We arrived back in Southampton at went straight to the
festival where we were issued with a pass to allow us to park right outside
J
After a supply top us at Asda we checked in for our shifts and were immediately
issued with a name badge, meal ticket and a pint glass, with the all important
sticker so you can put your name on it! We were then instructed to drink ale
until our shift started. What a tough gig!
We worked from 6ish til midnight-ish, mostly serving people
the festival ales etc. It was really busy and great fun too. I finally got to
fulfill my long standing ambition to be a beer wench ;)
When it was Time (11pm) we waited for punters to leave and
started the clean up. Then there was a load of food put on and a bit more ale
to finish off. Then we got to sit down and have a chat with people. Since
arriving on Wednesday we had had our suspicions that CAMRA (Campaign for Real
Ale) people would be friendly and interesting confirmed. A few have been down
under and without exception the ones we met knew not to insult us by assuming
we are Aussies!
The next day was take
down and it was a struggle to get up and in the hall by about 9 after going to
bed at 2am. But the sun was beating down on the van and we were forced to
evacuate. Near the end of the clean up we had to take down the scaffolding that
the beer casks sat on. I was holding an upright during the deconstruction of
the very last piece when a lower crossbar dropped out of place, and you guessed
it, on to my big toe! Don’t laugh! It was a very heavy, flat piece that fell on
it’s edge and at first I thought my toe might have been severed. For those of
you who have seen the episode of Mythbusters where the test out steel cap boots
(which I wasn’t wearing), it was just like that! Fortunately I did have
sturdyish boots on but I still can’t believe I escaped without a fracture.
Plenty of ice and elevation for the rest of the day seemed to keep the worst at
bay.
After the take down we enjoyed the hospitality of Vic and
Peter who had offered that we could park outside their place for the night.
They were really kind to us and even cooked us breakfast the next morning. How
they did it after such a busy week, I don’t know, but it was much appreciated.
Together we went off to the Waterloo Arms in Freemantle to meet up with other
members who had been involved and it turned into a really nice social evening,
despite there being a lot of tired people. They’re a great bunch of people and
we’re lucky to have met them – one of the perks of volunteering and getting
involved in unusual things. Other perks included all the ale we could drink on
Saturday night, meal ticket, after match function on Saturday night, meal and
pint at the pub on Sunday, free parking 2 nights, a bag full of small packets
of crisps, some chocolates, some tea bags, a huge bag full of novels to sort
through and read, lots of kindness, and undoubtably more things I can’t
remember!
