Rusty's coming!!!!

Haven’t heard much from Rusty since his epic performance, apart from the odd squeak of him getting in and out of bed and furniture scraping and dropping things on the floor.  It must have been a one–off, unluckily for Rusty and luckily for me!!!

However there's a bigger and more menacing Rusty coming to town - Cyclone Rusty, according to the Aussies, is apparently on its way.  How ironic that they share the same name!!

A friend has seen a notice in the lift of her block of flats saying a cyclone is coming to Darwin so clean up your garages.

She phoned me to ask what it meant, I'm guessing because they live by the sea a tidal wave could flood the garages, but I told her to speak to a neighbour to find out more.

I've seen public awareness adverts on the TV about cyclones, but I suddenly realised I wouldn't have a clue what to do if Rusty did come to town!  So I had a look online:

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology/Cyclones

I'm hoping Cyclone Rusty is a bit far away to affect us much here - fingers crossed!

And this is the procedure in the event of a cyclone (a bit long, but you might find it interesting):

The information in this checklist was prepared by Emergency Management Australia in consultation with State/Territory Emergency Services to help protect you and your property.

Before the cyclone season

• Check with your local council or your building control authority to see if your home has been built to cyclone standards.
• Check that the walls, roof and eaves of your home are secure.
• Trim treetops and branches well clear of your home (get council permission).
• Preferably fit shutters, or at least metal screens, to all glass areas.
• Clear your property of loose material that could blow about and possibly cause injury or damage during extreme winds.
• In case of a storm surge/tide warning, or other flooding, know your nearest safe high ground and the safest access route to it.
• Prepare an emergency kit containing:
  • a portable battery radio, torch and spare batteries;
  • water containers, dried or canned food and a can opener;
  • matches, fuel lamp, portable stove, cooking gear, eating utensils; and
  • a first aid kit and manual, masking tape for windows and waterproof bags.
• Keep a list of emergency phone numbers on display.
• Check neighbours, especially if recent arrivals, to make sure they are prepared.

When a cyclone watch is issued

• Re-check your property for any loose material and tie down (or fill with water) all large, relatively light items such as boats and rubbish bins.
• Fill vehicles' fuel tanks. Check your emergency kit and fill water containers.
• Ensure household members know which is the strongest part of the house and what to do in the event of a cyclone warning or an evacuation.
• Tune to your local radio/TV for further information and warnings.
• Check that neighbours are aware of the situation and are preparing.

When a cyclone warning is issued

Depending on official advice provided by your local authorities as the event evolves; the following actions may be warranted.

• If requested by local authorities, collect children from school or childcare centre and go home.
• Park vehicles under solid shelter (hand brake on and in gear).
• Put wooden or plastic outdoor furniture in your pool or inside with other loose items.
• Close shutters or board-up or heavily tape all windows. Draw curtains and lock doors.
• Pack an evacuation kit of warm clothes, essential medications, baby formula, nappies, valuables, important papers, photos and mementos in waterproof bags to be taken with your emergency kit. Large/heavy valuables could be protected in a strong cupboard.
• Remain indoors (with your pets). Stay tuned to your local radio/TV for further information.

On warning of local evacuation

Based on predicted wind speeds and storm surge heights, evacuation may be necessary. Official advice will be given on local radio/TV regarding safe routes and when to move.

• Wear strong shoes (not thongs) and tough clothing for protection.
• Lock doors; turn off power, gas, and water; take your evacuation and emergency kits.
• If evacuating inland (out of town), take pets and leave early to avoid heavy traffic, flooding and wind hazards.
• If evacuating to a public shelter or higher location, follow police and State/Territory Emergency Services directions.
• If going to a public shelter, take bedding needs and books or games for children.
• Leave pets protected and with food and water.

