I hastily finished my food and headed back upstairs to change into warmer clothes. When I got back downstairs Chris told me he’d found my radio on the back seat of the hire car. At least that’s one out of three. The weather was really miserable as headed off to the internet café at 10:30. There was a new guy behind the counter who said there were no spare seats to surf the net. There seemed to be a vacant seat but who am I to argue. I wandered off for twenty minutes and shuffled through the grey drizzle. When I [View Full Entry]

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The following morning I meet, Chris an American eating breakfast. He’s had a really rough time since arriving in Paris. He fronted up to Bastille Hotel on Saturday night at 23:30 and presented his room booking to reception. They tell him that they don’t have a bed for him, that he’d cancelled his booking. Chris tells them that he’d cancelled a booking for the 31st of May not the 24th. Sorry we have no rooms available comes the reply. Chris goes looking for other hotels in the area but they are all booked. Thinks he’s going to be sleeping in the [View Full Entry]

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It's the point of no return on Ryan Air. I fasten my seatbelt, VERY TIGHTLY and we take off. Miraculously we make it to cruising altitude without losing an engine of part of the fuselage. I decide that I need a drink. After all it may be my last. I look at the menu and see that the prices of beer is right over the top. I didn’t realise we had it so good in Oz. I order a soda water for 1.8 Euros. Not cheap but I figured I saved so much on the fares what the heck. The flight [View Full Entry]

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The flight from KL was good. They allocated me the seat I requested. Not that it mattered as the plane was only two-thirds full. I had the window and aisle to myself which was pure luxury. Cabin crew were good and served me a glass of beer and wine with my meal. I took a sleeping pill which seemed to do the trick. Not sure how long I was asleep but I estimate 3-4 hours. Without that I would have been a basket case for the big day of connecting flights. When we touched down in Rome I was shocked to [View Full Entry]

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DEPARTURE FROM COOLONGATTA AIRPORT - Went through the usual security screening and then was pulled aside by two officials. They gave me a pat down search and told me that I was being subjected to a random check. Nice to know airport security care so much. Must look shifty or something as this is the second time this has happened to me in Australia. Looked as if the plane was only two-thirds full with ten minutes before take off. Then a bunch of Malaysian passengers showed up and occupied every spare seat. Talk about leaving it late! To think I got [View Full Entry]

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After a tiring and stressful pre-trip (organising storage, moving stuff out, cancelling utilities, redirecting mail etc etc etc) I embarked on my journey back to Europe. At the crack of dawn on the 16th of May I kiss goodbye to my flat in the city. Farewell my neighbour who rises at the ungodly hour of 5:30 AM and trudge off to the Skybus several blocks down the street. I pass by a number of early morning comatose commuters and approach the Skybus ticket counter. Will I or won’t I buy a return bus ticket valid for one year. This is the [View Full Entry]

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