Almost a week already - let's catch up!
Trip Start
Mar 07, 2008
1
2
19
Trip End
Jun 09, 2008
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Friday, March 14, 2008
Good journey, worked out 353 miles driving from Owain's house, including my stop off/detour. Left at 5.30am (uurrrrggghhhh) and had to use alternative route due to road closure (French lorry drives on strike). It was forecast rain but the weather was fine - saw the sun rise as I drove! Traffic ok, got to Dover a bit after I was supposed to but that was because of queues to check in so everyone else was the same. Quick check of my passport - not the ticket(!) and I was on my way.
Didn't nap on ferry - too excited - so just checked route, decided on my stop offs and had a snack/drink and look around. Ooo and got some new perfume at the duty free because I'd almost run out! Got off the ferry and the weather was fantastic, blue skies, sun out and sunglasses on! A good way to start the journey. After an hour of driving I got to the Brugge turn off and as it was 12pm I thought it was a good time to stop
My apartment
. I drove around the one way town centre for a bit and then found a parking space on one of the busy side roads so I parked up and went for a bit of a walk. Turned out I was on the road I had been to before - I followed it up and saw the bar I'd been in and recognised some of the shops! Just grabbed a quick toasted sandwich and then went back on my way. After another hour on the road I reached Brussels but traffic was a little busier there so I carried onto the services and stopped there. Had a quick catnap, grabbed a drink and petrol and on my way again. (Dad - thought of you when I saw a Wincanton lorry!)
Reached the flat at 6 o'clock on the dot - the time I was aiming for. Rang the bell and there was no one in so gave Robbie a quick call and he was just leaving work. Waited about 20 mins and he was there. In the meantime I took these photos!! Flat's nice, he's it's the ground floor, on the left as you look at the photo. I asked about a supermarket but nearest one was about 15 min drive away and not straightforward so I ate with Robbie and his son (aged 3) and promised to cook a meal back for him! (Yes mum and dad I said I'd get him cooking for me didn't I?!) Unpacked all my stuff - I have just a single bed and two wardrobes in my room so my little case is doubling as a bedside table and I gave my crates as a desk but Robbie says he has a desk in storage I can use. Got my PC set up anyway and spoke to Shaz that night on MSN!
Saturday 8th March
Lazy morning, sorting out bits and checking messages on the computer. Anna was due to pick me up at 12 but arrived just after 11 because she was so excited
My street
! Anna gave me a guided tour of the area in her car, first stop was work - to see the route and get a sneak view of the office. It really is only a few minutes away! We had some lunch at a catch up in an organic (bio) cafe near to work and then Anna took me on a tour around Kirchberg, her neighborhood, nearest supermarkets and the city centre before we picked her partner up from the airport. Everything is so close! Went back to see Anna's apartment - which is lovely - and then went home for a bit. Later that evening, Anna and her partner took my for a meal in a nearby Greek restaurant - 'Restaurant Mythos'. All very nice, I had mixed Tapas and some good red wine.Sunday 9th March
Something made me laugh today - we had a leaflet through the door from Jehovah's Witnesses. It was EXACTLY the same as the one that had arrived at mum and dads last Tuesday :) Only the language was different and it made me realise just how much this place can have in common with the UK.
Ok, so today was my turn to drive so that I could get used to where things were. I met Anna in work car park and Anna directed me to Auchan in Kirchberg - the shopping centre nearest to me. I picked some bits of in the supermarket - getting around the language as I found out where I had to get my veggies weighed) - had a brief look around the shops and Anna and I had coffee
My street
. Usually everywhere is closed on Sundays but today they opened from 2pm - 6pm because we are getting close to Easter. I dropped Anna off to her car and went to city centre on my own (after Anna had directed me). Parked up went for wander. Looked around the very pretty old town briefly - I'll need to go back for a proper explore - then I had a wander around the shops and to the tourist information office. It was funny to see H&Ms, Lush and Zara...of course I had to have a look but refrained from any purchases! Oooh except for a bath bomb from Lush to relax me - I haven't had a nice bath for a while. I had an easy evening, was a bit nervous about work in a new place the next day so had a nice relaxing bath and read the lovely note that Nilesh had given to me before I left - I'd saved it until now and it gave me the little boost I needed!
Monday 10th March
My first day in the new job. It started with half a day of introduction and IT training. Very impressed that we are given a laptop straightaway and network account, email etc is all ready and set up - nothing like my previous company! They have a schem here where you pay around 50 euros directly from your pay and each month you get about 150 euros of lunch vouchers that can be used at any of the cafes and restaurants in Luxembourg. I also get some money back each month because I have comprehensive motor insurance of my car - I just showed them a copy of my insurance and they pay me! It's an insentive for everyone to cover themselves properly. They took a terrible photo of me for my security pass and it was only later that I realised that it also appeared next my entry on the company phone book. Doh
My little room
! Went to lunch with the designer Melanie - it was a good chance to get to know her as I think we will be working together a lot! Other staff are very friendly, and all different nationalities. The funniest thing I found was the keyboards. We have swiss(?) keyboards that are very much like the ones I use in the UK but with just a few subtle differences - a couple of the letters are switch around and the punctuation is in different places. I couldn't find the exclamation mark at all and keep using the 'z' instead of 'y'... oh dear it looks like typing school is needed....Tuesday 11th March
Getting more stuck in at work - there is plenty to do!
Opened up my first Euro bank account - I can get 7 different cards with it if I want - but why would I want to?!After work I went swimming with Melanie and Anna to d'Coque - a huge Olympic pool. It was fantastic and I felt very refreshed after the swim. I had a lovely meal at Anna's and slept well that night!
Wednesday 12th March
At 11.07am I finally found the exclamation mark on my work computer. I was very proud and couldn't believe it had been hiding all that time! On the way to work I saw a guy on a motorbike with the same Jacket as Owain - I do miss him :(
At lunchtime I tried out the shuttlebus from work into Kirchberg with one of my colleagues. We were able to use our lunch vouchers in a cafe there - the desserts were lovely but very naughty... I had a raspberry tarte.
Thursday 13th March
So tonight I finally set up this blog! I'm sure after this first week I won't write every day but hopefully I can use it to add photos and let my friends and family know what I've been up to... :) I'm sure this contains a million typos and at the moment it probably sin't very interesting - but it's just been a quick brain dump of my first week!
More soon...
