Barmaid in Southern Cross

---

Well, here I am in Southern Cross, population: 1000. There is nothing around here but mines, farms and desert. My new boss Jo was at the train station to pick me up when I arrived. She drove me into town and took me to the local coffee shop. Not much variety here my friends. Then she drove me to the Railway Tavern, my new home. It's an old pub, about 100 years old. Above the pub are 9 rooms. There is only 2 girls bathrooms in the whole place. One in the pub and one upstairs. My room isn't very big but it's all mine and I dont have to share it with anyone. I met the other barmaid who is also named Jo. She is an english backpacker but is here on her second year visa and has been in Southern Cross for 6 months now. She is just like a local now haha.

I spent much of my first day in the pub just watching what goes on and meeting the regulars. Jo borrowed a truck from one of the regulars and me and her took all the cardboard to the rubbish tip. Oh real exciting times I tell you. The amount of flies was disgusting!!!! The next day I started my first shift. 10:30am - 4:30pm. We open at 11am. Jo showed me what I had to do. A cleaner comes in 3 days a week so the other days we have to sweep and mop the pub floor.

There are a lot of regulars that come in and one of them is Bob. He's an older fella who hurt his leg and has to drive around in a scooter. He's a sweet but grumpy guy haha, who drinks a lot. I'm starting to learn what everyone is drinking and when they walk in try to have it for them without them asking. Some things i've learnt do far:

A carton: box of stubbies (bottles)
A block: a box of cans
Carlton Dry: Beer of choice out here
Flies are inevitable, they are everywhere and will annoy the snot outta you
It's not called alcohol or drinking, it's called piss or going on the piss.
They may look rough but they are some of the softest guys I know
Some guys just don't give up, except the ones you dont want to give up.

My pub (The Railway Tavern) is about a 10 minute walk from the main part of town. It's a long mostly unshaded walk when it's hot out which it always is haha. The streets are paved but a lot of the sidewalks are just red dirt. It's not a big town, they have a small grocery store, a post office, 3 pubs, 2 gas stations, 1000 people roughly.

We have blue tongue lizards out here and we have one in our backyard. They other day a guy brought it into the pub. It's so cute! I like him because he eats all the bugs! I have 2 big spiders living on my ceiling. I've had a small conversation with them and so far we have been able to live in peace with each other. I think living out here might get me a bit over my fear of insects a bit haha.

---

Photos

gas station
aka roadhouse

A rival pub
Haha not really, they cater to people traveling through mostly