Travel.

Hola amigos!

I write to you from the Ecologica Centre in Riopa, Albacete.
We have just moved towns, and my nose has just cleared up, so everything is well!
It´s been five days now since I departed from AUS, and a bit has happened,
mostly scatterdness, jetlag and complete sickness, but I shall tell all.

I had a magnificent going away. Al, Em, Meg, Rosie and I all went to Pony for
DC´s gig, and we had a few mishaps on the way, loosing Al´s bumper (lol),
getting lost for two hours in Burwood etc, but had an aaaamazing night.
Had !, and partied on until the early hours, drinking a fuckload of beer, listening to
Indian music in the taxi, Em smoking a joint out the window.. Em also getting punched
by Dale, and bleeding everywhere. The bouncer was uber suss, and asked Em about our,
ah ... intoxication. We mished over to 7/11 many times, and just had an awesome, awesome,
awesome night. Would not have had it any other way. And Al dedicated Aeroplane to me
during their set... yes, tears.

I hopped on the plane the next day at 3.30, not before we drove back out to Burwood,
and drove back to the airport, and got stuck in the parking lot, because we didn´t have
enough money to pay. But, arrived, starving at Tullamarine and had some well deserved
cheeseburgers, before my last cigarette in Australia (painful). Many hugs and kisses later,
I walked through the big iron doors, glancing at my best friends for the last time..
Pete rang just as the plane was about to take off, and I answered, shouting, ´Bye!´and the
air hostess yelled, ´That´s supposed to be turned off´.´ or something ..
I played Aeroplane on my laptop as we took off, and it was the exact ecstacy I´d expected,
tears and all. Though the fact I was gone still had not hit me.
I sat through Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Burn After Reading and Rachael Getting Married on
the eight hour flight to Singapore, dreading the impending combination of scatterdness and jetlag. But it was to come.

We landed smoothly at 9pm in Singapore. I jumped straight for the cafe, grabbing a latte, and hopping on their free internet. I discovered a wonder Australia had not yet introduced to those addicted to nicotine (JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON AUS!!), airport smoking rooms. Unfortunately, this one was placed outside in the absolutely disgusting humid heat, and you would have to be uber desperate to endure that for a fag.
It was four am in Australia when we finally departed. I had falled asleep on the floor, my head on my bag, probably dribbling, when dad woke me up.
We hopped on the plane, and I, very uncomfortably, fell asleep straight away.

When I woke up we were being served foul smelling aeroplane food. I opted for a coffee instead which, though still crap and cheap tasting, was easier to stomach that the other choices.
It was when we arrived in Frankfurt two hours later that I discovered the absolute, utter joy of the sickness awaiting me. Never, ever, ever, ever again.
I seriously felt like death on legs. I could hardly keeps my eyes open, every part of my body was throbbing and aching. I felt like I was going to vomit all the time, and could not stop coughing up phlegm, and my nose was completely blocked. It was the worst thing I have ever experienced, ever. I just felt so unbelievably seedy and disgusting and I just can´t even explain it.
Frankfurt was cute though. Their smoking booths were much more nice. And I had a yummy tomato soup with ciabata.
We waited around for five hours before finally boarded the plane for Madrid, arriving three hours later after what seemed to be a lifetime of travelling.
Two subways, and a lot of walking later, we had our hire car, and were on our way to Alcazar.
But, with my father have no sense of direction, and without a proper map, we got a .. little lost and arrived in Alcazar (on what is supposed to be a two and a half hour journey) five hours later.
Meanwhile, I was in the back burning up, half-asleep on Pearls shoulder, barely able to speak, and trying to keep down the camembert and tomato sandwhich I´d had.
Beautiful, beautiful experience.

Luckily, lovely Elissa and Antonio kept Hostal Los Rosales open for us, and we hopped into our comfy beds (you have no idea how amazing being in a bed was after 37 hours of aeroplane and car sleeping) and went to sleep. I was up every half an hour, spitting out phlegm, unable to breathe, trying to blow my nose, drinking water, before finally waking up at eight to freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezing cold rain and hail.

More to come soon ......

Bell xx.