A Bloody Disaster- November 19, 2019
I’m jarred awake by the sound of CeeLo Geeen’s song, “Fuck You”. I pick up my phone beside me and see the bright numbers 4:27 staring back at me. I was not ready to be awake. I only went to bed just over 3 hours ago. I turn off the alarm and go back to sleep. Again, CeeLo’s blaring vocals shock me awake. Alarm number two. It’s 4:37 AM now. I turn off the alarm. “Okay, you need to actually get up now” I tell myself. I hate mornings. More than I think anyone I’ve ever met (hence the alarm song choice), but travel mornings I can handle a bit better than the rest. And today was a travel morning. I hopped up and quickly got dressed. Brushed my teeth. Packed the remaining things that were scattered on my floor, ate some breakfast while simultaneously ordering the uber and off I went enroute to the Adelaide Airport with my driver, Tony. He is a Pommy who moved here 12 years ago, back when it was easier to settle here. We chatted about my visa struggles and the fact that it was expiring on the 7th of December and I was dreading it. That this east coast trip I’m starting today is my last hurrah in Australia for a while until I can hopefully figure out a way to get back here. It’s a conversation I’ve had dozens of times over the last few weeks but it never seems to get easier.
We made great time getting to the airport. Tony gets a 5 star rating. The check-in to Jetstar went smoothly. Then the bag drop did too (I think for the first time ever)! Next was security. Barely any line; A beautiful perk about the Adelaide airport. My flight wasn’t until 6:40AM. I had plenty of time to spare, which is an extreme rarity for me while traveling. I’m usually sprinting to my buses, planes and trains just as they are leaving. Since I had some spare time, I went into Australian Way to do some window shopping. Maybe see if they have a nice tie for my dad and brother as they loved the aboriginal artwork on the one I bought there last year. But before finding the ties in the store my eye caught the rings. It was like a magnetic attraction and I had to go look.
Gorgeous Australian Opal rings. I’ve been looking for a new everyday ring for about 4 years now. Ever since I lost the one I got on a cruise when I was 13. I loved that ring. Tanzanite and diamonds on a white gold band and I haven’t been able to find another one I liked even close to enough as that one ever since. These opal ones though. They would be such a great memory and souvenir of the last two plus years. The problem? #1. They were way more than I should be spending at the moment given the fact I’ve barely worked since July. #2 there were about 5 rings I really liked. It took a bit of time but I was able to narrow it down to two. I stood there debating. After some time, I ended up putting them on hold until I get back next week so I could take some time to think about it. I nonchalantly walk to gate 26. I must have taken longer than I thought in the store because by the time I got there the gate was closed. I was shocked. Apparently they paged me multiple times and I didn’t hear it. Either way, they were not letting me get on the flight and I was told I could pick up my bag on carousel number 2. “You’ve got to be kidding me” is all I could rummage through my brain. I went to the Jetstar ticketing counter hoping they could rebook me for this ridiculous mistake but they said there was nothing they could do. I forfeited my ticket and I would need to rebook and pay for a new ticket. I was LIVID! I had flown with them countless times over the last 2 years and they couldn’t do anything? I would need to buy a completely new ticket and pay for baggage again? I didn’t ask them to take my bag off the plane. They did that on their own. Why should I have to pay for that again? I was so frustrated with myself and the way the Jetstar employees handled the situation that I decided unless there was an extreme price difference, I would not be rebooking with them. I counter hopped from Tiger Air, to Qantas, to Virgin Australia. Each of those airlines showing more compassion and human qualities than the Jetstar employees did. After comparing the different airlines pricing, and the timing of the different flights, I settled on a 9:00 AM flight with Virgin Australia for $279.00. I wasn’t happy, despite what my t-shirt said.
But then after I went through security(for the second time) I passed my favorite sign in the airport. The one I can’t help but stop and acknowledge every time I see it. It reads, “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”
I knew in that moment that despite wasting money I don’t have to waste, everything was going to be okay and that this little hiccup was what I needed for one reason or another.
So moral of the story, don’t get to the airport with any spare time to look in the stores and if you do, buy both rings because the price of both rings together is still cheaper than a new ticket 😭.
Catch me if you can…
Jo Mo