Day 4 - Next Destination
I was up early to write and pack. I also had the pleasure of meeting my Airbnb host who had returned from a couple of nights in Queensland, she was lovely. She asked me if I was from Queensland because I had the heat pump on. I told her I was Tasmanian but yet to acclimatise.
And so to the airport! Seems it’s all self check-in and baggage drop now, shows how long since I’ve been in Sydney airport. In other news my bag weighed 3.5kg less, winning! Once through security I got myself a banana smoothie and waited to board. My seat was by the window, second row from the back of the plane. I must have forgotten to select my seat, either that or forgotten that this is of course near the toilet and on a three and a half hour flight it would be frequented by many. At one point there was a line nine deep, it nearly put me off my complementary dark chocolate Lindt ball, nearly.
It was a beautiful clear day in Cairns so as we flew in I was able to get some good photos. So preoccupied was I trying to get the angle right out the window I only realised we were coming in to land because the plane’s shadow was getting bigger with each photo.
It felt good to be back in Cairns, I’d been there a little over twelve months ago to begin the final stage of The Bold Line but I was back now to begin an adventure of a slightly different kind. I found my “no longer classified as heavy” bag and wheeled it out the front to meet Megan, a friend who was kindly helping me out with a lift from the airport to my accommodation - via the supermarket to pick up a few snacks for the week ahead. Always great to see a familiar face and when she loaded my bag into the boot of her car with a thud and said that she’ doesn’t pack light either I thought YES! One to the overly prepared of us all!
Did I mention it was 31 degrees and I was wearing a long sleeve tee, tights and my converse trainers? I made a beeline straight for the refrigerator section in Woolworths. The relief was immense.
After a zipping around to pick up some other items we drove along the Esplanade to my accommodation, I checked in, changed and joined Megan in the bar for a glass of wine as we tried to catch up on the last year in the space of an hour, we did well!
Now on my own I couldn’t decided whether to sit and write or head out and walk. It was dark but I could see three games of beach volleyball going on across the road under flood lights so I wandered over to the courts to watch. Everyone was friendly and I ended up fulfilling the role of ball girl from time to time when the ball flew my way.
Back at the hotel I ordered room service and lost track of time as I began to write. Next I looked it was 11.30pm. I set my alarm for 4.30am and proceeded to turn out all the lights. I couldn’t find the switch for two of them, I’d looked everywhere! I gave up looking and pulled the room key out of the power socket. Great plan until I got into bed and realised that because I’d done that my flat phone and camera batteries were no longer charging. I got up, put the room key back in the power socket, swore, sighed and then flicked a switch that I found around the corner near the bathroom. What-do-you-know, the light on the far side opposite my bed went out. Go figure, but at least now it was dark and the power was still on, only problem was that it was now midnight. Quick, go to sleep!
Tip: Do more of what you love.
Track: High Up - Mat McHugh
