So far farming has been wet, dirty, grimy, heavy, hot, freezing cold and all extreme levels of difficulty. I have been banana humping (walking 60kg bunches from tree to moving trailer on my back), blue berry picking (picking berries 10 hrs a day in the mighty heat of the farm tunnels), egg farming (you couldn't even imagine) and construction working all without even a sight of jake gyllenhaal in a cowboy hat.
It's a strange one probably because at any other time in my life this "experience" would have been hell for me but farming a few hours west of Cairns on Australia's Tablelands has been quite the opposite.
I mean who can complain when you live here...
When kangaroos are regularly seen hopping past, when big spiders are always spotted, fires are sat around with guitars, long bush walks are walked and the red dust in the air is the eternal creator of an amazing sunset almost every night.
Dare I say it up until recently I have been BORED. I mean I was working more when I first got here but I always felt like I wasn't getting up to too much except work. I have inevitably been working less now bananas are off and the berry season has ended (for me at least) but I have to say its only in the last while I have felt the best about myself and the pretty amazing environment I share here.
So far I have been to see this beauty. The Peter Andre Mysterious Girl video waterfall.
The Mareeba rodeo was an experience...
and the farm as well as a few others have seen a few parties too.
This place is pretty awesome. Strange when I say place I can't even say exactly where but I can tell you I am between Marebba and Atherton somewhere in North Queensland. Middle of nowhere doesn't even say it but recently with a bit more time off to explore I think i am really starting to fall in love.
My Aussie farming experienece has been chilled. The most chilled I have been for quite a while. I mean the work is hard but the lifestyle here more than makes up for it. You might not have shops and a social scene outside of your farmhouse but you have lots of time to think, read, write and to talk to yourself when others aren't too busy talking.
I feel blessed for that time. The time to contemplate. Don't get me wrong the times to drink and smoke are not to bad either.
My first few weeks here were turbulent (for me at least). Being split last minute from the fabulous travelling duo, Scottish sweeties Claire and Ashleigh, and ending up on a red dirt, all boys and prison at first glance farm I felt out of my depth. So far out of my depth I felt like I was just about to drown. Until I met this woman...
Sue is our farm accommodation caretaker. She lives out back in her big 1970's Crome and sky blue bus. The love bus. I think that says it all.
From the scariest of days (day one!) until now Sue has been an absolute star. I have talked about my angels before and with sues help in everything from rent to the odd cake that appears in the kitchen she is most definitely in that category.
On the farm itself I live with all men. It's pretty blokey. I mean almost everyone has been amazing but having some female company from Sue and her daughter Shawna here plus meeting and seeing some amazing girls when at work has been great.
I have never appreciated how much I need the opposite sex in my life but as it turns out I really do. I have never loved some female company here more than when it's with those select few.
I think I've settled here now. Previously the idea of settling, becoming comfortable and having the time to discover new things about yourself would have scared me but I feel content.
I am content in the knowledge that even if I leave here penniless I would have at least learnt something about myself, experienced some things I would never have experienced and met some amazing people I would not have met otherwise.
Happiness is so hard to achieve but looking around I think I might be happiest in places just like this...
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