Hi everybody, it's been a while so here goes for my latest journal!

I arrived back in Sydney with one thing in mind, to get a job!!! I knew what I wanted to do and that was to work in a bar so I set off on my mission to fulfill this. Before you can even step foot behind a bar you have to take what's called a RSA course (responsible service of alcohol). The course lasted the best part of a day and in bits was quite interesting. In Australia the responsibility of bar staff is far greater than in the U.K. While in England bars and clubs will let anything go over here is different. If someone looks like they may be over intoxicated (pissed!!) then you must not serve them anymore, if you do the consequences are quite severe! At the end of the day you have to take a test to ensure you know all the responsibilities you have as Bar Staff, thankfully I passed, was given a certificate and off I went.

They were a bar I had seen that was looking for staff a day or so before so I wondered down there to see if they were still looking. Luckily for me (and them of course!) they were so I went in and spoke to the Manager who took a look at my C.V and offered me a 2 hour unpaid trail the following day, which is accepted! As the Manager went off to fetch something one of the girls who works in the bar came over just to say hello as she must have knew I was enquiring about a job. I could tell she was from England from her accent so as you do I asked where abouts. "Sheffield" she said! "oh..snap" I quickly replied! The more we got talking the more bizarre it got. She infact went to the same school as me just a year above! Not only that we only live about 2 mins away back in England. We both recognised each other after a couple of minutes, but neither of us knew the other was in Oz! I found this extraordinary that I by chance go into this particular bar and meet her!!!!

Anyway, about the job itself, I love it!! It's quite a stylish bar in the city overlooking the harbor bridge that during the days attracts alot of business type, where at night seems alot of passing trade come in. It's not as easy as most of you may think! I have to do cocktails, all sorts of different shots and 100's of different wines!! (Nico, Carlos, Dani, Riki, David eat your hearts out!!) The hours are typical bar hours, tonight I start at 9pm and probably finish around 3-5am. The pay is good, the tips are even better and there are plenty of girls to keep me company in the bar!!! (oh and I get cheap drinks in local bars which is always a bonus!) I will get some photos of the bar on soon so you all see for yourselves what it's like.

Anyway apart from work I've been doing my best to keep my body like a temple.....me and Miller have been going swimming 3 times a week. It's a large Olympic sized pool about 2minute walk from our flat which is good and also been to the Gym a few times. Me Miller and Nick went for a game of footie in a local park a couple of weeks ago and ended up having a game against some ozzy guys, don't worry everyone, we won!!! (Thank god they didn't ask us for a game of cricket afterwards...!)

We have had a few nights out recently which is always good, I will make sure I take my camera out as much as possible Dicko to get you some photos!! The new footie season starts this Saturday and thankfully the sports channels over here show lot's of Premiership matches and even quite a few Championship so hopefully see some Wednesday games (come on you blue and white wizards!!!!).

Anyway, thanks again for checking the site out and the messages on the board are great and do mean alot, I will try and keep the site up to date as possible and I'll get more photos on shortly. Take care everyone and speak to you soon.

Ben