When the cyclone strikes

• Disconnect all electrical appliances. Listen to your battery radio for updates.
• Stay inside and shelter {well clear of windows) in the strongest part of the building, i.e. cellar, internal hallway or bathroom. Keep evacuation and emergency kits with you.
• If the building starts to break up, protect yourself with mattresses, rugs or blankets under a strong table or bench or hold onto a solid fixture, e.g. a water pipe.
• Beware the calm 'eye'. If the wind drops, don't assume the cyclone is over; violent winds will soon resume from another direction. Wait for the official 'all clear'.
• If driving, stop (handbrake on and in gear) - but well away from the sea and clear of trees, power lines and streams. Stay in the vehicle.

After the cyclone

• Don't go outside until officially advised it is safe.
• Check for gas leaks. Don't use electric appliances if wet.
• Listen to local radio for official warnings and advice.
• If you have to evacuate, or did so earlier, don't return until advised. Use a recommended route and don't rush.
• Beware of damaged power lines, bridges, buildings, trees, and don't enter floodwaters.
• Heed all warnings and don't go sightseeing. Check/help neighbours instead.
• Don't make unnecessary telephone calls.

Cyclone Severity Categories

A bad wet season

Spent most of the day on the internet searching for jobs, what a depressing task!!  While searching on Gumtree I thought I’d have a look through the classifieds for a second hand bike, and came across some interesting ads:

 

That’s $15 for each piece of used Tupperware by the way, not $15 for the lot!!!!

I’ve deduced some information about the occupant of the flat directly above ours, for example, his name is Rusty, he has flat feet and is incredibly clumsy.

I’ve never met the guy, but I have arrived at my deductions as follows:

Rusty, because of his bedsprings – they have been squeaking incredibly loudly throughout the night, THREE TIMES in fact!!!
 
Rusty must have flat feet because I can hear him stomping up and down the flat a lot.  Or maybe he is just overweight, which might explain the bedsprings too.

And clumsy because he keeps dropping heavy objects on the floor which makes me jump out of my skin each time!

Later today I went to the internet café to print copies of my CV and on my way out I saw a short, overweight, red faced man accompanied by a tall exotic looking woman - hmmmm, could he be Rusty????  It's terrible, I keep seeing possible Rusty lookalikes every time I go out, although I'd really rather not know what he looks like to be honest!!

Oh, and a bad wet season?  You're probably thinking too much rain.  Wrong!  According to the Darwinians I have spoken to, we have had a bad wet season this year because it HASN'T rained, therefore hasn't cooled down and has remained unbearably (for me anyway) hot and humid.

 

Day One In Saunatown!

I woke up at 11am, drank a litre of water and went back to sleep.
I woke again at 4pm, drank a litre of water then realised I didn’t know what time the shops shut, so decided I’d better go and get some provisions.  Still half asleep, I opened the motel door, stepped out onto the balcony and gagged at the heat.

 

Reminder to self:  turn the aircon down/off half an hour prior to going out to acclimatize!

I walked very slowly down the stairs (I’d stuck my head in the lift and decided it was an inferno) and out into the street.  There were tall palm trees and lush tropical vegetation all around.  Buildings were modern and cars had big square red and white numberplates.

 

The smells are so different to Spain.  My first impressions were of hot vegetation, musty dampness and the odd waft of B.O. 

And then it suddenly hit me that there was something missing.  There was not a dog in sight!  Usually in Motril there is at least one poor, scruffy looking specimen wandering about on its own without an owner and a walk down any street is like dodging landmines (although the result is only a nasty squelch so it doesn’t really compare)!

I walked at a snail’s pace down the road to Woolies (Woolworths in Oz is a supermarket), any false move meant extra sweating.  I walked through the automatic double doors and into a welcoming calm of coolness.  Despite my tiredness, I looked around at the strange products, half of them just like back in the UK (hot cross buns, ready roast chickens, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk and sliced ham), the other half weird and wonderful (Kanga Bangas, Longans and other weird knobbly things that I need to find out the names of)!

 

I bought water, salad, fruit, an enormous kitchen knife (it was the cheapest knife I could find!), a couple of plastic containers to eat out of and a pack of 4 forks, then gulped at the bill!  Prices sure are expensive here!!

Then back to the motel room for something to eat and back to sleep!

The whinging pom arrives in Darwin!



Aerial view of Darwin, NT
 

HOW HOT??!!!
 
