The Talking Traveller

I am the Pierman assistant at the Canary Wharf Pier and I work for Thames Clippers. I am earning money by talking, yes by verbal communication (and a bit of walking) I am earning those golden pounds that we all desire. My first two days on the job has passed. I am part of a temporary team that runs an express service from the Pier to the Motor excel show. On tuesday the show was only to Press and not the general public, so we weren't that busy. Yesterday however it was the first open day to the public. I had made 203 contacts yesterday, I had answered questions, I had talked on the walkie talkie and my shift lasted from 8:00 am to 10:15 pm. Today I have the day off and will be working again on saterday, I expect us to be very busy. It will be weekend and the advertising of our service would have attracted many more passangers. The questions that you would ask......Am I enjoying this?Am I coping with this? the answers.....Yes, absolutely yes. I have never had to do work that fully rely on my verbal skills and not my brain capacity to process loops and patterns. I am doing a good job, enjoying it and had no bad incidents thus far. My speech with good technique is holding up the majority of the time. I am appreciating all the practice I get. I do have a few slip-up now and again, but I do know how to correct them, and I do just that.

My count is now at 2451 contacts. Sad news however......I will not be going to the Netherlands. That is because I had made an assumption that I can go to the embassy directly, without a appointment, and my application for a shengen visa willl be processed in a few days. As I did with my UK and Australia Visa. Wrong assumption. The next appointment for the embassy I can get is only on the 21th of August. That is too late as I want to arrive there the 16th Aug. I have to pospone my holland visit until the next course in November. The lesson I learnt is obvious. The good news !? I will be able to spend some more time in Ireland! and I will have to oppertunity to learn how easy/diffucult it is  to get money back after cancelling a plane/bus ticket.

Moving on from that, it is very hot in london. 30 degrees celcius up to 10 o'clock at night. Phew, and I can't find a swimming pool or a plaasdam anywhere. The sun is shinnig brillianty and the spirits are up. I will be staying in London for antoher week and a half and then travel to Ireland, or so I plan. O yes! I visited a toastmasters club on Monday and I had to do a impromptu 90 seconds speech on "Should political correctness be applied in fairytales told to children?" My answer......No, black rabits, blue rabits, white rabits, yellow rabits. Don"t punt any limits on developing a childs imagination. Once they are all grown up they can worry about politics and other boring adult stuff. They should get rid of that purple dinosaur however... Cheers