Another morning in Preston

Sat in Cafe Nero in Preston city center once more, just around the corner from the office I will be working today. Watching the world go by, sipping at a cappuccino, and wondering what the day has in store for me.

A pretty girl sits across from me, with her mobile phone cradled between the pages of a book, texting somebody. Nearer the door two retired guys are sat smiling – relating stories of the recent past to each other. Outside the window a shaven headed guy with a huge ear piercing and bright red shades is sat in the cold morning air.

The girl serving in the cafe yesterday isn’t here today. She stuck in my mind because of her tattoos. She was slim, with red hair pulled up on top of her head, and a swallow and a star peaking out above the back of her collar. I wanted to ask if I could take a photo for the blog, but wasn’t brave (or stupid) enough.

Perhaps I’m not cut out for this blogging lark.

A good day at the coal face

Today has been a remarkably good day. It began at 7am, jumping into a worryingly flexible shower, before donning work clothes and calling for a taxi to take me to the “coal face” (as mentioned previously, I can’t talk with too much detail about work…)

Arriving far too early in town, I wandered through the market, which was just setting up for the day, and found a good coffee shop. A guy sat in the far corner with a Macbook just like the one I sold a few months back. I smiled as I stirred chocolate powder into my cappuccino - he was wearing a black polo neck.

The rest of the day went better than any has done for quite some time. I hit a few issues that required homework, but for once a product set came up trumps this evening, and I have all manner of quick wins, tips, and eye opening features to run through tomorrow morning.

Isn’t it nice when things “just work” ?

Lunchtime found me back in the same coffee shop, eating a chicken salad, drinking more coffee, munching on chocolate brownies, and watching the world go by. I like coffee shops; in my normal life, I never get to visit them (let along wander into town). I always seem to be going somewhere, getting something, or running an errand.

Anyway. It’s getting late. I need to stop writing.

No doubt my enthusiastic tones will be worn away by the journey home tomorrow. Enjoy the happiness while it lasts.

The one where we stood in the car park at 2:30am

I woke to the wailing of an electrical alarm – a throbbing, screaming noise that caused confusion at first. I threw back the bed covers, and looked at the time – 2:30am.

Ok. This is a fire alarm. It’s not stopping either. What do I do? All of my work is in a backpack across the room. It’s backed up, back at base. Forget it. Clothes…

I threw on the shirt and cargo shorts I had been wearing earlier in the day, grabbed my wallet and phone, and left the room. As I made my way through the corridors of the hotel, I found myself leading a train of fellow guests – apparently following me because it looked like I knew what I was doing.

En route to reception, a pretty girl ran past, trying to do her blowse up somewhat unsuccessfully as she went.

I marched straight across the foyer, barefoot, and out in the cold night air – followed by a lady in a bathrobe and not much else. Slowly other guests joined us on the tarmac – wondering if we had just lost all of our posessions.

After perhaps 15 minutes the running girl re-appeared – now neatly presented in a reflective tabbard, and informing us all that it was a false alarm, and we could wait in the warm of the reception area until the emergency services had checked the hotel over.

The day ended at 2:45am, thankfully safely, and with a story to tell.

It’s the little things

After setting out late this afternoon from the railway station in town, and having traversed Maidenhead, Paddington, and Euston, and Preston stations, I finally arrived at my destination.

It’s perhaps the strangest hotel I have ever stayed in. In recent times I have become used to modern hotel designs; with every spare corner of a room used wisely. This hotel appears to believe in open spaces. My “room” is actually two rooms – one with a bed, a television, and a couch in it, and the other with a desk, a bathroom, a closet, and a trouser press.

Finding things that I expected to be “at hand” has been something of an adventure too – like tea or coffee making facilities. Who would have guessed the kettle and cups would be hidden under the TV in the bedroom? Why are they not on the desk, or near it – like any other hotel in the modern universe ?

Oh – there are no biscuits either.

The cavernous bedroom has one light – near the door. To make it light enough to see across the room you have to switch on every single lamp in sight – none of which are brighter than about 20 watts.

I’m still nitpicking.

The room is clean, the staff are nice, and things do seem to work. The food is hellishly expensive for what it is though, meaning I will probably buy food and bring it back with me tomorrow night. I dread to think what the pint of Guiness I bought earlier will have cost.

WiFi is not free in the hotel – which means I’m relying on a 3G dongle brought from home to get access to the internet. My regular phone has 1 bar of signal strength if I stand by a window. It is a consistent signal though, so I was able to call home.

I’m still nitpicking!

Did I mention that I got fined on the train for having the wrong ticket (which was interesting, seeing as I bought the ticket a couple of hours earlier, specifically for the journey I was doing). I’ll file an official complaint when I get back – see if I can get the money back.

I need to shut up – all I’ve done is bellyache and complain. Perhaps it has something to do with being away from home AGAIN – and knowing I will be missing the kids first day of school next week while away YET AGAIN.

Hey – what am I saying. I have a job… I’m well paid… which is more than many can say.

Heading north again

It seems like a long time since I last wrote anything here. Time for a catchup perhaps?

I completed the work related course last week, and came away as a certified Microsoft SharePoint 2010 developer (I can use the letters MCTS in official correspondence if I choose to – I’m not enough of an egotist to do so…). Between last Friday evening, and the same time 7 days later, I never left the hotel – days were spent in the classroom, all mealtimes in the restaurant, and every evening in my room, studying. We remarked several times about perhaps going for a walk – to get some fresh air – but it never happened. All time became consumed with learning in a head-long rush toward’s Friday’s exam.

Arriving home late on Friday night was odd – the girls were already in bed, and a relieved W opened the door and gave me a hug.

Living in a hotel has become a strangely normal experience – although it seems strange to not be making breakfasts and lunches at 7am, as I would be on a school day at home. Evenings do run on rails – typically I get back to the hotel room, fire up Skype, and try to get a sensible conversation out of the children before heading out to wherever dinner is coming from that night.

Why did I title this post “Heading north again”?

After spending a weekend at home, I’m heading back north on the train tomorrow evening to another hotel, far from home. Another couple of evenings in my own company – and I will be doing the same again next week too.

I will miss the girls going back to school, miss the opportunity to meet their new teachers, and miss the greeting them when they come away from their first day back. I wont hear the stories first hand, and wont be there to give anybody a hug.

It sucks.