Let me start by saying HAPPY NEW YEAR to all you crazy kids worldwide! I hope you had a cracking one!
I am loving 2011. I'm still in Auz which is a dam good start considering I braved an alcoholic boat that I'd never met before for new years...I'm not totally naive I've heard the stories one minute you are watching the fireworks the next you're playing twister naked with a russian midget, well that was Coopers last new year....what are the chances of it happening twice???
Anywayz: I made it into Darling harbour around 3pm and grabbed some food...thanks for treating me to a slap up dinner mummy (on a separate completely unrelated note don't look at the credit card bill yet...). I sat watching the harbour - Sydney really goes to town on the decorations and live shows everywhere its surreal celebrating in the warm but totally how it should be done every year! I grabbed my boarding card around 5, declined a proposal of marriage around half 5 - don't worry I did weigh up my options deciding to say 'hey mr drunk 50 something guy who's wearing an alcoholic backpack with a giant straw - I appreciate the offer but I don't see us working out...if we are both unattached in 10 years and I don't have 30 stray cats living with me I'll reconsider'...aside from him not many other people were intoxicated which was really different compared to the norm of Rochester on a NYE afternoon...not that I'm criticising any of you Rochester folk - I love Rochester - you know woo go Dickens!!!
Anyway time to board around 6...all my fellow sailors were dressed up to the 9's and we all got champers on arrival....I could totally get used to this boating malarkey it was nnniiiiicccceeeee! I headed up to the upper deck and looked out across Darling Harbour - they'd closed the harbour off around 3 as the crowds were already packed in like how I pack my pic-a-mix...tight right!!! I started to miss home at this point....I mean its New Years and who was I going to grab to kiss when the clock hit 12....well hello mr captain...thank god I am such a social butterfly! I followed the captain down to the lower deck up front....I don't know the boat terms for up front was I on the bow? At the Stern....who knows except there was a table with more champagne on it...sorted!!! And then 2 people asked me to join them because I was on my own! How lovely are Aussie people? Or so I thought....after about 30 minutes talking to me these 2 Aussie Hill billies asked if I was a 'Pomm'....er what gave it away my accent or my answer to the 'where are you from question' both things that were present from the start of this conversation...anyway they then turned away from me and proceeded to ignore me for the rest of the cruise....jokers!
Fortunately I met other nice people though - a family from Rhodes with the cutest kids, then some British guys on a cricket tour and a Chinese family who had to take some racist slur from the hillbillies at which point my friend Captain Bruce (I don't know that this was his real name but this was the name I have appointed him) got involved and smoothed things out! Good Brucey :) We were cruising for about 3 glasses of champers - I don't know what that is on 'real' time but we headed out under the Sydney Harbour Bridge passed numerous barges of fireworks everywhere - they must spend millions and millions on the firework displays - amazing!
We parked up...again my boating language is not exactly spot on...opposite the Opera house and the Bridge looking out across the Sydney skyline and surrounding bays as the sun set and the clock hit 9pm. What I didn't know before I went out was that Sydney has 2 displays one at 9 for the families so the kids can see the fireworks and then the 'real' 12 o'clock, midnight, new year one...many oooh's and ahhhh's ensued for the 9pm fireworks and on completion the slightly tipsy cricket tour on my boat all started yelling 'Happy New Year' to each other....muppets lol! British people, myself included, make me laugh!!!!
A nice reminder of home....'fascination' (old lundy/uni classic) came on at which point a short lived burst of over exuberant dancing ensued...but its a party boat who wouldn't expect to see a happy little British muppet dancing?!?! (The Hillbillies didnt...). I had fun though and while I danced the night away we joined the parade of lights - all the boats switched on their fairy lights and toured the harbour in a MASSIVE line of boating'ness - it was fantastic...we were the 5th boat following a sailing boat with a big smiley face of fairly lights....everyone had gone to town on dec's for the boats and it was spectacular! Music on the boat was pumping, lights flashing, dancers dancing, food...doing what food does...so much fun! (This is where I met Danny & Kelly who'd just come from NZ and were heading to Thailand in a few weeks when I go - it was brilliant to chat to them as we sailed back up to our harbour spot at the end of the parade and we'll be meeting up out there....tiny celebratory new friend dance YEY!)
