Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

So, we are now in the most precarious situation so far. Tonight is night 7 out of 7 in our Brisbane accommodation and as yet we have been told nothing about what’s going to happen tomorrow. Initially we should have been flying to Gladstone to move into our new pad but alas the promise of “special dispensation” has been broken and we are now stuck in a Bechtel”process” the same as everyone else on the GLNG project. The NET result is that as of 10am tomorrow we are homeless, as of 1300hrs we are car less and if it continues in this pattern by 1600hrs I may find myself wife-less!!!

Immediately following this post I will pen an email to the HR team at JHG basically letting them know how happy and secure we are and we’ll see what comes from that. In true Australian style though it will inevitably work out, the apartments we’re currently in and that are fully booked from tomorrow will probably free up a room from us and I’m sure Hertz won’t mind extending our car hire for another day or two. I think that JHG can pack a punch if they need to.

Apart from the above life has been generally good (less for the excessive Brisbane rainfall at this time of year). We have paid our respects to Steve Irwin and had a good day out at Australia zoo (despite the torrential downpours all day long) and the top tip for my fellow PETs is to ask if they do a military discount. Quite a few places do out here such as Australia Zoo. Unfortunately, I didn’t find this out until the next day but have been asking ever since!

We have visited Surfers Paradise, had a ride on the boat bus, visited Brisbane museum and the kids science centre, had a ride on the Brisbane Wheel, been on the Brisbane taxi boats, registered for our Medicare cards and generally been very busy. We also managed to catch up with an old mate of mine who was QM when I was Sqn 2IC who now serves in the Oz Army.

Importantly, we managed to meet up with the Marsh family and get the lowdown on Gladstone and the GLNG. Rich even managed to find out which part of the project I’ll be working on (the Jetty) which is more than I’ve managed to gain from JHG thus far by speaking direct with them! Having had a good chat about the job it seems that life will not necessarily be as fraught as it was for them and is manageable with a bit of common sense/diplomacy.

I think that this will suffice for now. I need to pack up the hotel room and try to reassure Lisa that everything will work out fine. My next post will hopefully be more positive on the accommodation front and I hope to be writing from Gladstone to!