Day in Bundaberg, QLD - Nov 20, 2013

WEDNESDAY –NOVEMBER 20, 2013

BOTTOM LINE:

Visited Bundaberg

Attempted visit to famous rum distillery

BACK STORY:

Not much to report today.  We headed into Bundaberg to find a good Wi-Fi connection, but found it to be an unsuccessful challenge. We were told that the electrical outage two nights ago did something to the regional internet connection.

So, we regrouped and decided to go to the famous Bundaberg Rum Distillery. It is the largest Rum producer in the world, bigger than Bacardi or Myers.

Unfortunately we showed up after the last tour group was admitted.  Our luck…not supposed to do it.  Found out that they charge $25/person for the tour because you don’t just get a taste at the tours end, but you get two “nips” of two popular rums.  One of the rums cost $90 for a small bottle so they rationalize that one of your “nips” is worth $18 alone. 
  

Bundaberg Rum Distillery

What we found outside the distillery were big white shade tents set up with people crammed underneath in a mix of folding camping chairs.  Bruce asked what was going on?  He was told that on Saturday (two days away) the distillery was releasing 1,000 special collector editions of a rum decanter with two crystal serving glasses… The cost is to be $1,000 each!!!  The frenzy of serious collectors was incredible!  The people cannot leave their place or they forfeit it, so they are indeed serious. The distillery is adding a big festival of music, food and entertainment to the atmosphere, along with local TV coverage, we’re sure.

  

Campers waiting to buy a $1K bottle of rum!

  
Our question is, “Where do these people get the money?” Bruce, being the HR person he is did look into it.  The minimum wage in Australia is a little over $16/hr.