Midnight....FIREWORKS....utterly the most EPIC display I have ever seen in my 22 years on this earth! It was just amazing 20 minutes of pure pyrotechnical genius! It made the 9pm ones look like a few dud sparklers - it was just fantastic!!!! 2011 hello there!!!!!
Fireworks over we headed back to the docks around 1 and I said goodbye to my new friends having facebooked each other up already and made the long trek to Bondi beach where I wanted to watch the sunrise...packed bridges, packed streets, crazy old dancing ladies, packed trains, one packed bus and I was there...what I didnt know was David Guetta had a big New Years Eve gig there and the place was ridiculously busy. I found a spot of grass on the hill overlooking the bay around 2.30am though and lay back listening. He's good! The gig finished around 3.30am and people started to clear though hundreds still lay on the grassy verge drinking...sadly a few people were too drunk and some started to fight...the police came and tried to move everyone on around 4.30am. Now I am not one to dispute with a police officer under any circumstances, total respect for the uniform, but I had waited for 2 an a half hours in the cold new years day air and sunrise was less than 30 minutes away. There was NO way I wasn't seeing my sunrise. Long story short they saw sense and let me stay. 24 minutes later I had made it onto the beach and watched the most stunning sunrise over the bay...absolute best evening, morning ever...a very Happy, Happy, Happy New Year to everyone!!!
31 Dec 2010 -1 January 2011
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Pommy Tourist in the Ciddy...
Ok so I am off to the Cidy today - remember Aussies pronounce their T's like D's....I am just giving you guys the full on experience of my travelling knowledge as I gain it. (Other knowledge - saw a HUGE cockroach running down the wall towards my bed today apparently 'I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here' does not exaggerate everything....queue bug spray and me being told 'your not allowed to step on them cos thats how they lay their eggs and then we'll have millions of cockroaches' - just the idea of more than 1 makes me want to cry...)
City/Cidy let me tell you about that - got to the station, my bag broke, I havent had breakfast because of the cockroach fiasco, get on the train and a weirdo man call Parvo tried to massage my feet and then made me get off the train 1 stop early....most traumatic! I was ok though it was a better station and I am brave! (I am not brave but I figure if I keep saying it I will be!) Anyway at the other end I managed to buy the most tacky 'look at me I am a tourist' bag ever - black with big bright yellow Australian town names all over it...still it served me well! I then took a left (I had not planned today at all...I was officially a rambling wanderer...living the dream starts here)....turned out best left ever - it took me to Market City - its like a small lakeside. That was cool. Right under it though is Sydneys Paddy Markets - hilarious! These Markets are fairly famous for souvenirs and tit-bits (I love the term tit-bit) but for me it was the childrens dominatrix outfits, adult sexy spiderman costumes, tye dye koala bears, real life kangaroo testicles (for luck...it clearly wasnt lucky for the kangaroo!!!), plastic non functioning didgeridoos, fake Opal and Jade jewelery claiming to be 99% not fake and the inflatable kangaroos (they were out of my budget though...). Craziest Market ever...was wicked! (I did buy some flipflops...as far as I can tell they are 'normal' not inflatable or dominatrix'y. Though did you know Aussies call flipflops thongs - I cant get used to this whenever they say it I imagine underwear on my feet which does not sit right with me....).
