This morning I slept in after a late night, took a final bath (Possibly my last for the trip? Bathtubs have been rare so far!), chatted with a friend on Skype, packed up and went to the airport. I did a decent job of withdrawing only as much money as I needed in Bali, but I still had about $10 left after I got to the airport. So I looked for a few snacks, knowing I'd get to my Darwin hotel too late to get any dinner. I would have liked one of those cold Starbucks drinks (I know, I know, lame... except now that I know they taste like Thai iced coffee, it's less lame). But they were $7. Seven. Well screw that, I got an iced tea and ritz crackers instead, and a drink on the plane.
So now I'm munching my ritz crackers and drinking tap water while I write today's summary. Also, yay for free and safe water from the tap, and not polluting the earth with more plastic bottles while wasting money. I'll have to post tomorrow from a coffee shop or internet cafe. This hotel might have wifi, but I think they charge too much, and even if they don't, I can't access it right now. Speaking of charging too much, I'm going to have to get used to moderately crappy rooms that cost more than the nice, inexpensive rooms I've grown accustomed to. Alas!
And speaking of moderately crappy rooms... The room I'm in now isn't actually crappy. It's kind of bare bones, but it has a TV. All rooms have to share the bathrooms, but that's not a big deal for me, at least if it means I only have to pay $50/night instead of $100.
Getting to Darwin was pretty painless. The flight was on time (I've been really lucky so far!) and getting through immigration and customs was fine. Did you know Australia has a bunch of items you're not allowed to bring into the country, or have to get examined and treated first? I guess I knew a little about that, once. Mostly from that Simpsons episode where Bart illegally takes something into Australia and wreaks havoc. I have no idea if the quarantines actually work. Like, people aren't allowed to bring in meat or poultry, but what happens if they ate that before arriving, then got sick when they get off the airplane? Would that foil all of Australia's efforts to keep out pests and stuff?
Australia's immigration did differ from any other I've been through so far, though. Australia is the only country I've been to (on this trip or others) where I have been asked any question at all about my trip. If you're not used to international travel, all travelers are given these cards on the airplane that you fill out with your name, passport number, how long you'll be in the country, etc. Immigration officials usually glance at it, stamp your passport, take your photo (in some countries), then wave you through. Here, I was asked where I was staying, if I had friends here, how long I'd be here, if I had a return ticket, a few other things. I actually had two people ask me these! At no point did it feel like an interrogation or rude or anything, just surprising. I told the lady I've been to several other countries and this was the first where they asked anything at all, and what was up with that? She said it's their policy to ask random visitors, that it was nothing special about me or my passport. Frankly, given the way all the guidebooks and the State Department website talk about immigration procedures, maybe I should be surprised that no place other than Australia has asked me stuff.
Getting to the hotel was a breeze. Darwin's airport is smallish, and has a helpful information desk that put me right on the airport shuttle to downtown. Then I was the first stop. My hotel had contacted me ahead of time to let me know my key would be waiting on top of the vending machine, because the office would be closed so late at night. So I checked on top of the vending machine, and there was an envelope for "Peter" with a key in it, and two other keys without any names attached. Not sure what to do, I took keychain number 14, which had one key attached and which I hoped meant it was for a single. I found room 14, opened the door... and saw a person asleep in the bed!
Fortunately, I didn't wake her (I would have felt horrible, as it probably would have scared the crap out of her) and slowly closed and locked the door. So I checked the vending machine again, this time taking keychain 21, which had two keys. Room 21 was right there, and this time I knocked first, and of course someone answered. Fortunately, it was an extremely friendly guest who was happy to help me contact the managers with her cell phone. So they gave me a key, although I'm in a room with three beds, so someone messed something up, obviously. But it's fine, I've got a place to sleep other than the wicker couch in the lobby, and it should get straightened out tomorrow. And it gave me a story to tell. Also, the girl who helped me had some tips about what to see in Darwin and how to get around, so it was nice to be welcomed to the city, even though it was from a fellow visitor. Sadly, she's checking out tomorrow morning, so I probably won't get to repay her kindness with a cup or coffee or something.
Bah, it's 1am and I'm wide awake, thanks to springing ahead 90 minutes. I guess I will stare at my map of Darwin until I doze off.
So now I'm munching my ritz crackers and drinking tap water while I write today's summary. Also, yay for free and safe water from the tap, and not polluting the earth with more plastic bottles while wasting money. I'll have to post tomorrow from a coffee shop or internet cafe. This hotel might have wifi, but I think they charge too much, and even if they don't, I can't access it right now. Speaking of charging too much, I'm going to have to get used to moderately crappy rooms that cost more than the nice, inexpensive rooms I've grown accustomed to. Alas!
And speaking of moderately crappy rooms... The room I'm in now isn't actually crappy. It's kind of bare bones, but it has a TV. All rooms have to share the bathrooms, but that's not a big deal for me, at least if it means I only have to pay $50/night instead of $100.
Getting to Darwin was pretty painless. The flight was on time (I've been really lucky so far!) and getting through immigration and customs was fine. Did you know Australia has a bunch of items you're not allowed to bring into the country, or have to get examined and treated first? I guess I knew a little about that, once. Mostly from that Simpsons episode where Bart illegally takes something into Australia and wreaks havoc. I have no idea if the quarantines actually work. Like, people aren't allowed to bring in meat or poultry, but what happens if they ate that before arriving, then got sick when they get off the airplane? Would that foil all of Australia's efforts to keep out pests and stuff?
Australia's immigration did differ from any other I've been through so far, though. Australia is the only country I've been to (on this trip or others) where I have been asked any question at all about my trip. If you're not used to international travel, all travelers are given these cards on the airplane that you fill out with your name, passport number, how long you'll be in the country, etc. Immigration officials usually glance at it, stamp your passport, take your photo (in some countries), then wave you through. Here, I was asked where I was staying, if I had friends here, how long I'd be here, if I had a return ticket, a few other things. I actually had two people ask me these! At no point did it feel like an interrogation or rude or anything, just surprising. I told the lady I've been to several other countries and this was the first where they asked anything at all, and what was up with that? She said it's their policy to ask random visitors, that it was nothing special about me or my passport. Frankly, given the way all the guidebooks and the State Department website talk about immigration procedures, maybe I should be surprised that no place other than Australia has asked me stuff.
Getting to the hotel was a breeze. Darwin's airport is smallish, and has a helpful information desk that put me right on the airport shuttle to downtown. Then I was the first stop. My hotel had contacted me ahead of time to let me know my key would be waiting on top of the vending machine, because the office would be closed so late at night. So I checked on top of the vending machine, and there was an envelope for "Peter" with a key in it, and two other keys without any names attached. Not sure what to do, I took keychain number 14, which had one key attached and which I hoped meant it was for a single. I found room 14, opened the door... and saw a person asleep in the bed!
Fortunately, I didn't wake her (I would have felt horrible, as it probably would have scared the crap out of her) and slowly closed and locked the door. So I checked the vending machine again, this time taking keychain 21, which had two keys. Room 21 was right there, and this time I knocked first, and of course someone answered. Fortunately, it was an extremely friendly guest who was happy to help me contact the managers with her cell phone. So they gave me a key, although I'm in a room with three beds, so someone messed something up, obviously. But it's fine, I've got a place to sleep other than the wicker couch in the lobby, and it should get straightened out tomorrow. And it gave me a story to tell. Also, the girl who helped me had some tips about what to see in Darwin and how to get around, so it was nice to be welcomed to the city, even though it was from a fellow visitor. Sadly, she's checking out tomorrow morning, so I probably won't get to repay her kindness with a cup or coffee or something.
Bah, it's 1am and I'm wide awake, thanks to springing ahead 90 minutes. I guess I will stare at my map of Darwin until I doze off.
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