This morning I had to get up quite early, but I had missed Becs, who had already left for work. When I went in the kitchen to make a cuppa, I found a little message from her to me on the noticeboard, which was really sweet. Sarah came down and we had a tea together. I felt so sad to be leaving, I couldn’t quite believe it. Thinking about it made me feel even sadder, so after Tom and I had checked the train timetable and worked out which train to get (11am), I tried to focus and packed my last few things up, again doing so whilst watching American Dad, in an attempt to cheer myself up slightly.
When I was done, I said goodbye to Sarah and hid the guy’s gifts somewhere discrete, but findable (later on I text Sarah – being the most sensible person in the house - telling her where they were and asking her to distribute them accordingly!), then it was time to go. It was so hard leaving the house for that last, final time, it really did feel like home. I was very good though and managed not to cry, although I have no idea how I did it!
Tom and I walked to the station and took the train together, as he was also going to the city for work. We got there quick enough that we had time for a coffee before he had to go to the office, so we found a very nice cafe (which also sold chocolate handbags?!) and sat enjoying the sun (although it was still freezing cold!) and a latte, chatting about all the cool stuff that had happened. Eventually it was time for him to go to work, as much as he didn’t want to because he hates it so much, but that’s life. He walked me to the other station and then I had to say goodbye to him, which again was very hard to do.
When I got to the Skybus desk, I realised I had gotten my times a bit wrong and I actually had ample time to kill before I needed to be there. Obviously I decided I would rather spend more time in the city than hanging around in the airport, so instead went to Gloria Jeans across the road for another coffee. The shop that Matt works in is just round the corner from the station, so I text him and told him where I was in case he had a break due and fancied a coffee – within five minutes he had joined me (he hates his job too!). We chatted for a while and he laughed at my fancy coffee (decaff, skinny, macadamia latte). Then it really was time to go, so I said goodbye to him too (three goodbyes in one day – I’m actually glad I missed Becs this morning as otherwise that would have been a fourth!) and made my way back across the road to the station, where I hopped on the Skybus.
Once at the airport, I simply had to check in using the electronic screen and deposit my bag with the man at the desk, which was relatively simple and very quick indeed! I then went through security, which was non-existent, being an internal flight apparently means there are few checks – just shoving your hand luggage bag through the x-ray machine. I went straight to the gate and moments later we were boarding the plane!
I was lucky and had no one sitting next to me in my row, not that it mattered really, as I didn’t spread my stuff out or anything. As I sat there waiting for the plane to push back, I felt overwhelmed with sadness to be leaving such an amazing place, some amazing friends, amazing memories and amazing dreams behind. Then I was awoken from my daydream by the plane starting to move and soon I was on my way to Adelaide – as we took off, with every foot we climbed I could feel Melbourne getting further and further away from me, it hurt.
The flight was short and sweet, far better service than on Jetstar. I had a cup of coffee and a very nice cake, this was a nice touch. I don’t really know what happened during the flight, I think I was in a world of my own, lost in my own thoughts, as soon enough, I could feel us descending. The landing wasn’t particularly smooth; it was really windy and it was actually quite scary. Once both wheels were firmly on the ground I felt safe.
As I disembarked the plane, again with a heavy heart, I was surprised to see Tricia the moment I entered the terminal – there really isn’t any security; she was right there waiting, as soon as I had left the tunnel thing from the plane! This came as such a shock it threw me a bit – I had expected some waiting around, security and baggage collection before I would be seeing Tricia, but apparently not! She gave me a big hug and then another big hug and a kiss – apparently she was under strict instructions to do so from my mum (thanks mum!). She took me to the baggage collection area and for a change my bag came out relatively quickly, so soon enough we were on our way out of the airport and into the carpark to find her car. I was stunned to see a giant Ikea next to the airport – I hadn’t realised they had Ikea in Australia.
Having located the car, we got in and Tricia drove me to her house in Surrey Downs, along the scenic road, so we went past the sea and through some towns with attractive and vaguely old (for Australia) architecture.
Once at the house, Tricia showed me to my accommodation – an incredibly gorgeous, kitsch caravan in the back garden! The reason for this slightly unusual arrangement was because they are decorating and are currently doing their bedroom, so have moved themselves and everything else into their spare room. They have had a caravan in the garden for years – they got it when their children outgrew the house and they figured it would be a temporary thing as Ken was due to be moving out, then when he did, Ray insisted that they didn’t get rid of it, as he wanted to have it as his bedroom. So there it stayed in the garden, until Ray left home, then Anna wanted to use it. However Ray had left it in such a state – with a leaky roof and mildew covered walls, it was not fit to live in, but determined as she was, Anna did the whole thing up- fixing the leak, cleaning it, painting it, making curtains for it, putting a new floor in; the lot. So it then became Anna’s little girlie-fied bedroom until she moved out. It’s now a bit less girlie and so Selwyn occasionally uses it, but apparently he’s quite fussy and finds it too cold in winter and too hot in summer, so spends most of the time in his main bedroom. Anyway, as kitsch and as comedy as it is, I really love it! It’s right by the back door so I can go in and out of the house easy enough.
After I had moved in to the caravan I went and sat in the lounge with Tricia and we chatted away about everything and anything over a cup of tea, until Sam arrived home from work. The three of us sat talking, then Tricia went to dish up the dinner and Selwyn emerged from his lair, oops I mean bedroom! He was studying for a uni exam he has on Saturday, but I get the feeling he doesn’t say a lot anyway! We had a tasty meal of chicken pie, mash and peas, followed by a chocolate mousse – Sam was impressed at this as apparently Tricia doesn’t usually do dessert, unless there is a guest in the house!
Thankfully, I discovered that Tricia and Sam are also big fans of Masterchef, so once we’d cleared up from dinner, we settled down to watch the show. I was also even more pleased to discover that we like and dislike the same contestants, which made for a good bit of jeering at the tv. Although it wasn’t at all the same as being at home jeering at the tv with Sarah, Becs and Tom, it was nice still being with real people! After Masterchef was over, the only vaguely interesting thing on was the film Schindler’s List, which neither Tricia nor Sam had seen, so I recommended they see it. I had forgotten though that it was a ridiculously long film, so Sam had to give up and go to bed before the end, but Tricia and I fought the tiredness and by the time it had finished it had gone 1am!
No comments:
Post a Comment