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Published: November 2nd 2008
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November 2nd, 1:05pm, Auckland, in my old house
Home sweet home!! It actually does feel a little bit like home, weird huh?
I was up early this morning as I had a few things left to pack and I wanted to wander down to the water to see where the ship would be docked. I skipped Esquires this morning as I updated my blog from the hotel room, but I really should have stopped for a coffee as I am a little tired now.
There was a city marathon on this morning so traffic was really snarled downtown and it took me a minute or two to find out how to get across the course. I turned the corner onto Queens’s st and there was my boat. I strolled all the way down to the gangway area in hopes to see somebody I knew, and just then Luc (shore excursion manager) came around the corner. I introduced myself (we did have lunch together last year once in Livorno) and we chatted for a few minutes.
I did not envy him this morning as none of the tour busses were allowed to leave the port area because of the marathon that was
passing by the pier so there were some angry guests, why am I doing this again??
I headed back towards sky city because I realized that I had not been up the tower yet. I was a little stunned at the admission price ($25) to go up to the top but hey what are you going to do. The view from the top is astonishing as the tower is 328m tall, about the same height as the Eifel tower, and is the tallest structure in the southern hemisphere.
I took a bunch of pictures from all around and even some looking down through the glass floor, which is very hard to step out onto as you are looking straight down to the ground.
I walked back to the hotel one more time to gather my things and check out, and then grabbed a cab to the ship. The marathon was still going on and my cab driver got yelled at for trying to get me right to the ship, but we made it.
I found the crew welfare officer right away and the sign on process went relatively smoothly, except they need my chest x ray wasn’t there so I
have to email the doctor and get that information. It took me a few minutes to fill out there paperwork and then Luc showed up to “show me around”.
My room is at the back of the ship this year (in the ghetto) which is good and bad. Good because it is closer to work so my commute is shorter, but bad because it is further from the gym. The room itself is bigger, but apparently I am getting a roommate in a couple of days, but I hear rumors that he will be staying somewhere else, so if that is the case I have a double bed.
It took me about 2 hours to unpack and get settled which is a lot less than last year when it took me a couple of days. It is so much easier the second time around. I went down to try and get my uniform but they are not open until 4:30pm, so I will have to check back after my first safety training.
There are still some familiar faces on board but the only one I have seen so far is Charmaine. I met her as I was signing on; she
seemed a little shocked to see me as she thought I was going to the Solstice.
I am going to watch a movie and do some reading of all the new info they gave us when we signed on before I have to go to training.
10:22pm
Well that was a very busy afternoon! I thought I was going to have some time to rest but I got a phone call from Luc saying I had to go do immigration right now, so away I went down to HR to meet the rest of the newbs. We had to trek outside into the terminal, past all the guests, and then fill out a form, hand it to a customs officer and then trudge back onto the ship, past all the guests who were waiting to embark.
Training time was next, at least this safety officer seems to have a personality, and hopefully if I break my hand again he will laugh! After training I made the long trek downstairs into the bowels to play the get your uniform game, well two hours later I almost got something that fit!
I got changed and headed upstairs to the office to see
if I could pitch in at all. I met the other members of the team, Jessie (signs off in three days), Francesca (3 months to go), Leah (1 month to go) and of course Charmaine (3 months to go).
I think it will be a relatively easy season down here as most of the tours are relatively expensive compared to the Caribbean. I refamilarized myself with ASR, which seems to have the bugs worked out of it for the most.
I went down to the printers to pick up some paperwork, and also got my new nametags as well. I then helped Francesca help set up for the showcase on deck 5 and then had a quick bite to eat. The food is getting better people say and we can order from the dining room menu again, so that is good news!
I ran into a couple of people I knew from the spring. I was doing some delivers and as I was walking down the hallway I heard a distinctive Aussie voice. Pete was coming towards me and not really paying attention so I waited until I got fairly close to him and said “hey, you still here?” He has been on for 9 months and is ready to go home! We chatted for a few minutes and I am sure we will raise a few as this is his last cruise.
I said hi to a couple of other people I remembered, but the best one of the night was Erin. I went up to the gym for a little workout because I thought it would put me to sleep, and I walked into the gym and saw Chris so I wandered over and chatted with him for 10 min until Erin was finished with her guests.
When I saw she was done I turned so my back was to her so she couldn’t tell it was me until she got close. She got about 5 feet from me and then realized that it was me and gave me a great big hug, and then said “WHERE’S RENEE????” I said she would be coming soon, and Erin looked very sad, but I am sure they will get to see each other soon.
We gossiped for about half an hour about this that and the other thing and then I had a little work out and she had some paperwork to do. She has her sister and brother in law onboard this week, so she is having a good week.
So that was my first day, very busy, but it is good to be back to my floating home. We are headed for Tauranga and it is quite rough out there, I will have to get my sea legs back I guess.
BED TIME!!!
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