Tues 15 July: First interview

Up early again, this time to fit in appointment at bank before my interview this afternoon. We’d started the ball rolling on our bank accounts before we left the UK and this meeting was to confirm our identities etc and get our keycards/PINs sorted. Don’t know about you but any time I’ve been into a bank in the UK lately, I’ve left feeling completely exasperated by the total lack of customer service. This could not have been more different. SO helpful, friendly and really committed to good, personal, service. Banking isn’t ‘free’ in Australia as it is in the UK (or, you could say, the banks are more up-front about the costs of providing their services…?) so perhaps that helps to explain some of the difference, but it was really quite staggering. I can’t imagine Aussies getting the same treatment in the UK.

Anyway, that was one more task completed and after a delicious lunch of grilled aubergine, sun-dried tomatoes and pepper sandwich, in a little café near the bank, it was back to the hotel for a Wonderwoman-type change into my ‘interview clothes’, followed by a short train journey out to one of Sydney’s Western suburbs for my interview (for a short term contract to do some project management for a local govt dept). Again, the contrast between the UK and here was quite startling. My return train journey cost $4.20 (just over £2), which would barely get you started in London. The train was clean, comfortable and the service was regular and on time. I commented on this to one of the people interviewing me and she said that Aussies think the trains are expensive and terrible!!!

Interview seemed to go well, they’re seeing a couple of other people next week so I’ll find out by end of next week.

Back into city, pasta & pesto for dinner again! Packed up for trip to Melbourne, watched Sex & the City repeats on TV, then an early night in preparation for early start tomorrow.