16/09/12

I'll start this off by saying that Sydney is booked for Christmas and New Year! Not cheap either! At a whopping $199 p/n on the 30th & 31st December, probably the 2 nights I won't be there! But hey, it'll be worth it. The hostel I've booked was recommended to me, I don't know when, ages ago. I had a look on all the reputable websites with ratings and it's 90+% every time. The only downside anybody complained about was people coming in at all hours. Oh no. That's booked and I'll need to work some extra shifts before I get down there as it's costing over a grand for 2 weeks. Oh, but it has free internet! As I'm sure my family will be reading this, I will be able to skype on Christmas day at about 3pm your time, so right at the end of my Christmas day but in your mid-aft lull that happens every year. So, as I sit here, enjoying one of the best Affogato I've tasted, at Java Blue café in Port Douglas, I can do but one thing; Pray that these next 3 months aren't too strenuous, and if they are, pray it'll be worth it.

WOOOO! Plans are unfolding for the journey back to Sydney too. Max has booked in for the same hostel as me and I'll be driving down in a van or car and picking him up en-route. Someone to share the driving and cost with, but more importantly, the journey itself. I spent a lot of the evening chatting to people on facebook and sending a few emails out to farms in Tasmania for after Christmas. One discovery I unfortunately made tonight were TimTams: Australia's answer to the Penguin. Unlike Penguins, in a packet of TimTams, they're not individually wrapped and I like chocolate. I think they're slightly smaller too. Or that's my excuse anyway.

17/09/12

Whether I'm getting used to it, or it just wasn't as humid last night, the bed seemed to be drier. Oh, and I didn't mention the food last night because it was the first food I didn't enjoy :( Sweet and Sour Seafood. When I was plating it up, it looked like chicken because it was battered. Some bits were okay, others were a strong tasting fish which wasn't very nice.

A lovely casual evening shift tonight, everything was spread out enough to be organised. Carbonara again for tea tonight, I've been told I will grow tired of the food, grow tired of 'fries' every night. I'm very doubtful.

18/09/12

Wake up call at 8am. "Frankie's ill, fancy earning some extra cash?" "Yes!" I'm working 10am-11pm today. Cheeky 13hours. It was only last night that I said to Rose "I need to make sure I tell Nigel and Loren that I'm keen to work any extra hours if there are any available". Too easy. The heat though, it's meant to top 30.C and humidity of 72%. I'll be dripping with sweat after this shift.

...

Oh my god. I have chaffing in places I didn't even know could be chaffed. The morning shift was hell. The late shift, which should've been my only shift, was a doddle. Ah well, with the tips; $307 in one day isn't bad. Not sure if I'm hoping Frankie needs another day off or not... (Pie & chips for lunch was awesome, Salad for dinner wasn't so great). Oh yeh, speaking of dinner, I got a kind of initiation today. There were these lovely chocolate cakes on the side in the kitchen, always loving a bit of chocolate, I picked one up. After dinner I obviously took a bite into said cake... Coffee grind. Rarely am I at this end of a practical joke, but I can't say it tasted very nice. On the contrary; Rose brought in apples for me because I said I forgot to buy some on Sunday. That was nice, especially after the morning shift of hell.

19/09/12

Well not quite as early today but a wake up .call from Lena about getting alcohol for her leaving party, I thought to myself "Ah, not a request to start early". Followed by ,her saying Claire asked if I could start at 12. It's only 3 extra hours, so not too bad and for the extra dosh, it'll be worth it.

Back from a non-stop 11hour shift and compared to yesterday, I didn't have a full lunch or dinner break as it was constantly go-go-go. Not a single tip today either! I don't consider the $1 coin I found on the floor a tip. Still, I got paid, and that made me feel better. Every week I work, I could comfortably stay for 3 more after leaving here. Because of the uncertainty of tomorrow's hours, I'm making the sensible decision to skip Sunny's leaving do down at the staff house and get some sleep now. I managed to have a quick skype session with Jazz though. That was nice.

20/09/12

Another phone call. 11am-11pm today. You have no idea how much I hated hearing that phone ring this morning. After hanging up, my inner dialog repeating "Just think of the money, just think of the money..."

I saw my first wild snake today! Unfortunately, it was the first wild snake I've run over too... I've been told I'm not working until 2pm tomorrow, only an hour earlier than I was meant to, but I think they could tell I was running low on batteries today. If you're thinking I'm going to have a decent sleep tonight, you're half right. Loren's letting me borrow her car to go into Port Douglas to get some blister aid. I'll use this as an opportunity to do a couple of other things in town to save me going in on my days off this week too. Perfecto.

