Thursday, March 23, 2006
More from the Oz Blog
Around the time to leave work tonight, I realized that it was a year ago - almost to the minute - that I finished leg two of United 839, with connecting service from New York's Kennedy Airport to Melbourne, Australia.
This leg involved about two hours of layover in Sydney, but oddly no Customs. I did have to go through a security checkpoint an additional time - coming off the plane - and then proceeded to the food court/shopping concourse of the airport before the final, hour-long leg to Melbourne.
Here's some more from the Oz blog.
March 24 (whilst I was sleeping)
4:00 a.m. Oz Time – Now I’m sleeping for 45 minutes at a time, then waking up, then going back to sleep for 45 minutes again. It’s erratic, but it’s passing the time.
5:02 a.m. – Wow, 1:02 on that last nap. Need a glass of water. They put the movie “Insomnia” on now. Is this supposed to be funny? Ironical? Drole?
5:07 a.m. - On a side note, this movie also blew. Not in the category, phylum, family or even universe as Fat Albert, but when it comes down to it all, there are three Academy Award winners and several other nominees in the cast of Insomnia and it still sucked.
And to add another kick to the groin, it’s subtitled. In Chinese. This is a cruel, cruel joke, United Airlines.
5:45 a.m. – Morning Has Broken out the window of seat 48K. Only two hours to go, and then…I get to go on another fucking plane.
6:58 a.m. – Prior to embarking on this trip, I bought a book in the bookstore in JFK Airport. I am not a big book reader, never have been. Can’t honestly remember the last time I read a book cover-to-cover, but it’s been a while. Maybe six years? Well, I just polished one off from NY to Sydney – remarkable for me.
7:50 a.m. – First glance at Australia out of the window of the plane. Very green countryside. Can’t wait to get off this rig.
10:04 a.m. – Adrenaline is an amazing drug. Why don’t I feel more wrecked? I guess I got some sleep and the large diet coke I just bought might have something to do with it. Just bought a power adapter in the Sydney airport so that the trusty sidekick that is my iPod will never be without juice.
When I get to Melbourne, I need to find an internet connection and check my email. Not because I want to see what’s going on at work, but because I forgot to print the directions to Sara’s house. Ordinarily I’d wing it, but not this time.
Noon – Woo-hoo! Through customs, waited forever for my bags, then another forever while half of Saigon were going through a new element into my airport experiences: quarantine. I remember Sara mentioning that she got docked 200 bucks for an apple, so I made sure I didn’t have any food in my bags. But I think the Nguyen family just cleared out its fifth box of fruit. And they stuck it in the kids’ carry-ons. Nice try, noble attempts, Charlie.
Found my way to the Skybus, which will take me to Melbourne, where according to the directions, go to Spencer Street Station, catch the Epping or Hurstbridge line to Clifton Hill, walk between two tennis courts, and then down to her place. Easy enough. I think.
First order of business – a shower and new boxers. If I smell half as bad as I look, I’m in trouble.
2:06 p.m. – I’m here. Whew, happy to be done with the traveling. Just took a shower and feel invigorated – it’s easily one of the top five showers I’ve ever taken. Also got to glance at the photos on Sara’s corkboard. Good way to refresh the memory, as I have not seen her in six years or so. She’s still pretty.
Also noticed the license plates that list the state (Victoria, for example) also have slogans. The newer plates have a slogan of “The Place to Be” and I find it hard to argue with that. But there was an older one that read “The Garden State” and well, I have to put my foot down. The Garden State is New Jersey. I know New Jersey. And Senator, this is not New Jersey.
2:37 p.m. – First official meal in Australia? A beer and a pizza. What, did you expect me to jump right in to the koala kebobs? Doubtful. And I’m sure as hell not rocking McDonald’s or Hungry Jack’s, which is they’re version of Burger King. Why not “The King?” – is it something about the fact that this is some sort of constitutional monarchy? Can’t be, Holland has a king AND the King. Will update on the Hawaiian pizza and the bottle of Victoria Bitter.
2:51 p.m. – Neither one had a chance and neither disappointed. Yummy.
3:31 p.m. – Enter the Oxford Scholar – a fine drinking establishment located on Swanson Street. The friendly barkeep was educating me on a very interesting and extremely important topic: Australian beer.
I knew coming in that Foster’s was piss and I wholeheartedly agree. But, there’s a VB (Victoria Bitter), Carlton Draught (commonly known as “the draft”), and Toohey’s New. I liked the first two. I could manage Toohey’s. But there’s also a Boag’s and a Cooper and something else. Pour me what’s on special, mate (use of Australian phrase #2). Oh, and you don’t have to tip the barbacks. The Oxford Scholar could make a ton serving as the official orientation into Australian social customs.
5:19 p.m. – Boy, things are heating up awful quick thanks to a few schooners of Carlton. Got a bit of a burn cooking, but screw it. I was on a plane for an entire day and I’m meeting Sara in a few minutes. The beer was for two sets of nerves.
5:25 p.m. - I’m in a country that speaks English, for crying out loud, and I can’t order a cup of coffee. I even went to Gloria Jean’s. What the fuck is a flat white? How am I still awake right now? I’m nervous.
7:19 p.m. – Back to the Oxford, having a few pints (again) and playing catch-up with Sara. Is this real? I think so.
10:42 p.m. – I fly across the world for a day and where do I end up? At a paddy bar in Clifton Hill with a fella playing Dirty Old Town on the guitar. Some things are just universal, I suppose.
