Well if anybody had warned me as to the nature of this trip (working on an expedition cruise) then perhaps I wouldn't currently be sat on a toad stool listening to a talk on lycon (moss to you and I) with a group of anoraks.
My question for you is: At what point do you start finding these subjects interesting?
I am not kidding when I say that this is a 2 hour guided tour and lecture on this one subject!
This is only day 2 of a two week expedition cruise; stopping at nearly every famous garden on the coast of the British Isles. Brilliant.
Thank goodness for my BlackBerry, at least I've got something to do in-between chatting to folks about Oyster Catchers (that's a black and white bird with an orange beak, just so you know!) and how a sundial works...
You would all be so proud of me in my lovely boaty beige trousers, navy shirt, and very bling, very big gold shiny badge. I look like a tour guide and actually I am having to act like one just to cope.
So, my first initiation test was to get on stage with a microphone and introduce myself and the ship to 120 new passengers, just picture it for a minute... I don't think I need to say anything more on the subject other than "I was employed as a zodiac (boat) driver NOT an entertainer" you should have seen the evil crew laughing at me from the back of the room, that's what happens to the new crew, apparently its tradition!
It went on from there and at a suitable time I will fill you in on the other horrors of working on an expedition cruise. Trust me when I say DON'T do it!
On a plus point however, the expedition leader spends 90% of his working life in Antarctica, so you can imagine my sole aim this week is to make sure he gets me a job! Perhaps not on a cruise ship though.
Oh, and by the way, we have a staff meeting at 6:15am and finish work at 11pm. Now forget the flowers and bird watchers and fauna, who the hell works that many hours in a day, these full time staff must be either nuts or on some hefty medication.
I think I should stop ranting and start concentrating.
Anoraks to please and all.
Its only day 2 so plenty more to come.... please read on in the next installment, it can only get better..................right?!
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