Triumphant Return

or... "The End"
... "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish!"

Hrmm

I have now officially started the next part of my trip. The "Survive the Ratrace" part.

Hehe and the plane trip wasn't so casual... since when are they?? I was drinking a cappucino with Joe at the pasticceria thismorning... I should have really left for the airport earlier, but... there was tons of time - so I thought.

The problems started when I probably missed a train by about 2 minutes. Not such a biggy, I would get to the airport 30mins later, still would have enough time.

BUT then the automatic ticket machine debited my credit card the price of the ticket, but didn't print the ticket correctly! Printing Error, Go To A Ticket Window. Arghh!

Of course, you're supposed to go to a specific ticket window, but I went to the wrong one! Then I had to line up at the correct one. In the end I got the ticket and jogged a bit (pack and all) to make the train... although I may have made it without jogging.

So, a train to the airport was OK. I tried to check in by phone, but duhh, if you have luggage you can't do that! So at least I reserved a really good window seat. After checking in I went in the passport control queue... do you believe that the metal surrounds for the laces on my shoes set of the metal detector??? Haha I wonder what they'd think if i took my shoes off next time and put them through the scanner!

So that queue was taking a while. I got through it at about 12:10, and the gate for my flight supposedly closed at 12:15!!! I jogged through (minus my big pack this time) to the correct terminal, and then found you have to take this sky train-monoraily-thing to this satellite building that the platforms are off of. Hrmm OK. The sky train took a minute to arrive, then it was a 2 or 3 minute journey. I couldn't see any clocks around, but I reckon it would have been exactly 12:15 when I went through the gate! *phew*

OK, so I thought I could walk on a sky bridge on to the train, but it turns out that it was being repaired! We had to jump on a bus!!! It waited there for about 10 or 15 mins before taking off and driving us to the plane... finally!

So it was like... jog, train, jog, sky train, jog, bus, climb steps, plane, *sigh of relief*

So I made it, my luggage made it. I even asked to see the cockpit during the flight, but no-one can go into the cockpit any more. Not even the cabin crew! I went in after the flight though, took a photo and spoke to the captain for a bit. Have to kill time. It's not quite 5pm (although my body clock is nearing 6pm and I only slept for 4 or 5 hours!) and there won't be anyone in the place I'm staying until 8pm. At least I have an address and directions now.

So yepp... I'm back in good ole Earl's Court, using the internet cafe here that I know has MS Office and printing facilities. I need to double check that my resume is OK and print a few copies. Hopefully I'm awake enough not to stuff it up!

Accomodation seems to be getting better, well the price and conditions... I haven't yet seen any rooms!! The room is supposed to be really small, but have many of you seen my room at home??? I don't need much space. And the price is now £50pw!! Hrmm an extra $30AUD per week... doesn't go that far here, but discount is discount, eh? I found out that it costs over $200AUD per month for a travel card (unlimited travel on underground and busses within the 3 zones)... ouch! In Perth I was paying $84 for 40 rides, so that's a big increase... I guess I won't have any transport but the public transport, so it'll probably be worth it in the end. In Rome the transport was so cheap though!! €0.77 per metro ride! For a capital city that's damn good!

Hrmm... OK the last few days in Rome have been OK... I've been slowly recovering... Last night (the last night of my holiday!!) I went to dinner with Joe, Randy and Adrian. It also happened to be Adrians birthday. We splashed out a bit, which was a nice way to finish a 3 month trip! Mmmm chicken and asparagus! Potatoes and seasoned veggies! Cafe Baileys and crepes! Won't be doing that for a while! Adrian and I gave the other two brothers (from car-driving fast-food-loving California) a taste of Aussie endurance... we walked across the city, and then walked back home. Tis not that far, really... well that was our opinion! :-) In a few days Joe's coming to London. Should be kewl... we're going to try and track down a soccer game... so long as I can afford it!

Hrmm so OK... 1/2 an hour to do resume stuff, maybe 1/2 hr more to email some ppl I've been neglecting... which is all of you! Then have to track down food, maybe some work agencies, maybe try and look for the army surplus store that I managed to miss when I was in London last... Tomorrow will be more of the same kind of stuff - dry cleaning, washing, hair cutting etc. ai yai yai!

I'm actually enjoying this though. I think I enjoy the whole challenge of all this stuff. Travelling *was* a challenge... but it became so comfortable! Which was good, I suppose... but I think you lose a certain edge and alertness when you know what you're doing! Hrmm will have to think about that more.

OK getting used to English being spoken will be weird. I'm really used to being one in a sea of tons of different-language-speaking-ppl. I'm just so intruigued about English accents at the moment... It's too strange! I need to lose my fascination, otherwise I'll be trying to overhear everyone's conversations!

HRmm been thinking about writing these for a while... but wanted to wait until I'd finished travelling. Stats! I'm a kinda logical, mathematical thinker... these need to be here!

Number of days travel:
96

Number of items stolen:
0
(except for perhaps some food... but that's not serious, just annoying!)

Items lost:
8

3 towels. I kept losing them so often that I had to learn the Polish word for towel! My current one is bright yellow so I can spot it easily!
My address book.
A travel pillow (after only using it once! Grrrr! Couldn't really fit it in anyway!)
1 sock
1 long sleeved white t-shirt ??? OK this one is interesting... I don't know where I lost it... like it could be in any of 5 or 6 countries! By the time I realised it was missing ( about a week ago), I don't think I'd worn it for a month or two!
My International Hostelling Europe hostels book. Which was quite cheap, but really useful... grrr! I actually remember seeing it, and after I'd left, remembered putting it there! I think that's the problem with pushing yourself to travel and see stuff every day... you start to get a bit fuzzy round the edges.. hrmmm... so to speak... in addition to the no shave thing! Ohh which reminds me!

Best Bargains... things that have lasted

My toothbrush, paste, shower gel, shampoo and handful of razors I threw in... all still going strong! Guess I never realised how slowly that stuff goes down... and NO I have been clean... except for the no shave thing!

Waterproof shoes... expensive, but I haven't had wet feet in 2 months! As an added bonus, I haven't fallen off any mountains or sprained my ankle (again) either.

Umm... there was another really good bargain.
Ohh... Mayonaise!
I should prolly ditch it by now. I bought a tube of mayo in Switzerland... did I tell you about the whole tomato thing? Basically, I have a lunchbox that chocolate biscuits came in from Denmark, a €0.50 knife from a junky shop in Germany, plus some fresh tomatoes and the mayo make for an instant meal anywhere! It's shelf mayo... well supposedly refridgerate after opening. Which is why I should buy some new stuff now that I'll have access to a fridge.

Worst deals would have to be the $5AUD each I payed for two apples.... grr Sam check the per kilogram price!
And the guy that charged Candace and I $5AUD after we'd taken photos with him. I mean... If he would have told us the price beforehand it would have been OK... also if he wouldn't have encouraged me to go up and get photos taken with him as well... Joe and Randy were also suckered in... and I think it was the same guy!
I'm sure there are other bad deals.... hrmm they'll come to me and I'll add them.

Best tourist info would have to be in Rome. Hands down. The people actually like the whole chat while finding info thing (which they DIDN'T like in Germany) but they also had tons of info, like a database about tons of stuff. And the info booths were everywhere!

hrmm this is getting long isn't it! I'll give you and me a break... maybe I'll move this stats and comparison stuff to another post later and add to it... :-)

Heyy... get back to you soon with details about London Life and my small room!

Adios!

Posted by Sam at December 11, 2002 01:31 AM