Can't believe this day is here!!!
Mex got the bus into the city with me this morning for the beginning of my epic journey home (6 flights in 7 days :S)..had a coffee then bid farewell..definitely bitter sweet to be heading home!
Got the bus from Manchester to Leeds..then flew to Zurich via Copenhagen..I'd organised to couch surf (being flat broke, it was a good reason to try it in expensive Switzerland!!) so made my way in to the city..annoyingly couldn't get wifi (where have I heard that before?) and then my phone died (oh, and that?!) but was able to find some friendly people at a closed restaurant to help me out..eventually located the girl (Pegah), who was pretty cool and very accommodating..particularly as I'd kept her waiting being lost and all :S I was to sleep on the couch in her room..we chatted a little but she was busy with her research (she was a neuroscientist and also did stuff with artificial intelligence) and I was happy to keep to myself, being exhausted from traveling!
As my flight wasn't til later this afternoon I decided to explore Zurich a little..I got the tram in to the city and walked down to Zurich lake..it was all very picturesque :) slightly cloudy so I couldn't see much of the alps but I'd been spoilt with views of them when I drove through Switzerland with Maike so I wasn't too worried!! Walked around the streets, went to get a coffee from Starbucks but a small was almost $8 ! Sat down and for the millionth time this trip someone assumed that a female sitting alone obviously wanted some company!! A guy presented me with a love heart chocolate then proceeded to sit next to me..but luckily he actually turned out to be quite interesting and we had a good chat :) went back down to the lake and lay in the sun and read my book..got the tram out of the city and was finally able to locate a cheaper coffee! Then headed to the airport, picked up my big bag (which I'd pay to store for the evening) and boarded my overnight flight to Bangkok!
Landed in Bangkok and feeling a bit groggy, lay on some chairs trying to rest..once again I was disturbed, this time from a pretty strange man who got me up to take a picture of him :/ needless to say I left that resting place and found another! I had about 7 hours all up but decided by the time I got through immigration and figured out transport into the city that I'd be cutting it too fine! I'd just have to return to Thailand :) (I was technically supposed to have already spent a week there, but changed my flights to spend more time in the UK instead). Got some terrible pad Thai (ironic) and then made camp on a lounge and tried to catch some z's!!
Boarded my flight to Sydney and yet another night spent on the plane (and like on the previous flight there was a very loud snorer nearby :| ) bit of a trek home!! Arrived in Sydney but my travels weren't over yet! It was weird coming through the international terminal onto home soil and not actually heading home/seeing people I knew..I got a bus to rach's auntie's, freshened up, ate and dumped my big bag then headed back to the airport! But to the domestic terminal this time, via the luxury of getting a lift from Kerrie :) then I flew to Brisbane (5th flight in 4 days...definitely had cankles :P) to meet gab for a girls weekend with her mates :) A weekend in the Gold Coast in an awesome apartment (bit of an upgrade from my European hostels...) complete with a Halloween party, a winery tour and a fun night clubbing..I was doing my best to ignore exhaustion and jet lag, and somehow managed to survive a 14 hour drinking day! Ok, so I might've had a cheeky powernap...
And now I'm sitting in Brisbane airport awaiting my final flight..can't wait to see ma and pa at the airport :) almost 5 months to the day I left for an incredible adventure..with limited funds and plans..but holy crap, hasn't it been incredible! The people I've been lucky enough to catch up with, the people I've had the pleasure of meeting and at the places I've seen have been indescribably amazing..no idea what's next but hey, that's the best bit! Until next time, Bon voyage...
