Its Saturday afternoon here in Queenstown. I am still in shock over what has happened in London. Someone at work this morning said "England should send all its foreigners home.." , I didnt know what to say!! So I proceeded to lecture her on why they have as much right to be there as we do.. blah blah! I am sure some of you have heard this rhetoric of mine before, so I aint gonna repeat it! I soon realised that I was going off on one, so I shut my gob..
It saddens me, that the death toll is rising daily. Its 50 now. Some websites are saying its the work of North African Suicide bombers.. does anyone really know this early? Why cant the news concentrate on the human angle? and how London is getting back to its feet already? its a sad fact of life, but scare stories kep viewers glued to the screens..
Anyway I shouldn't dwell on this subject too much.. you readers are here to read about whats happening on my travels, not here me rant about politics...
Anyway it was an awesome day.. not amongst my best days riding, but good to be back on the slopes already!! remember it could have been a lot worse!
Went to bed early last night, and got up early this morning for my terrible House Keeping job. God i F**kin hate this job with a passion. I just feel really down every time I go to work and do it, but the waitering/bar job really makes me happy!! weird eh? two different jobs at the same place, and such different feelings? if i get more hours waitering, or another job elsewhere I am quitting it!!
Anyway School Holidays have just started in NZ for the next two weeks, so the hotel is gonna be full of annoying kids running around without there mothers about telling them how to behave.. I have been cleaning the kids rooms (who we had in last week) on my last housekeeping shifts, and one of the little shits constantly wets the bed.. as my job is making beds, cleaning windows and generally keeping the bedrooms tidy, this particular shit is doing my head in!!
Please give me more waitering hours, so I dont have to do the housekeeping anymore!!
Just realised something.. here i am in queenstown, probably as far as i can be away from London, and yesterday i was thinking how proud i am of London for getting the Olympics in 2012. I was thinking that its 7 years away and by then i will be back home in a career and preparing for my (future) kids to go and watch some athletics...
I got to work last night, and was slogging away. I was listening to the radio in the kitchen and i heard that the Underground is closed.. odd, don't normally hear that on a NZ radio station..
My first thoughts were with family and friends who I know are still living in the big smoke.. I hope they are not part of it.. (olie and toby are both fine, both saying it was a very strange day)
Then I was thinking wtf... why? why London? why anywhere? why was it not prevented?
My condolences to the families of the deceased and wounded.. may they RIP
Here are some links.. BBC <> Wiki <> Flickr <>
Some things we must take into consideration is that if anything was going to happen in London by Al-qaeda, then it would have probably happened on the tubes. The police, fire and ambo's had a huge practise run recently and it was to do with an incident on the Underground. At least we know that our emergency services dealt with this properly.
Heres what we can all do now...
Don't become scared of going outside. Don't blame or become hateful towards Muslims. Don't trust the government blindly, although do give them your support.
The radio in the kitchens told me that we had got it!! How great..
How Beautiful is that?? The view towards the Remarkables one day this week when I had to get up dead early..
Monday morning and my alarm wakes me up at 05:45.. I haven't seen that time of day for ages!!
The reason I am getting up at this godforesaken hour is because today I start my new job as a waiter/barman. Last thursday I started as a Housekeeper, more about that in a bit..
Waitering.. So whats it like? Well I have only done a morning shift so far, but it seems cool. Free meals, of course! Basically as Breakfast is always a buffet, its a bit like being there to provide any assistance and of course get other tasks done as they are needed! like cleaning... My shifts hopefully in the future will involve an early start for the morning shift, and then back in at 18:00 for the evening shift.. 10 hours per day at $12 per hour
Housekeeping.. Now this job sucks!! The people I work with are fine, but the Executive Housekeeper thinks I am there to do all kinds of hours.. I spoke to her on my second day, saying that I can't do Thursdays / Fridays as this is my weekend. I am in Queenstown after all to do some snowboarding!! She responds by saying if I dont want the job, then you may as well leave... I would have done, but I need the cash!!
Anyway I have been working as a Housekeeper for 4 days now and it gets no better. There is a time limit in NZ for cleaning and it should take one person 30 mins to do a room, and two 15 mins. So they give me and someone else 20 rooms to do (5 hours work) and we finish 30 minutes early... The Boss says well go and book off duty.. Thats your reward for getting the job done quickly = the loss of $6.00 (1/2 hrs work) ..it sucks!!
Bring back West Mercia I say!! or a lottery win (last week 2 numbers on 8 lines.. there is only 40 numbers to pick!! I am terrible..)
Well yesterday (or was it the day before?? can't remember!!) I decided to go for a wander around Queenstown Gardens. Its a lovely place for a bit of solitude and has amazing views over Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown Harbour. So i thought I would share them with you!
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All these photos, and more, can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/jezarnold
Yes at last I have a JOB!!!
Yesterday I went to see the Manager at the Hotel about the Waitering / Barman work going. He had spoken to the Restaurant Manager and he had said that there was not enough hours going... but asked me to come back in later to speak to the Restaurant Manager.
So I was back at 5pm to have a chat about some hours and the job... "Are you a morning person?" he asks.. well yes I can do mornings (those of you who know me, must have realised that its going to be hell to get up at 05:15) so he has offered me some mornings (Monday / Tuesday 06:00 - 11:00) and also some evening shifts as well (Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday 18:00 - 23:00)..
The problem is that its only 20-25 hrs per week..
Anyway this morning I get a phonecall on my mobile whilst I am on the phone to the beautiful Zena, and its the Manager at the Hotel. I phone back and tell him I will be there in an hour..
He has heard I may be interested in some Housekeeping duties as well. So I go for an interview with the Executive Housekeeper and after being asked can I keep things tidy, (of course...) and can I work quickly and to a schedule, she offers me part time work as well!!
EXCELLENT NEWS!! So now I am working the following:
Monday 06:00 - 11:00 Waitering 11:00 - 13:00 Housekeeping
Tuesday 06:00 - 11:00 Waitering 11:00 - 13:00 Housekeeping 18:00 - 23:00 Waitering / Bar
Wednesday 09:00 - 14:00 Housekeeping 18:00 - 23:00 Waitering / Bar
Thursday 09:00 - 14:00 Housekeeping 18:00 - 23:00 Waitering / Bar
Friday Day off
Saturday 09:00 - 14:00 Housekeeping
Sunday 09:00 - 14:00 Housekeeping
all at $12 per hour --- 49 Hours per week!! I may have to change some days and reduce some hours, but I will be getting between $380 and $500 per week after tax!!
