Portsmouth: The Intro

I felt awful on the train on the way to Portsmouth as a really nice guy helped me with my bags onto the train and he then fell asleep, waking up in Portsmouth, asking if we were at Gatwick, which we had stopped at over an hour before. If only I'd known, I would have woke up up! Poor lad. Jimmy, my boss and old manager from Temple Walkabout picked me up at the station. I was going to move into the staff house eventually but had to wait until one of the guys left so Jimmy very kindly let me crash on his couch for the two weeks until then. He took me out to show me some of the bars that everyone goes to, it's a really nice area and there's so many places to go. Tuesday I just used to organise myself, get some black shirts and jeans for work and sort out my bank account etc.

Wednesday, first shift! Having worked in other bars, as soon as you get familiar with where everything is and how to work the till system you're pretty much sorted which doesn't take too long. Slowly met everyone at work, they all seemed cool...the staff house was going to be pretty entertaining! After work on Thursday, Jimmy's to be housemate Mal who ran some other pubs/bars in Portsmouth decided that we were going for cocktails at the local restaurants and bars around Gunwharf Quays which is where my bar/club - Bar Risa and Highlight is. We started at Jamie's Kitchen which is one of Jamie Oliver's restaurants before moving across to Las Iguanas, a Latin restaurant. One of the managers from our pub, Sam, came too. Mal seriously loves his cocktails. I couldn't keep up! After this we went to Yates's, Mal's pub and then Jimmy did a Houdini and Mal decided he was off to bed so Sam and I swung by the staff house to pick everyone up and head to Tiger Tiger. Was fun meeting all the rest of the staff, night is a bit hazy but had a really good time, great introduction to Portsmouth nightlife that's for sure!

A quick run down on the staff at Risa and Highlight - Jimmy is the boss, then under him is Ty. Then there's Sam Evans, who is so lovely, and his parents have a house like something out of the O.C. Bates is the supervisor and he's heaps of fun, Shell is the only other Australian girl working at the bar, she's also really nice. Sarg works in the kitchen and on the bar and is possibly the biggest man I have ever seen but somehow manages to look like a big baby but is awesome fun. Robyn is the other full time girl apart from Shell and I who work there and she's great, we get along really well, have a lot of fun going out together. Nick is whose room I'm moving into because he's joining the army and moving to part time so he will be bunking with Sam G... Sam G is funny as, loves the women too, somehow I've become his mentor on nights out. Gabs is Shell's boyfriend and is in charge of marketing which I do every Wednesday with him. Gabs and Shell are like the mum and dad of the house. Gary and Allison are also dating and work on the weekends in the Comedy Club which is Friday and Saturday nights. Vinnie is our token gangsta and also my dance partner behind the bar and of course when we hit the town. We're getting about twenty new staff from the 15th onwards in preparation for Freshers week and of course uni going back in general so will have many more people to include soon!

Work on Friday was pretty slow and then did a double shift on Saturday so more or less slept the whole of Sunday. Starting to become nocturnal again like I was at the Walkabout. This means lots of coffees during the day and not being able to get to sleep until after one in the morning...ah the life of a full time bartender. Was a pretty typical but eventful introduction to my new job and to Portsmouth in general. Haven't even moved into the staff house yet and already experienced the boys' fascination with subjecting people to their nudity. I'm going to have to become desensitized very quickly...you have to be very careful going into the store room or freezer or any room in case one of the boys is waiting there to prank you. Good. Anyways, ready for Week Two!