The Roadtrip Log (Sun 0400hrs - Mon 0700hrs)

TRIVIA: This is my 100th post and it started NOT in Brisbane!!!!

Sunday 4.00am
Outskirts of Canberra
We have arrived!
Canberra finally. And the first thing we all said when we got out of the car? "COLD!!!!!" "WTF?!?!?!"
It was freezing.
It could have been -10 as far I know but I think it was more towards the 2-5 degrees mark.
Anyways...we checked in, went to the room, made as little noise as possible to the other 4 people in the room and...collapsed.


Sunday ~7.30am
YHA Canberra
Tooooo! Tooooo! TOOOOO!!!!!
ARGH!!!!!
The fire alarm is going off like this ear splitting thing!
The hostel manager actually came up to every room to get everyone downstairs, in our sleepwear. I looked ridiculous! Grey singlet, green shorts and black leather shoes without socks on. Oh Dear!
We found out later that the fire alarm we triggered by mistake by a kid...$#%#^#^@$%^#$%
Anyways...we rushed back to the room just so to fall asleep again almost immeditely.


Sunday 10.30am
Griffin Centre
After a terrible walk from the carpark, we finally got to the venue for the event. Should be interesting. Will update soon.
And what's this? A line? We gotta queue up to get in?
LOL...how Singaporean is that?
Oh no! Wait! It's only in the line to buy raffle tickets...well...10 for me please!


Sunday 5.14pm
Somewhere on the M7 bypass
What a day we had. Totally insane.
After arriving in Canberra around 4.30am last night, we promptly checked into the room at YHA and went to bed. But lo and behold, at 7 in the morning, the bloody fire alarm went off. UGH!!! WTF?!?!? I wanted to sleep!!!!
Ended up going to bed about 15 mins later after the firemen concluded that it was a false alarm. So @ around 9am, woke up, showered, packed, and we were on our way to the Makan Besar.

The event itself was ok la. Met a few people, had good food (perhaps sleep deprevation has affected my judgement). The other 4 guys all won prizes. Hahaha...I wasnt expecting anything for myself la. I never win anything for free ever anyways. :)
Lots of photos to be uploaded and definitely once I have a chance. Probably on Monday evening la.

So around 2pm, we left the Griffin Centre (the location of the Makan Besar) and drove down to the Australian Parliament House for photos and soveniors. And then, rushed back on the road to get home. We stopped about 1-2 hrs later @ a KFC for food, and now, we're back on the road. Jeff is driving, Alan is V-com. Anthony is having a huge rest at the back. So here we are again, singing along to old songs from our youth and talking about absolutely nonsensical things. But hey! we love it.


Sunday 11.30pm
Somewhere north of Sydney
So here I am again, seated in the front of the vehicle and Mervyn is the driver for this leg of the drive. Everyone else is seated at the back catching Zs.

Mervyn has been driving for the past 2 hours and I have been playing music on request and of course, some of my own personal favorites via the setup we have in the car. Had a long chat with Mervyn about life, love, and everything that came to our minds. It was a good chat. Brought back some really terrible memories for myself but it was good to have it voiced out. I can face them head on (sorta) like that.

I have to say at this point of the trip, I am feeling really tired already. The lack of sleep, the lack of movement, the lack of stimulation and stuck in cramped spaces with deakness all around on the outside has finally taken its toll on myself and I am sure, the rest of the group as well. But it was a good trip...and we'll soldier on for the final few hours that is left.


Monday 3.40am
"The Big Prawn" stopover
Ah! here we are at last. This is one place I was expecting to go past but not stop for this trip. It was the first place we had a stopover last year and also the last we had as well, minus the sidetrack stop at the beach. But I'd never thought we'd stop here....HERE of all places.

The guys went for a toilet break while I took a photo of the Prawn as well as munching on a Milo bar that I bought from the only store still open at this hour here. I almost teared up when it hit me that I am actually here. This place which made someone cry last year because of something left behind. This place which I met, for the first time despite being on the same bus, 2 girls from UQ who became good companions and chat buddies for the trip. This place which brought about a smile on her face when she finally got her stuff back from the helpful people at the counter.

Anyways...I digress. Alan was driving this final leg of the trip and Anthony was keeping him company. Mervyn and I were trying to rest at the back of the car with no success (well...for me anyways) because we had work in the morning. I was feeling so terrible that I actually contemplated calling in sick or take a day off.
Well...it was a thought afterall.


Monday 7.00am
Home (aka Rivercity Apartments)
Ah! Home. But no time to waste.
We dropped off Anthony at his hostel, dropped off Alan's stuff, dropped off Jeff's things and he moved to his car, dropped Mervyn and I off at Rivercity to unload our luggage.

Alan is not going to return the Tarago, Jeff will follow and then drive Alan and himself and Alan home to (presumably) rest and unpack.

Ugh...still too tired to think but I'll go with them to get to work since its on the way anyways. (the car hire place is in Newstead as well)

A common, rushed, and mad way to end a road trip but here's to a good trip to Canberra. Wished we had more time but that's it for now. So from exactly where the whole trip started off, here's me signing off for the last time in the log. WE MADE IT!!!

[end log]