Working Wednesdays: Heading Back to Delaney’s Irish Pub (Part 2), Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

After last week’s story on how I went to Hong Kong to go backpacking and hang out with my girlfriend, yet ended up getting a job, now it’s time for part two. So I did my two shifts in Delaney’s, caught my flight to Singapore, found out that I had got and lost the job within a week. Gutted, but not down and out, I headed back to Parramatta in Australia and was working in the Irish Pub again there. All was back to normal. In fact, nothing had changed. Except I was getting a bit bored of Parramatta – I’d been there for almost 2 years, give or take a few months.

But Colin at Delaney’s hadn’t given me the job. I was unreliable as he saw it, as I got the job then headed to Singapore. He was right to not give me the job. I respected his decision and thought to myself, I’d have done the same as him if I was boss. I mean how can you trust or like an employee who does 2 shifts then says “sorry I’m off backpacking in Singapore”.

I was still itching to move to Hong Kong though, as I had activated my Working Holiday Visa and knew I could get a bar job there. The thing is, I liked Delaney’s and wanted to work there. But Colin said no and I got on with working in PJ’s Irish Pub in Australia.

Then one night I came home from work, took a notion and booked flights to Hong Kong via the Philippines, for 2 months time. That would have been July 2011. I was delighted to have the flights booked – 2 more months working in Australia then it was off to Hong Kong. I had my plan.

Then I went to sleep in my shared flat in Australia. Then I woke up, checked my e-mail and guess what? Colin had a re-think. He had liked me from those two shifts and he knew I wanted to work in Hong Kong and that I cared about the customers, so he offered me the job!!!

So of course I took it, Skyped my girlfriend to tell her the good news. This meant I’d have to book new flights and forget about the previous ones, and my plans to I could start as soon as I wanted. But I had to give about 6 days notice to the pub in Australia, which was tough on them and on me. I ended up working 5 out of those 6 days, then had a quick leaving drinks party and headed straight to the airport in Sydney to fly to Coolangatta and onto KL, and onto Hong Kong.

That was only 3 weeks after my first shift in Delaney’s Irish Pub. The next night I started work again. My third shift in Delaney’s. I had left Australia behind, officially this time (and haven’t been back since). I moved in with my girlfriend and I was now working in Hong Kong! It all happened so quickly.

All wells that end well – there will be a third part to come in the series for sure. Safe travels and happy Guinness drinking!