Stepping off the plane, a wave of intensely humid heat slapped me.  It felt like being in a sauna with your clothes on.

Here we go!!

I queued up through passport control alongside some weathered-looking Aussies, some scruffy, dreadlocked backpacker types (one had a pointy, waxed moustache) and other tired and jaded-looking travellers.  Then through we went into immigration.  

By the way, while I'm on the subject of stereotyping people, I decided to look up the origin of the name 'Pom'.  Well, that opened a can of worms!  There are endless theories, as you can see at the following site:

The Guardian, Notes & Queries, Pommie Definition

And I even found a Pommie joke on there too!  I quote:

'What is the difference between a shopping trolley and a pommie? They can both hold the same amount of food and booze, but only the shopping trolley has a mind of its own.'

However, after much browsing, and supported by the Oxford English Dictionary, it appears that the most popular origin derives from the word pomegranate, which is a bit strange considering the fruit is not of Australian origin and was apparently not especially well known here until a few years ago.  One theory relates it to rhyming slang for 'immigrant' and the other to the colour of our skin when we've been stupid enough to stay out in the sun too long!  Which kind of makes sense, as us Brits are often given names to this effect!  The Spanish call us prawns (not quite as flattering as pomegranate) and the South Africans allegedly call us 'rooinek', meaning red necks! 

I also came across a picture of a Pommie convict uniform too, which was quite interesting:


Western Australian Museum convict uniform


Meanwhile, back at the airport and falling asleep on my feet after two days of travelling, I vaguely listened to a long conversation about an item of luggage completely infested with ants.  The officer asked his boss what he should do if he couldn't get rid of them all (a bit of a tall order to hunt out every single crawling ant from among the baggage, I thought!) and he was told to isolate the item of baggage and just make sure he got them all!

Then it was my turn: 

 'Any food, plants, snacks in your cases?

'No, nothing' I replied with a smile as big as I could muster at 5 o´clock in the morning and after four flights.

'Not even any packs of biscuits off the plane?'

'Nope.'

'Surely you must be really hungry then, if you've got nothing to eat at all?'

'I'm fine, the company paid for a meal for me on the plane'.

He waved me through.  One step nearer to a shower and a bed!

I made my way outside where a wave of even hotter air slapped me even harder and this time it felt like there were 10 hairdryers all pointed at me and blasting me at once.  I queued up at a taxi rank behind a tall man with a long straggly ponytail and to my amazement he was wearing long black jeans, a white shirt AND A BLACK VELOUR JACKET!  I stared at him from behind, looking for the sweat patches and wondering how he didn't have the urge to suddenly strip all off in the intense heat.  Maybe the fact that he was propping up a double bass in a huge black case had something to do with it (I'm guessing it was a double bass as it reminded me of a coffin).  And maybe endless nights playing in hot, sweaty jazz clubs had made him immune to the heat.

The taxi took ages to come and when it finally did, the driver, who was well past retirement age and who spoke in monosyllabic grunts, took forever to get to the motel.

I got out, dragged my cases into reception (the foyer is left open at night) and went to open the safe with the code I'd been given.

It didn't work.

I tried again.

It didn't work.

I started getting nervous now, the heat was intense and the sweat dripping.  I tried once more.

It didn't work, just bleeped at me each time with an orange flashing light.

I tried a few more times then started swearing.  I noticed on my way in that there was a sign saying 'Smile, you are on camera'.  I only hope they didn't have sound as well.

After what seemed like an age of further failed attempts and failed phonecalls from my mobile (I had run out of credit as 'El Culo Inquieto', alias my husband, to be referred to henceforth as 'CI', had been ringing me during my journey and of course I paid the international part of each call) I ventured outside into the tropical dark with my cases and looked for a phonebox.

Success!  I found one.  Success!  I had Aussie change.  Success!  The manager answered and said he would meet me at reception.  What a helpful man!

Finally I dumped my luggage on my hotel room floor, had a lovely COLD shower, found the air-conditioning switch and crashed into bed.



Darwin Waterfront Sunset