I was awake again at about 8/8.30, had my shower and had breakfast downstairs. I packed up and dropped my key in the box and stepped outside with my bag. I took some photos and headed down the hill. I went straight to the backpackers and checked in. I couldn't have a key until 2pm, but I left my bag locked up.
From there I went to the internet cafe in Baldwin St, checked my email and locked up employment agencies in Bristol. Apart from the one I'd seen near the internet cafe, they also had an Adecco and a Reed. I went to the first one in Baldwin St, and they told me that the service is free, I need to supply a CV and that they will make all attempts to keep me in work once I had signed up. I've got their card. Then I went to Adecco and spoke to a girl there who said she was from Sydney but who had a suspiciously British accent. Again, she said I could sign up for free and I gave her a copy of my CV. I stated that I wanted £8-10 per hour, but she said it was more realistic to expect £7+. She said that she had been a bit put off by Bristol to start with but that she had found really nice little pockets along the way so it grew on her. She also said that there was a lengthy application process online, followed by an interview. I decided not to do that on that day. I told her I'd be in touch and to email my CV to Maeve (which I haven't done yet). I then went to Reed but they told me that they have a backlog of people looking for admin work so they wouldn't be prepared to take anyone new on for some time.
I went further up Corn Street to the shopping centre and bought padlocks for my bag, a milkshake and some Gap jeans (finally!). I also tried on quite a number of pairs of boots in the Broadmead mall with no success. It was getting late so I walked back to the main bus stop, getting half a Subway roll on the way, and got on a bus to Clifton Village, paying £1.20 for the privilege. I got off a bit early and walked through Queens (Kings?) Square and some of the village until I found the suspension bridge. It's very dramatic, with one pylon being higher than the other in order to make it appear symmetrical from the Clifton side. It spans a huge gorge over the Avon, and there are roads at river level below. The houses around it are beautiful. Cars have to pay to cross it - possibly only to leave Clifton. I was surprised by this, though Mike told me later that it used to be 2p. I ate my Subway and walked through the village. The shops are fairly posh, but the area is obviously much nicer than the rest of Bristol.
I walked back the way the bus had come, passing some very nice churches and some lovely public-looking buildings that could have been libraries or town halls. There were also some good shops on the downhill road back to the city centre, and I came across a place that dealt in 'Australian pies'. I didn't know there was such a thing and they certainly didn't look like anything I've ever seen in Australia. At the bottom of that huge hill is College Green, which must be the student precinct, though the Uni of Bristol student union is up the hill in Clifton. It's a really nice grass square (College Green, that is) with beautiful stone or Georgian buildings around it. That, plus Clifton, was my first indication that there is any beauty in Bristol whatsoever.
I took some more photos and went back to the backpackers. I settled in and had a bit of a lie down, then prepared my pot noodle and got some surprisingly delicious Ribena. I did some calling - home to both Mum and Dad and to Anne in Plymouth. After observing some odd noises and some noisy neighbours, myself and my two fellow inhabitants went to sleep.
From there I went to the internet cafe in Baldwin St, checked my email and locked up employment agencies in Bristol. Apart from the one I'd seen near the internet cafe, they also had an Adecco and a Reed. I went to the first one in Baldwin St, and they told me that the service is free, I need to supply a CV and that they will make all attempts to keep me in work once I had signed up. I've got their card. Then I went to Adecco and spoke to a girl there who said she was from Sydney but who had a suspiciously British accent. Again, she said I could sign up for free and I gave her a copy of my CV. I stated that I wanted £8-10 per hour, but she said it was more realistic to expect £7+. She said that she had been a bit put off by Bristol to start with but that she had found really nice little pockets along the way so it grew on her. She also said that there was a lengthy application process online, followed by an interview. I decided not to do that on that day. I told her I'd be in touch and to email my CV to Maeve (which I haven't done yet). I then went to Reed but they told me that they have a backlog of people looking for admin work so they wouldn't be prepared to take anyone new on for some time.
I went further up Corn Street to the shopping centre and bought padlocks for my bag, a milkshake and some Gap jeans (finally!). I also tried on quite a number of pairs of boots in the Broadmead mall with no success. It was getting late so I walked back to the main bus stop, getting half a Subway roll on the way, and got on a bus to Clifton Village, paying £1.20 for the privilege. I got off a bit early and walked through Queens (Kings?) Square and some of the village until I found the suspension bridge. It's very dramatic, with one pylon being higher than the other in order to make it appear symmetrical from the Clifton side. It spans a huge gorge over the Avon, and there are roads at river level below. The houses around it are beautiful. Cars have to pay to cross it - possibly only to leave Clifton. I was surprised by this, though Mike told me later that it used to be 2p. I ate my Subway and walked through the village. The shops are fairly posh, but the area is obviously much nicer than the rest of Bristol.
I walked back the way the bus had come, passing some very nice churches and some lovely public-looking buildings that could have been libraries or town halls. There were also some good shops on the downhill road back to the city centre, and I came across a place that dealt in 'Australian pies'. I didn't know there was such a thing and they certainly didn't look like anything I've ever seen in Australia. At the bottom of that huge hill is College Green, which must be the student precinct, though the Uni of Bristol student union is up the hill in Clifton. It's a really nice grass square (College Green, that is) with beautiful stone or Georgian buildings around it. That, plus Clifton, was my first indication that there is any beauty in Bristol whatsoever.
I took some more photos and went back to the backpackers. I settled in and had a bit of a lie down, then prepared my pot noodle and got some surprisingly delicious Ribena. I did some calling - home to both Mum and Dad and to Anne in Plymouth. After observing some odd noises and some noisy neighbours, myself and my two fellow inhabitants went to sleep.
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