Going Home

 It's time to go home. Well, nearly. 

12 days away. 

Ten nights in Darwin. 

One night in Batchelor (also referred to as Wolf Creek)

One night in Katherine. 

Lots of swimming. The waterholes at Mataranka and Bitter Springs were incredible. The pool at our hotel is BLOODY COLD, but very refreshing after work. The pool in in a gully, surrounded on three sides by large buildings. Still, it is July and I get to go into a pool for a swim. 

There's been more alcohol than I normally drink. When I dropped my Darwin bag back to the office, where it resides in one of the manager's offices, he asked if the gin was in there again. All the gin got drunk over the two weeks. I've had drinking mates this trip. It's been nice. 

I've also worked out that COVID is a pain in the arse. I came up here pretty much recovered from COVID. I felt fine. The nose had stopped running. I felt fine. The RAT test was clear. 

But COVID has a long tale end. Walking anything about over a slow stroll was catching on the top of my chest. I ended up buying a Ventolin inhaler to help with the breathing as I was getting a bit wheezy at times. The fact that you're in and out of air conditioning all day, every day doesn't help either. 

That, and the tiredness. 

Last night I was out with friends, but I was flagging early. I came home. I put a movie on the telly and curled up on the couch. Next thing I knew, it was 2 a.m. - Hence no blog last night.

Tonight, I was spoiled. A colleague offered me their leftovers. They used to be a chef. Prawn Caesar salad. It was INCREDIBLE. I owe them one bigtime. 

But now I'm going home - for two weeks - before I have to come back here for user acceptance testing, and my birthday. 

I'm nearly packed. It's just a matter of unplugging the Fire Stick, having a shower, taking my recycling down to the fourth floor and putting on warmer clothes, shoes with socks, gathering up the last of the detritus, charge up my watch and phone and meet a couple of colleagues and heading over to the airport at 11.30. 

Oh, what fun.  

At least I get my bed and my cat back soon. 

Best be off. 

Today's song: