Life in Ireland
Just some bitching really.
Guess how much it cost me to tax our car for a year? Go on guess. Okay I'll tell you. €480.00. That's about $NZ930.00. So next time you're at the Post Shop and your $200-and-something car rego seems like a lot, well it's not too bad.
And an example of "customer service" (used in the loosest sense possible) from the weekend just past:
"Hello, we'd like to buy this item of furniture please."
[checks computer] "We don't have any available, and neither do any of our other stores."
"Oh... so.... do you think you'll get me more?"
"Probably, but I don't know - I'd have to call head office."
"Okay..."
"They're not open till Monday..."
"Right... so can you call them on Monday and call me to let me know?"
"Um, no, we don't do phone calls".
"Right, so I can call head office on Monday myself?"
"No, you'd have to call here and we'd call head office."
"Right, so who would I ask for when I called here?"
"I don't know really".
[we give up]
Generally though, things are fine and living here feels more and more like normal. Autumn is setting in and the days are quickly getting shorter and colder. The last two days have been really quite cold. When walking to work, when the wind is up, it feels as cold as the height of the Auckland winter - almost "I'm skiing" cold. I look forward with a mixture and anticipation and trepidation to the real winter! At least our apartment is a sun trap and keeps very warm.
Guess how much it cost me to tax our car for a year? Go on guess. Okay I'll tell you. €480.00. That's about $NZ930.00. So next time you're at the Post Shop and your $200-and-something car rego seems like a lot, well it's not too bad.
And an example of "customer service" (used in the loosest sense possible) from the weekend just past:
"Hello, we'd like to buy this item of furniture please."
[checks computer] "We don't have any available, and neither do any of our other stores."
"Oh... so.... do you think you'll get me more?"
"Probably, but I don't know - I'd have to call head office."
"Okay..."
"They're not open till Monday..."
"Right... so can you call them on Monday and call me to let me know?"
"Um, no, we don't do phone calls".
"Right, so I can call head office on Monday myself?"
"No, you'd have to call here and we'd call head office."
"Right, so who would I ask for when I called here?"
"I don't know really".
[we give up]
Generally though, things are fine and living here feels more and more like normal. Autumn is setting in and the days are quickly getting shorter and colder. The last two days have been really quite cold. When walking to work, when the wind is up, it feels as cold as the height of the Auckland winter - almost "I'm skiing" cold. I look forward with a mixture and anticipation and trepidation to the real winter! At least our apartment is a sun trap and keeps very warm.
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