I set off from Wigan station and arrived at Euston relaxed and ready to work as hard as I could at my new Demonstration Contract at a brand new warehouse behind Wembley Stadium.
Being a 'Demo Girl' has been an amazing experience from learning how to cook in the tiniest of spaces to meeting Joe Public with its many facets and faces. But this mini adventure had me in the very heart of the capital and heading towards Cricklewood.
Several hair raising tube journeys later I arrived at The Crown
its set back from the main road with a good sweep of driveway and a lot of attention to detail with its cast iron posts and chains, the cobblestoned drive adding a little to its imposing frontage.
Set to one side is the additional building to the original. I can hardly call it an extension ts absolutely enormous and as imposing in its own modern way. Keeping faith with the current fashion that any extension must bee seen to be from a different era, with all the bells and whistles it has truly beautiful aspects to its structure.
I entered the reception area and was immediately seen too, my electronic room key handed over in a neat little paper wallet and off i set to discover what had been booked for me.
I admit that having had several horror stories whispered in my shell like (ears) I was a tad apprehensive.
I passed the indoor swimming pool promising myself a swim later,
A promise I broke after half a pint of lager and an amazing evening with Jean Lowe, my colleague and several very kind gentlemen who bought our drinks and entertained us generously without a single word or gesture out of place.
The room was lovely. I can't say it was anything other than that. Ensuite bathroom, generous bed, good carpeting and the TV was a decent size.
Most importantly the coffee tray was full and I sat down and enjoyed a drink before changing and heading to the bar to meet up with my new colleagues . What an AMAZING bunch of people !
Jean Lowe is my colleague from the north and she has worked the demo route for a long time and took pleasure in introducing me to so many new people, it was hard to put names to faces at first but I soon ironed that out and we had a really good series of connections.
I've said more than once that I love my little job, I go to a place where literally everyone smiles, hello, good morning, can I help you, do you need anything..is always in the air and whats even nicer is that it is all genuine. I didn't know what to expect from this new crowd, Men and Women from all over the country, diverse characters, Individuals with 'demo' stamped right the way through them. We share a common gene of genial companionship, communication, people 'people', but that isn't a guarantee of acceptance..............I needn't have worried.
AMAZING is about the most overworked word when describing an experience but for me, quite genuinely...it was amazing. These people, total strangers bar for one person, welcomed me into their hearts and not once did I feel anything less than welcome, part of the team. Yvonne McKeown and Lianne Beverley Snape were particularly lovely to me but then more and more people added to the chain of friendship. fa too many to mention now...but I will, as time goes on.
We sat through the first evening saying hello, old friends leaping into each others arms for hugs, squeals of delight as people re-connected and then bedtime. Oh that bed.mmmmmmmmmm it was heaven. Crisp clean sheets, lovely soft pillows, space, lots of space. Morning had more people arriving, more squeals and giggles and hugs as connections took place once again and then it was meetings and a god awful buffet and then........................V.I.P. Night and the opening.
Manic is about the only way to say it, people, food, demonstrations in multiple figures, people rushing here and there and then exhaustion as we staggered to the coach and back to the hotel.
The chatter started low on the coach, a gentle hum as people began to wynde down and then there was a buzz and a hyper giddy moment as people began to relate incidents and issues and suddenly the roar of dozens of people all hyped and still raring to go......wow!
Tuesday was no less frenetic and it was a 14 hour shift as well. We all staggered onto the double decker bus at 7am
We had an hour long wait before we could get into the warehouse itself but we all had to be present and correct and then it was our showtime.
By Wednesday things calmed a little but then the sun beat down oppressively and 30 degrees of pure heat hit us whenever we had our break or lunch......thank heavens for air conditioning.
By the evening we had successfully launched Wembley and we had a few hours before we would need to pack for home and we spent it......partying of course.
By the next morning there were a few sore heads, one or two gamely had stayed awake all night and several of us had drunk more than our usual limit but the frenetic work schedule was now over and more normal hours would resume. Some of our people stayed on till next Monday, but many of us had flights to catch back up to Scotland or trains to take us miles away home. I was on the train for 1;30 so by ten o clock I was packed, ready and sat out in the sun baking myself and drinking reams of coffee to stay awake and alert.
Jean and I headed off through Cricklewood, stopping by a rather dilapidated small caravan blaring out a decent Bob Marley tune for a quick dance and a shuffle then on to the train station.
Several tube journeys later and we found ourselves back at Euston with an hour to spare (so we thought)
What better than a fast lunch and a little drinkies ...........which we duly did. We discovered Gino D'Acampo so of course we had to have some pasta (deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious) and gorgeous bread and a couple of lagers to help it all down.
finally we made it home.Next year its Reykjavik, if I am chosen to join up again.......well thats another adventure entirely.
Miracles, I forgot to include the miracles.
Successful demonstrations are when you have not only displayed the item/ food/ self in such a way that the product sells fast and furious throughout the day. An empty pallet is considered a huge boright links to make your display good is genuinely exciting. For me, my pallet emptied fast and was refilled enough for me to feel I had done a good job. That was a small miracle.
That I managed to find my way through tube stations was another miracle because the reason I have had so many adventures in travel is literally because I can't read maps or guides as well as some and get myself 'lost' a lot.
That everyone got on so well, and everyone was so kind was a small but gratifying little miracle too. For nearly 100 people, some complete strangers to the group like myself, to integrate immediately and remain fast friends afterwards was another little miracle.
and lastly...to have survived London traffic in the rush hour, on a double decker bus through some of the smallest, narrowest streets. With my heart in my mouth as various narrow escapes provided me with gasps, hold my breath and eyes squeezed shut seconds along the way...is definitely...a miracle.
