This was another impromptu trip in June. 3 days before i flew, i was actually doing research on San Francisco. I really wanted to go to the US. For months, i have googling on SF, LA, Cali, and i even found another traveler who is going to where i am going too. We spoke about buying a car there and travel around. We had even agreed on the time and place we are going to meet and places we are going to visit. I wanted to see the Yosemite and the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Both of us were all excited about our road trip and we spoke through emails and we even called up each other. He was in Utah when we were planning all these.
I have zero patience when come to traveling i realized. I want to do it, and i do it now. It's something that i really need to change. It was 2.30am. I drove down to the airport with only one thing in mind. Get the first flight the next day to SF.
The ticketing booths were all closed and only open at 6am, the earliest. Yes, they do have tickets available according to the Airport information counter. However, it wasn't the cheapest. $1600, China Airlines at 7.20am departure. The cheapest flight i found online was $1200, Philippines Air, i think - $1200. Struggling with the difficult decision at the airport, the Customer Service person told me to go home and come back at 6am to buy the tickets when i've decided. It was 3 hours from then and i thought that sounds reasonable. I could go home and pack up first and back at the airport at 6am to get the ticket. I took her advice, head home and do my packing. However, i'm not willing to part with another $400 as my funds were really limited. If not US, where should i go? One of my dreams is to see the Great Barrier Reefs and skydive. Ok.. then it shall be.
The next thing i know, was i'm at the airport, boarding the first flight to Cairns, Australia.
I went without any necessary tourist information on hand. All i know is, i wanna see the Reefs and Skydive. Using my Iphone to google some last minute information at the airport, i managed to book a cheap backpackers' hostel for $17AUD/night. Called them up, and book it for 5days. I was going there for 18days by the way. And these 18days? Amazing. I was rather apprehensive at first. I was on the plane, thinking of where and what i should do when i touch down. Head straight to the hostel, then? I am alone again, all in a foreign land with $1k plus and a creditcard in my wallet. If any shit gonna happen, i am so dead. Afraid? Very much so. Excited ? Hell yeah! Putting all my fears aside, i try to be as logical as i can be when i was there although it wasn't logical from the moment i decided to fly. By the way, how i told my Dad some were asking. " Eh, i'm going to the Australia back in 2 weeks. Bye"
Upon arrival at the Cairns international airport. What a small airport! I was waiting for my hostel pick up, soon i was one of them.
Still feeling a little edgy, i couldn't sit still. The silent scream keep repeating in my head, " I'm alone!! howhow!?"
Not long after, the van arrived. Apparently i was the only one that they were picking up that day. The driver is a German girl, having her working holiday in Oz. Cool to work during vacation huh.
My room was a 10 bed dorm at $17aud/nite, Free breakfast ( cereal ). Free dinner ( not worth mentioning). Upgrade to a proper meal for $5. Most of the days, i either took the miserable free dinner or get free and better dinner from another hostel! Miserable means, soup + a slice of bread or whip potato + salad + bread.
How? Simple. I made a friend who was staying in another hostel, Cairns City Backpackers, which serves better dinner. He has free food vouchers and got some for me. Dinner were served at some bars and its usually rice or pasta. Thats better than mine for sure.The room had 2 Danish guys, cute. and 2 English girls. They were all 19 or 20 year olds! I feel old. All have been traveling in OZ for 6 months at least. They made me seem like i wasted 25 years of my life. Where was i when i was 19?! What was i doing? I could barely remember what happened between the age of 19 - 23.
There was this incredible girl from Caribbean that i met. She has been on the road for 8 months now or 2 years i can't recall. But i remember it was a quite a long time and inspired me. Traveling from countries to countries, continents to continents. She has a fun loving personality and also a carefree spirit that totally inspired me. Thats life isn't it. Being happy is the key. We spoke about realizing our dreams of traveling the world, of how to be solo female traveler out there, how to motivate ourselves when working and saving up for our dreams. Knowing that one day, we will be out there again.
 |
| Canteen |
Eating alone can be rather lonely. Or uneasy i must say. It was my first breakfast at the canteen, claiming my first free breakfast. And that, to my not so pleasant surprise, is just cereals with milk. That easily became the topic between me and the other travelers.
I took my free precious cereal, and anxiously looking for somebody to sit with. The canteen was pretty empty in the morning. I can't deny that i felt awkward being alone at first, and the only asian in the whole hostel. Little conversations started to fly back and forth in my head. Like, now what.. should i talk to people or what?
There wasn't many people in canteen in the morning, so i decided to sit by myself. Grab a couple of brochures at the reception and started to do some research about the place. Since i didn't do much before i left Singapore. Not long after, TJ aka Tony Maguire came and sat at my table. Then Terry came. So we started talking. I found out that they came alone as well. I felt more relaxed after hearing that. So im not alone after all. Its weird. After the first 3 trips, i should be comfortable being a solo traveler. I am. But still not a true blue traveler yet. I'm working on it. The first day was all getting used to the whole idea that i'm here alone.
Spoke to the receptionist and found out she's another traveler there working for pocket money and accommodation. And which also found out that they have a driver opening for backpackers to exchange for food and lodge. And i did ! So, for the next few days, i was a driver, driving people up and down town every hour. 6 hours a day started at 5am and finish at 11am. What an experience! It was rather tiring but driving is part of my nature, so its easy. And there, i knew more people, made friends and so on. Fun !
No comments:
Post a Comment