After seeing a few sites in Apollo Bay and hitting the post office, I loaded the car to travel hard today. (Just didn’t realize how hard it was going to be.) Had a three hour drive to Melbourne then a flight to Perth. The first 40 km out of Apollo Bay was a winding/bendy road, I didn’t have anyone behind me nor did I meet any cars. But I did see an antique along the way.
The Victorian Public Safety office had quite a few signs up about not being a sleepy driver -- they even had a powernap area. Also signs about slowing down.
Noticed on the road a log truck with a red metal gate that protected the logs from falling off the truck -- interesting invention. Doubt they could ever get that in the U.S. How would that replace the nice little red flag that indicates that it’s a long load?
I made it back to Melbourne without any incident, other than a dead kangaroo on the side of the road. When I got to fill up the car to bring it back, yet again, no pay at the pump. I don’t understand, I haven’t hit any pay at the pump yet.
After driving for an hour, I realized I had made a big booboo -- I didn’t pay the citylink toll for my driving in Melbourne. At the rental company, I fixed one of the days but couldn’t the others. Just more money I will be spending pointlessly in Australia. Whoops. The staff at Europcar were extremely helpful again. It was the same staff -- Sandy, a nice lady who gave me lots of tips. Also a young man (my age), who I unfortunately did not get his name, who helped me with directions before and my luggage and my attitude today. He was very encouraging, Thank you and make sure you visit New Orleans. Grabbed the shuttle, with the driver, who had visited Denver, and made it to the airport quickly.
After checking in, I fixed my flights to Hobart (a small snafu, but at least I fixed it ahead of time). Again, going through security there was no need for an ID or boarding pass. I realized that people here live pre-2001, they can bring their loved ones to the gate and meet them at the gate area. How sweet.
Met my new friend, Shirley Ford, a dairy farmer and widow. She was a very nice lady, who seemed like a tough cookie (Ms. Shirley, that’s a big compliment in my book). Jetstar loaded the plane from the back forward. But they didn’t let the people needing extra time board first. On this flight there was an older man in a wheelchair with a young family that had two small children, I think they needed a little extra time, duh?
We took off and one rowmate moved forward and the other rowmate and I chatted -- Steve, an IT guy who lived in Perth. He and I discussed his book, Keith Richards autobiography, current affairs and Perth. Then the pilot came over the intercom and informed us that our plane had a hydraulic problem -- major panic for me. OMG the only reason I didn’t have an anxiety attack was because Steve and the others on the plane didn’t seem too concerned. We turned back to Melbourne and made it within an hour. Our landing was smooth, thank goodness.
Surprisingly, they had another plane waiting on us with a new crew. Within 45 minutes Jetstar had given us all food coupons, fed everyone, moved our luggage over, and loaded the newer plane. I got to move up to the front with Ms. Shirley. Without her and Steve, I probably would have wanted to stay in Melbourne and cancelled Perth/Western Australia altogether. They seemed to just want to get on with it, so I adopted their attitude.
On the plane, in addition to Ms. Shirley, our other rowmate was a Salsa teacher/IT independent contractor from Melbourne headed to Perth to visit his autistic daughter. We all slept for most of the flight. The flight was approximately 3 hours late getting in and the return flight passengers were waiting at the gate area. Shirley’s son and grandchildren were waiting for her at the gate.
Our luggage made the flight too and I quickly headed to the Europcar desk. When I got my car information, I asked for a map. The clerk put a large book up on the counter -- it was a map book of Perth. It was as big as a phone book to a major city, what was she thinking - I wanted new reading material or something? I gave it back to her and got a small map into the city to my hotel.
Got in my lovely new Hyundai Getz ----
I was quite relieved to finally make it to my hotel, Miss Maud’s Swedish Hotel and to my quaint little room. It was very European. The lift, aka the elevator, was also very European. You have to open the doors to get in and make sure they are shut for it to go up.
I was very grateful that I made it to Perth safely and in one piece. I could have had a major anxiety attack without those nononsense Aussies around. Now to figure out what to do in this area of the country.
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