Out

Well, I am out!

I finally moved out yesterday and spent last night in a hotel. My sister and ex provided lots of help on the final day, I didn't actually think that it could all be done that day, but it was all over by 4pm and I had returned the keys.

Since then I have had nothing but disasters though.

Booked into the Stamford Plaza on North Terrace, Adelaide just wanting to order dinner in my room whilst I rested my feet then a long soak in a hot bath and bed.
An hour after ordering dinner I come out of a doze and call dining and get no answer so ring reception. My order had been forgotten, so they promise to rush it to me as fast as possible, it comes over half an hour later - WRONG!!! Open the lid and the room fills with the stench of dead animal! And you know that I didn't order that! They even added a complimentary bottle of beer - which I don't drink!

Out in to the hall so it doesn't stink out my room and on to the phone. They apologise, as if that actually does anything - how about something to actually try and redress the lost goodwill after two monumental screw ups?

Oh, by the way, no soak in the bath since there is a big yellow stain in the middle of it which I don't trust, so a shower only. The sheets were stained as well, looks like rust stains from an old washer, so upper class.

This morning I set off to take my laptop to the Adelaide HP office since I have not heard from them yet on fixing my brand new laptop. I get a call whilst I am walking up North Terrace; it's a shop in Murray Bridge saying that they have received the part and want to arrange to fix the laptop. Murray Bridge! Even if I was still in Mount Barker that is not closer than Adelaide.

I still go to the HP office because I am tired of these games. The girl at reception tells me that they don't provide service, they only sell. I get the feeling that HP as a whole doesn't provide service. I say that I have had enough and I am not interested in whatever she is saying since she is keeping up a constant stream of white noise and I turn to leave. She closes the door behind her and stands at her desk and shouts abuse at me as I walk out the front door.

Well done HP!

The guy from Murray Bridge had given me the name of the shop in Adelaide that serviced HP laptops and was sending the drive to them. I phone this shop and arrange for them to collect from the hotel since the laptop is still under warranty (it's only a couple of months old!), but guess what - they don't expect to be able to fix it until Friday, the day I fly out!!!

At this point you can understand that I am getting totally sick of the Australian concept of service.

I always try to look on the bright side, so here it is; at least I won't be loading a heavy laptop into my luggage so will have a little more leeway than I thought.

And I have learnt two things; never stay at anything called "Stamford" and never buy HP.