Vacation Bliss

So I finished my last day at my old job on Friday. I went out for lunch with my team and they presented me with a really nice book of Aboriginal artwork, and a mood calendar. There was to be a big afternoon "tea" at the office for the 5 of us that were leaving that day, but I had already taken the afternoon off to use up some overtime, so didn't attend. Instead I was at home with a friend, getting drunk. Isn't that what one does when they finish a job up? Heh heh. We went out to our favorite watering hole, Monte's Lounge to meet with other coworkers for after-work drinks, but only two people showed up. The rest either had plans or went to the Juicy Rump where the other after-work drinks were happening. Just as well. I headed home at 7pm and was in bed by 10 after an exhausting week. 

Mount Sonder

I had taken a week of vacation time at my old job for the following week and I have been enjoying it immensely. On Sunday I went camping at Glen Helen Gorge Resort (not a resort as you think of them) with my friend F and we did as little as possible! We went for a short drive to the Mount Sonda lookout, and the rest of the time we spent having some drinks, playing cribbage, and reading books. We both finished a book while out. It was blissful! The days were a bit warm, but not too bad, and although we both managed a bad sunburn, the trip was so very relaxing. I did get eaten alive by the mozzies, but it's partly my own fault for not putting any bug repellent on. I didn't see any mozzies or feel any mozzies, so didn't bother. Big mistake. 27+ bites later...

fresh green among the bushfire black

We saw some wildlife - lots of different birds of all sizes from Australian ringneck parrots to finches and herons, the waterhole drew them all. We also had a dingo visit our campsite both nights, but didn't get too close to us before he wandered on. There were ants galore, but such is the case in central Australia as my sister discovered during her visit here. The campground was not particularly busy the first night but the second night a couple dozen youths arrived on a bus for the group camping site across the gully from our site. They were noisy as teenagers can be, but settled down early in the night and by 10pm you didn't know they were there. The stars were out, nearly outdone by the nearly full moon. The moon shone so brightly we didn't need flashlights to get around at all. 

We stayed for a couple of nights and then packed up early like we pissed the bed and came back to Alice. I was happy to be back in my own bed again, and Dundee certainly missed me. A mauling was in order, and before long I was covered in fur. 

lots of burned ground from recent bushfires

beautiful mount Sonder

Today I had a lazy morning, puttering about the house, fooling around on the computer, reading the news of earthquakes and storms in Canada, thankful the weather here in Alice doesn't get too exciting. It has been pretty hot again now though, and at one point the thermometer in my car registered 43C...gross. This afternoon I headed out to the local university library at Charles Darwin University (CDU). It's a tiny library with just a handful of study carrels but it was good enough for me. Aside from some noisy women who nattered on at one of the tables, I was able to make some progress with my forensic psychology course from Athabasca. I just moved to the other side of the library away from them. One would think everyone understood that people go to libraries for the quiet, as well as the books. One would be wrong. I'm planning to go back each day this week so I can finally get caught up on my readings. I try to read at home but just like when I was in uni a decade ago, I can't study at home. I can write my papers well enough at home, but too many distractions to read and study at home. I used to go to the library at U Waterloo for hours and hours with a good friend of mine to study. We'd load up on Snapple and Pringles and who knows what else we could smuggle into the library, and leave when they kicked us out at 1am. Oh the days...

looking down the road

floodway metre stick and paddy melons

so many interesting rock formations

heading into Glen Helen Gorge Resort

our campsite

look at how tiny I am!

Other than the library, I have no real plans for the rest of the week other than enjoying being off at home for a change instead of my usual travel and GO GO GO vacations. I start my new job on Monday, but for now I am on vacation bliss time...