Time on T.I. was one of the biggest challenges. Keeping staff and guests happy, especially on weekends when you're stuck on a remote island, was a never ending battle. Especially in the wet season, "cabin fever" would set in amongst the staff members, who had to live together in the staff quarters as well as work long split shift days together. This meant many quarrels and arguments had to be sorted out regularly, and the constant flow of staff leaving, and recruiting and training new staff was never ending.
The occasional local "kup murri" hungi-style islander celebration was always a big social event, and sampling local dugong and turtle meat was always different. But if you weren't out fishing or diving on a weekend, F&B was about the only other attraction.
My Sunday was often a cook-up in the manager's quarters, inviting a guest or two in to share my experimental fare.
Perhaps my best effort was a cook-up I put together to celebrate the birthday of one of my regular guests Tania, a federal police officer from Cairns, who was stuck on T.I. on the day of her birthday, which fell on a Sunday:
The Jardine Light Luncheon
Celebrating the birthday of Federal Agent Miss Tania
Aperitif: White castello on pear slices
Soup: Drunken endeavour prawn tom yum
Appertiser: Home-smoked oysters kilpatrick
Entree: Lettuce cups of steamed Yorke Island cray with sweet corn, mango & ginger drizzle
Main: Boigu Island mud crab and chip buttees, on See Hops thick white sliced
Dessert: Vanilla Heavens
Beverages: Moet et Chandon, Hardy's Voyage Colombard, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Brown Brothers Liquer Muscat Frappe
Entertainment: Views over Anzac Park and Ellis Channel. One Day International Australia v. Pakistan from Bellrive Oval. The launch of the TI Tunes mix.
Mission Statement: "To fight crime together and win"
Took many hours to work our way through all that, and was a hell of a way to kill time on a lazy T.I. Sunday.
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