The event company for which we already worked a couple of times in Perth, was looking for staff for the 3-day music festival Lost Paradise in Glenworth Valley (30/12-01/01), around 100km north of Sydney. We wanted to use this chance and applied for all possible positions. We got both rosters for 40h as bartender. Additionally, we were allowed to camp for free meaning we had an accommodation for free over New Years Eve, we got a bit more pocket money and if we won’t have to work (what happens not often during a roster of 40h in three days), we would be allowed to go for free to the festival. All these facts convinced us why we made our way from Sydney to Glenworth Valley the 29^th. But it wasn’t that easy without a car: by train, a 30 minute taxi drive and a spontaneous lift from the festival entry to the actual camp ground (a 15 minute downhill drive over hedge and ditch), we reached finally the destination, together with another German guy working behind the bar as well. Arrived, we built up our tent in the nowhere. Cause Glenworth Valley is a national park and in the valley a huge even ground comprising the festival area and camping grounds. The first day we went quite early to bed ehm tent, these three days were supposed to be quite hard work. As we bought the cheapest 2-3 person tent we could find (no idea how three people should fit in there), we couldn’t expect a lot: it was freezing cold in the night and in the morning, when the first sunbeam shined on the tent it became immediately unbelievable hot. However, we didn’t get much sleep during these days.

The first day in the bar was quite comfortable: our job as bartender was to sell beer, spirits, softdrinks and other in cans. Wine and champagne were filled in glasses and only one mix drink had to be prepared. After 1-2 hours of work, one knew all the drinks, where they are and what works in which way. It figured out quite fast that our boss hired too much staff. Usually 20-30 % of staff confirming their roster just don’t show up. This time EVERYONE came and so there was way too much staff. In addition, the festival guests have to bear up a 3-day festival for three days, and don’t drink without hesitation directly in the beginning (like it was at Stereosonic in Perth). Fully occupied bar and no guests! However, the first day we were allowed to work our whole roster until the end, meaning Kerstin 15.5 and Tobi 12h.

The second day, New Years Eve, the cliché was approved (sorry to all ‘Stralians reading this): Australians drink a lot! We have the feeling that all the laws to reduce alcohol consume do not work. E.g. it is not allowed to sell alcohol in supermarkets, but in special bottle shops comprising certain certificates. Additionally, everyone who sells alcohol (inclusive us) needs to have an RSA certificate (Responsible Service of Alcohol). To get it, you have to answer stupid questions in the internet and pay 12$. In the end, you just have to know that you are ACTUALLY not allowed to sell alcohol to drunk people. To get back to the topic, Australians drink a lot. To explain a bit, I should mention that I am not talking about festival guests, no, there was still nothing going on. All the bartenders drank so much. When Kerstin worked together with a 19 year old Australian girl (you remember: too much staff and therefore one is at the register and the other one serves the drinks), she said she is currently drinking her 5^th Smirnoff. Unfortunately, everyone did it like that. Except of two other girls and the both of us, everyone got drunk. Anyway, somehow it was after 12h (another year without fireworks, but somehow understandable considering the high temperatures) and with it the new year. Everyone of the bar staff got „officially” a shot and a small pseudo-party, while only the sober people were working. Our lovely manager wanted to kick us out at 12am, but Tobi was complaining so we worked until 1am (instead until 2am).

The third and last day, there was absolutely nothing going on at the bar, so we both got kicked out after 3 and 5 hours working, respectively (instead of 12 and 14h). This really sucked, because the 1^st of January is a public holiday in Australia as well, why we earned 38.50$/h (instead of 21.30$). Of course complaining didn’t make any difference, so we had to leave and spend the rest of new years day on the festival with a very bad feeling together with to other annoyed barkeepers who got kicked out as well.

The next day the atmosphere was still down, we did all of our luggage and the journey went on direction north because we booked a night train to Brisbane (so we could save the accommodation for an additional 5^th night). However one question remained unanswered, how we should reach the small train station in the city we arrived from Sydney to the festival. We didn’t want to take a taxi again as it was just a bit expensive and there had to be someone who wanted to go the same way from the festival. Unfortunately, all the people we asked wanted to go to Sydney, which was the opposite way we wanted to take. After we asked a couple of people we found a group of campers who would take us to the exit of the Valley back to the highway exit in direction north and we started our first trial of hitchhiking. After only 10-15 minutes we found a lift who took us directly to the train station. Additionally we had a very nice talk during the around 30 minute journey! It couldn’t have been worked out much better.

The train was an hour late, but when we finally sit inside we still had to organize the accommodation for the next days, since nobody replied positive on our couchsurfing requests. Therefore we booked a cheap room on AirBnB for the next three days. Couchsurfing doesn’t work really well in the big cities of the east coast….