I had one week to get everything ready before Ellie arrives on Saturday.  In this week this is what I have done.

• ·         Tried to learn as many of the staff’s names as I could.

• ·         Got my two week programme of events sorted (near enough).

• ·         Sang two different cabarets and planning more.

• ·         Moved out of the noisy house and moved into a scabby little apartment all on my own.

And more boring work related items.  Now for the good stuff.

Mark’s mum lives in Portugal (though she is British) and they hadn’t seen each other in two years.  He needed to get to a train station to see her but he hadn’t been paid yet so it was problem getting to said train station.  I umm’d and ahh’d about it and decided to offer him a lift.  Only problem was we would have to set off at 5.30am.  Mark offered me his bed and only came back in when it was time to wake up.  I was so sleepy and couldn’t really function and I was also very cold so he offered me his jumper.  In a sleepy fashion I put my “arms up to the moon” and awkwardly he dressed me but I fell into him and it was really sweet and funny.  It felt a bit nice but I shook that off.  The car journey was lovely.  The conversation got onto my first impression of the boys and I told him exactly what I thought, that they are slutty boys who flirt with everyone.  Mark said he rarely likes anyone and when he does find a girl he likes it’s all or nothing.  He doesn’t go into things half-heartedly.  Surprising comments.  I dropped him off and as he was leaving the car he gave me an interesting look and said “thank you so much, you don’t know how much this means to me.  From now on you can never do wrong in my eyes”.  Those were the words but they didn’t seem as cheesy at the time!  I went back to their apartment and got back into Mark’s bed and then had a dream.  I dreamt that me and Mark were having some really nice kisses and then he took my hand and walked me round to all of the guests and introduced me as his girlfriend.   It was like an uncomfortable horror film. 

At dinner me and Sam discussed my dream.  I said how glad I was I wouldn’t have to see him again today as I have a tendency to carry on my feelings from a dream to my real life.  It was the boys’ night off and the cabaret wasn’t really Sam’s cup of tea so I continued the evening on my own.  Whilst sitting with one of my company bosses who came to see the cabaret in walks Mark.  He bought a glass of wine and sat there looking sweet.  There was a lot of eye contact but maybe that was there before and I didn’t notice.  For me it was very uncomfortable but I didn’t want to let on and in front of my boss too.  He passes me something in a bag.  It was a little painting on a canvas of the town he visited with his Mother.  He said it was a Thank You/House Warming gift.  It was so perfect, I absolutely loved it.  It has taken pride of place on my dressing room table in my bedroom.  I dropped him off at his and went home.  What the hell?

Next big event was the next night, we drank after work at their place and they said I could sleep over again.  We played “I have never” and the mood got really depressing, we decided to part ways and I went to get into Mark’s bed and Mark started sorting his stuff out to sleep in the front room again.  Mark had spoke about his last love and he seemed really sad so in a not-so-typical Gemma fashion, I hugged him.  No idea why and it then turned into a yummy hug.  I felt up until this point I did very well to stay away from either boy.  Then Mark tells me about how he really likes me etc and then we spent a very innocent night as teenage sweethearts.  I even fell asleep in his arms which is definitely not something I do.  Let’s not read into that though.  It was the most perfect night and it’s a shame that it can only be one night.  He smokes, he’s a musician, we don’t have very much in common but his kisses and cuddles are some of the finest around.

Now then you would think that was it wouldn’t you.  Well surprise surprise it wasn’t.  Many awkward moments followed over the next couple of days.  I wanted something else to happen but I also knew I never would do anything else and it would be mean.  If Mark really did have feelings and it had to be all or nothing then I can’t guarantee “all” so to treat him right I had to work on “nothing” and make it easy for him.  It would be too selfish to request falling asleep in his arms again, not even sure if that would be possible a second time around.  (Wow, I’m such a girl, when did this happen?)  Fridays are the night that my hotel and another hotel do a switcharoo with duos so I was relieved when I knew I would hardly see them, then it would be Saturday, my day off and then I would be spending loads of time with Ellie.  I call Sam at around midnight and ask him how everything is.  He tells me to come over to their lair to talk to Mark.  What a trap!  I knew it was but curiosity and my love of the occasional drama took over my brain function.  So me and Mark talked, I told him how I wouldn’t be able to give him “all” and that I can’t see this lasting more than just this summer and that’s not good for either of us.  So we ended up sleeping a metre away from each other in pain of wanting something.  Let’s get to the end of this as I refuse to write details about the next portion but maybe something happened.  Anyways...we parted ways and I began to focus back on my life again and stop thinking about how lovely it would be run my fingers through Marks curly locks every day. 

