Day 288 | Out into the light: preparing for departure

Good things come to an end and so it was with my job on Friday.

Marching orders: last day.

I continued working in a desultory manner for an hour or so, then thought I’d just skedaddle, no point in hanging around just for the sake of it, so spent another hour doing the rounds of farewells to the crew, gee, I’ve been here more than 4 months.

I wasn’t alone, 11 from the 15 Aussies were going, most at Easter, the slowdown in the tourist trade has placed the next stage of the project on hold, the foreman, he’s staying, had tears in his eyes, almost.

There’s still about 20 Koreans plugging away on the ground floor, plastering and tiling, they’ve been down there for weeks, not one room is finished and they should be winding up on the 48th currently according to the program.

Management seems to think it’s better to pack the place with unskilled Korean workers on temporary student visas, they generally take 3 goes at getting an acceptable finish. For us Aussie speakers finishing 2 rooms a day would be plausible with a quarter of the staff, the rooms ain’t exactly big.

As I went by to say cheerio to Greg and Jack, Korean tilers, big chunks of plaster stopping were being stripped, animated conversation in the background.

But they sacked us, guess it’s a cultural thing.

Some guys are taking their new and surprising freedom in their stride, nature of the industry, but Friday has a major problem, he’s getting married, 2nd time around, in a few weeks and the money supply has just been turned off.

I biked out just after 11, paid until 5, into the blazing light.

For the last two months, working 6 days, there’s been a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve abruptly escaped two weeks early, laughing at my unexpected freedom like a tunneller who’s just fled their POW camp.

I’m singing to the trees as I bike down past The Gap, 6 hours early, never have to go back.

It’s terrific, a cloudless day, 29°.

Can’t leave town just yet though, still have those two dental appointments in a week’s time and those bike bits haven’t arrived.

Slowly I’m aware of another possibility before I start biking again, after all, I regard myself as a walker rather than a biker at heart.

It’s called the Larapinta Trail, a 220km, 2 week or so, walk back west through the heart of the West MacDonnell Ranges, climbing Mt Sonder is the last stage.

There’s no excuse not to go, I’ve got all the gear, with one notable exception, although might not be able to carry the weight, it’s fantastically scenic, and was briefly contemplated, once upon a time, 10 years ago, but I took to the bike instead.

I’ll see if I can crack it out in two weeks.

Actually there are two issues: first, there’s no possibility of supply replenishment, you have to lug the 2 weeks food, stove, fuel, etc, along with that tent and sleeping bag. OK, that’s not such a big deal, I’ve done a 16 day romp in the muck on Stewart Island down the south of NZ in the past. A lot to carry, including at times water, but been there.

2nd issue, somewhat significant, I don’t have a major backpack, will have to rustle around with my new friends in town, hopefully something will turn up.

So that’s the latest plan: leaving in 9 days, should allow time to get my act together.

First Larapinta, then I’ll head off east on my bike.

Freedom!