As I drove down to Phoenix, Arizona, I mentally prepared myself for leaving all of my family and friends. In my mind I still felt numb. Every time I said goodbye to someone, I felt as if I was going to see them again next week. My rational mind knew this was untrue yet I still felt that way. My father and grandfather graciously drove me down to the Phoenix airport. We ended up stopping at The Cheesecake factory for lunch since my grandfather wanted a good beef eater martini with a twist. As we sat waiting for our food I neurotically checked my flight information for the millionth time and I was taken aback when I saw my first flight was delayed by three hours. Frantically I turned to my dad and I said if my first flight was delayed by three hours, I would miss my connecting flight to Australia. Fast forward three hours and my dad managed to get all three of my flights changed to the following day, a hotel room for me to in for the night, and a beef eater martini for my grandfather. Now that everyone felt at ease once more, my father drove me to my hotel. As a waved goodbye to my family, I still had the feeling I would see them again. I sat in my hotel room for a solid minute before calling up my best friend, Sabrina. The second I told her what had happened, she said she was coming down. I didn't even have to ask her and she dropped everything and drove two hours to see me off. That night we went to see a movie and ate an unusual dinner of Cane's and IHop. The next day she drove me to the airport. I checked in my bags and I had a weird feeling but ignored it. We had a solid 7 hours before I had to catch my plane so we goofed around the airport. If anyone needs directions in the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, I gotchu. Sabrina and I rode the sky train about 10 times between all three terminals. At some point my neurotic self wanted to go to the self help kiosk again and double check my ticket information. As we were looking at the self help kiosk, we noticed one of my tickets was missing. I ran to the nearest Delta person who could help me. I explained the situation but I don't think she really understood me. Anyway she printed out my itinerary and informed me that everything was fine. With a sinking feeling, I walked to the security check point. I said goodbye to Sabrina, which took a while and a lot of goodbyes, I'll miss you, and I love you later, I went through Phoenix airport security. I got onto my first plane and it went swimmingly. I don't know what normal people do on planes but I people watch. I know that the girl behind me is from Nebraska, although she lived in China for a while, her brother just moved to LA and her cousin just visited her brother. An old student of her's lives in Australia and she is visiting her brother. She is a very loud talker. The lady next to me had some kind of hearing sensitivity because every time someone made a noise, she would cloths her eyes put her hand to her forehead and say "oh so loud". The mother with the squirmy infant in front of me was from San Diego and the guy sitting to my left was listening to some heavy metal. After only an hour and a half we landed in LAX. Phoenix Sky Harbor airport has a reputation for being a nice clean airport. LAX does not. After hustling from my plane, I sprinted to a nearby shuttle that drove me to the international part of the airport, which looked like it hadn't been cleaned since it was built. I ran to my connecting flight to grab my tickets. Since I went from a Delta flight to a Virgin Australia flight, I had to wait until LAX to get my last to plane tickets. I went straight for the woman standing behind the Virgin Australia desk, handed her my passport and patiently waited for my tickets. I waited and waited and waited. Then she called her supervisor. I heard the words overcrowded, can't book a seat, and next flight out. I started to sweat a little bit and looked around me for a comfy and semi clean looking couch to sleep on if I had to be put on another plane. Luckily, a couple minutes afterward she smiled at me, printed my tickets and said have a good flight. Feeling good again, I walked to the nearest shop to buy a bottle of water, which turned out to be $5. I am going to go on a quick off topic rant about the price of water. I think it is bullshit how a bottle of water is 4 ore dollars than a bottle of soda. If a town has unsafe drinking water from the tap, then FREE water should be provided. Back to my story, I got onto my flight and sat down next to these nice looking gentlemen who I wanted to talk to, sadly they were already watching the in flight entertainment and I felt like it would be weird to interrupt them. So I just unfolded the complimentary blanket and started my people watching routine once more. 14 hours later and I finally landed in Brisbane. Brisbane Airport is much larger than the Townsville airport and equipped with customs. Therefore, I had to go through customs and pick up my luggage before catching my next flight up to Townsville. Right off the bat things started to