Crazy 'Straya Day

It’s public holiday monday and so far I have survived three days of work. Friday and Saturday I did six hours and Sunday I had five, but my dear they were busy! Yesterday was Australia Day and we had a bike tour coming through Strahan. Our chefs had been making thousands of rolls for a few days already! While View 42 is the nicer Restaurant it gets less customers than Hamer’s where Nadja works. Yesterday, however, we had so many people that one group had to sit outside and we actually had to turn people away.

You see the View is not a normal Restaurant and it is not located on the main street, the Esplanade. Instead it sits up on a hill overlooking Macquarie Harbour and therefore got its name. I live in a great location very close to my work place and just walk up a set of stairs in our ‘backyard’ to reach the car park. The View is connected to a hotel but it people from outside also come to eat there. Although we do serve Tapas and drinks in the lounge the View is mainly a buffet restaurant. Our customers are being seated and offered a wine list and can then help themselves to the large range of foods on the buffet. We serve many seafood and fish dishes but meat and vegetarian options as well. The waitresses’ main tasks are therefore seating people, getting there drinks and clearing plates. People keep getting up and getting more stuff and so I would estimate about ten plates/bowls per person. You can then only imagine how my arms felt after a night of 125 people who pretty much all ate at the same time! So even though We had almost double the amount of people, we still closed at the same time because they all came and went during the same time period. Floor work is not our only duty though. When Yi-Chi, who we almost buried beneath dishes last night, has gotten a load through the dish washer we need to polish the cutlery and carry out the dishes.

When closing time draws near we ask our guests wether they are done with the savory items on the buffet (desserts are pulled in last) and then one of the chef’s, Ralf, and us pull in the buffet. At that point most people interrupt their work for a moment or do it alongside because we get to take home the leftovers. Yesterday I brought home some delicious seafood thingies and apple crumble, the days before potato gratin and drumsticks for Nadja. Usually we are also allowed to pour ourselves non alcoholic drinks and have them in a back room behind the bar but yesterday I was so busy that I didn’t have a sip to drink for the first four hours and then grabbed a cup of apple juice in the kitchen. Yi-Chi, who about an hour earlier replied a strong “Have a f*’n look!” to Ralf, who asked how she was going, let the dishes be for a few minutes and picked out the squid out of a salad. She also fed one to me with her beautiful blue plastic gloves :P

I like polishing the dishes in the kitchen and the short moments when I drop of plates there. The kiwi chef’s Jake and Reon are always good for a joke and Reon is my favorite anyway. I have named him grizzly bear, though he prefers to refer to himself as the sex machine, and he is always upbeat and positive and funny. These little things make time at work pass quicker and my sore arms be forgotten.

Nadja and I usually cook and eat before we go to work and then meet back at the house. Sometimes I am back before her, sometimes she is. Today we both only have to work at six which feels amazing, but I am dreading another busy day. I do love the customers though. On less busy days we find minutes here and there to chat and old people are so kind too! Yesterday an old lady told me I had the most beautiful smile and that made me very happy. Before we can knock off at work we clear the hole buffet and set it up again for breakfast.

My room is unattached to the house and technically consists of three rooms (Have I told you this before?). One has a bed and a chair, on has a TV and one has a huuuuge closet and a desk. I met Adam yesterday, the manager, and he asked wether he should have a couch brought up for the telly room. I actually don’t care much for the television and would rather have another fridge, but I also wouldn’t mind being able to hang out with people in that middle room because so far It’s kind of my hallway. To use the bathroom or kitchen I have to go into the main house which I don’t really mind. I like Mai and Jenita, our housemates. Yesterday I watched wife swap with them and it proved to be hilarious. My sleeping rhythm is so messed up anyway. I meant to go to bed early last night, one o’clock, but I was just laying in bed and could not sleep until 4! Nadja was out and about and I knew I had heard her at maybe three (well, she was running in front of my room which felt like an earthquake) and I went outside but she and Jake had already taken off in his car. Otherwise I would have considered going with them.

Now I will quickly go around and take some photos for you :*

"It might seem crazy what I'm bout to say" but check out the song Happy or whatever it's called. It's a good mood song and even has a twenty hour music video! The song itself is not that long though :P And the main music video is just sooo cool too !
And here is a link to the place I am at: http://www.strahanvillage.com.au/

Skipper

This is my way up to work.

my "room" is on the left, the main house is the one on the right.

Room to the left

room to the right

Despite the big closet this is my favorite thing in my new place :)

middle room