Hired

Larry and I got a solid job offer Wednesday last week. We will be working for a cattle company about 550 miles north of Brisbane, near a town called Emerald. They need some help gathering, branding, and fencing for a few weeks. After that, they might find other stuff for us to do, ask around the neighborhood if anybody needs any help, or we can head back south. Should it turn out to not be a good deal, we aren't obligated to them for too long, and either way, we should collect a couple stories up there.

We've done some painting and mechanicing for the Ihles during the week. The five doors finished up nicely, even with my poor painting skills, especially when compared to Larry's, who was a house painter for four years. Jeff, Larry, and I replaced the timing belt in Jeff's Hilux on Sunday. It was an all-day job, but we managed it without any flying hammers, tantrums, or broken knuckles.

My friend Mike Natoli studied at Bond University on the Gold Coast in the middle of 2009. When he found out I was headed to Oz, he eagerly volunteered his advice, his old phone and converter plug, and some contacts he still has down here. Larry and I headed that way on Friday the 18th. Mike's friend Rosie met us at the train station and very graciously showed us around and gave us a place to stay for the night. We got our feet wet for the first time in the South Pacific at Broadbeach. The surf was really very intense, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have had the heart to try surfing on that particular day. The beach, sand, and sun were great though. Later we went to Surfers' Paradise, more to people watch than anything else, as neither Larry nor I are hip enough for the club scene.

Saturday morning Rosie took us to the Burleigh Heads, where Tallabudgera Creek comes into the ocean. This spot couldn't have been more amazing. The rather large creek flowed blue green, with sand and rocks along it, a rock spit extended out about a quarter mile. There was a beach at the mouth of the creek. The Surfers' skyline could be seen from the end of the spit, around the end of the very jungle-like hill. From a pile of rocks underneath a tree, we watched the surfers enjoying the sun and waves, kayakers riding the waves back up the river as they came in, and families soaking up the fierce sun all around. There was even a pleasant breeze.

Austin Ihle, the middle Ihle kid, had a baseball game nearby on Saturday afternoon, so Rosie kindly dropped us off there so we could watch. Jeff coaches the team, and after the game, he lined up a ride for us with one of the player's parents to save us a train ride. We rode back with another Jeff, who happens to work for Bechtel. We chatted at length about the possibilities for a new-grad engineer there. Apparently, they can't get enough engineers, and Jeff sent my resume into a recruiter. Coincidentally, I emailed another Bechtel engineer whose info I had gotten through a friend of my dad, and he responded yesterday. As could be expected, a Working Holiday visa befuddles them a bit, so I have yet to find out what their HR department would want to do.

Sunday, the day we spent in the Ihle garage, was one of the hottest days of the year at just under 100. After the job was done, Jeff suggested we find somewhere to cool off after the heat of the day. We drove about twelve miles west of Ferny Grove, their suburb, to Cedar Creek, and swam in a water hole. The creek was extremely cool and welcoming. It was even deep enough to jump off of the rocks along it, which were eight to twelve feet high. And there was a rope swing, which was like the cherry on top. My getting nipped twice by an eel notwithstanding, there could have been no finer end to the day.

Larry and I are truly thankful to Jeff, Leanne, Ryan, Austin, and Morgan Ihle for letting us stay at their place. Having had their house to use as our base for the while it took to get situated was invaluable, and we are in their debt. I really wonder how we would have done anything if we had started out in hostels.