Safe & healthy days in London.....

Morning everyone, I'm back from the big city after my 2 days of health & safety training & I can say I'm well & truly bushed!!!

After getting up at 4.45 on Tuesday morning I had a very long train journey.... you know the one when you think you've been on the train for ever only to find out it was 1/2 hour!!! After some strong black coffee I managed to wake up.

I was late getting in to Paddington so had to rush on the Circle line as I only had 3/4 hour to get to Liverpool street. I hate being late for meetings don't you?? After a nightmare tube journey.....far to busy..... I then had a 15 mins dash to HO finally arriving there 15 mins late & the training already under way.... :(

So day one was not so bad, in the morning we were told we had to do role play in the afternoon, now I hate role play so I was worried but the group seemed very nice...13 in total...& it was ok. We went for lunch at the end of Brick Lane... I love it here, an open space with lots of cafes & a BBQ... very cheap & cheerful.

The afternoon was spent doing the role plays & talking about what would happen if someone drops down dead in front of us.......at this point I was started to get a bit worried..... you see I work in a shop & I didn't think I had to deal with any of this!!! I was also told that if any of my staff have an accident even if it's my day off it's my responsibility!!! Now I'm having second thoughts about this.....

We finished at 4pm, which was great because I was starting to get really tried & the room was very hot. I checked into my hotel & realised they only had no smoking rooms left....now anyone who's been to that area will know this is not a great place to stand outside a hotel smoking!!! So I had a choice...do I sit in the room all evening or do something.... the something won....can you guess what????

Yes I went shopping...... now I really don't know the east end of London but I found Algate east tube station beside my hotel & worked out I could get the Hammersmith & City line to Baker St...easier said then done as I had to wait for a while. It was also not the best time to get a tube as the rush hour was just starting...... getting off at Baker St I walked to Emma Bridgewater then on to CK. You'll have to wait to see what I got!!!

It took me 1 1/2 hours to do this & getting back to the hotel I noticed there was no where to eat near by, I had been offered to eat with the man taking the course so I called him to take him up on his offer. Boy was I glad I did...Brick lane is not for the faint hearted, so many people trying to get you to eat in their restaurant it's frightening. We found a quite curry house & I couldn't believe how cheap it was..... even though I claim it back.

Back to the hotel by 8.30 because I had knitting to do....didn't tell him that!!!

The hotel was great apart from the fact I couldn't smoke!!! I had to take a photo of the shower.....




Sad I know but I've stayed in loads of hotels & I think this has to be the best shower I've come across...... it's a walk in one with glass doors.... very powerful.....just perfect. After a long day I really needed this!!!



In the morning I had a peaceful walk to the office, this time I could stop to take in the sights. I love this pub.......




The Ten Bells.... this was the pub that the Jack the Ripper victims hide in... I went there about 10 years ago on the tour & it was very quite... Tuesday night it was packed as it now has a DJ box...maybe Jack should come back!!! When I went I was in the toilet & I heard a lady laughing, I came out to find I was the only one in there.....boy did I run up those stairs!!!




The second day was not so good... we covered bomb threats & fire.We had to watch a film of the Bradford football club fire...... do you remember that?? 1985..... where do the years go!!! Now I hate fire & have a real fear of it, I can't look if any ones on fire in films etc so I knew this would be tough. I tried not to look but saw someone rolling on the ground on fire & actually shouted out 'oh my god' & hide my face... how embarrassing!! I also had to fight back the tears, why??? I'm not sure... I often wonder if I was in a bad fire in a previous life.....well you never know!

I must admit I was glad when the day was over as I was getting a bit fed up with doom & gloom.... I got a nice certificate to say I'm now trained on H&S.....is this what you call covering your arse?? So if there's an accident in the Exeter store they can blame me!!!



When I got back to Paddington I was told my ticket was not valid...OMG!!! The person in my store had booked a return ticket for the 28th, they knew I was returning on the 29th so a really, really big mistake. I did question it when my ticket came through but I was told it was fine. They let me through the gates but I was told I may get asked to leave the train. I called my store manager who tried to sort it out but when he called back he told me that yes an error had been made & the ticket was not valid!!! Could I pay for a single ticket & claim the money back??? Now on the 5.03 train to Exeter a single will cost you around £150... so I panicked!!!
When the train manager came he took my ticket, I could've said about the error or I could keep quite...... I didn't say anything!!! He gave me the ticket back & said 'ok'!!!! Thank the lord!!!

So I was home safe & sound by 8pm...... boy did I sleep well last night!!! I don't think I'll do anything today as it's my day off, the housework can kept until next week as I'm on holiday...yes again!!!