Why I Didn’t Marry Heath Ledger

My flight karma has run out. I’m sure it’s my fault for bragging about our AWESOME seats on the trip to Oz. My return flight is COMPLETELY full and I couldn’t have picked a worse seat if I tried. As mean as I thought they were when I reviewed them, I REALLY wish I had some knee defenders now.

The people in my row turned out to be better than I thought they would be, but the woman sucked her teeth really loudly. I thought smacking was the most annoying thing in the universe, but the teeth-smacking takes the cake.

I’ve been Selected for a Special Security Screening, which is denoted by an SSSS on the bottom right hand corner of your boarding pass. Sounds like I’ve won something, huh? Not quite. That means I went through the normal security screening and pat down in Sydney, then I went though customs and a screening in LAX (as everyone does) but I also got another pat down and all of my belongings searched and checked for explosives traces. That’s cool. I’m a big fan of security. I still managed to get a much earlier flight, as I walked up to the gate and requested standby 20 minutes before the flight left. Allrighty. Then I got to DFW and there was ANOTHER flight leaving about 20 minutes after I arrived. Cool, maybe I’ll get lucky and get standby again. I went to the desk and they informed me that I needed to be screened, searched, patted down and explosives screened yet again. How was I to pick up anything suspicious in the air between Los Angeles and Dallas? I’m not exactly terrorist material, so I still don’t get it. But despite the excessive screening, I made the earlier flight. My bags didn’t, but me arriving in places without my gear has become the standard for this trip. Luckily, I live about 20 minutes from the airport and I can pick it up later.

Sadly, this marks the end of my journey and this blog. I had a wonderful time in Oz and am already planning my return trip to Wwoof around the country, just as soon as I make it to Antarctica, Kilimanjaro and teach English is Southeast Asia for a year. Not that I’m ambitious or anything. Just a nomad.

– Carrie

What do you do with your last day in Oz? If you’re me, you go surfing. I’m hooked like a crackhead. I didn’t get up much on this run, but it was the greatest way to spend my last few hours. Now I’m bruised all to hell from the board, but I have a pretty decent January tan. Not many other people were getting up either, and I think I had the bad part of the beach (based on the fact that no other surfers were close by). I LOVE that I looked like I knew what I was doing with my Rashie and my Board Shorts. The water was INSANELY cold, as it was the entire time in Sydney. But now I’m confident I can attempt surfing anyplace I go in the world. That’s another check on the “Things Carrie Has to Do in Her Life” list. Yeah.

To get to the airport, I, of course, took the Manly ferry. It was cold and windy for a summer day, but I started the trip determined to sit outside and enjoy my last ferry ride in Sydney. My resolve weakened when the boat started rocking and I was splashed with spray from the harbor. Too cold for that. I went inside and shut the door. Immediately, a lonely old man began talking to me. I’m not sure what most people do in that kind of situation, but I let him talk. I have to consider it some sort of “pay it forward” for the day when I’ll be a lonely old woman talking to strangers on the ferry. In retrospect, I should have recorded every word that man said. He spoke rapidly and forcefully, as if he were trying to convey a lifetime of wisdom in the 30 minute ride. Most of his advice was sound, and well known:

Get your exercise. His old running coach told him over and over how endorphins make you feel better. That coach dropped dead at 80 from lung cancer.
Write letters to your family. They’re way more personal than receiving an email. Maybe I’ll start sending my Mom postcards from abroad. She could keep them in a notebook or something.
When everyone in your surroundings is well, you feel better. Take care of your fellow man and you’ll be rewarded with a clear conscious.
Keep a journal. Only write one line each day including the greatest thing that happened to you. Even if your day was crap.
Be careful about travel. After you’ve been traveling a few years, you can’t settle down to real life like normal people because it’s all too sedentary.

I have to agree with them all, particularly the last. Unfortunately for me, I already crossed that threshold. The man was hard to get away from. He followed me off the boat and down the pier. I was running late, but I just couldn’t be rude. I finally escaped with thanks from him and the knowledge that I can always go back to find him on the Manly ferry. You should always listen to people, you never know what you’ll learn.

– Carrie

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