The Sydney Saga: Transit-a-Plenty

Tuesday, June 16th

7:42am
I stare at the time for a few moments before realizing that, although I had set the alarm for 7:03, I had neglected to turn it on.
In a flurry, I'm showered, packed (because who does that the night before?!), and out the door with time to spare.

Making my way down Barkly, I see the Nicholson tram pass. Perfect, should get to the stop just as the next one arrives in about 5 minutes.
Not 30 seconds later, a second tram clatters by. That is not a good sign.
So I run, knowing full well that unless the tram hits the longest light ever the exact instant it turns red, I will not catch it.

By the time I hit Nicholson, it's already blocks away.
My housemate Jai is waiting at the stop and informs me trams come about every 10 minutes at this time in the morning.

Twenty-four minutes later, the last 13 of which were agonizing, the tram pulls up.
A half hour after that, I breathlessly run up to the counter to find out I missed the shuttle to the airport by 10 minutes.

Next one: 12:30.
My flight is at noon.

***

An hour cab ride later, I'm at Avalon, the smallest, most forlorn airport of all time (and I've flown into Fredericton before). I had previously been unaware of the difference between Tullamarine -- Melbourne's city airport -- and this far flung place.

Explains why the flight was so inexpensive.

***

I'm be staying with Lucas, a friend of a friend (although we later connected that we had in fact met once in Toronto). He lives near the northern beaches, which means catching the ferry to Manly.

All told, today's travel included: tram, cab, plane, train, boat, car.
If only I had rode my bike.