Hit the entertainment centre after and then made my way along to Darling Harbour to check out where I would get the boat I was on for New Years Eve tomorrow! (Did i tell you I'll be on a boat YEY!) Darling harbour was stunning, the chinese friendship garden, the circus, feris wheel, Sydney Olympic statue, various water features...oh to be 4 again and be able to fling myself fully clothed into one of the fountains without being looked at like a crazy! Cockle Bay came into view which is part of Darling harbour, surrounded by the latest, coolest bars and restaurants and the worlds biggest IMAX cinema. There wasnt a cloud in the sky as I arrived just this perfect blue sky which complimented the deep blue waters of the bay...I could live here. I wish you could all see it right now....you'd love it! There was skywriting too - it started off with an F - U - an you know I nearly closed my eyes cos I thought it might be rude...but it turned into FUTURER - still skywriting is cool....I would like someone to skywrite for my Birthday (letting you know now so you have time to get the plane and the pilots licence and the special writing smoke okay!) So yea skywriting done I found my boat for tomos - excitement - walked back past these GIANT lego figures as there is a big ole display on at the aquarium and the wildlife centre which is just off the harbour, I also saw a HUGE spider which I approached...cautiously and bravely and possibly stupidly cos it totally could have sprung into my face which would not have been ideal! But i got a photo (see photos on the side of these blogs) I dont know what it was but its the biggest wild spider I've ever seen! Trekked back to central station and then hopped on a train to circular key (the centre of all the Harbour action) - where I then jumped on a boat and saw the harbour from the harbour...the bridge, the opera house, luna park, Balmain Island, the rocks, the other bays, Sydney Tower and so much more. The holiday officially started here.
30 December 2010
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City/Cidy let me tell you about that - got to the station, my bag broke, I havent had breakfast because of the cockroach fiasco, get on the train and a weirdo man call Parvo tried to massage my feet and then made me get off the train 1 stop early....most traumatic! I was ok though it was a better station and I am brave! (I am not brave but I figure if I keep saying it I will be!) Anyway at the other end I managed to buy the most tacky 'look at me I am a tourist' bag ever - black with big bright yellow Australian town names all over it...still it served me well! I then took a left (I had not planned today at all...I was officially a rambling wanderer...living the dream starts here)....turned out best left ever - it took me to Market City - its like a small lakeside. That was cool. Right under it though is Sydneys Paddy Markets - hilarious! These Markets are fairly famous for souvenirs and tit-bits (I love the term tit-bit) but for me it was the childrens dominatrix outfits, adult sexy spiderman costumes, tye dye koala bears, real life kangaroo testicles (for luck...it clearly wasnt lucky for the kangaroo!!!), plastic non functioning didgeridoos, fake Opal and Jade jewelery claiming to be 99% not fake and the inflatable kangaroos (they were out of my budget though...). Craziest Market ever...was wicked! (I did buy some flipflops...as far as I can tell they are 'normal' not inflatable or dominatrix'y. Though did you know Aussies call flipflops thongs - I cant get used to this whenever they say it I imagine underwear on my feet which does not sit right with me....).
Hit the entertainment centre after and then made my way along to Darling Harbour to check out where I would get the boat I was on for New Years Eve tomorrow! (Did i tell you I'll be on a boat YEY!) Darling harbour was stunning, the chinese friendship garden, the circus, feris wheel, Sydney Olympic statue, various water features...oh to be 4 again and be able to fling myself fully clothed into one of the fountains without being looked at like a crazy! Cockle Bay came into view which is part of Darling harbour, surrounded by the latest, coolest bars and restaurants and the worlds biggest IMAX cinema. There wasnt a cloud in the sky as I arrived just this perfect blue sky which complimented the deep blue waters of the bay...I could live here. I wish you could all see it right now....you'd love it! There was skywriting too - it started off with an F - U - an you know I nearly closed my eyes cos I thought it might be rude...but it turned into FUTURER - still skywriting is cool....I would like someone to skywrite for my Birthday (letting you know now so you have time to get the plane and the pilots licence and the special writing smoke okay!) So yea skywriting done I found my boat for tomos - excitement - walked back past these GIANT lego figures as there is a big ole display on at the aquarium and the wildlife centre which is just off the harbour, I also saw a HUGE spider which I approached...cautiously and bravely and possibly stupidly cos it totally could have sprung into my face which would not have been ideal! But i got a photo (see photos on the side of these blogs) I dont know what it was but its the biggest wild spider I've ever seen! Trekked back to central station and then hopped on a train to circular key (the centre of all the Harbour action) - where I then jumped on a boat and saw the harbour from the harbour...the bridge, the opera house, luna park, Balmain Island, the rocks, the other bays, Sydney Tower and so much more. The holiday officially started here.
