Farewell cold world. Hello Australia!

I don’t think I’m coming back.

I’m in the airplane to Sydney (December 7th). I’ve got about a half hour left. When I get to Sydney I will have to collect my suitcase and run to catch my next flight. If I actually catch it I’ll get to Brisbane at 8:05am. I will have traveled 29 hours. I didn’t think this goingtoAustralia-business through. I knew the flight was long, I knew I was going to be on the long flight, but you know you’re not prepared for a trip like this when you get to Bangkok after 12 hours and you’re shocked to find out that you’re not even half way yet :) . Australia is a great country from what I’ve heard, regardless of whether or not I like it there I might have to stay here forever since I don’t want to come back on the everlasting flight..
I learned some lessons already though. As we were waiting to embark the mother of planes in London (the aircraft I’m on is like a double decker, Boeing 747 if I’m not mistaking) we had to go through a security check. Going through security took forever and as I was standing in line I realized there are (at least) 3 ways to be treated like royalty while traveling. The first one is by simply paying some extra money to travel first class. People in first class don’t wait for anything. Stewardesses collect them from wherever they are to usher them right into their beds. Yes, I said beds and not seats. I never really got it before, if you want some extra legroom you could just beg for the seat next to the emergency exits. On a flight as long as this one though, I fully understand why one would pay extra for business class, as those seats actually allow you to assume a horizontal position.
Anyhow. That was the 1st way. The second way, and I don’t really recommend this one, is to be old or physically challenged. Some airport employe will roll your wheelchair right passed all the queues, into the aircraft. The third way, and I since I’m somewhat economically challenged and don’t intend on getting old or sick anytime soon I think this is my best option.. is to travel with young children. Parents with kids are taken out of the queue and get to board just after the rich people. That, is, the life. So I need a kid. One that’s under two years old since they fly cheap. Ines or Sharon.. Can I borrow your baby around this time next year? :)

I’m in Brisbane now (December 8th). I made the flight. Due to bad weather in Brisbane we couldn’t land on time so we ended up circling above Brisbane for 45 minutes or so, which finally brought the duration of my trip to 30 hours. The journey was good though. From London to Bangkok I sat next to a couple from Utrecht, Jordy and Mandy, they were lovely. They are going on a two month trip through Thailand. When they realized that British Airways did not have the lactose free meal I ordered they offered me some of their food. The same goes for the couple that took their seats from Bangkok to Sydney; Andrew and Rachelle. They were from New Zealand and had just spent a month in Thailand. Rachelle turned out to be half Dutch. She didn’t speak a lot of Dutch though as her Dutch father migrated to New Zealand when he was very young and doesn’t remember a lot of Dutch himself.

Mireya (my Croatian Australian friend who currently lives in Norway but is visiting her family in Australia) came to pick me up from the airport. The last time I saw her was at her wedding in Norway in August 2009 so it was extra good seeing her again. Her daughter (9 months) didn’t cry when she met me, and she even smiled as she played with me so my heart and ego are quite pleased. Tetka (aunty) Maria makes sure I’m well fed and the rest of the family is very hospitable as well. According to the weather forecast we’ll have rain here for another week, but right now the sky is clear and the sun is doing it’s thing.

I like it here :) to be continued..