Old Friends and New

July 2013

Now fully settled in Cairns, working for accommodation and cracking on with the job hunt, the weather had improved after a dodgy start to the dry season and I really began to enjoy life back in the Far North. Cairns is surrounded by green mountains which look beautiful in the sun.

I can live with this!

I signed up to a staffing agency similar to the one I worked for in Adelaide. They sent me to work a shift in the Civiv Theatre in the city. There was some ballet on which I was allowed to sneak in to so I could have a bit of a watch and its safe to say that its not my thing at all. I watched for about 5 minutes with them jumping about and stuff and yeah its impressive from a physical side of things but from an artistic side, I just don't get it! The job was good though. I was on the bar just outside the theatre in and it was piece of piss really. I only did one shift and it just so happened to be the only work I did for the agency.

Palm Cove

To the north of the city is where all the beaches are. The furthest away is Palm Cove which I visited when I landed myself a trial shift at a restaurant there. It is a really scenic place squashed between the mountains and the sea and as Megan would say when she got a job at a restaurant up there "its full of newly weds and nearly deads". She was a girl who worked in the hostel on reception before becoming a Palm Cove snob and she asked me for a special mention in this blog so there you go!

I got the trial shift after greatly exaggerating my food service from the pub at home so I was a bit out of my depth when I started working at Vevo in Palm Cove. It's not exactly difficult work and I didn't have to take any food orders or anything so I was basically just a runner. On Day 3 of my trial and after I asked whether or not I would actually be paid for the work he said he'd call me the following week to tell me if I had the job or not and he paid me for the hours I had done. He didn't call me and it became apparent that he had absolutely no intention of hiring me. It was the last week of the school holidays so the restaurant was really busy and he just needed an extra hand for the week. Its possible that had I not asked if I was going to get paid he might have made me work the week and hope that I'd give up and not turn up one day so he wouldn't have to pay me at all, who knows. But, three days work, a bit of extra cash, I wasn't exactly complaining too much.

Sporting highlight of the year!

What a fantastic year for British Sport and especially good being in Australia with us seemingly beating them at everything! I watched the lions matches whilst asking constantly about the rules. I found the State of Origin so much easier to follow. I think I'm definitely more of a Rugby League fan than I am a Rugby Union fan. QUEENSLANDER!!!! The cricket was also entertaining or as mildly entertaining as cricket can be. Especially when we win!

But the sporting victory I was most happy about in July wasn't us beating Australia it was us beating a Serbian. Andy Murray in the final of Wimbledon! Last year I took the afternoon off work so I could watch it and this year was the same, nothing was going to stop me watching it. Luckily there was a TV in the hostel I could watch it on and I asked the person on the bar to turn the music off so I could listen to it as well. There was barely anyone in the bar and it was to shut within the hour anyway so it wasn't like I was taking over, though I would have tried if I had to. I know a lot of people in the UK really couldn't care if Andy Murray won or not but I've watched him since he became a serious contender and Tim Henman before that. I've always watched Wimbledon and would love to see a British winner so as Murray drew up championship point I was beside myself. A small crowd had gathered in front of the TV to watch. I say crowd, there was about 8 people and none of them cared but I was literally on the edge of my seat, legs jiggling up and down and chewing on my jumper! 2 championship points, 3 championship points, 4 championship points and finally he wins and I jump up out my seat trying my hardest not to scream as its now 2am and everyone is asleep whilst the people gathered around the table give me strange looks. I am so happy he won. Anyone that follows tennis will understand the significance. The first British winner in 76 years. Well done Andy!!!

Neon Rave!

I got a bit carried away there didn't I!

The first of many nights out in July was the neon rave at Woolshed. We had drinks at the hostel before neon-ing ourselves up with wet chalk, glow sticks and anything else bright we could get our hands on before heading out. It was a really good night. Fabian wins the prize for the most drunk falling about the place about 5 minutes after we arrived!

Neon chooses you!

The day before my birthday I became an uncle! I swear little Harry Joseph Fletcher was planning to steal my birthday from me the same way Lindsay stole Anneli's but he failed, HA! Can't really moan too much though, you can't get a mad a baby. He becomes my second nephew after Shelly had her baby a few months ago but the first one by blood! Sarah made me a little badge saying 'Uncle Alan' which I stuck to my bed which was still there when I left.

Sign from reception

I didn't really know what to expect from my birthday. It was the same at Christmas. Being away from home it has the potential to be crap. Thankfully, like Christmas, it wasn't.

Someone from reception had already left me a little present on the activities board (or rather they just used my birthday as an excuse by plug the Monday Mission pub crawl but the thoughts there all the same). That was another present, Monday Mission, the events guy let me go on it for free. I got a card signed by most of the staff, a free beer from the bar and a free burger from the chef so I did well considering!

Nice homemade handy work

I wasn't really that keen on going out that night. Not because it was my birthday, just because I couldn't really be bothered. It was good night really. The pub crawl was good. Starting at Calypso we had a free BBQ and then the Serpent where there was a game of musical chairs. If you didn't get a seat then you had to take off a piece of clothing in order to stay in the game, A good idea in theory until a fat hairy man started taking clothes off!

Musical chairs

Then it was on to Gilligans for a lacklustre talent competition and then PJs where some latecomers arrived including Megan who wins the nights most drunk award by a country mile. Fell over about 4 times, knocked a guys drink out of his hand without noticing and then got thrown out. Well done Meg! I was going to take a picture of her whilst she was on the floor but I thought I best not be cruel and help her up instead. Hiro said she was "like a crocodile", "dangerous".

Me with the hostel ladies

There were many birthdays that week. Sarah on reception had hers and then it was Danielle's turn. Stretch made her a cake which I found inedible and they went out for a meal.

Stretch with the cake

Happy

When they were off having their meal I went into town to meet some random called Chelsea and her boyfriend Sam. I don't know who they are or why they keep following me around the country. She says she knows me from the Oak at home, her dad owns the pub or something.

LEEDS (and Japan)

Seriously though, it was great to see them again and get the latest on their travels and farming. Strangely enough in the town they worked which is in the arse end of absolutely nowhere they bumped Laura and Amanda who I worked with at the Den. They didn't it at the time but when two scousers rock up in a small town word spreads and Chelsea and Sam remembered them.

SHOTS

We talked about the Kiwi Experience which they had done what I'm about to embark on. They gave me some advice which I'm hoping will come in handy. Then we went to Woolshed, as standard, and had many shots, again, standard. The prize for most drunk this night unfortunately goes to me. Chunder, oops

Party people

Chelsea wasn't the only familiar face I would see in Cairns. I saw Hanna, the girl I shared a room with in Adelaide. Hollie was on her way too but the first scottish I saw was Angela.

Another reunion

Another nice catch up. I'd clearly been out of the loop when it came to gossip from the Ultimate Oz lot so Angela filled me in. She was staying at Gilligans so we headed downstairs where they were having a gladiator competition.

FIGHT!

July, as you can see, was mostly filled by drinking. From reunions to birthdays there were a lot of reasons to get drunk but the money was getting low so I really needed to be getting a job in August.