30 December 2010
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dam that's a heavy bag...
...so I arrived in Sydney and no one was at the airport to collect me, flash back to getting on the wrong plane - no this time for sure I'd got the right one...hadn't I? Well there was no little man with a board saying Miss Burke/Hannah/Muppet, no wanted picture of my face and no friend standing there with a well deserved coffee....maybe I wasn't at the right place? Queue text from Laura (New Aussie but Old Pommy friend)...I'm not worth the car parking apparently, so she was on her way now that she knew I'd landed safe...nice lol!
It had been a fairly traumatic morning what with the lacking welcome party, the loss of my beloved cushion and my bag...oh my days my bag! What I should tell you is; I don't think I actually picked my bag up in any way, shape or form between buying it and now, arriving at Sydney airport...my brother had carried it down the stairs after I packed it, my dad had put it in the car and then at the airport my brother had carried it and we'd checked it in....no lifting required on my part - I had thought excellent job me! No. No not an excellent job see if I had at least tried to carry it I would not have caused such a scene at baggage claim trying to lift it off the roundabout bag thing (carousel?)...straining and pulling and nothing! It didn't budge! My feeble little muscles were no match for my weighty bag...so turning to the crowd that had clearly gathered to laugh, and some were pointing, at me I exclaimed that I had inner strength and rolled it off onto a trolley before wheeling it away like a tramp with a trolley! Both the huffing and puffing in moving my bag and the slight humiliation at the unhelpful crowd had left me quite flustered! At this point I grabbed a coffee and collapsed into a chair before being mounted by Cooper....now those of you that know Ex-Cooper will remember the short bleach blond hair cut and tall, tallness....she is still tall but has loonnnngggg ginger hair and it was very good to see her...eventually! (I'm joking Cooper, thank you for picking me up I LOVE YOU!)
Anyway we caught up on each others lives on the drive to hers, I was loving the sunshine - totally surreal getting on a plane in the snow and getting off in the blazing heat...LOVE IT!
I unpacked...well I lay on my matrice, took off my hoody and got my phone out but its all relative. Gave Cooper her presents including the infamous chocolate orange...I'm still not ready to talk about it though...then she frog marched me out to get coffee and bacon rolls (not as good as British ones...I wouldn't have served it to Colin the handy man you know, but it was okay) with a friend of hers...back for cheese and biscuits and a movie by which time I sort of passed out on her sofa...I'd lasted until 2.30pm. I was unconscious until the next day where I met her husband James for the first time since our first ever meeting at her wedding earlier that year where I distinctly remember telling him that if he ever hurt my friend I would hunt him down with a crossbow and make him suffer...its amazing he let me stay in his house actually! A chilled out day ensued - coffee (served by Madge from Neighbours - well her thinner lookalikey...I was most impressed), then Cooper had her business done while I had my nails done the coolest orange ever...yes I have been tangoed! They look cool though - made me feel very grown up like what that Debbie and Sharon do back home - I love playing grown ups! So nails done we hit Parramatta for dinner (pronounced Parramaddddaaa cos all these Aussies pronounce T's like D's...it is already a pet hate of mine and I will knock it out of Cooper!) and chocolate dippy things with their friend Bethany...hilarity followed as it always does with me (jokes) and I 'accidentally' fraped Cooper. She did not see the funny side of her FB status reading 'Laura Anne Penry is naked after her Brazilian and break dancing with a Russian midget and James' - now I ask you how is that not funny especially when an old family friend comments 'er that's a bit too much information but glad you're having fun I guess' ha ha - how was I to know anyone would take that status seriously....sigh....another day done :)
28 & 29 December
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It had been a fairly traumatic morning what with the lacking welcome party, the loss of my beloved cushion and my bag...oh my days my bag! What I should tell you is; I don't think I actually picked my bag up in any way, shape or form between buying it and now, arriving at Sydney airport...my brother had carried it down the stairs after I packed it, my dad had put it in the car and then at the airport my brother had carried it and we'd checked it in....no lifting required on my part - I had thought excellent job me! No. No not an excellent job see if I had at least tried to carry it I would not have caused such a scene at baggage claim trying to lift it off the roundabout bag thing (carousel?)...straining and pulling and nothing! It didn't budge! My feeble little muscles were no match for my weighty bag...so turning to the crowd that had clearly gathered to laugh, and some were pointing, at me I exclaimed that I had inner strength and rolled it off onto a trolley before wheeling it away like a tramp with a trolley! Both the huffing and puffing in moving my bag and the slight humiliation at the unhelpful crowd had left me quite flustered! At this point I grabbed a coffee and collapsed into a chair before being mounted by Cooper....now those of you that know Ex-Cooper will remember the short bleach blond hair cut and tall, tallness....she is still tall but has loonnnngggg ginger hair and it was very good to see her...eventually! (I'm joking Cooper, thank you for picking me up I LOVE YOU!)
