Brisbane 20th-29th December 2014

So brisbane was...interesting!

Getting to the airport seemed a nightmare- even though I was only going for 10 days I'd still over packed! I'd borrowed a hand luggage sized suitcase off Laura so thought I'd have no problems fitting everything in..seems not! Get to the check in desk and that dreaded fear sprung across me that my case was overweight...and of course it was! The lady told me to take a few items out and wear them; I knew there was no way this would make a blind bit of difference but I tried it anyway. So over what I was already wearing, I had on 3 pairs of shorts, 2 long skirts, 2 tops AND a pair of heels! I looked RIDICULOUS! I did have a little laugh at myself though- you've got to see the funny side in bad situations I guess sometimes!
So I went wobbling back over to the desk looking about ten times fatter to have my case weighed again...."sorry you're still over the allowance" I could have cried. So I just gave in and said id pay the $75...I was pissed off at this point but tried not to get too worked up! So then I had to come out the queue again and take off all those items of clothes and re queue for the third time. Checked bags in...fine. Annoyed I had to pay the extra but was trying not to dwell on it! Then I checked my bank only to find they'd actually charged me more than they quoted! By this point I'd stopped caring!

So waiting for my plane I grabbed a couple of magazines and before I knew it I was on the plane! It was so strange being on a plane again as I hadn't in so long- not since we'd landed in Sydney. I was so excited to see the girls, I found the first few weeks without them here in Sydney horrible so was looking forward to being with them again! The plane journey went so quick (only an hour and a half) and Lauren came to meet me off the plane :-) Awww I was so happy to see her!

So we had to get the train from the airport to the station near theirs. When we got there we had a little walk to get to their flat. It was weird walking past everywhere- it sort of reminded me of Spain or something like that where you have all the bars and restaurants together so quite different to Sydney. My first impressions of Brisbane? Birmingham with sun! I didn't like it as much as Sydney but was intrigued to see what the rest of the place was like. So Martie came back from work, Lauren cooked a curry (yes I ate curry!!) it was very nice actually and I'd only ate Pringles all day so was starving! We decided to go out after and have a few drinks near theirs so I could see what the place was like. It was an experience lets just say! We went to a bar where we saw an old man (probably about 65ish but then again Australians don't age well so he could have been younger!) have a fight with a lad who looked about my age. It wasn't nice to see- first the bouncer pushed the old man down the stairs and then the young lad and old man started fighting with the old man ending up across the car bonnet of a taxi at one point! Needless to say it was quite shocking to watch!

The weekend we met up with Christina and josh and went to a house party on the Friday night. Funnily enough it was actually this lad Phil's party who I've known since I was 15! And this lad Guy who I knew from college was also there! Couldn't believe it!! It's such a small world! It was nice to see people from home actually and the party was a good laugh- it was for one of Phil's mates who was leaving to go back to the UK so a send off party really! They hired a granny stripper as a laugh and I'd go as far as saying it was one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen! Lol! Her boobs practically hit the floor! Bless her though she must make good money doing it and she was laughing at herself!

The Saturday we were all very hungover and so that was a bit of a write off but on Sunday we went for a BBQ on Southbank (their fake man made beach which is just a swimming pool with sand! Hehe) which was lovely. This is what I love about australia the fact everyone is out all the time- I much prefer days having BBQs and a few beers to going out clubbing and feeling terrible the next day (yes I've finally grown up! Lol)

I loved being with the girls- I don't think I've laughed so much ever being with them! Nights out, singing to Miley cirus (mine and Lauren's obsession!), watching one direction videos in repeat (again me and Lauren!) clubbing, dancing! It was a lot more mental than sydney! Hehe!

Xmas eve and Xmas day were probably 2 of the hardest days I've had here. I knew I'd be homesick- it was mine and Jamie's first Xmas together only we weren't together. It was so lovely though being with Josh's auntie and uncle who live in brisbane- bless them they had all of us over! Xmas eve was bex's birthday (Josh's cousin who also came travelling over here) and we went to a beach which was about an hour away from their place. An actual beach! It was lovely! I even had a paddle in the sea! We all got Santa hats as well and had photos for everyone back home.
Xmas eve night we had a ozzy BBQ (cooked so much nicer by an ozzy! Lol) it was so yummy! Lots of drinks too! I felt a mixture of feelings- happy to be experiencing something new but then sad to not be doing the usual things I would be doing. Every year I see my best mate Kat on Xmas eve so was weird not being with her :(

