We're back-- with a story to tell

We have just returned after having an enjoyable week away in Melbourne.

The weather was great-the food was even better and to say that I had a wonderful time would be an understatement except for one thing---------------

THIS

We stayed in a lovely apartment right in the centre of the city-we have stayed there on several other occasions and have always been happy.

This time we were on the eighth floor facing onto the busy street with trams dinging on their way up and down and they didn't disturb us at all.

There were lifts to get us up and down without any trouble--until--Thursday.

When I was leaving to go shopping (again) early on Thursday morning I was informed by a staff member that the lifts weren't working at present.

"For how long?" asks I.

"It won't be long" was the reply.

"Well how do I get down to the ground floor then?" I asked seriously.

He opened a door and pointed at the above (photo).

"You're joking "says I.

A blank look came back at me.

"I am nearly 70 years old" I said "and you expect me to walk down there?"

OK so getting down wasn't going to be a problem really--but--

"When will they be fixed?I asked.

"Oh it won't be long--the mechanics are doing it already".

Fair enough--so off I went.

When I reached the ground floor sure enough there were the mechanics standing outside the lift door talking to a person stuck inside the lift.

"It's only one of the cleaning staff"says a mechanic--

I thought-- she may be only a member of the cleaning staff but she must be scared out of her wits.

Anyway off I went shopping and returned about 90 minutes later---the b----y thing was still not working.

Stephen was still up in the room so I phoned him and said I was going to come up the stairwell and if I wasn't there in about 10 minutes to come looking for me.

After much huffing and puffing and stopping and sitting down on the stairs -I made it to the eighth floor.

Phew !!

At about 1.30 pm we were going down the street to catch the train out to my sister's for the afternoon but discovered that the lifts were still not fixed.

So off we went-down the 8 flights of stairs passing people lumping suitcases up the stairs and people with prams and kids as well-(I discovered later one poor lady was going to the 11th floor).

When we returned at around 9 pm the lifts were working--well sort of---.

We had a security fob key that you had to swipe after hours to get the lifts to work(supposedly).

Ours didn't work (but it had before).

By this stage there were about half a dozen people trying to get the damn thing without any luck.

We got out and off it went up without us.

Stephen refused to get in it again and he headed off up the stairwell--me I thought no I am going to wait for someone else to come along and go up with them.

Sure enough a gentleman arrived who lives in one of the apartments and he pushed all the right buttons and off we went up to the 5th floor and then it started to go down again and stopped at the basement.

The gentleman told me I should get out as it may take it a while to start going again.

Now that's a lot of help--I now had an extra flight of stairs to climb.

Well I started climbing--I could see a funny side to the whole saga.

Halfway up I heard Stephen calling out "are you down there Doreen"?

Like where else would I be?

I finally made it to the eighth floor and puffed my way into the reception area which happened to also be on the eighth floor and told the poor bloke sitting in his lovely soft chair that I was not impressed.

Now I know it was not his fault but I had to lash out at someone didn't I.

When I went to the room Stephen presented me with a lovely bottle of wine that the little man in his cushy chair had left for us as a "gift".

Not much use to us--we don't drink.

The next morning everything was back to normal--I got the little man in the cushy chair to get on the internet to confirm my seats on the plane to come home on Saturday morning---and I gave him the bottle of wine--and he was happy.

Lucky him.

Oh and I will go back and stay there again because it is such a wonderful place to stay.

Oh and by the way-each flight of stairs consisted of eight steps- a landing- and two steps and another landing and eight steps and another landing.