I went to a local shopping mall (if you can call it that).  I bought cleaning products, fake flowers, candles, vases, a runner for the table, new bed sheets.  Transformed my place and managed to bleach the floors just in time before getting to the airport.  Little, tiny Ellie walks out with her case.  Can’t believe we hadn’t seen each other in over 6 months.  In 5 seconds of seeing her we were already laughing.  Getting lost on the way home was fun, not sure how many times I drove away from the airport and then ended up back at the airport but it was all fun.  When Ell walked in to my apartment she said it was so nice and smelt so good.  Victory!

If you would like to know how my week with Ellie went then you will have to tune in soon...(it was eventful!)

Today is judgement day.  Guests will be streaming in.  I drive to Faro airport to pick up the duo.  I had no time to get ready after I had picked them up so I was dolled up for my cabaret.  I tucked myself out of the way and read my book as I waited for them.  Then I saw Sam pushing a huge trolley of suitcases and guitars.  He was wearing a white vest and jeans and also a woolly hat.  Mark was dressed like a normal human being with his lovely curly hair.  They both looked handsome enough to warrant the label "eye-candy" but they also looked like trouble.  "Your hair is amazing" was one of the first things the boys said to me.  This won me over and in minutes I was telling them about how I longed to be a mermaid.  My manager arrived and took Mark in her car which left me with the tanned smiley one.  He really reminded me of Bob.  I initially felt uncomfortable in the car with him because of the slight resemblance.  Sam proved to be very sweet and we ended up talking about everything in the world.  How he had just broken up with his girlfriend and his life in Tenerife, and I talked inappropriately about previous lovers. 

The boys went crazy when they reached their hotel room.  They did laps around the rooms and looked like two kids at Christmas.  This is the poshest digs they have ever been given.  I went to the hotel and got ready for my cabaret.  I had a set prepared which was a general cabaret filled with all sorts but once I reached the venue it was apparent that the upbeat songs would be way too much.  Last minute I changed the set and the boys did the sound and light for me.  The boys' jaws dropped as I sang.  They were so amazed.  It was strange that these cool musicians could be that astounded by my regular everyday cabaret voice.  

Before you ask, no I do not fancy either of the boys.  They are smokers, they are super flirty and I have to try to stay away from boys/men.

Finally got into the hotel.  The hotel manager is actually quite handsome.  The meeting was between me and my company managers, the two reps and the hotel manager.  I had my over the top PowerPoint presentation ready with my laptop beside me waiting for my chance to shine.  This never happened as it was totally casual.  I don’t know what I was expecting!  What a dweeb.  I found out that the hotel is bankrupt and is trying to struggle to keep going at the moment, however I managed to get the HM to agree to an ice sculpture, tiki torches and much more.  Very surprising!

I had recently spent a day with the reps trying to sort out a trip to the nearby town.  I had spent the previous day researching the area for ideas, even made a map of the trip.  Met the girls expecting them to be super friendly and excited to meet someone they will spend the next summer with but they were both a bit blah.  One was an awkward bitch who claimed she knew it all.  I tried to show the walk I had mapped out and little Miss Master of the Universe boasted that she knew everything about the town as she had spent last summer there.  She has a really smug face.  The kind you would punch quite easily if you were that way inclined.  The other girl seemed nice enough but can’t seem to find any chemistry or things in common with either of them. 

My living situation is terrible.  I have a lovely room in a lovely apartment but I can’t get any sleep whatsoever because I live with 3 other girls and 2 of which go out and party until the sun comes up and make loads of noise.  They didn’t try to make me feel very welcome either.  All the girls are nice enough but not my type of people.  Note to self:  think about making some friends.

