Here comes the Milkman!

For the past two days in Goondwindi Beth and I have taken an early morning walk because our hosts live less than a block away from each other. Our third morning here called for a change of plans. Bruce Perri, a Rotary member and owner of Milko, the local milk distributor invited us to go on his milk run this morning. Our walks usually started at 6:15. Bruce let us sleep in until 5am when he picked us up to go make deliveries.

He picked us up, and headed to the shop to load up the trucks. Beth and I both loaded up milk crates with all sorts of milk product (no ice cream though). We used these hooks to drag the stacked crates of milk around. Basically they were old bale hooks without the sharp ends. We loaded up and Beth rode with Troy and I with Bruce and we headed out for deliveries.

Flavored milk is a very popular item here in Australia. So much so that I'm finding it difficult to purchase a small bottle of plain white milk. It's there on the shelves, but you REALLY have to search for it. Yesterday I had to settle for chocolate. Milko distributors is like the Heinz 57 of milk flavors. For example: Coffee, Expresso, Strawberry, Vanilla Malt, Vanilla, Banana, Chocolate...I seem to be forgetting some but there were all kinds of sizes. For my work this morning I was paid in two bottles of Espresso...Yu-umm!

Troy and Bruce would go into the store, fill out a picking list, go out to the truck and pull the order. Beth and I used the hand carts to wheel the assorted milks into the store and stock the shelves. Labels facing out! We got some peculiar looks from shop owners wondering why anyone would volunteer to go and deliver milk?!?! After introductions they understood why but I have a feeling after our brief meeting that they think people in Missouri must be hard up for something to do! After all, we flew half way around the world to deliver milk!

One of our stops was a bakery downtown which was owned by Troy's in-laws. I had stopped in there the day before to grab a milk and a donut. The milk in a 500ml (approx 17oz) cost me $3.50. The donut was 50 cents. I informed Bruce that back home 3.50 would have easily bought me a gallon of milk! He joked about having a family to feed and a wife whose lifestyle had to be maintained. Almost everything here in Australia is expensive.

After multiple stops at grocery stores large and small, a school, and a kindy (kindergarten), it started to piss down rain. The word piss in Australia has A LOT more meanings than it does in the states...could be the subject of it's own future blog so stay tuned. We're supposed to tour cotton farms today but it's still pissing down (raining). We're scheduled to go shopping this afternoon so we're all going to pick up Akubra hats, and some Goondwindi cotton products.