Anyway we caught up on each others lives on the drive to hers, I was loving the sunshine - totally surreal getting on a plane in the snow and getting off in the blazing heat...LOVE IT!
I unpacked...well I lay on my matrice, took off my hoody and got my phone out but its all relative. Gave Cooper her presents including the infamous chocolate orange...I'm still not ready to talk about it though...then she frog marched me out to get coffee and bacon rolls (not as good as British ones...I wouldn't have served it to Colin the handy man you know, but it was okay) with a friend of hers...back for cheese and biscuits and a movie by which time I sort of passed out on her sofa...I'd lasted until 2.30pm. I was unconscious until the next day where I met her husband James for the first time since our first ever meeting at her wedding earlier that year where I distinctly remember telling him that if he ever hurt my friend I would hunt him down with a crossbow and make him suffer...its amazing he let me stay in his house actually! A chilled out day ensued - coffee (served by Madge from Neighbours - well her thinner lookalikey...I was most impressed), then Cooper had her business done while I had my nails done the coolest orange ever...yes I have been tangoed! They look cool though - made me feel very grown up like what that Debbie and Sharon do back home - I love playing grown ups! So nails done we hit Parramatta for dinner (pronounced Parramaddddaaa cos all these Aussies pronounce T's like D's...it is already a pet hate of mine and I will knock it out of Cooper!) and chocolate dippy things with their friend Bethany...hilarity followed as it always does with me (jokes) and I 'accidentally' fraped Cooper. She did not see the funny side of her FB status reading 'Laura Anne Penry is naked after her Brazilian and break dancing with a Russian midget and James' - now I ask you how is that not funny especially when an old family friend comments 'er that's a bit too much information but glad you're having fun I guess' ha ha - how was I to know anyone would take that status seriously....sigh....another day done :)
28 & 29 December
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UK to Auz leg...
...I've summarised the flight already but I felt some points needed further explanation.
Dad and Ralph dropped me at the airport, checked in the mother of all travelling bags and bought me dinner as the butterflies started to kick in...kick being the operative word! I have never felt so nervous - not skydiving, not stand up, not meeting Boss Ladies family, not ever....so knowing this and offering words of wisdom like 'off you go then' and 'bye' my Dad and brother steered me into customs and waved me on. Thankfully passport checked my wonderful friend Bellars called to check in with Ugly Monkey and I. We had a nice political chat before gate 35 beckoned...all aboard totally fine with a million texts from friends and family (thank you everyone it really made me feel better!)...packed flight though and I was in economy...sigh I haven't perfected the fluttery eye lashes to get me upgraded yet but I have like another 7 flights on this trip....I can totally work on it, at least I had a window seat to look out on all the snow still blanketing quite a lot of Heathrow! This flight was to Bangkok for a 1 hour lay over - I don't know how long it was but I know I saw 2 films, ate a turkey dinner and a bizarre breakfast thing, saw the sunset, saw the sunrise and had a nap and woke up with my neighbour - the tiniest Thai lady that I have ever seen dribbling on me...real nice. I gestured to her husband who eventually pulled her off me. Maybe its like when a bird poos on your head...maybe a Thai lady dribbling on you is lucky??? I'm gonna say it is! It cushions the yuckiness of it all...nice lady though...dribbling aside!
