The Apartment Keys and The Cleaners

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Finally, I reached the Gants Hill station by spending £10.8 (which could have been £5.40) instead of £100. Now my next objective was to find the apartment where I was to stay. It was just 10:00-10:30 in the morning and there were hardly 2-3 persons on the road. Either most of them had gone to office while others were resting in their houses in the freezing climate! Finally after asking few people and wandering around I found the building and the apartment. It was on the 11^th floor. I reached the floor and found that it was locked. I asked a lady living next to that house. She informed me that nobody was living there past 2-3 months, another trouble for me.

I had the number of care-taker of the house, but his number was directly going to voicemail (he was busy in some meeting).

Many people had told me not to buy a sweater or jacket from India (which was a good suggestion) and buy it from London itself. But at that time, I was not happy with my decision. Even with two sweaters (Indian sweaters, to be more precise) the weather was freezing me out.

I was felt hungry so I went to a coffee shop near the house. I was trying to find something to eat which will not have Ham or Beef or Bacon and finally asked for a cup of coffee only (again £5 !). Finally after one and half hours I came to know that the keys are with a family that lives a floor below my apartment in the same building. I took the keys and went to the house to open it. Here, another surprise was waiting for me.

While opening the door, I heard different sounds from inside the house. I opened the door thinking what thieves are doing in this closed apartment. There were three young women (!!) inside the house, cleaning it.

Trying to believe my eyes, I asked, “Is it House Number ***”. ( I do not remember the house number!)

One of them replied, “Oh yeah, we are the cleaners, we come here every Wednesday. We have the keys to the apartment.”

I didn’t know what to say. I was trying to get inside the apartment for almost one and half  hrs and when I got the access, there were three women (forgot to mention, young) inside the house, who were surprisingly cleaners! After some time they left promising me, “See you next time!”

Anyway, the wait was worth. It was almost a 2BHK kind of house with separate bathrooms, a sofa, a kitchen with tube gas connection, around 30 inch LCD TV and a balcony (which was ready give shivering experience, as I was on 11^th floor). Finally, around 12 noon after almost six and half  hours I was feeling restful. My money problem was also solved, I had to use the AMEX card (it is like a Credit card provided by Corporate companies) instead of Forex Card.

From the next day, I had to go to the office. I went to the Gants Hill tube station and gathered information regarding trains to my office and Oyster card (similar to Bus/Train pass).

Find out why I had to take first train of the day back home …