Sunday, April 4, 2010

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

18:48- Well here we are again for the second installment of my travel running diary.
Today I am flying on late evening plane to Perth.
After spending over a month in Melbourne (was only supposed to be a few days) I'm
on my way to Western Australia. I'm currently sitting on the Sky Bus awaiting
transport to the airport. Hopefully today will be entertaining but judging by relative
level of emtional stability, it might not be much fun.

18:51- Did I mention I plan on sleeping in the Perth Airport tonight?

18:52- OK. I need to finish my book before I get on the plane.

19:13- Time flies when you're having fun. Already at the airport. Time to find a
Qantas desk and change my flight from Melbourne to Bangkok. Did I mention I'm
coming home early?

19:25- Would you look at that. I have a flight back to Bangkok on August 25. I just
had a nice chat with the lady at the Qantas international desk. It's official, I will be
back in Canada early. No promises that I'm going to stick around through.

19:26- There is a child beside me who likes to yell. I'm going to go somewhere else
now.

19:28- JQ970 is my flight number. Watch for me on the news. If you don't see
anything, I lived.

19:37- JetStar just politely told me to bugger off until 2 hours before the flight. So
I walked back to the nearest free bench...which happens to be next to the
screaming child. Karma.

19:39- Why do I get here so early?

19:41- The screaming childs father has a rat-tail. It's all starting to make sense.

19:53- I bought some premium sultanas this morning and there is no chance I will
ever go back to the cheap ones again. Wow.

19:54- Just polished off my 10th book so far on this trip. In 4 years before this
trip I read one book.

19:57- Free wifi!!!!!!!!!

19:58- Do yourself a favour and listen to the song Slow Knots by Brasstronaut. It's
on the soundtrack for the trip tonight.

20:07- I'm bored. Going to go try to check in again.

20:13- Hands up if you like standing in line at the airport!

20:29- Found my gate and there is a TV. And there is footie on. Excellent.

20:31- On the not-so-bright side, this is the most lobsided match I've ever seen.
I've only seen 4, but I suspect this is historically bad.

20:32- Note to Melbourne. See Sydney on how to make your airport suck less. Soon.

20:43- I just watched two attractive girls take 10 minutes to purchase 4 items from
vending machines. I mean, the view was nice, but holy crap, they made that seem
pretty complicated.

20:48- Time for a walk. Halftime in footie. I need an energy drink. Have to stay
awake through my flight.

20:52- Step 1 to make your airport suck less: don't close all the shops at 5pm

20:53- I guess I can stop checking my email because it's the middle of the night back
home and no one is sending me an email.

21:11- Now everything is really closed and the vending machines won't take my 20.
BUT I found a fiver sitting on a vending machine. Things are looking up.

21:32- So in the footie match (still a blowout), St Kilda is playing (my favourite team
cause I spent most of my time there) and they have a player with the last name
Gilbert. I need to get that jersey.

21:39- Time for the CBC Radio 3 Top 30. I love the R3-30.

21:40- Holy crap, I'm going to Perth. It just hit me.

21:41- Time to board. I'm going to miss all the fights in footie.

2:14- So much for the running diary of the flight. You probably thought I forgot
about you. I made friends with the gentlemen beside me on the plane and talked
with him for 4 hours about religion, travel, Katrina, 9/11, arrogant people, flight
training and many other topics. Anyways I've since landed at my hotel/airport.
Here's hoping I don't get kicked out.

2:36- Hey Melbourne. Use Perth as an example on how to rum an airport. It's
midnght and everything is still open.

23:37- Time Change. Which means it's still my birthday. Wish I cared.

23:40- The energy drink was a good idea at the time but now I don't want to sleep.

23:50- It took a while but i have found the part of the airport where I can spend
the night. I'm pretty classy, I know.

23:54- My sleeping spot even has a plugin and free wifi. This is better than some
hostels I've stayed at.


0:10- Just finished sending out thanks for the birthday wishes, now that the day
has concluded. Too bad the messages will continue all day tomorrow.

0:12- Appearently I was not the only one with the idea to sleep here. There's eight
of us hanging out and two security guards who don't look too pleased to be watching
us all night.

0:20- The excitement of landing in a new city is quite diminished when you don't
leave the airport for 9 hours. I wanna go tour but I don't want to sleep on the
street....tonight at least.

0:32- I could really go for a pillow right about now.

0:41- Time to attempt to sleep. Hopefully this works. I don't like my chances. It's
very well lit in here.

2:35- Sleeping in the floor in the airport = less than fun that I anticipated.

3:59- I will definitely appreciate my nights in hostels more after this.

4:11- Ugh. Really need to go to the washroom wish means I need to pack up and
bring everything with me. I'm going to try to sleep on a padded seat afterwards.
That might be nice.

4:13- There are sleeping people everywhere. At least 15 now. This is kinda creepy.

4:15- I think urinals in Australia are designed so that anyone who is in the
washroom can see your tackle box. Can't understand the lack of privacy.

4:16- My three hour of sleep has not been kind to my hair.

5:41- Woke up a while ago in the biggest puddle of drool ever. Wiped down and wet
back to sleep. I smell a nap later today.

5:54- Just took a nice stroll through the airport and picked an early brekkie. Milk
and meal replacement bar. Only $8. Bahhh.

6:03- I'm back to replying to birthday messages. This would be a good time to be
more of an a-hole and not respond to each individual message. But I can't do that.

6:49- That was a lot of emails. I'm beginning final preparations for my trip into the
city.

7:01- Where is the bus? I'm ready to go.

7:04- First bus of the day isn't here for another 75 minutes. Note to self, don't
travel on public holidays that are also Sundays. Services are not good.

7:09- Weather does not look good. I suspect I will be getting wet at some point
today.


7:13- I'm back hanging out with my homeless friends in the airport.

7:20- So jealous of the people with sleeping bags.

7:21- Bonus points to me for no emotional roller coaster today. Proud of myself.

7:47- I'm just loading up my iPod with more music before the bus ride. Currently
downloading Caribou and Broken Bells.

7:49- 7am here = 5pm at home

8:06- Making my second attempt at leaving the airport.

8:20- Hooray!!! I'm on a bus and it didn't cost a fortune either. Only $3.60 to get
into the city. Are you still listening Melbourne??

8:22- It's been a while since I've been on a bus ride to somewhere new (that's not
really true but whatever) so I will have to pay attention. And take pictures.

8:24- Traffic circles. Three of them in the first 2 minutes.

8:32- I'm not convinced this bus is going to the City. It's not what you would call
an express route.

8:40- There is an old man (~70 yrs) wearing his Sunday suit and a ring with a
skull and cross bones. Interesting.

8:50- I think it's completely remarkable how ordinary it is to travel to new places
now. I mean, I'm in Perth and I'm not really feeling anything. I might be becoming
normal again. That'd be nice.

8:51- So does Freo mean Fremantle or are those two different places....

8:52- Don't get me wrong, I liked Melbourne. I miss the Trams already.

8:53- I'm in the city.


9:00- Now for a leisurely 20 minute walk with all my stuff.

9:11- My impression so far. If Melbourne and Brisbane had a love child it would
be Perth.

9:16- I'm in Chinatown and potentially lost. Wait. Nope. Maybe. There we go.

9:20- I have found my latest home. The journey has ended. Thanks for reading.

2 comments:

  1. that was good read! i am glad you reached your destination safely!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glad to hear you've got a better place to sleep. Be safe.

    Kelly

    ReplyDelete