We landed in Bangkok in the afternoon of the 27th I think and it was HOT! Like really hot...and the airport was HUGE! We must have driven the plane around for like 20 minutes before he got parked (coincidentally I named the plane Steve) - Steve parked at gate E11 which doesn't sound to bad as we had to get off for 1 hour and then get back on at E11 the upper deck. One assumes you just go upstairs....nope. Why would it be that easy? Customs was the other end of the E terminal...a short few miles away...they had those flat escalators to get us there but we still had to run...a few miles there, then up some stairs, the quickest pee of my life and then a few miles back to upper E11....phew intense times. To be honest it probably helped that they took my tiny scissors away at customs...less weight you know and I got a frisking...I think I was kind of asking for it....I didn't exactly go through with arms up and then pretend to be an aeroplane like a friend of mine once did (best story!) but I probably looked kinda shifty on account of my full bladder and thus jittery nature!
Right back on the flight for the last leg...Bangkok to Sydney - quick triple check that I am on the right flight. Last time I came to Auz at the 2nd leg stage I got on the wrong plane which took me to Melbourne and having called my mum to explain why I would be delayed I also explained that I would get a cab from Melbourne to Sydney cos 'they are like well close on the globe'....muppet! Anyway right plane this time! (Celebration dance!) Glass of wine and a new travel buddy Matt who amazingly had just done the tour of Cambodia that I will be doing in a few weeks so he talked for the next few hours before I gave into sleep. That was short lived as we hit the worst case of turbulence that I have ever experienced it went on for about 6 hours through the night and though I was sure Steve could handle it I don't profess to know how a big steel plane manages to stay in the air and so part of me was curious about plummeting to my death. Does my insurance cover that?
We did eventually land safely in Sydney though at 6.10am on the 28th December and I got through passport control and customs only to turn back and endeavour to get back on my plane. Remember I have been up for about 44.75 hours now...with no coffee so I'm not sure which part of my rational brain thought I could just walk back on the plane but I tried nonetheless! You see I left my Squeezey Love cushion on the plane...that cushion was the sole reason I coped in economy class - it made me comfortable, it was like my head was sleeping on a cloud...so hello Sydney but RIP Squeezy Love cushion I'll miss you x
26 - 28 December 2010
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dad and Ralph dropped me at the airport, checked in the mother of all travelling bags and bought me dinner as the butterflies started to kick in...kick being the operative word! I have never felt so nervous - not skydiving, not stand up, not meeting Boss Ladies family, not ever....so knowing this and offering words of wisdom like 'off you go then' and 'bye' my Dad and brother steered me into customs and waved me on. Thankfully passport checked my wonderful friend Bellars called to check in with Ugly Monkey and I. We had a nice political chat before gate 35 beckoned...all aboard totally fine with a million texts from friends and family (thank you everyone it really made me feel better!)...packed flight though and I was in economy...sigh I haven't perfected the fluttery eye lashes to get me upgraded yet but I have like another 7 flights on this trip....I can totally work on it, at least I had a window seat to look out on all the snow still blanketing quite a lot of Heathrow! This flight was to Bangkok for a 1 hour lay over - I don't know how long it was but I know I saw 2 films, ate a turkey dinner and a bizarre breakfast thing, saw the sunset, saw the sunrise and had a nap and woke up with my neighbour - the tiniest Thai lady that I have ever seen dribbling on me...real nice. I gestured to her husband who eventually pulled her off me. Maybe its like when a bird poos on your head...maybe a Thai lady dribbling on you is lucky??? I'm gonna say it is! It cushions the yuckiness of it all...nice lady though...dribbling aside!