More tomorrow.
To the next step...one.
This leg involved about two hours of layover in Sydney, but oddly no Customs. I did have to go through a security checkpoint an additional time - coming off the plane - and then proceeded to the food court/shopping concourse of the airport before the final, hour-long leg to Melbourne.
Here's some more from the Oz blog.
March 24 (whilst I was sleeping)
4:00 a.m. Oz Time – Now I’m sleeping for 45 minutes at a time, then waking up, then going back to sleep for 45 minutes again. It’s erratic, but it’s passing the time.
5:02 a.m. – Wow, 1:02 on that last nap. Need a glass of water. They put the movie “Insomnia” on now. Is this supposed to be funny? Ironical? Drole?
5:07 a.m. - On a side note, this movie also blew. Not in the category, phylum, family or even universe as Fat Albert, but when it comes down to it all, there are three Academy Award winners and several other nominees in the cast of Insomnia and it still sucked.
And to add another kick to the groin, it’s subtitled. In Chinese. This is a cruel, cruel joke, United Airlines.
5:45 a.m. – Morning Has Broken out the window of seat 48K. Only two hours to go, and then…I get to go on another fucking plane.
6:58 a.m. – Prior to embarking on this trip, I bought a book in the bookstore in JFK Airport. I am not a big book reader, never have been. Can’t honestly remember the last time I read a book cover-to-cover, but it’s been a while. Maybe six years? Well, I just polished one off from NY to Sydney – remarkable for me.
7:50 a.m. – First glance at Australia out of the window of the plane. Very green countryside. Can’t wait to get off this rig.
10:04 a.m. – Adrenaline is an amazing drug. Why don’t I feel more wrecked? I guess I got some sleep and the large diet coke I just bought might have something to do with it. Just bought a power adapter in the Sydney airport so that the trusty sidekick that is my iPod will never be without juice.
When I get to Melbourne, I need to find an internet connection and check my email. Not because I want to see what’s going on at work, but because I forgot to print the directions to Sara’s house. Ordinarily I’d wing it, but not this time.
Noon – Woo-hoo! Through customs, waited forever for my bags, then another forever while half of Saigon were going through a new element into my airport experiences: quarantine. I remember Sara mentioning that she got docked 200 bucks for an apple, so I made sure I didn’t have any food in my bags. But I think the Nguyen family just cleared out its fifth box of fruit. And they stuck it in the kids’ carry-ons. Nice try, noble attempts, Charlie.
Found my way to the Skybus, which will take me to Melbourne, where according to the directions, go to Spencer Street Station, catch the Epping or Hurstbridge line to Clifton Hill, walk between two tennis courts, and then down to her place. Easy enough. I think.
First order of business – a shower and new boxers. If I smell half as bad as I look, I’m in trouble.
2:06 p.m. – I’m here. Whew, happy to be done with the traveling. Just took a shower and feel invigorated – it’s easily one of the top five showers I’ve ever taken. Also got to glance at the photos on Sara’s corkboard. Good way to refresh the memory, as I have not seen her in six years or so. She’s still pretty.
Also noticed the license plates that list the state (Victoria, for example) also have slogans. The newer plates have a slogan of “The Place to Be” and I find it hard to argue with that. But there was an older one that read “The Garden State” and well, I have to put my foot down. The Garden State is New Jersey. I know New Jersey. And Senator, this is not New Jersey.
2:37 p.m. – First official meal in Australia? A beer and a pizza. What, did you expect me to jump right in to the koala kebobs? Doubtful. And I’m sure as hell not rocking McDonald’s or Hungry Jack’s, which is they’re version of Burger King. Why not “The King?” – is it something about the fact that this is some sort of constitutional monarchy? Can’t be, Holland has a king AND the King. Will update on the Hawaiian pizza and the bottle of Victoria Bitter.
2:51 p.m. – Neither one had a chance and neither disappointed. Yummy.
3:31 p.m. – Enter the Oxford Scholar – a fine drinking establishment located on Swanson Street. The friendly barkeep was educating me on a very interesting and extremely important topic: Australian beer.
I knew coming in that Foster’s was piss and I wholeheartedly agree. But, there’s a VB (Victoria Bitter), Carlton Draught (commonly known as “the draft”), and Toohey’s New. I liked the first two. I could manage Toohey’s. But there’s also a Boag’s and a Cooper and something else. Pour me what’s on special, mate (use of Australian phrase #2). Oh, and you don’t have to tip the barbacks. The Oxford Scholar could make a ton serving as the official orientation into Australian social customs.
5:19 p.m. – Boy, things are heating up awful quick thanks to a few schooners of Carlton. Got a bit of a burn cooking, but screw it. I was on a plane for an entire day and I’m meeting Sara in a few minutes. The beer was for two sets of nerves.
5:25 p.m. - I’m in a country that speaks English, for crying out loud, and I can’t order a cup of coffee. I even went to Gloria Jean’s. What the fuck is a flat white? How am I still awake right now? I’m nervous.
7:19 p.m. – Back to the Oxford, having a few pints (again) and playing catch-up with Sara. Is this real? I think so.
10:42 p.m. – I fly across the world for a day and where do I end up? At a paddy bar in Clifton Hill with a fella playing Dirty Old Town on the guitar. Some things are just universal, I suppose.
More tomorrow.
To the next step...one.
