Right ho!

Has it been that long already? Really?? Well, there is only one excuse: work! And lots of it. And I mean lots!! Early mornings (like 2.15am starts) and late nights have been the norm lately. 

I am still living at my sister's, but the plan is that I will be moving this weekend. Mixed feelings about that though. I like living with my sister and she doesn't mind having me either, but I would like to live a bit closer to work. Five instead of thirty minutes does sound great especially when working early or late. 

This week I did have some lovely visits. One to a country house where I didn't take any photos! And then one to Belfast Zoo, where I did. 

Anyway, it's off to work again, today and tomorrow and then this weekend it will be the big moving weekend. After which we will settle into our new home, because of course Miss O will be coming along as well. 

PS: photos to come another time: they were taking way too long!!!

Photo on Sunday 2018-15

Ulster Orchestra

String

Telling a bit more

Going down into the caves

Well, as you know I have been busy lately. Mainly due to the fact that once they got me on that coach, they didn't want to stop and I have been driving the larger coaches now for a few weeks. I have been doing the Glasgow Express quite often, to the degree where I get recognised when entering the truckers lounge! In fact, this week I will be doing that journey four times! 

But, it hasn't been all work. My sister and I had a lovely day out a few weeks ago, where we visited some caves. We had hoped to use a little boat to get into the caves, but the water was too high due to heavy rain the night before, so we had to walk. It was still very beautiful.

A natural path made through the rocks by water

After that we drove up to Belleek Pottery. I love small vases and I wanted to see whether there was any to add to my collection. Unfortunately they were all too big to my taste, but my sister did come away with one. Then we had a lovely scenic route home. 

I also found out that where Norway 'works', Northern Ireland doesn't. Norway has a system that works very easy. You have your own personal number and that can be used to do most things. Open a bank account? Done. Taxes? Done. Sell your car? Done. And I don't mean having to wait for three working days for it to be done, it's done in an instant.

Just a service ladder, it didn't lead anywhere

I had opened a bank account here in NI, but I also wanted a savings account. I used the same bank, which should mean my information was on file (it was, sort of), yet I had to give the exact same information as I had to before! Plus a whole lot more. How much was I to put into my savings account? Where would the money come from? The what???

Well, I struggled through those 45 minutes and we were finally done. Although I did NOT have my account number yet, that would take a couple of days. I now have to manually add my savings account to my online banking! They blame it on new rules and such, not sure I agree, since Norway has to adhere to the same rules. Anyway. It's done now, I have the number and I can now start saving for a rainy day. 

Atlantis. Well, it was the reflection of the stalagtites in the the still water

On Tuesday I will be visiting my new place and then hopefully after that I will be able to move in. It would be so good not having to drive half an hour to my sister after a long shift. Instead, it is just a five minute ride and I can jump straight into bed. Bliss....

Just so you know!

No, I haven't fallen off the grid. I have not crashed a coach/bus. I have not disappeared into thin air. 

I just have been extremely busy at work. And as a result of that: tired. I make long hours nearly every day and when I am off, I just hang about doing nothing really. 

I am still living at my sister's, although the apartment is nearly ready and I hope to be moving in next week. I might have to ask a few days off though, just to get everything sorted. I can't wait to sleep in my own bed again. 

Other than that: I will try and give you a better update tomorrow or Sunday. I hope...

On repeat

After last Tuesday's successful trip to Glasgow, I got another chance yesterday. This time with a coach that was a bit smaller. Not necessarily less wide, but definitely shorter. And this time I also managed to be on time everywhere. Not that that was hard to do: it was so early in the day, most people were still asleep I think. My own alarm clock had gone off at 3.45 am!!

Anyway, I made my way to Glasgow and I felt I did okay. I arrived at the bus station and once the passengers had gotten off, the new lot came on. Including the same colleague who had traveled back with me on Tuesday. He showed me another way to get out of Glasgow and another way to get into Belfast as well. Always handy. 

After we had gotten back to base, he told me he felt I was more secure this time around. I will still need a lot of practice, but I am doing fine so far and getting more comfortable for every trip I do. I just know I will need to remember to take a book or (when it's possible again) some knitting for that ferry ride. Two and a half hours one way is quite long to just stare at the sea. 

Today it's back to the mini bus and a completely different trip. I have gotten the details and have looked through them. It doesn't sound too difficult. Famous last words of course, but so far, I have managed everything they have thrown at me and I do have a sat nav with me as well (gps system). I will pick up passengers at two different places before driving them to a large venue in Belfast. 

I will then be waiting until they come back from whoever/whatever they will watch and drive them back home. I hope to be back home and ready for bed at around 2 in the morning! Tomorrow I will have another job (not sure what it is yet) and then on Sunday my sister and I made plans. Hopefully the weather will be okay then, since they are forecasting worse weather from today onward.