Xmas day was weird waking up not in my own house and with my friends instead of my family! The weird thing is though since coming here my friends have become my family so it didn't feel as strange as I initially thought it would! :-)
We woke up to Josh's auntie making an amazing breakfast (eggs Benedict my favourite!!) I was in heaven! It was delicious! We then all sat round the tree and opened our presents. It was so lovely all our parents had sent us presents over! I think I would have been sad not opening anything!
Anyway the day was lovely- it was lovely being with a family actually and made the whole experience not as homesicky for me! Xmas dinner was again...different. Of course we had turkey but it was more a cold buffet- still lovely! We all chipped in with different things so was nice! :-) I even tried kangaroo!! I didn't like it though but at least I can say I tried it! I suppose I wasn't as home sick either because of the time difference- once our Xmas day was almost over at home if was just beginning so it's not like I was sat there thinking I wonder what everyone's doing now?
As soon as Jamie was up he rang me...it made me so sad seeing his face on Xmas day and me not being there with him :-( little did he know though that ages ago in October before I left (that's how organised I was!) I'd given his mum some presents for him from me to open Xmas day. We'd both agreed to not get each other anything but I hated the thought of him not having anything to open from me. Anyway once he gets to his mums he realises I've got him presents- he was so happy it made him cry (sorry babe if you're reading this I've told everyone you're a big softie really! Lol). Emotions ran high Xmas day- seeing Jamie upset made me upset- it was our first Xmas together only we were so far apart :-( I was happy he was with his family Xmas day though. I also got to skype mum dad and Tom which was nice and I didn't get as upset as I thought I would so was pretty proud of myself!

We left Josh's auntie and uncles on Boxing Day- it felt like a mini holiday in itself being at someone else's house for 2 days! :-) the rest of the days we just stayed local- my last day me Lauren and mart went on a free boat thing which took us around the city of Brisbane which was nice- we stopped off somewhere for lunch too and a glass of wine!

I'm glad I got to experience Brisbane but I was really looking forward to going back home to Sydney :-)

So the way home I thought could be as bad as the way here with my case- I'd paid $15 extra on the way home for my bag rather than $82 as I'd booked it in advance. So I thought surely nothing can go wrong?
Checked in bags. Fine. Thought I'd treat myself to some food so had some potato wedges and sourcream and chilli dip (so amazing!). So sat down with my magazine and started watching the storm outside. Yep just my luck for there to be a storm the day I fly! Anyway the thunder and lightning was getting quite bad and I felt anxious as I'm a nervous flyer anyway. They kept putting our flight back 10 mins or so to see if the storm would clear. It didn't..anyway the next thing I know they're announcing our flight to board. I did think it was odd as the storm was still bad but thought well they must know what they're doing. So got on the plane and was sat on the runway for over an hour! The captain explained that there was a queue of planes to take off and that we were last in the queue and to just hold tight until they knew anything further. Anyway over an hour just sat there they announce that we won't be flying home to sydney due to the storm and the fact sydney Airport closes at 11pm!
So by this point everyone was outraged! We had to get off the plane and wait for our bags to be collected and then stand in a MASSIVE queue to speak to someone. Typical the airline I flew with (tigerair) we're the worst airline there! Everyone else were getting free food vouchers, accommodation for overnight ....tigerair had one person on the desk (I was queuing for 2 hours!) and they offered absolutely NOTHING! By the time I'd got to the desk I was fuming...not so much the queuing part but the fact I had to stand behind a couple who looked around in their 40s ALL OVER each other...sloppy kissing, gazing into each other's eyes....I mean Jesus there is a time and a place I thought just get a room!!! And get out of my face!! Lol.
Anyway finally getting to the desk she said do I want a refund or the next available flight- of course I said next available flight! "9am tomorrow" my heart sunk- what was I going to do all night with nowhere to go?! I asked if they provide accommodation and she said no. So needless to say I was even more worked up.
I rang Jamie all upset but he seemed to calm me down- it could have been worse I could have been delayed for days but at least they were getting me home the next day.
There were no chairs to sleep on so I did the thing I always hoped I'd never have to do- curled up in a ball on my suitcase, eye mask on and went to sleep. The airport floor was so cold- the aircon was freezing so I had to put on a few more clothes to sleep in! Then I had some French idiot decide to sit right near me on his phone speaking so loud and laughing I was so pissed off he woke me up as I found it so hard to eventually get to sleep anyway, so I decided to move to where the queue would be in the morning. I managed to get a few hours so I guess better than nothing but it really didn't do wonders for my back! I was in agony!!
So the check in desk opened at 7am. I woke up at 6.15, brushed my teeth in the toilets and put a little more make up on so I looked more human! Lol. I was the second person in the queue so pretty pleased! Once I was checked in I went straight upstairs to get some breakfast as I was starving after not eating the night before apart from the wedges!

The flight back was fine- I was just so glad to be going home! I slept all the way too so went quick! Once back in sydney I felt so happy- it really is somewhere I now call 'home'. Next stop.... Manly! :-)

Xx