Capel: Tutunup diaries vol 1

Last sunday, took a 9 o'clock bus from East-Perth to a small town (one quite short main street and some surrounding ones) named Capel around 200 km to the south. We compare it to Bluebell from a series called “Hart of Dixie”. Not that it actually looks like that, but there are still quite some similarities if you let your imagination fly. We are yet to find a hot bartender!!! There is a pub and a countryclub nearby, so there is hope.

We were supposed to get the job in that farm as a friend who had worked in the same place couple years back, wrote to the farm and got us in. It was all arranged. But in the meantime there had been a storm and the house where they hosted the workers basically flew away. As we do not have a car and the farm is 19 km from any town, we could've not worked there any more. Immediately we started thinking out solutions, after tons of emails and organizing, Trevor (the farmer) called us early one the morning and announced we can come asap as somebody left and there are three Irish ladies who have room in the car for us. 

We are staying with a local family. Clair and Bruce are both super super nice and helpful. The house is always full of people and interesting conversations with either the couple, their siblings or children who are visiting. 

Their house is awesome as well. A little hipsterish-cool, yet classy. Has a pool in the backyard. Oh yes! Apart from us, two german girls and our new co-workers (Marion and Sarah) are at the moment living here. Other girls are staying in a house near by. Sundays are roast beef days, so Clair cooked some delicious roast beef with different veggies. And golden syrup dumplings for dinner. A delicious, sweet, caramelly dessert, traditional to OZ and NZ.

Other girls had already worked at the farm for about a week already and told us horror stories about tons of different bugs and 2-meter-long snakes before we'd seen the farm even. I do not like bugs and neither does Keiu. The last night we were in Perth, we arrived home while the boys were out. Went in from the back but the back door was locked as well, so the secret door, but, there was a problem. Keiu went first but walked into a spider web, so I tried to go. Saw a huge cockroach on the door and gave up as well. While laughing our lungs out we felt truly helpless at that moment.

Waking up 6.30 has become a routine, and a phrase “yuk it feels like there is a spider on my head..” (sth slides down) “oh ,wait, there is!!!!!” has become very familiar. Other than that saw one pretty big lizardy-thingy, but no snakes, koalas, emus, kangaroos or other exotics yet.

On monday we met the three Irish ladies (Sinead, Niamh and Carol) who we share a car with and drove to the farm. Left-sided traffic is still a bit creepy, but I think I'd be able to drive soon without causing chaos on the roads. First two days we were making knots. Measuring and making knots. For eight hours each day. On the third day there was the upgrade, clipping! We started clipping the strings we first knotted on the central wire onto the sideby wires. I'm talking about kiwi-trees. We were preparing them to grow and give some delicious fruits soon enough. (Then hopefully they will be cheaper in the markets as well!!) Also we got our first Australian rain. Feet soaking all day. And thursday we finished with the kiwis and moved on to the job we are gonna be doing from now on as well. To the wineyards. Providing supplies for making wine. Pruning grapes. If you drink some delicious aussie wine, think of us. We were all kinda excited at first, but after three hours – cursing and cussing like never before. Time stopped moving, there were tons of leaves on eash vine and I feel all my muscles aching.

Visited Busselton with the girls after work for some grocery-shopping. All the goods we had in our cart were discounted. Backbacker-style. Bought loads tho, feels like we never gotta buy food again, then again in 5 days we're probably all out again.

Afterwards a quick swim in the pool in our backyard. The water was freezing but of so relaxing. 

You know that you are going crazy when you talk to the leaves, shout at them, say the plucking (pluck pluck pluck) sound out loud, fight over the leaves with each other (like there is not enough of them) and at some point totally forget where you are and what you are doing. Then again the moments when you laugh about all that in tears and bitch about everything with co-sufferers and think that it is gonna pay off soon, it's all worth it.

Plus, you realize the small things more. You live for the small things! :)

We survived our first week at work and tomorrow is our day off! And then another 6 days and another and another and another..