He Returns!

I’m back in Brisbane, after being away for 51 weeks.

So tell us Oisin, what was it like being gone for all that time?
It was great! Europe was awesome, but because I’ve been doing a lot of travelling (14 countries, 31 flights, various time changes, currencies), it got a bit too much by the end, so when I arrived in Singapore and found that there was nothing much to do I was more interested in getting back to BrisVegas (I still don’t know why they call it that, but should look it up sometime) just because I wanted the travelling over and done with. Honestly, now I need a vacation of couch sitting and TV watching.

How was the flight back to Australia?
I didn’t sleep at all, and on an over-nighter that’s not a good thing. But I did get recognised by one of the air hostesses who served me from Abu Dhabi to Singapore, and she was very nice.

I bet after all those flights you’ve finally joined the mile-high club, then?
Sadly, no.

When you left London you had hayfever and a cold, did that affect you afterwards?
Nope. As soon as the plane was in the air both symptoms cleared up instantly.

What was it like being back?
Not as weird as I thought. I’ve done it before, with Japan, and then back and forth to see Andrea in Melbourne, so I knew the system.

But it was the first time in a year that you saw your folks?
Yep! And within thirty seconds my dad and I were confusing each other again. He asked: “Is this the first time you’ve seen us?” “In a year?” (surely something like that should be obvious) “No, from the gate. Your mum was waving her arms around like a flight controller.” And then I confused him with more short stories and whatever else. But on with the questions!

What’d you do when you got back?
On the way to our house we had to stop off at the post-office for my registered mail, and my stuff from Spain arrived a week ago! I was expecting it to be another few weeks at best, since I sent it off at the start of June. Then I got a Subway sandwich (first real one in a year, I had a crappy one in Mallorca). It was great! Then I unpacked and gave some prezzies to the folks and my dad laughed at a small plaque that says ‘aqui vive un piloto’. I saw the cat and she vaguely remembered me, so I went out again and then she got the idea. I had to tell Centrelink that I was back (my deadline was before tomorrow) so I printed off a letter, went to see them and that was sorted out in 5 minutes, but it was also the first time in a year that I’d driven, and since I was doing it after being awake for more than 24 hours, I thought that I should be extra careful. I came back, was relieved, and promptly fell asleep in front of the tv. I woke up to find an extra blanket on top of me, a cat on top of me, and the tv off. I must have been out cold.

Are you jet-lagged?
No, just tired.

How’s Smudge?
She’s good and has been milking my return for all it’s worth.

Is there anything new?
My dad is still building his airplane (the boxes had arrived when I left last year, so now I can see the wings being assembled). And they have finally traded in my car and bought themselves a little red diseal thing.

What are you up to now?
I’m going to have a vacation! TV, coke, relaxing and not travelling. I need it.

Best part of being back?
So far….Windows XP. No fucking Vista shit! HAHAHAHA.