The long wait begins

It was written on the fortune cookie, what else could this mean?

What an enormous job those reviewers now have, it's time to buy shares in home delivered Pizza and caffeine based softdrinks I think.

All the best to all who have entered, and specially to those that have to watch them all critically!


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Selection Criteria - Relevant Experience

Selection Criteria
We’re looking for someone with an adventurous attitude, passion for the outdoors and good communication skills. A broad range of experience is considered and Tourism Queensland will be selecting applicants based on:

- At least one year's relevant experience

I feed the fish most days so I'm confident I can handle that, Mr Two gives me a hand mostly because to be fair it's pretty hard yakka, but I think I've learned enough to do it myself.

One day to go, so I suspect the internet will be melting about now, while the last 12,000 or so attempt to get their entries in!


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18,000

Eighteen thousand minutes of video have thus far been reviewed, and, I gather, approved to enter the race.

Not bad, that's 300 hours that someone has sat goggle eyed waiting for an end!

Even better, the odds are down to a mere 3,000 to one to make the shortlist, although at the time of writing only twelve people have actually viewed the best video!

Oops!

I wonder if they understand there's an Ashes series on in England, and they won't be able to be there if they get the job?

I'll have to think about that!


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Tips for snorkelling

This is our dear friend Peter.

There are several things wrong with this scene, but perhaps the most glaring is the fact that not quite all the boxes on the checklist have been ticked prior to entering the water.

Peter is wearing a very smart Sunsmart Shirt, and cool pair of boardshorts, complete with almost matching flippers (or fins as the more cool among us would proclaim them) and goggles (or is that mask?).

If I may humbly suggest though, one of the handiest pieces of equipment one can take snorkelling, is an actual snorkel.

Of course, this photograph was taken somewhere other than in Queensland, and a good distance from the Barrier Reef, so Peter really could have seen all there was to see in one breath, but by golly when he comes to give us a hand while we are caretaking, we'd better have a spare snorkel ready or I fear he'll run out of breath in a very short time indeed.


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My teeth are nearly fixed anyway

Three more days and the pearly whites will be pearly white again, except that is for the new gold one, which I thought would look rather fetching and caretaker-ish.

I suppose if it's visible when I smile, they can always photoshop it out in the photos.

Or maybe I can just coat it in white-out each morning......


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I'm in!

Alright, I'm not actually in as such, but I've got the email to tell me my video's been accepted, so that puts me an elite group of only 30,000!

The odds are getting better all the time.

Perhaps I should start to think about what I should wear.

Does a caretaker need a shirt?


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Gone Bush

It occurred to me last night, that in the unlikely event that the best man gets the job, I might end up being rather busy in the latter part of the year.

So I've gone bush for a week to make sure I'm nice and relaxed for when I start.

I'll be back next week though!


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Whitehaven Beach

What a Joker!

Here's a picture of Julian on Whitehaven beach. He's brought a street sign with him all the way from London just so he can make a witty photograph in the sand.

Be aware, that when I'm caretaker, there'll be none of this sort of thing going on on my patch!

Warning to all applicants!

I'm sure all 30,000 of you have done all of your homework, but goodness me from what I've seen very few of you will be equipped at all to deal with the Whitsunday Yellow Bellied Gulper!

It's not that I want to put you off or anything, but make sure you've got your affairs in order before you come won't you. It would be a good time to make up with that long lost brother and let bygones be bygones.

While you've all been dreaming of sunny skies and crystal clear waters, the brochures don't tell you about the dangers, do they?

Try to find some statistics on Shark attack on the Great Barrier Reef for instance, you won't find any.

Why? Because the crocodiles have eaten them all.

Don't believe me? Why do you think there are all those conditions in the terms of employment? The MEDICAL insurance ones I mean?

OHHH yes people, it's a very scary place, best left to, well, people like me really!

I'm sure it won't be too hard to withdraw your application discreetly...