Work Experience

Work Experience at Cacho’s Sunset Grill

My work experience was very stressful and tiring but I think it was a valuable lesson. On my first day the security guard was absent so I had to take over his job. The security’s job was not only to be a guard but it was also serving the outside tables, checking electrical circuits and letting people in. Letting people in was the toughest because letting people in controls what goes on in the restaurant. Sometimes people had convincing stories to get in but you had to deny them and allot of the times there was confusion and delay.

The rest of the days I worked in the upstairs bar. I would wash glasses and have to stack them up in their specific places. I would also mainly have to get ingredients for the other person working in the bar to make drinks with.

Some times I would have to take people’s orders and I couldn’t write very fast so it was quite frustrating at times because I would have to ask them to repeat what they said, it was also pretty embarrassing. Another task of mine was to serve tables. Serving tables was something that made me the most nervous. I had to bring about five plates at one time to a table as well as serving four drinks at one time without spilling. I would also have to clean up tables after people were finished.

Before rush hour started I would sweep the floor and wipe down tables. So all in all my work experience was very tiring but I did learn a few things.

Summer 2012.

This summer me my dad, my friend and his mother were all expecting to go to the Mentawais in a few days. While in Bali we all had to train up for some serious surfing in the Mentawais. After all the training and such we were finally on our way to the Mentawais for some great surfing experiences. The place we were staying at was called Kandui Villas. Kandui Villas offers a five star accommodation as well as the best waves on the planet. Kandui is such an amazing place it is the utmost jaw dropping, breathless place I've ever been to.

 The first day I got there I was introduced to the staff and everyone learned the rules and regulations about the villas. We arrived late that night so we couldn't surf the first day but we did have a good time celebrating our arrival at the villas. The next morning we went to a beautiful surf spot named Hideaways. Hideaways is a left that can get very heavy on bigger swells. When I jumped into the water it was so warm as if it were the hot water in my shower. The water there was so clear as well. I thought it was really shallow but in fact the water there was so clear that it was deep but since it was so clear it looked as if it was closer. On my first day there me my dad and my friend got some really good waves. Apparently on the first day we were surfing the waves were decent, not so good but in my opinion those were some of the best waves I've ever surfed. Hopefully that gives you a perspective on how good the waves were there compared to some of the best waves around the world here in Bali.

 Every time I would come back from the surf me and my friend Sy would always hop in the salt water pool. The water in the pool was always warm. The cleaning system of the pool doesn't require chlorine, it instead uses a small amount of salt. With this cleaning method you could open your eyes underwater without it stinging as well as accidentally ingest water and not get sick later from the chlorine. Every time we got back from the surf spot Kandui villas would always have a great relaxing songtrack playing and a cold coconut at the ready.

 While staying in the Mentawais I would surf about four times a day, every day. The waves there make the good waves here seem like shore break over at double six. Me my dad and my friends would surf world famous surf spots every day, pulling into howling barrels and riding over deadly reef but the waves were all worth the risks. The Mentawais mainly consists of small atolls with waves peeling around them. The reef in the mentawais consists of two different types, various types of beautiful reef, and the painful, stinging fire reef. If you were to brush your hands feet etc. onto a fire reef it wouldn't hurt at first but later on it would really start to sting. A surf spot was actually named after this fire reef. The name of the surf spot is called "4 Bobs". The name is given because there are four huge coral heads of fire reef that are in the line up and its so shallow that even when sitting in the line up you could brush your feet against it. The tide in the Mentawais is actually quite frightening because the highest tide over there are about 0.8 or 0.9 if you're lucky.

 During the coarse of our stay my birthday took place and I found out that I actually share a birthday with a famous surfer who was at the villas as well. His name is Ozzy Wright. For my birthday I was given a surprise birthday cake which tasted amazing and as birthday rituals go I was of coarse thrown into the pool. But all in good fun it was a great birthday. When I had to leave Kandui it was a sad experience for me because I had to leave all the friends I made there as well as the perfect waves but I was also happy because I knew I would get to see all my friends from Bali again.

 When I arrived back in Bali a very anticipated event was going to happen soon. The annual Rip Curl Padang Padang Cup was going to take place. I went to the opening ceremony that day and I saw allot of people from the Kandui villas at the opening ceremony. I was thrilled to see them again and a person who I began to know who was staying at Kandui was actually in the surf competition. Now I am currently waiting for the competition to take place and me and all the surfer expats who have seen the previous competitions know that it is going to be a great event with top surfers from around the world. Can't wait to see this anticipated event.