Gotta love oranges

Well that was quick! Last time I was talking about finding a job… well we have found a farm! Andi was doing labour work when he texted me that he heard something about an orange farm in the neighborhood of Adelaide. So now it was my job to find out what it was and if we maybe had a chance on working there. So I called in the afternoon and they were very friendly and it sounded great. They said that if we could be there before Sunday at 5 o’ clock that we had the job. So my search for flights etc. started because it was already Friday in the afternoon and we wanted to fly the next day! I searched on the internet, so after the whole afternoon calling and checking the internet we had a job and a flight to Adelaide! A flight that was at 6:20 in the morning :o, pretty early but that’s why it was cheaper, always a backpacker ;)

The job was orange picking and we would earn 25 dollar per bin. And if you did the packing you would earn about 20 dollar an hour. We were about to stay in a hostel, but not an ordinary hostel…. It used to be a boat but they turned it into a hostel so it sounded pretty nice!

So because our flight was at 6:20 a.m. we decided to go out and not go to bed, so we could celebrate that we had a job at the same place and we could stay awake till our pick up came. We met up with Graham en Nina. Two dutchies that I know from TU Delft, they were in Brisbane and because it would be our last night in Brisbane it would be nice to meet each other. So we went out with the four of us and it was a great night and big fun. Andi and I went back ate some sandwiches and we were about to be picked up. So at 6:20 we went to Adelaide, the flight was about 3 hours and we were dead tired and tried to sleep. When we finally arrived I thought for a second that I was back in the Netherlands, men that’s cold! It was grey and raining and awful because up in the north it was so nice and warm. So it’s now bye bye to my tan because winter is calling down under….. After the flight we took the bus to the city and after an hour waiting we took the bus to Waikerie, that last bus took us about 2 hours and we ended up in the middle of nowhere….

The town is so little and there are almost no shops. Luckily they have a Woolworths, so we were already happy about that. (Woolworths is a big supermarket so that makes everything cheaper than in the little convenient stores). The boat looked alright and we got our own room, so no dorms which we had to share with a lot of other people. Nice to have your ‘own place’ for a time. We heard on the boat that we already could start the picking job the next day, so we were happy about that because we could earn some money. But that day we heard from the people who were already on the boat that it was shit work, that you earn almost nothing and that there is not a lot of work. Because when it’s raining you’re not allowed to pick and also the day after the rain you’re not allowed to pick. So that was shit, but yeah we would figure it out ourselves. We also heard about the packing and that it was way better, but because it was weekend we had to wait till Monday to figure that out.

So at Sunday our orange picking started…. We left already like 30 minutes later than was planned, and started an hour later than planned. When we finally started working we had to quit after 20 minutes because it was raining the days before. So that was shit, obviously our first day wasn’t a great success. So on Tuesday Andi and I went to the packing shed 10 min away to put our names down to get a chance of working there. It’s easier for girls to get in the sheds than guys. Just because there is more work for girls. And just to be sure I also asked to put my name down for the sheds in Renmark (an hour away) but still, a shed pays you better than picking does. So on Thursday I already had the induction for the sheds far away and that afternoon they said I could already start at Friday. I would have the night shift from 4:30 till 1:30, from Sunday till Friday. So I was pretty happy with that!

Orange picking can be fun because you’re with more people and you’re outside BUT….. the money is shit, you don’t make long days and you’re not sure about you’re working days. Oh and with all of that it looks like you hurt yourself because all the needles and branches and all other things that can stick out of an orange tree give you scratches etc. So yeah working in the sheds would be pretty good!

Only because I’m so lucky on Friday Nippys called (the packing shed in Waikerie itself) if Andi and me could come over for an interview. So we went up there and he offered us the job. Only he said that it would only be the night shifts from 4 till 9. So the other shed would be better for me, if you would look at the hours I could work. So I decided to work at the Murtho shed. Well that was a great choice….not! The shifts were killing and I had no social life what so ever! I would be back at 3 in the night, sleep till 12 in the afternoon, eat something, make dinner, shower and off to work again and that for 6 days. And on top of that we had to drive to the shed, 1,5 hours! But at least I was earning money.

What did I do at the shed, well I was sorting oranges. That means that dozens of oranges will pass me and I have to look at all of them to see if they are good enough…. If they are rot they go in a hole or if they are split or damaged they go in another hole. And that fast and quick and the whole freaking night long! I’m pretty sure I was getting crazy and dumb. When the rollers stopped I swear I could still see the oranges moving… .. And then the standing, left leg, right leg, both legs, leaning,…… everything was shit. So after the car broke down and after a lot of fuzz with the owner of the rental cars I decided to try my luck again and I called Nippys! He wasn’t sure if he had a job but he would call me at the end of the week, but lucky me he called already the next day that the following day I could start. But off course I could! Walking 10 min to work instead of a 1,5 hour drive sounded pretty good to me. Only I had to work that night at the Murtho shed till 1:30 (was home at 3) and the next morning I starter at 7:45 at Nippys. Good beginning of a new job. But this was way better! Every day from Monday till Friday there is a day shift from 7:45 till 4:06 and from Monday till Thursday there is night shift from 5 till 9 (unless they don’t have enough oranges, but at least you always have your days). And the work is also so much better! I do different things like packing, making boxes and my intense hate … the sorting. But its fine, Ill survive! And Andi and me are working now the same hours so we see each other a little bit more haha.

Now I’m still working at Nippys and that will be for another couple of weeks. Because there is really nothing to do around here in the weekends we drink on the boat or hang around. Its shit that there is nothing to do. But it’s very nice that there are so many people here that are doing the same, and they are all very nice! So Ill survive. Alone it is very cold over here and I’m wearing jumpers, sweaters, socks, beanie’s…. and I lost all of my tan…. I’m longing for a nice white beach and sun! Because I came to Australia with the thought of always having sun…. but unfortunately here is not always the sun shining…. But another couple of weeks and then I can go to other places again! Can’t wait .

For now just remember the next time if you buy oranges what we had to do to get them there! I did picking and packing and I know it takes a lot to get all of you guys a nice sweet good orange! Think of me when you’re eating of drinking it;).

And hopefully my next blog will be from a nice sunny place!