My first few days of “work” consisted of going on excursions for no reason at all.  The hotel wasn’t open yet so I couldn’t crack on and get work done but it was on my mind. 

Loule market – Starting with a gypsy market I managed to buy two bags.  One for 5 Euros and another was originally 45 Euros and after a conversation that looked something like this...

-            - “Ola, this bag is 45 Euros”

“That’s too much, I’ll only buy it for 10 Euros”

-         - “No!  That’s so low!  Ok, ok, ok, 35 Euros” (She puts the bag in a plastic bag)

“No thanks, I’m only going to pay 10 Euros, goodbye” (Starts to walk away)

-         - “Ok, ok, ok, 30 Euros” (She puts the bag back in the plastic bag which she had just thrown bag in the box)

“No, really, only 10 Euros”

-         -“Ok, ok, ok, 25 Euros” (Out comes the plastic bag to wrap another bag in, not sure of her logic)

In the end I agreed at 12 Euros but I didn’t get the luxury of the plastic bag to carry my perfectly fine bag in.  She tricked me there. 

I then walked up through Loule town and it was ever so pretty.  Lovely boutiques and flowers everywhere.  Then I went to the local market with the fresh fish and vegetables and local produce, figs and nuts and olives.  It was wonderful.  Very nice day out.

Guadiana River Cruise – Not a fan of long coach journeys or boats in general but the ride up the river was pleasant enough I guess.  I spent the journey picking off my nail varnish so I was happy. The “scenic views” were nowhere to be seen.  It was all a bit dirty and boring.  Then we reach the restaurant.  Oh the restaurant.  The food was fab with fresh salad and bread, grilled sardines (can’t get the courage to eat them yet but people say good things about them), chicken piri-piri and fresh oranges to finish.  In between each course we received a musical treat.  A man with an accordion, a man with a big drum and then a man handing out various other instruments as a massive group of people do a massive musical conga around the room.  I was picked on of course and got given this weird contraption where you hold a pole and on top is a load of little wooden people and bottle caps and when you push the pole up the people bend over and the bottle caps make their delightful scratchy sound.  My table enjoyed my performance.

It was nice to do these things for free but really I want to start work now please!

First findings...

1.  Portuguese really aren't terrible drivers.  Being English and ignorant I would just pop them in the box along with the Spanish, Turks, Greeks and French but everyone is pretty courteous and drive at a normal speed AND stop at pedestrian crossings.  I'm probably the worst driver in Portugal right now (not difficult).

2.  My name, Gemma, means the yolk of an egg.

3.  The Portuguese have an even drier sense of humour than the Brits.  Its hard to stomach.  I went to reception and asked where I can get a cup of tea.  She answered "No".  Then after some persuasion she said "No you cannot have tea, you are not allowed any tea in the hotel".  She was joking but I'm telling you, no one would have guessed.  Hideous.  I will have to work on this.

Step one.

Luggage allowance: 40kg in two cases, 1 hand luggage max 5kg. What I got away with: 24kg in each case, 2 hand luggage 6.5kg each. What a miracle.

I realise that packing gives me massive anxiety and as I find any emotion almost intolerable, this one is so pointless and impossible to get rid of using willpower. As soon as the cases are taken away I'm fine again but the anxiety has heightened with each trip. So, 3am and my flight is at 5.30am but as a punishment from the universe for making the plane heavy, the flight is delayed.

 One of my worst dreams I have is that I have to pack last minute and I can't find the things I want to pack or that I'm on a train with my suitcase and I open it to find 5 or 6 random objects in there rolling around. I think it might be due to my lack of spontaneity. When I was a teen I was full of it, but after getting a grown up job and a mortgage at 18 I guess that knocks it out of you. I guess planning to spend your summer at home with friends and family and then flipping your plans upside down to work in Portugal is a pretty good start. I will work on that.

Oh by the way, I have learnt my last lesson regarding information on blogs and data protection and hiding from people who just shouldn't read blogs. I will never mention the company I work for and I will give code names for everyone. It’s the safest way. And I will definitely love giving people code names!