Day 163 – 25th June 2018 – Darwin

Today was my first training day as part of the Housekeeping Staff at Club Tropical Resort.  I have a whole new respect for Housekeeping Staff, the pace they go and the detail expected is incredible.  It is like being at the gym for 7 and a half hours with a 20 minute morning tea break and a half hour lunch break.  I seriously had no idea what to expect, but didn’t expect it to be so stressful.  You have to do an apartment in 25 minutes.  There are two people working together, although there were 3 when training.  This is the list of things to do in your 25 minutes for a deep clean – you either do the bathroom or the living area:

  • both make the beds, there are two beds in some rooms
  • wash dirty dishes
  • wash sink, surfaces, inside cupboard, walls if needed
  • scrub inside of shower
  • glass cleaner on outside of shower and mirror
  • fold toilet paper into a v
  • clean vent in ceiling
  • empty bins
  • restock linen and toiletries
  • vacuum and mop

Everything is done in a VERY specific way.  Things are folded and placed at particular angles and everything has it’s spot.

  • Ensure all items are there and replace if missing
  • spray and wipe all surfaces including inside drawers and cupboards
  • restock coffee, tea, sugar, milk, dishwashing items
  • Clean microwave inside and out
  • clean fridge inside and out
  • clean TV, light switches, ceiling fan
  • clean sliding glass doors and tracks
  • clean outside furniture
  • clean marks on walls and lounge cover
  • remove cobwebs
  • vacuum and mop including behind fridge and under beds and outside verandah and front porch
  • empty bins and empty ashtrays and wipe out

Ummmm 25 minutes, seriously!  It usually takes me 25 minutes just to do the fridge hahahaha.  Sometimes you open the fridge or freezer and it is covered in ice and you need to remove it.  Everything is left spotless.  It is a real experience.  You are also running backwards and forwards to the store room for linen and up and down stairs.  They seem to run out of towels or other items and you then need to run to other storerooms to try and find them. There are approximately 400 rooms in the resort and they are spread out in different blocks, so just walking between blocks (or running) it is a true work out.  You are expected to get between 4 and 5 rooms done between 8am and 10.30am at morning tea.  I have never sweated so much in life and I have also never drank so much water either.  You do not feel like eating because of the physical exertion.  Crazy.  There are women there in their 60s doing this.  You are squatting, bending, lifting, running the entire time.  Wow.  I am pleased to say that I survived day 1…… just.

After morning tea you switch to room service and that is slightly less physical, but you only have 10 minutes to do each room.  Make the beds, empty bins, restock, clean the toilet and restock the bathroom and mop.  Don’t forget the V on the toilet paper roll :)  Then after lunch you are back to the deep cleans.  Surely I will lose weight soon – if not, then there isn’t much I can do about it!  I must say that I am regretting my swimming laps yesterday!!  Hopefully I can move for day 2.

8 thoughts on “Day 163 – 25th June 2018 – Darwin”

  1. Welcome back. I’ve missed the updates as has everyone x Say Hi to Col xxxx
    Nice to see you are still having adventures

    1. Thanks Tania, great to be back in touch with everyone again, I have missed it too.
      I passed on your Hi to Col and he sends one right back at you.
      The adventures continue………
      xxx

    1. I reckon, and Somesh’s training sessions nearly killed me once, like literally hahaha. This is ‘Well Chicken’!!
      Seriously, I had no idea, it is crazy. But a seriously good workout that you get paid for doing.

  2. Sounds like bloody hard work. Aren’t you supposed to be on ‘holiday’?! Ease up Buttercup. Hope you get something fun to do on the weekends xxx

    1. Ha ha – I like that ‘Ease up Buttercup’ cute.
      The last 6 months of the trip is meant to be a ‘working holiday’ and I envisaged maybe 3 or 4 days a week. But they want me there 5 or 6! Hmmmmm not too happy about that and will look to make a change I think. I actually don’t mind the work, but don’t want to be working that much or every weekend, so will see what happens. xx

    1. Yeah it is getting a bit easier every day, but a mind blowing quantity of work to do in a day!
      Thanks for empathizing my fellow cleaners!! x

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