Coffee plungers and Darwin

As I always travel with ground Timorese coffee and a coffee plunger, it is bound to happen and that extra squish of the bag breaks another plunger glass insert. Fortunately, I was on my way to Darwin where I could whip down to Casuarina Mall (by free bus of course) and solve the problem.

For some reason, going to Casuarina Mall always makes me feel healthier. Watching the engorgement of food in the food mall reminds me of this. But the Mall always gives one a chance to update the aging Dili wardrobe of shorts, t-shirt and sandals.

In the end, it took a veritable coon’s age * to acquire the necessary plunger replacement glass insert. It could not be found at the Mall at all. Later, I visited 3 homeware stores in central Darwin and finally came up a winner at Alfreds in Knuckey Street – you know the place a short walk from your hotel (and not 20kms away at Casuarina) ! Best places for new ones are Alfreds and Cameo in Cavenagh Street.  Alfreds were out of stock of the flash all stainless steel plungers.

I have probably been asked a dozen times about where one can buy a plunger in Dili. I saw one at Leader supermarket 2 years ago but have not seen one since. Fortunately, caffeine has no effect on me whatsoever … no effect on me whatsoever … no effect on me whatsoever … no effect on me whatsoever …

* A “coon’s age” is a very long time and a term I learnt from wharfies at the Watersider Hotel in Melbourne. Obviously it refers to aged/matured cheddar cheese known as Coon Cheese in Australia – an essential part of my diet along with Vegemite when I was younger (and still wearing shorts).  Both of these products were manufactured by Kraft at that time.  Can’t understand why Kraft offloaded it !  Besides, the Dairy Farmers version is an inferior product and no longer on my shopping list.

2 thoughts on “Coffee plungers and Darwin

  1. Dear Mr. Squatter,
    While growing up on the other side of the big sea, I too heard the term “coon’s age” but never have I heard of Coon’s Cheese. For us Yank’s the expression comes from raccoon’s age–meaning a long time. don’t hear it used much because it might be politically incorrect where “coon” has a very negative meaning for African-Americans.

    As a man of the world I thought that you would like to expand your worldly knowledge.

    Just spent 4 days in Auckland. Had a fairly good time–weather could have been slightly better–a bit of rain but only one day was really bad. Yesterday was nice–partly sunny and 16 °C. So followed Ruth’s advice and went to Waiheke for a wine tour. Mrs. Rat made an observation that most of the people on the tour were more interested in eating the bread that tasting the samples. She too was not drinking that much which required my stepping up to carry the load and finish her share in addition to mine. Now facing 24 hours travel to get back to chicago for a few days before returning back to Saudi for my remaining 6 months.

    Rat

  2. Rat,

    Good to see you out and about. My views of Kakadu National Park in NT may well be similarly distorted. I am usually not a bus tour sort of guy but when you have 24 hours to kill and the opportunity, you do it right ?

    And then you spend a day on a “pensioner’s” tour bus touring an outdoors area where all movement was tailored for people who could barely move.

    I looked into the future and didn’t like what I saw. May the day I prefer bread over wine be far away.

    Squatter

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