My trip started on Friday 11th November, 2011, which was busy and stressful in the rush to get ready. I left Brisbane for the Gold Coast, where I had to spend the night to catch my flight the next morning, only to discover the last connecting bus had left 30 minutes earlier. Another man, Wayne, was in the same predicament, and offered to share a taxi. He was a resourceful person, and not afraid to speak his mind, complaining about the exhorbitant $100 fare he was quoted for his destination across the border. I thought of the work of Annette Lareau, a sociologist I recently read about in the book Outliers. She distinguished two types of people: in part, those passive in the face of authority, and others who view authority figures on a more even level. I thought about this a lot.
They dropped me off, but Wayne wouldn´t accept any money from me! I found the hostel. I was worried I wouldn´t wake up early enough to catch my flight, and the manager didn´t do wake-up calls. Yet the very first person I asked in the foyer (Chris) turned out to be from the same dorm room, and even the same bunk bed as me, and set an alarm! The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was showing on TV, an unusual movie which I find very moving. The protagonists share many different types of "love" throughout their entwined lives: innocent child friendship, adult lovers, and finally caregiving. There are brief shots of Benjamin (Brad Pitt)´s epic and exotic travels. Like the movie, I´m seeking life-changing friendships and novel experiences.
I slept terribly, from adrenaline and Chris´ snoring, which sounded like his own throat was strangling him! I had a fresh realisation about an area I could mature in. I woke early, before the alarm, and made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare.
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