We landed in Bangkok in the afternoon of the 27th I think and it was HOT! Like really hot...and the airport was HUGE! We must have driven the plane around for like 20 minutes before he got parked (coincidentally I named the plane Steve) - Steve parked at gate E11 which doesn't sound to bad as we had to get off for 1 hour and then get back on at E11 the upper deck. One assumes you just go upstairs....nope. Why would it be that easy? Customs was the other end of the E terminal...a short few miles away...they had those flat escalators to get us there but we still had to run...a few miles there, then up some stairs, the quickest pee of my life and then a few miles back to upper E11....phew intense times. To be honest it probably helped that they took my tiny scissors away at customs...less weight you know and I got a frisking...I think I was kind of asking for it....I didn't exactly go through with arms up and then pretend to be an aeroplane like a friend of mine once did (best story!) but I probably looked kinda shifty on account of my full bladder and thus jittery nature!
Right back on the flight for the last leg...Bangkok to Sydney - quick triple check that I am on the right flight. Last time I came to Auz at the 2nd leg stage I got on the wrong plane which took me to Melbourne and having called my mum to explain why I would be delayed I also explained that I would get a cab from Melbourne to Sydney cos 'they are like well close on the globe'....muppet! Anyway right plane this time! (Celebration dance!) Glass of wine and a new travel buddy Matt who amazingly had just done the tour of Cambodia that I will be doing in a few weeks so he talked for the next few hours before I gave into sleep. That was short lived as we hit the worst case of turbulence that I have ever experienced it went on for about 6 hours through the night and though I was sure Steve could handle it I don't profess to know how a big steel plane manages to stay in the air and so part of me was curious about plummeting to my death. Does my insurance cover that?
We did eventually land safely in Sydney though at 6.10am on the 28th December and I got through passport control and customs only to turn back and endeavour to get back on my plane. Remember I have been up for about 44.75 hours now...with no coffee so I'm not sure which part of my rational brain thought I could just walk back on the plane but I tried nonetheless! You see I left my Squeezey Love cushion on the plane...that cushion was the sole reason I coped in economy class - it made me comfortable, it was like my head was sleeping on a cloud...so hello Sydney but RIP Squeezy Love cushion I'll miss you x
26 - 28 December 2010
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30.75 hours...
2 hours to the airport. 1 checked in HEAVY bag. 2 carry ons complete with Ugly Monkey, uncharged ipod & 1 recovered chocolate orange. 1 pathetic weepy Hannah at customs. 21.5 hours in the air. 2 sunrises. 2 sunsets. 2 flights. 4 in flight meals - 1 belated xmas turkey dinner. 1 dribbling Thai lady. 3 airports. 4 security checks. Only 1 frisking. A confiscated pair of scissors. A 1 hour lay over with mad 3 mile toilet dash. 2 glasses of wine to recover. 1 8 hour long chatty Brit. 6 hours of intense turbulence. A 6am Aussie landing before 1 top reunion with 1 old friend & 1 husband.
Any casualties: 1 lost squeezey love cushion but safe and happy arrival on all other counts!
26 - 28 December 2010
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Any casualties: 1 lost squeezey love cushion but safe and happy arrival on all other counts!
26 - 28 December 2010
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.5 hours until take off...and I havent pack a sock yet...
...that's right I am flying in 12.5 hours, well probably less now and I haven't packed! I mean there is a massive pile of travel related matter on my bedroom floor...along the landing...in the bathroom and encroaching down the stairs into the lounge but I do not know that it would fit the conventional definition of packed!
I don't want to make excuses but yesterday was Christmas and I had to help make the turkey and then I had to help eat the turkey and that took a while plus there were presents and my mum was allowed home for a few hours on good behaviour and I just generally got distracted so nothing really got done my end...I'm not panicking though! My brother climbed to the top of Mt Killy in Tanzania over the summer with a travellers backpack so if I can wake him up I'll be packed in no time............long boring packing story short, he was a good little panda and he helped, we packed all the essentials - hair straighteners, pretty scarves, chocolate and a colouring book for the flight (I know its like I'm a high maintenance 5 year old!) Still job done and I am off to give my mum the biggest squeeze ever and go have dinner at the airport with the boys. First however - a last minute terrys chocolate orange dash - I'll explain later...it involves me being a muppet...obviously!
