Bring a book and an ipod

Hearing:

Every trip into staff travel sends the most sturdy employee running. It usually involves a long wait where you cant tell which person is processing which type of ticket - ID, duty travel, annual leave, repatriation etc - nor who is in line next, not to mention that when you manage to get to someone they tell you oh no you have to see so and so or they tap away at their computer not really telling you much about what they are doing. If you had the sense to apply online a week, 2 weeks or even a month ago you can safely bet your tickets still wont be ready. So naturally it can be a frustrating and lengthy process which, no joke, can actually take hours out of your day. And that's where i was today. Now over 2 years i have avoided the place if at all possible usually getting my tickets at a company office in the city or directly from the office at the airport but when i need a ticket for someone other than myself it cant be avoided and so my strategy is to take a book and my ipod to help with the long wait. Thats how i managed to get the tickets today with minimal frustration and am now back home with a relaxing cup of coffee contemplating my holiday.

I should probably explain a few things i mentioned 3 posts ago. I am now officially on my annual leave and its to last till the 23rd of this month. Ive been planning on taking my mum to Paris (what mum wouldn't want to go) and to visit Cairo since its one place I've said i wanted to go to a thousand times but nothings worked out. So that at least explains why i was in staff travel today.

The other thing that ties in with my annual leave is that i will be getting another visitor. My uncles wife and her daughter. My uncles wife is very eager to come visit and see where I've been living and (i daresay) just as interested in shopping. As for me I'm more excited to see my cousin who my uncle named after me! I haven't seen her for over 7 years and she has really grown from all the photos I've seen, i cant wait to get to know her.

The other bit of news is that i had a performance check done on me on my JFK. The very same that i did while my brother was here. I had no idea it was being done, in fact, i didn't find out till i was seated in my jumpseat for landing and the CM turns to me and says, i should tell you I've been doing a check on you! Furthermore she said she had nothing negative to say, that i worked very hard and she was impressed and wondered if i was interested in her recommending me for a CM position! I was so surprised but very relieved that at least id gotten a good report.

Anyway mum and i are heading off to Paris tomorrow and we'll be there till the 7th. I cant wait to see the expression on her face when she sees the sites. Better go pack.

VP