Always Remember Where You Parked

6.4.2012

Monday.

Today we caught a shuttle from our hotel to the airport. Our flight was out of the international terminal. I think the plane came from Japan and was stopping over in Cairns before going on to Sydney, so we had to go through the international terminal. Luckily we all had our passports. But because it was an international flight, we had to empty water bottle this time. But I still didn’t have to take my shoes off. And I still don’t think anyone watched me go through the metal detector. I got on plane and slept most of the trip.

When we got to Sydney we went to catch the 400 bus to Burwood. Today we were starting our new weekly pass for the public transport. I went to drop my new pass in and the machine ate my ticket. At first I thought that it was just taking a long time. But then it started making some horrifying noises and then that awful silence and lack of returned ticket let me know that I was done. So that was annoying. 

Driver asked me where I was going to. But I thought he asked “What are you going to do?” to which I responded “What am I going to do? I don’t know what I’m going to do, I thought you could tell me!” He laughed and repeated himself, I understood that time, and said the appropriate response: “Burwood,” He told me to sit down and that he would try to get it out later. Then along the way there was a driver change, so I went up to remind him about my situation. Both drivers fiddled with the machine and then they said that they had to radio for someone to meet us at Burwood to open the ticket machine.

Finally we got to Burwood and they said that no one could come so they took my address and said that they would mail me a new pass tomorrow. This is really terrible timing. I only have another week left here people! So I walked home from that stop, did a load of laundry, ate some lunch, then headed into school to pick up my files from the printer and finish my work. Did some work but was unable to finish my style guide on account of the schools printer not working. But I had to meet Linh in the city to get to connect group by 6:15.

I have never gone to that part of the city from uni before, but I was told that I could take the 436 bus. But, as luck would have it, I got on going the wrong direction. So that was awkward. Rode the bus to the end and then the bus driver said that if I waited on a bench up the street he would pick me up in 8 minutes after he had a break. This ended up being okay, because I had time to eat a snack of chips and tangerine.

Sure enough the driver came and picked me up 8 minutes later. He chatted with me about what I was up to in Sydney. Told me about his sister who lives in Miami. His wife who has a PHD and now works at boarder control. And how he has 2 kids in middle school. He also helped me figure out when I needed to stop and get off. 

I got to uni lodge, where we were having Connect Group tonight. Uni Lodge is kind of like a dormitory, but other people live there too. We were having CG in Sophia’s loft. Sophia, Andrew, Chris, Hong, Julliane, and Lihn.  Met Antone and Mary. Mary is from Indonesia. Forget where Antone is from. 

We ate lots of food, including pancakes in a bag, which I had never seen. We watched louie giglio “indescribable” video. Which is pretty cool. After, Hong and Julliane had to go pick up their boss, who I guess was drunk at a bar somewhere in the city. So Linh offered to give me a lift to central station. But when we went to the car park, she couldn’t remember where she parked. We walked around for at least 30 minutes looking. There was a lot of, "Okay, let's retrace your steps..." before we finally found it. It was a good thing that it took so long because on the drive to central station, Julliane called and said that their boss was going to stay in the city longer so they could drive me home. I met them at central station and then they gave me a lift home. They are really the best.