21/09/12

So I've just got in from the seemingly pointless 9hour shift, seriously, not a lot happened. So compared to the other days, I feel amazingly awake. A couple of things I forgot to write about over the last few days too... When walking to/from work, especially at night, the dry leaves and the undergrowth rustle as you walk past. For the first week, I kept looking, but never saw what was making the noise. I've now caught the culprit(s) usually either cane toads or little lizards. Speaking of which! This morning, when closing the door to my room, I felt something drop on my head. Keeping calm and running through the possibilities of what could be now residing in my hair, I avoided reaching up and just jolted my head forward, throwing a gecko against the glass. As I was saying; this evening nothing happened, which gave me time to realise it's Friday! I have 1 more day on and then 2 off! Sunday will be spent sleeping until I wake up, walking down to the beach, having a cheeky bev, chilling out in the shade, maybe going for a swim and then watching a film in my room. Monday will be spent doing the same but with Lena's leaving do in the evening/night. Speaking of beer, I've rewarded myself after the exhausting week with a cold Tooheys I put in the fridge earlier. Aaaaaand I've just found stand-up on the tv. Friday night: Complete.

22/09/12

Today marks the longest time I have spent in one place since leaving Buckle Place. That seems pretty dramatic, but I figured it's a journal/blog thing to write. My 12th day here and it's going pretty quickly. That's 12 days compared to the 11 I spent in Sydney (Bondi not included). This gives me hope that the remaining 11.5 weeks will fly by and it'll be back to backpacking for me! I also have a feeling that today's miniscule 8hour shift will go quickly, considering it'll be the shortest shift I've done in 5 days.

Well it did go quick! And I'm starting my days off by eating a second dinner. Bangers and mash. I think I've come to the conclusion that I hate seeing good food go to waste. So when there are about 5 plates still made up and not taken at 17:30, they throw them out. Hopefully these extra portions will be balanced out by the massive hill up from the car park.

23/09/12

I said to myself I wasn't going to go anywhere near a computer today, alas, here I am. 10 minutes before dinner I thought it'd be nice to add this in. I had a nice lie in this morning and went up for lunch at 12, after lunch my plan was to go to the beach and enjoy a lovely walk, swim and just chill and listen to music. However, I got down there and saw a group of 4 who are checked into rooms 34&35. I know this because they've been asking for buggy lifts since they got here. However, because of this, they noticed it was my day off and invited me over for a beer. 4 beers later, I thank them and start my afternoon half cut and call the parents in Italy. I'm sure they appreciated being woken up by a chatty son. The rest of the aft was as planned; Beach, Swim, Chill, iPod. It was lovely. As 5pm approaches, I intend on grabbing dinner and borrowing a film from reception. Might even put a Tooheys in the fridge to enjoy later.

I love it when my plans to have an evening by myself get ruined. Like, I actually do. It means I've found something better or more social to do. Went for a walk to Pebbly beach with Lloren and Charlotte, then back to Oak Beach. Now on with my plan; chilling out and watching tv!

24/09/12

Well I've just packed my bags and left.

...room #84. I'm now residing in #19 until I leave. This was my cue to unpack, and unpack I have! My bag is now completely empty for the first time since leaving Buckle Place. It feels good to have a room which is I can actually call 'mine'.

25/09/12

Yesterday turned out to be pretty awesome. After I unpacked, *me and Lloren went into Port Douglas for food shopping and a bite to eat. Got some amazing ice cream at a shop down the road and came back on the same bus as room 34&35. When we got back from Port, it was down to the staff house for Lena's leaving party. A few things made it a good party: Beer, Cake, Music, Fire, Swimming Pool & Beer. You couldn't have a party like this in the UK knowing the weather will be good all night. Rolled in at 5:30 and crashed. This morning I found a bottle of water next to my bed. I certainly think of myself the next day! When I went up for lunch I found out the staff meal last night was terrible, so I'm glad we went into town. Now, 2 hours before work I'm starting to feel better. This is a good hangover, but a hangover nonetheless and I could do without work. A cup of tea on the way and more water to drink, here's to hoping there aren't many arrivals today!

Today will be forever known as the day the guests kept giving. Amongst other things, I was given: Half a bottle of (expensive) honey whisky, a bottle of coke, a toaster and a fishing net! Not forgetting, of course, the $35 worth of tips! So yeh, work today was good.

26/09/12

Last night, I had about 2 hours sleep. Lloren broke her laptop, so naturally I offered to help. Ended up more or less just glancing through her insurance paperwork and then spending the next 6hours up chatting before crashing. So when 9:30 arrived and I got a call asking me to be in at 12 because Frankie's sick again, I obviously welcomed the chance to earn more money. Not. I wanted to stay in bed. Let's just say, after an 11hour shift which pretty much felt like the exhaustion from an extended hangover, I'm sat here with a beer, knowing I will be able to sleep in tomorrow. Oh and I had the chance to go home an hour and a half early, but figured I'd be better off with the money rather than the sleep. Backpacker logic.

27/09/12

20 Arrivals today. About the same number of departures too, so when I went up for lunch and saw the amount of cars in the driveway. I saw my fate. I want to upload this blog tonight during the coffee break, alas; I don't think I'll get an opportunity. 11 days of writing and it doesn't seem like a lot has happened, but things have certainly changed. I feel relaxed in knowing that money is filling my bank (yesterday was pay day). I feel settled; unpacked and making friends. Finally, I feel as though my short term future is secure; Sydney is booked and once the time comes, I'll have enough money to enjoy myself. My friends, family and people who just happen to be reading this: Things.Are.Good.