating through a war torn country.  There were fireworks going off in every direction and you had to run for cover every 100 metres or so.  We made it back safely but it was a scary experience.

Later in the evening another firework shot under the car and landed again in the long grass nearby.  There was a Ute parked in front of the fence with people sitting in the back (not part of our crew).  The flames were almost engulfing the car and the driver could not get in the drivers side due to the flames, so ran to the passenger side and climbed across to move the car.  There were people in the back at the time and it was quite scary as they could have been seriously injured.  This one could not be put out by the mob, so the Fire Services were called.  I felt so sorry for any Emergency Services People working that night, they would have earned their money.  Dealing with intoxicated people lighting fires left, right and centre.  Even as the Firetruck was trying to pull in to get to the fire, people were still setting off their fireworks in front of it.  There was an ABC crew there filming the carnage.  The Firies managed to put this one out and headed off shortly after to address the next crises.

Fire almost engulfing a Ute at Cullen Bay, Territory Day Celebration, Darwin NT
Fire almost engulfing a Ute at Cullen Bay, Territory Day Celebration, Darwin NT

It wasn’t too long before the next fire started.  As I mentioned earlier we were on a cliff overlooking the bay.  A large group of people jumped in to try and get the fire out.  Col was yelling out “Don’t Fall off the Cliff” when suddenly…. someone did.  They disappeared out of sight and the group fell silent and gasped.  Seconds passed and then all of a sudden he popped up again as he had only fallen a few feet and managed to climb back up!!!  So everyone let out a cheer and continued to put the fire out.  This place is seriously crazy.

Fire at Cullen Bay, Territory Day Celebration, Darwin NT
Fire at Cullen Bay, Territory Day Celebration, Darwin NT

We got a bit of video footage that might give you some idea of what it was like, if the photos have not already.  We had to run through this when we tried to get to the toilet.  Total mayhem.

The Fireworks put on over the bay were beautiful, but I think I had seen enough by then to really appreciate it.  The Territory Day Fireworks show put the Adelaide SkyShow to shame.

Fireworks to celebrate Territory Day, Cullen Bay, Darwin NT
Fireworks to celebrate Territory Day, Cullen Bay, Darwin NT

There is talk that it may have been the last Territory Day and I understand why, but I get the feeling that Territorians would go out and celebrate and let off their fireworks with or without permission.  I am glad we were here and got to experience it, but don’t think I will be rushing out to go to another one, I must admit.  We had to sit in gridlocked traffic for over an hour to get to home and the fireworks got more and more out of control as the night went on.  I was acutely aware that we could not move the car if a fire broke out near us while stuck in the traffic.  We passed some significant fires on our short drive home.  Again a shout out to all the Emergency Services People who had to work that evening, I do feel for you all!!!!