26 December 2010
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't want to make excuses but yesterday was Christmas and I had to help make the turkey and then I had to help eat the turkey and that took a while plus there were presents and my mum was allowed home for a few hours on good behaviour and I just generally got distracted so nothing really got done my end...I'm not panicking though! My brother climbed to the top of Mt Killy in Tanzania over the summer with a travellers backpack so if I can wake him up I'll be packed in no time............long boring packing story short, he was a good little panda and he helped, we packed all the essentials - hair straighteners, pretty scarves, chocolate and a colouring book for the flight (I know its like I'm a high maintenance 5 year old!) Still job done and I am off to give my mum the biggest squeeze ever and go have dinner at the airport with the boys. First however - a last minute terrys chocolate orange dash - I'll explain later...it involves me being a muppet...obviously!
26 December 2010
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 More Sleep...
Hi dream team so first money was an issue = resolved, then I had to sort work = resigned (sadly), then there was my wonderfully over caring mum who was very worried for me = on going :-), then Visa issues = resolved (just), then snow = melting, so hopefully resolved and finally a flight with BA = resolved (they sorted their sorry butts out and got flying again). I get if its worth having its worth fighting for you know Cheryl Cole taught me that lol but does anyone ever think that sometimes the road blocks are there to stop you making a mistake, to stop you crashing?
My mum is in hospital at the moment and has been over Christmas which was different - I saw her yesterday and she told me I should still go travelling, that there wasn't another option, that I shouldnt change it and my Dad said the same - I have to go - and as much as I love them for giving me, for want of a better word, 'approval' I have never felt worse. I hate myself for even thinking about going travelling and leaving her here in hospital...and leaving my family without me...not that theres anything I can do. I spoke to some great friends and I spoke to family and then I spoke to my mum. I know she understands that my family is THE most important thing in the world to me and though I am still going I'm going because she promised she'd see me at the airport on my return in April and I know my mum keeps her promises...I'm sharing all this on my blog because I want this to be a totally honest account of my travels start to finish - I know it wont all be fun adventures and nice hotels but I also know my family are with me and now is the exact right time....see I told you I was cheesy!
And just for my mum...I promise, with the whole internet as my witnesses, to come back in one fully functional piece! Love you long time xxx
25 December 2010
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My mum is in hospital at the moment and has been over Christmas which was different - I saw her yesterday and she told me I should still go travelling, that there wasn't another option, that I shouldnt change it and my Dad said the same - I have to go - and as much as I love them for giving me, for want of a better word, 'approval' I have never felt worse. I hate myself for even thinking about going travelling and leaving her here in hospital...and leaving my family without me...not that theres anything I can do. I spoke to some great friends and I spoke to family and then I spoke to my mum. I know she understands that my family is THE most important thing in the world to me and though I am still going I'm going because she promised she'd see me at the airport on my return in April and I know my mum keeps her promises...I'm sharing all this on my blog because I want this to be a totally honest account of my travels start to finish - I know it wont all be fun adventures and nice hotels but I also know my family are with me and now is the exact right time....see I told you I was cheesy!
And just for my mum...I promise, with the whole internet as my witnesses, to come back in one fully functional piece! Love you long time xxx
25 December 2010
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Dream....
...how lame a title for this 'bloglet' (copyright to Grover-mauve) is that. Very self-righteous! I do know I am not Martin Luther King! Like him I do have a dream though....oh gosh I can hear how this sounds! I am such a muppet! Basically I always wanted to travel, to see the world on my terms, go where I wanted when I wanted, view things other people hadn't, experience cultures different to my own, try foods that excited my pallet and push myself beyond anything I could even imagine! I am really passionate about travelling and now my trip of a lifetime is nearly here its hard not to sound too cheesy when I talk about it...plus have you met me? I am a bit of a cheesefest myself...soppy, happy-go-lucky, a lot of babble but I like to think I have a good heart and I know I have a fantastic family and a network of the most amazing friends...so here goes: I am soon to be 'A Muppet Abroad' xxx
18 December 2010
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 December 2010
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)