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12/10/07 - We left the Globe Trotters and headed to the work study centre to do a little orientation for our dolphin volunteer program which was nice and easy. We then followed some funny looking women dressed in the weirdest array of clothes, all white with socks pulled over her trousers up to her knees and a hat that wouldn't look out of place at Ascot to our bus. From there we were on our own heading to Bunbury. Arrived at our hostel the Wander Inn and were greated but a couple of New Zealanders Linda and Barry (legends). We had a BBQ that evening with all the backpackers and the bosses Linda and Baz. Great laugh. After that had a few beers around the fire. We got here about the local scene of Bunbury which going by everyones accounts is the next best thing to the Bronx with the local RFC (Randomn Fight Club) beating up anyone who looks at them funny. I never saw any of this but hey.
13/10/07 - Didn't do much other than go to the beach with some fellow travellers and had a bit of a kick about with some English lads. No beer tonight as its our first day of volunteering tomorrow.
14/10/07 Sunday - Woke up nice and early, showered and started having breakfast, then Jon trots off back to the room to check something. What a bunch of clowns we got up at 7.30am for nothing we don't start til the 15th. I was absolutely gutted!! Still walked round the town for a bit .... that was nice but I could have been asleep!!! Went to the beach in the afternoon and watched a DVD with the rest of the rabble.
15/10/07 - Up at 7.30am again today as it actually was our first day today at the Dolphin Discovery Centre for an 8.30 start. Phil was the main man there sorting everything our and he introduced us to everyone and gave us our T-shirts and badges (Ian Hubert - Assistant Volunteer). We didn't even qualify as full volunteers as we were only there for 2 weeks. Then we met Bill - the sole and heart of the volunteers at the DDC, he's been there since the beginning. We learned the we had three main jobs here, (1) to sit in the can and watch for dolphins, (2) stand on the board walk and chat to the public whilst watching for dolphins and (3) stand in the Discovery room and chat to the public and take to the beach if there were any dolphins. Well that almost covered we spent most of our first day shovelling sand off the board walk so they could open it. We were to be the volunteers slaves!! No dolphins today. The afternoon was spent doing nothing really as was to be the case for most of the days.
16/10/07 - 7.30 start today so up even earlier. We were put on rotation today so we could our 3 jobs again woohoo. Everyday starts with a quick clean up which is a quick sweep here and there nothing strenuos as this is volunteer work and the volunteers aren't the youngest bunch. 10 mins work and tea break! Fed the turtles today (Stumpy, Barnicle Bill and Plinky Plonk) most have fins missing so they swim in cirlces. I thought one was dead so got Phil, he didn't look to happy so he picked it up and it sprung to life, the little fella was just sleeping. woops. Anyways we had a visit from Shanty and her calf Calypso today which was cool as they swim right up to you, only a 10 minute visit but good. Phil then sent us on the tour boat and we saw about 15 more dolphins playing in the surf. Good stuff! Tuesday is the standard foreign food night and tonight would be no exception Italian it was at Drooley's Pizza Place, I had a Porker, lovely!!
17/10/07 - Another day at the DDC and another Dolphin visit. Shanty and her calf came in again and two others were a bit further out another awesome experience for me not Jon who was in the shed gutting and preparing fish for the turtles ha ha sorry Jon!!. Nobody told him the dolphins were in. Nothing to report for the afternoon.
18/10/07 - No dolphins today, left early before Phil could give us any more rubbish jobs.
19/10/07 - No dolphins again. But don't worry Bill kept us busy with some weeding and we found a Blue Tongued Bobtail or something like, its a lizard. Decided to have a few beers today as it was friday. A quality evening and a free meal at Barbados for me as there was a dragonfly in my meal which I didn't see til the last bit of salad on my meal, ah well. Went to 3 monkeys and Fitzgerlads and a great night, everyone from the hostel came out in the evening as well.
20/10/07 - Feeling a little worse for ware today and slept most of it.
21/10/07 - Not a lot to report today, went for a skim board although it was freezing but found a robin hood hat so looked really cool whilst doing it, but that was about it.
22/10/07 - Had to report to the DDC on my own today as Jonny was feeling under weather so he claims (bit of man flu). Anyway there was no dolphins again but at least I got to eat Jonny's free meal as well as mine, get in!! Later in the evening whilst cooking Jonny stuck a metal container in the micro wave which annoyed Barry as he burnt is finger taking it out. woops sorry Barry!!
23/10/07 - Again I took the 20 minute walk by myself to the DDC, I think Jon's just getting lazy ha ha. He claims he didn't want to infect the dolphins but as we never see any anyway there was little chance of that. Still Tuesday night is foreign food night and tonight was pizza from Dominos the Triple Ripple oooh yes!!
24/10/07 - Last day at the DDC and suddenly Jon's feeling a lot better, magic! Must be the thought of the free gift that he doesn't want to miss out on. No dolphins again ah well the two visits i had were cool. Went for a swim anyway to move the marker buoys out further which was nice til i cut my finger and then had thoughts of sharks following the scent of blood to eat us so we got out of there pretty quick. Especially as one of the dolphins seen by the scientists had had its fin bitten off by a shark in the same bay!! Free cake for some fellas birthday as well!! Phil met us in the evening to give us the free gifts and certificate. A key ring hmmm after we paid all that money i thought maybe a beer holder. Ah well sad to leave tomorrow its been great fun here but we have a nice long journey ahead of us in our wicked camper van. Roll on the Road trip!!
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