outback!

Photographer: stefan koebsch
From: the ring

outback!

Its preparation time!!!! What better way to get Aned ready for the big transition downunder than a genuinely authentic Aussie meal in the Dominican Republic! Would you believe there is an Aussie resturant in the Carribean? And this chain of resturants has THE perfect Aussie culture - you walk into one of these resturants and.... what?!? there are no Aussies anywhere. In fact, no-one even speaks English! Ha! Lots of surfboards on the walls, and photographs of our country. And the music - no Pete Murray, nor the Oils, nor even Kasey Chambers - its all "meringue" or "bachata" (the typical latino carribean party music! Ha!). All these Dominican Latino (not one single blonde person anywhere!) waitresses bopping around the place to their favourite dance music and speaking Spanish! And the menu - plenty of "Kookaburra Wings" and "Queensland Salads" and "Ayers Rock Strip" (which, ironically is actually also sub-listed on the very same menu as a "New York Strip" Hahaha! - they just change the name and its the same steak they serve in New York!!!). Well, anyway, it was definately good for a laugh. I even asked the manager for a job there: "Wouldn't you love to have a real Aussie working the bar here? I can change the music for you, serve drinks with a "Here ya go mate!" and welcome new customers with a "G'day mate!" and tell them "Yeah, I run up and down Uluaru a few times every week", and "You shoulda seen the pet kangaroos I had as a kid..." etc.. but the maximum she could offer me was about $500AUS/month, so I politely declined. Anyway, the real preparation is happening as Aned is already starting to say, "Thanks heaps mate" to anyone and everyone!!! Whoa!