Today was my 15th day in Australia and my last day in Alice Springs. I woke up hearing the birds’ morning calls at 7:40. I had some time, so I packed up my stuff and then walked down to the BP station for a couple of Red Bulls. For a minute I thought they were closed, and they had no sugar-free Red Bulls. I walked back and checked out at the reception desk and got a couple of panoramic postcards to hang on my bathroom wall. I hung out with Harold and got a cup of tea. I talked to the maid and joked with her about “Sadie the Cleaning Lady.” I love that song. The airport transfer was ready at 10:00 and we all got on. We passed the old Ghan train and another kangaroo warning sign. It was about a 15-minute drive to the airport, and we got dropped off at 10:15. The airport in the Alice is really small. One thing I love about Alice Springs is that’s very quiet, unlike Brisbane, Sydney, and Cairns. I sat there and tried to charge my Nintendo DS for my flight, but the converter wouldn’t work with my charger. I ate some Tim Tams and just waited for my flight, all whilst the flies were bugging me. At 11:55 the flight was ready for boarding. I got on and had a whole row to myself. I looked out the window realizing how much I’m going to miss this place. The flight (no. 7 on my trip) took off at 12:15. I was on the flight with Harold and Laura, and they were both leaving in Sydney. The sky was totally cloud-free, and I could see the red sand and how the wind sweeps it across the plains. I had the Outback from a birds-eye view. I had lunch about an hour into the flight. I had a ham sandwich and a Diet Coke. As we were flying, I noticed the desert turning into a yellowish-brown. I learned from Leith the other day that the red dirt in the Red Centre is caused by oxidation. The flight to Sydney was about three hours long, and we flew over the Blue Mountains and then over Botany Bay before touching down. For a second I thought we were going to miss the runway, but the pilots know what they’re doing. I had an hour and a half to burn at Sydney Airport. If I had more time, I could have run as fast as I could to Sydney Harbour for another photo of the Opera House. I tried to jump on the earlier flight to Brisbane, but had no luck. I got something to eat at Hungry Jack’s, and got on the internet but my email wouldn’t load. I got a Red Bull at the store there, and I talked to a pilot. At 6:15, my flight was ready for boarding. An earlier flight to Brisbane had been cancelled, so the flight was jam-packed with people. I met this pretty lady named Lainie, from Scotland. She lives here though and used to be a flight attendant. I showed off all my pictures, like the koala, and Uluru shots. The flight attendants then passed out dinner. I had spaghetti and meatballs, and a roll. While in the air earlier, I got an air photo of the Sydney Opera House. The flight was the eighth on my trip. I still have two more to go. After about two hours, we landed in Brisbane. I gave Lainie a hug goodbye and then walked to the train station. I tried to call Pearl, but I couldn’t reach her. I’ll try again tomorrow. The train ticket to Brisbane central was a whopping $12, and my student discount didn’t apply. It was the last train of the night. I got off the train after a half hour at Roma Street. I got lost trying to find my way to the hostel I stayed at before I left for Alice Springs. I hung out with this girl named Hanna at the bus stop before her bus came. She said she’d leave a note at the hostel. I went to Cloud 9 Backpackers and booked a bed. Louise and Erica weren’t there though. I was told they went to a friend’s birthday party, and probably wouldn’t be back tonight. I put all my stuff on my bed and then went for a nice, relaxing walk around Brisbane. I walked all through downtown and then past all the ritzy, glitzy hotels. As much as I miss the Outback already, it also feels great to be back in the city. I stopped at the payphone and gave Mom a call. In the Outback, I couldn’t call anyone because I had lost my phone card and had only written down the phone numbers for Brisbane and Gold Coast. She told me that she heard about L.A. getting snow, because it’s been so cold. I talked to her for like a half hour. I then walked back and lay down after another long day. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon wherever I am.