go wrong. First of all, all passengers had to go through a liquor store prior to reaching customs. Nice right? WRONG! the alcohol in Australia is incredibly expensive. For a bottle of Jim Beam OR Jack Daniels is $150 AUD which is about $100 USD. For one bottle. And Jim Beam isn't even quality liquor. Here I was thinking I would be drunk for mot of my trip and now I am thinking sobriety looks pretty nice and affordable. Then I reached customs. I hate how nowadays, airports are basically run by machines. After shoving my passport into the passport reading machine about 30 times, a lady finally came over and helped me. It wasn't like I was holding up the really long line or anything... oh wait. Then I had to have my picture taken so it would match my passport. Of course it din't take because I wasn't smiling in this picture and I WAS smiling in my passport picture. Fucking machines. On the bright side, I met this girl in the customs line who was also going to JCU so I felt good about that. Finally I shlumped over to the baggage claim. As unfamiliar bags passed by me, I started to get a sinking feeling that my bags would not be on this conveyor belt. I walked on over to the baggage assistance desk. There are no signs anywhere near this desk that shows which desk is for which airline and It took me three different desks before I got to the Virgin Australia desk. There was already a very rude man at the desk who complained about how his lost luggage had many new and expensive golf shirts in it. Behind me there was at least 10 more people who had lost luggage. Two men cut me and walked in front of me as if there wasn't a long line behind me. The guy behind me looked at me and shrugged saying we're all in the same boat here. I channeled his inner calmness. When it was my turn I walked up to the lady at the desk. I made sure to be patient and polite despite my panic because she was not the person who lost my luggage. She was new and it took her a while to input my information. All the while I was on the verge of tears thinking that m luggage contained my life for the next 6 months. Finally I went, luggage-less to the rest of the customs area. I was sent to quarantine because on my entrance card I declared that a pair of my shoes had dirt on them. I explained to the customs people that my luggage was lost and I currently didn't have any of those items. At this point I was almost crying out of frustration, but I hate crying in public so I sucked it up. The custom people finally let me go after they realized I din't have my luggage. I ran like a bat out of hell to try and catch my next flight to Townsville. I caught a bus that took me to the domestic terminal. Then I got stuck in security because one of their machines broke. Luckily, they sent me upstairs to a second security check. I got through the Australian security, which is much easier to get though than American security. Let me tell you, American security basically makes you strip and then feels you up, Australian security does not. Finally I got to my gate and went to call my dad. However, I needed wifi, and Australia despite their first world country status does not have public wifi. I sadly got to my plane and had a numbing flight to Townsville. When I reached the Townsville airport, I went defeated to the JCU help desk. At this point I was thinking, is it too late to turn back and go home. However, at the JCU help desk, I met two of the nicest people I talked to that entire trip. Both women helped me talk to the Townsville baggage lady who was also extremely nice. I would like to just give a shoutout to the two international students who helped me at the JCU help desk. Both women gave me supplies such as soap, extra clothes, towels and bed spreads after they learned I lost my luggage. They made my day. I got to my room, I unpacked the few items I had in my backpack and I called my dad. My dad always has this keen ability to solve the problems I am to frustrated to solve. Honestly, the most fearful part of this trip for me is leaving my family. They are my comfort. Even if we are in an unfamiliar place, they are what makes me feel at home. However, this is an adventure, a dream of mine, and to reach your goals, you have to do things that make you uncomfortable, that make you afraid. Anyways, my dad called up Virgin airlines and called me shortly after. Turns out, my bags ended up in Atlanta, Georgia via Delta. The Delta lady sent my bags to fucking Georgia. My bags are supposed to catch a flight to Tampa, then onto Australia. Hopefully I get them back within the next day or two because I am currently in the same clothes I have been wearing for a couple of days and I don't smell great. Despite my bitching, I am so grateful and happy to be in Townsville. Despite the few road bumps I hit, I am extremely lucky to be in Australia. A lot of people don't get the opportunity to travel like I am doing so I am very happy to be where I am. So with the first leg of my adventure down under completed, I look back and wonder what is in store for me next.
- mcr2957