Day 1 - Goodbye Melbourne

I spent the majority of today planning my travels for the next couple of days. It was a beautiful Melbourne summer day but I found myself in the library scribbling feverishly on scrap pieces of paper and drawing landmarks on maps. I was planning a 9-day hitchhiking/camping trip with nothing but 10kg of carry-on. I had the camping basics, about 3 outfits, and a small bar of soap.

I arrived at the airport expecting the worst - missing my flight, having overweight baggage, facing immigration issues, being lectured about allowing my visa to expire, etc. While queueing for check-in, I saw that they were weighing carry-on and started imagining the ridiculous fees I would have to pay. After presenting my passport, the guy at the counter took a long look at his screen and told me that I didn't have a valid visa to reenter Australia. We walked over to the service counter to sort my shit out and they were able to move my return flight up 5days so I would come back on the 13th, the very last day that my visa would be valid. I paid my charges and walked right through the gates to security without having my baggage weighed. My entire travel itinerary was now irrelevant but hey, I was safe!

Or so I thought.
My pulse quickened when I saw the big immigration sign. There was still one more stage to clear before I could get on the plane. I felt the surveillance cameras could see me nervously biting my lip.

The woman at the counter must have pressed some silent button because within moments of handing her my documents, another woman in an even more legit immigration uniform walked over. I heard one say to the other, "...they gave her this ticket at check-in and she was just going to walk through!" And they both made a face and laughed. I felt like I was the subject of some terrible inside joke.

Remember how I said my visa expires on the 13th? Well, it does... But it also becomes invalid the moment I leave the country. Fortunately she only clicked a few keys on her computer and sent me on my way. It surprised me so much that I stood there for a couple of seconds before asking, "that's it?"

I sat down by the boarding gates to eat the Kit Kat that I had purchased out of anxiety. Just as I got to the last bar I heard my name being called to the boarding gates. Oh man I'm going back to Canada, I thought. But it was only to tell me that my credit card payment didn't go through.

It wasn't until the pilot had announced that the cabin doors were all closed and we were ready for take off that I finally found the strength to breathe again.

"Good evening, ladies and gentleman. On behalf of the flight crew I would like to welcome you on Jetstar flight 171 to Christchurch."

See you later, Melbourne.

Or so I hope.

(And hey dad if you're reading this, please don't freak out. I'll call you later :))

NEW ZEALANNDDDDD!