12.2.08 8:30am- Te Anau Downs II

Yesterday afternoon we drove into town (Te Anau, pop 1785) to check in with the visitors centre about doing some day walks in Milford Sound. We got some ideas then walked to the wildlife centre, which houses a few dozen injured and captive-bred birds, such as keas (very big and ‘cheeky’ alpine parots), takahe (rare flightless birds that look like really chunky purple swamp hens), and kakas. We have not been doing much bird watching so this was probably the most we will get to see of these wonderful and quirky birds.Kaka

After taking a quick look ‘downtown’ we drove back to Fiordland National Park Lodge to check in for work. Sharon introduced us to the kitchen staff (all of whom were very friendly) and we had a little pasta that the chef, a young guy from Wales, cooked up before we arrived. We were shown what to do—Seth was on dishwashing and I was on drying and putting away. He definitely had the hard and messy job! The restaurant was primarily by bookings, and about 40 people were scheduled to come through. They arrived nearly at once, since the bulk of the nightly guests are with a tour group that comes right off a bus, but there was also a higher than expected number of "FITs", as they called them (Free Independent Travellers). The job was pretty laid back, but we didn’t end until after 10pm, so it was a 4-hour shift. Tonight the tour bus won’t come through, so the restaurant will be closed. Seth and I will instead be doing housekeeping this morning, and it is time to check in!

*These jobs, working at a classy lodge in a very beautiful and remote area reminds me of the movie, Dirty Dancing. It also reminds me a little of The Shining, haha!