as i arrived at sydney

well. before that.

let me just share with you some woes that i had during the departure.

firstly, the engine of the plane i was due to take failed, and the flight got delayed for a while.

then when i reached sydney, there was a problem with the aerobridge connection. and we remained on the plane for a while again.

talk about jia lat right?

its like things were not meant to be.

but i persevered. managed to find my way in the airport and clear customs.

aussie has this big thing about quarantine items. and they are super particular about organic stuff. i just saw this episode on aussie tv about people who flout the quarantine laws, and then they got into serious hell for not declaring. i remembered feeling fearful also, because i did not know if i had inadvertently filled out the quarantine form wrongly or if i had not declared anything. but thankfully i cleared customs quickly.

then came the next part, about going to my hotel.

i actually sat down for a full hour at the airport, because i was lost.

lost as in i did not know where to go, what to do, who to approach.

because everyone seemed so... on the go. and there was no one to fetch me or anything like that.

for the first time, i truly felt alone. ALONE.

so to cheer myself up, i took some photos as i sat down moping at the airport.

my bags lined up.

the waiting lounge. where i just looked at people go by.

me trying to smile despite feeling oh-so-alone. i smiled ok?

then i decided to lug my butt around to the information counter, and i finally got directions to go to my hotel. take the airport shuttle, they say. and then when i took the shuttle, i realised i took the wrong shuttle... hahaha. but it got me to the same place. FORTUNATELY. and i think the charge of $10 AUD was kinda alright for an airport shuttle (although i would not know how much it would cost if i took the proper shuttle... haha.)

i realised that the airport was not that far away from where i would be working and staying, so it was kind of something which lifted my spirits up. in my head, i was thinking, if anything, i would be able to run to the airport to get myself some comfort. and it would just cost me $10. hur hur. but of course things are not so bad.

along the way to the hotel from the airport.

as i reached the hotel, the bus driver said that the hotel i was due to stay in was a good one, and that i would be pleased with it. i was heartened.

Y on the Park Sydney Hotel

as i checked in, i made my first payment on my mastercard. and luckily it worked.

so i went up, and found myself in this room with 4 beds, and a sleeping japanese man on the third bed. and my bed was the last one, furthest in the room. which meant that i had to walk past him. lucky he woke up and let me through. hahaha. well. the room was not fabulous. and frankly i was disappointed as the pictures on the net really did not do justice to the room. or is it the other way round? anyways see for yourselves.

how room looked like online.

reality is painful.

but then i sucked it up. hey its all part of the experience right? i made acquaintances with the japanese man, the italian man who slept beside the door, and the london guy who slept in the 2nd bed. least i allayed my own fears. but i never opened up my laptop, nor left it in the room when i left the room for my walks. haha. talk about security. well yeah, i did not trust the security there. so there.

so that was how i spent the morning of me coming into sydney. its really something i tell you. something i wont forget. haha. more to come in the next entry... of me trying to get communications, accommodations, and nutrition.