http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RATmkF9zXy4&feature=sub

This is the link that will give you a sneak preview into UNESCO’s first Urban Global Geopark and you can see it in all its glory when you come to Torquay, heart of the English Riviera.  The more you get to know, the more fascinating the history of our island becomes.  See firsthand that the English Riviera is more than just a pretty face!!

Have you ever noticed that when you meet new people in a group, next time you come across them you think either they all look the same or you draw a blank when trying to remember anybody’s name?  Now multiply that tenfold and you have my dilemma – how to remember the names of over 130 staff – thank heavens for name badges!

Having surmounted this problem, my next test was to learn to find my way around the “Grand” maze.  Not only are there 4 floors of bedrooms, 5 function rooms, restaurant, bar and kitchen but also offices, cellars and a million store cupboards.  I seemed to get lost on a daily basis my first 2 weeks and at one point debated whether to get a sat nav device to guide me round.

I won’t bore you with details of all my introductions, training, induction and the paper work that goes with my new job other than to say that I used to think paper work was an excuse for managers to sit in the office all day drinking tea.  Fool me!  It hasn’t been the local steam engine smoking around here – it’s been my head!

If I have come to fear anything during my short time in the job, it’s my pager.  Firstly it makes me jump out my skin when it goes off (a lot), and secondly I get enveloped in this aura of intrepidation as I never know what Reception is going to say when I resp0nd.  Sometimes I get off lightly as it is just a car needing to be parked, a phone call to deal with or a department needing change or something.  Then every now and again it is a matter requiring a little more ingenuity of thought.  How do you deal with a beautiful day and a busy swimming pool that is filled not only with guests of all ages, shapes and sizes, but also feathered ones?  Yes, we have 2 resident ducks who return each winter/spring to do what animals do in the spring – create offspring.  Each year we call in the experts to move the parents and their new offspring to the local pond and that’s the end of it for another year.  This year it is different as our 2 ducks have reared and bid farewell to their offspring and returned to the Grand, having decided that it’s their favourite home. They seem quite happy to swim around with guests and fortunately our guests are quite taken with them.  They (the ducks) have also been known to hop upstairs to the door of the lounge to say hello!  I wonder if they would be so bold if they knew how often duck features on our menus!

Getting in to the mindset of a child, idea’s start flying around the office, ‘singing and dancing, bouncy castle, egg painting…’  Now we have all of these idea’s it’s up to me to find people to put things into action!  Google becomes a very close friend of mine at this point!!

Far too quickly Easter Monday is here and I arrive to find the calm before the storm.  Slowly all of the stalls start to arrive but 10 minutes before the start I am still missing the bouncy castle and face painter.  Just as I begin to worry they both stroll through the door.

11:30am and the queue for the face painter is huge, the egg painting is going well and the animals from Pets at Home are a real hit!  The first singer is announced – she is the junior singing star winner from Torbay’s Acting Factory.  As she takes to the stage the whole room turns to watch and I suddenly realise just how many people are here!

The BBQ is up and running now and the Grand Produce stall, selling all of our homemade goodies, is going down a treat.  I look around and am pleased to see how much everyone is enjoying themselves.  Children are exploring the hotel searching for the clues of our Treasure Hunt and wondering around are characters such as Cavog from Kent’s Cavern, Mac the Penguin from Living Coasts and the Crealy Bear.

Tuesday and back to my desk to get back to some ‘grown up work’ when I realise… in no time at all it will be time to do it all over again for our August Family Fun Day!!