On my way......

Its as if Portugal had to prove how unpredictable it is. Its crazy enough when its calm but last night the guys decided we had to have a dinner for my going away. No Im not leaving already, my contract hasnt ended, I havent quit, the company hasnt been taken over. Im going back to Australia for just over 2 weeks. Thats it. But I had to have a send-off dinner?! I suspect any excuse to have a boys dinner out is good (I can just imagine them getting home and explaining to their wives "Sorry darling but it was terrible, the boss made me stay out until 1am!") but it was also a very nice gesture and one of the reasons I love it here. You never quite know when your next dinner is coming from (last Monday I was settling in on the couch at 8pm when the phone rang "Will you have dinner with us?"), in fact you never quite know when your next course is coming from. Last night we had soup alentejano which is soup with coriander, garlic, egg and about a loaf of bread soaked in it, with two trays of chicken pieces if you feel like adding meat to your soup - this is after the customary starter of bread, cheese and olives. I wasn't quite sure whether there was another course coming or not - as it turned out only chips and salad followed. Other days I would've expected half a pig to be the next course. You never know so you eat tentatively waiting for a sign you should restrain or go the whole hog (pardon the pun!) - which isnt a bad thing as dinner stretches out over a couple of hours anyway (no such thing as fast food!).

Its funny how just before I leave I feel most at home in a place. In a way I dont want to go back home as theres so much happening here. In fact Im having problems working out where "home" is for me! especially when hearing others about "home" be it Australia, Zimbabwe, England, Ireland, Germany. I wonder what Im feeling for Portgual. Its funny - I can understand the connection for places you grew up in a place, or lived/worked there for a long time, or have family, but Ive only been here such a short time! Mind you I had similar feelings for Berlin but its hard to understand especially when Im also looking forward to the people I'll see in Perth, to sun and heat and beach and the Indian Ocean and the Swan, to volleyball and cricket not just football, to thai or indian food and no fries. I cant win can I?! Suddenly I relate to BJ in trying to explain a feeling in a way that I dont alarm or offend - how can I explain that while I cant wait to see everyone, I can't wait to be home but I'll be sad to be away from here? How can I feel both those things?! Maybe a pic is the best way to explain why Im a little confused - this was the scene out at the rig this morning. At times its hard to make people believe we actually do work. Its impossible for me to justify it based on this photo!!!!

I haven't told too many people Im coming back, not because Im trying to be secretive but because I have work stuff on the first week and until I know whats happening there I can't plan much. But I'd forgotten that Im not the only one who needs to plan around work - we all work in the mining industry and as such our lives are governed for us at times. In a lot of ways Im a little jealous of the geos here as they have a job geos in Australia would dream of - they can be in Lisbon every night (or wherever home is) and really havent had to sacrifice much of their personal life for their choice of career. I feel terrible at times trying to make them put the project first because while Ive done it and endured it do I really want to force that on others?

Anyway Im close to heading off. For those in Perth I'll be in touch - promise!! For others Im not sure what I'll blog from Aus - like Dublin I predict it will be a lot happening and a lot of fun but perhaps not much to tell. Its hardest to write when all you think you're doing is "the usual" and the places is familiar to you, yet its probably just as interesting for others. Im sure I had more to write about Dublin but when it came to it I couldnt think of what to say other than I had a good time!!! Retrospective blogging.... never quite what it should be..... sometimes it helps to be spur of the moment instead of considered. Partly I wanted to be sure Id finished one trip before I headed off on the next but it says something that I found Dublin so familiar that I couldnt pick out something "different" to share.