Well it has been quite an eventful week here, which I personally have welcomed because the week before went very slowly. In traditional fashion we have been relatively quiet for most of the month ( with exception for the regular bus loads of Italian and German tourists who seem to be invading Australia at the moment.) Anyway then there is this one week where we have had everyone here with a full campsite most evening and the added pressure of the Variety Bash and 2 contiki tours.

So What is the Variety Bash?

Well I didn't realise until they arrived on day one that it is the same charity as the Variety Club in the UK ( the ones that make all the sunshine coaches). Anyway basically all year they raise money for underprivileged/ disadvantaged children. The bash is then essentially a fund raising/ celebration/ publicity event held each year. The idea is that groups of fundraisers get together from each State in Australia and drive in towards Alice Springs on the way stopping and giving out free things to certain children's groups etc. All the cars have to bepreand most are done up in really cool ways as you will see when I can eventually upload the photos. Its quite expensive to enter a car so most have sponsorship and then once the cost of entering the car/ the cost per person for food/ drink and accom is covered the rest goes to the charity.It's a big celebration involving lots of posh food and drink for all the people who work so hard for the charity.They are all really up for a laugh and the atmosphere is really good. All the staff at Kings Creek were expecting a big week, and have been told that if we are tired there are big buckets of concrete for us to moan at.

So it began a few days ago with heaps of prep in the kitchen… I peeled a whole bag of onions and that was my contribution. Anyway things got off to a shacky start as the cook managed to chop a big lump out of his finger and now can't use his hand for a week- bloody marvellous.So we got yardie Moz in the kitchen chopping up the meat in his place. That night was contiki tours ( a tour company famous for its 18- 30 style), who we have to provide dinner for in the style of not so yumm contiki pasta. Anyway it seemed to go well despite the chefs missing finger.

Day 2- Variety bash. Approx 100 people. Today was also my day off which was great because it gave me an opportunity toexperience the bash atmosphere. The cars all arrived horns tooting at lunch time. We had cowboys, bees, gypsies pink ladies etc etc all with various gadgets etc. It created a really great atmosphere. The bashers all went directly into the bow shed where they were served salmon and lots of alcohol ( we had left over contiki pasta yummmm). Following this the basher really came into their own as the local aboriginal children arrived. All the bashers jumped into their vehicles and turned on the various gadgets etc, they then walked around giving out heaps of free toys/ lollies to all the children. It was lovely to see the children and staff enjoying themselves, it reminded me of school fetes. In the evening all the staff had to come back to work to wash up the hundred plates that were used to serve up the meal- sucks slightly but actually there was a really nice team atmosphere and it was nice to see. That night Ian Conway also gave a little speech informing the bashers about his charity Conways Kids- it was so emotional I honestly cant stress what good people Ian and Lyn are they are changing a whole community out here ( I will write a separate blog all about this). The speechgave had me and all the staff really in tears, and when the VB presented him with 6new laptops for the children that was it I couldn't stop the tears- it was a really nice night. Even better once the dishwasher was off.

Day 2- SA variety bash 400 people. I was up at 7 and didn't really stop work for more than an hour until II.30. Spent most of the day preparing baked potatos and then chopping up beetroot which was a bit of a mission and I can honestly say if I never see another baked bean or beetroot again that is fine. These bashers were more party party people and the atmosphere, which explains why in my photos all the staff had to dress as Where's Wally ( I think that meant the where's wally team one a prize). In the evening so whilst taking turns to do the 400 dishes we were able to socialise with the likes of Woody, Buzz lightyear and even someone dressed as Daffyd - the only gay in the village. It was so cool to see KC so packed out, but by eleven we were all shattered.

Day 3- WE ARE ALL b*****ED. I was woken up this morning at 6.30am by the not so therapeutic sound of a bugal horn, bombs and an Imam ( from a Turkish mosque) because it seemed some of the bashers ( the arab car and the soldier team) were going to have a holy war. Well when I got to the kitchen there was already a line for breakfast of about 70 people including ballerinas, ninja turtles and shrek. God knows what the posh APT tour bus people thought when they turned up for breakfast. From this point on the line just grew and didn't stop for 3 hours. I spent my morning scrubbing egg of plates and stirring yet more baked beans woohoo - its all glamour. When we sat down for breaky it hit us and all at once the kitchen staff just seemed to become . I actually like the feeling because after all the stress ( not mine personally but managements) and all he prep we had achieved something and I was glad to be part of it.