“Are you Irish?” Nope… “You must be English then?” he said. Nope… “Welsh then?” Nope… He thought for a second. Obviously working out the countries that comprise the UK. “Scottish?” he asked. Yup I said. This man is one of many that I have encountered this week who I have played this guessing game with! More Irishness of course, this week with some guessing well, I have been asked where in Scotland I am from as their opening line :-). This always makes me smile. I am then frequently told of how some have Scottish descendants! Others not guessing so well, the same person guessed firstly German (?!), then when I said further west then guessed Polish (not really west is it?!) then guessed Scottish after speaking to his friend who had got it right first time… I think he may have had some help…! Hearing a lovely west coast Scottish accent on the phone that sought my manager, we ended up chatting for a little while :-). Two actual Scottish customers appearing through my door, just passing by on a coach tour, I didn't get much time to spend absorbing the accent :-(.

With interesting new work hours, six/seven am starts working on farms have now morphed into 3pm shift starts… Lucky if I am awake before 12, I have become somewhat nocturnal again… I don't see the warming tones of sunrise and only catch the hue of sunset out of the corner of my eye as I switch on the beer garden lights… Asked what time sun rose by a customer, I told him he had asked the wrong person!! I did however check the right answer (6.50 if I am ever awake!). Sleeping late, there is not much time before work… I therefore use my time after work instead… Waking every day with good intentions of falling asleep earlier, every day I fail…! It is a catch 22 that I hope to kick myself out of soon! I do however very much enjoy my lie in's, find there to be something quite nice about being the only one awake sitting outside watching the trucks pass in the early hours (I find it most easy to concentrate with no distractions!), am able to walk to bed under the stars and the moon's nearness still amazes me every night!

In my working hours, I have been getting to know lots of different types of people. Many a nice conversation has been held. Every day there is someone who makes me smile with a question or a telling of their story. A quatre vingt cinq has been said to help some French people. Chat from truckers has been enjoyed. They are most useful in telling you where not to go. A lot of travelling advice has been retained. One of my favourite chats here, I was told that I was 'cool' by a trucker :-). Unable to forget about zucchini's just yet, I have answered questions that have been thrown my way regarding farmwork from interested customers and other backpackers stopping by. I am slowly getting to know travelling distances in northern territory. One man asking how far away two other places were from each other, I bizarrely had to walk him through basic maths for him to work out the distance between them!! Scottishness of course unable to be forgotten, a programme exploring Skye popped up on the bar telly, good old Nessie has reared her head, as has the composition of haggis! A work colleague told me he knew of a chef that had sewn the haggis back together…!

In the drinking challenge, 14 days down, two of which ended up non drinking days and two with bourbon and coke as my choice and one with two new choices, I have now managed 11 new drinks… A differently branded pear cider than I am used to (which was pretty much like any pear cider), a lime infused bottled lager called Miller Chill (I quite liked this one), a low carbohydrate lager called 'Pure Blonde' (not too bad I have to say) and a Northern Territory made lager called Great Northern (not the best I've tried by a fair bit…) started my week. I also managed a fusion Carlton Dry (with lime and salt in this one it very much felt there should be tequilla involved!), a Toohey's new (quite drinkable I have to say), an RTD (Ready to drink, usually mixed with coke – they are very popular over here) Jack Daniels and coke (surprisingly better than the last JD and coke I remember drinking over ten years ago…) and a bottled 'mild' ale (not too bad… I am fair getting a taste for beer!). I'm not doing too badly and it is paying off. I am able to recommend :-).

In the ever present reading challenge, bizarrely enough back to e books, I have been delving into Dracula (I just felt like reading it and my room allows me to lean my tablet against the wall so lazily I don't even need to hold it…!). The free 1897 version, it is proving an interesting read (and I am learning some new words!). Bloodsucking a topical issue here, the mozzies here are truly terrible… It makes no sense with such cold nights. My left arm worse than my legs when I left Darwin, it is now slowly starting to heal… In other news, being decisive for a change, after an Uluru stop off, Perth will be the next big city to receive my feet :-). I am just not quite sure when that will be just yet…!