Quick Trip To Hobart – New Friends Found
After getting back from Hobart at Christmas, I was really eager to get back there at some stage. But I never thought I’d be going back this quick!!
It turned out that brother Davids birthday fell on a Sat… Sat 31st Jan. I had a chat to Emma (Davids girlfriend) about what their plans were. She said a BBQ at a friends place was planned. I thought to myself… what the hell!!! Flights are so cheap, why not head down for the weekend and surprise David for his birthday! A plan was hatched with Emma & cousin Leigh.
The day arrives… so I plan which trains will get me to the airport on time… but the train breaks down, and I’m stuck on it… no phone reception either… not happy. 20mins I sit there, in a train I cant get out of.. watching my non-refundable airfare to Hobart slip out of my fingers.
After 20mins the train eventually starts moving again. I finally get thru to Jetstar and tell them of my dilemma. They tell me that check-in has closed for that flight. I’m getting angry by now. I arrive at the airport and get to the Jetstar help desk a good 15mins before the aircraft is due to depart… but they tell me I’m too late. Then, to dig the knife in further, a couple who were also late arrive at the help desk, but because they had checked in, where told to hurry to the boarding area!!! I am fucking furious. I’m told there is nothing they can do.
The thing that pissed me off the most was the fact that if they ‘wanted to’ they could of bent the rules just a little to ensure that one of their ‘customers’ got to where they needed to go. The simple fact that I felt like I was treated like a piece of trailer trash was what made me angry. Instead, I’m given some bullshit excuse that the fuel load has already been established and pilots don’t like to change it!! So, they are trying to tell me they only put enough fuel in the aircraft to fly from point A to point B with no allowance for emergencies… what if the aircraft gets nice and close to Hobart and find they have to divert to Launceston because of some issue at Hobart? “Ladies and Gentleman, this is your Captain speaking. Because of <insert what ever reason here> at Hobart airport, we have to ditch in the Derwent because there is not enough fuel to fly to Launceston. Lets all hope I can fly as good as that guy in New York the other week”… total bullshit. So, not only did they treat me like shit, but they lied to me as well!!! I was then told that for an extra $36 they would put me on their next flight to Hobart… at 6.30pm that evening…. getting me to Hobart at 8.30pm… no bloody good. Might as well have stuck my tail between my legs and went home.
I walked across to Virgin and they had a flight in an hours time…. $430 one way!!! I then went to Qantas, and they offered me a flight at 2.30pm, but would go via Melbourne, and would not get me to Hobart until 7pm… not good. Back to Virgin I went and handed over my credit card 
I arrive in Hobart in a better mood.. simply because I was there… loooove Hobart!!! Cousin Leigh picks me up and drops me outside Davids place. David has no idea I’m there, so I ring him to wish him a happy birthday etc, and tell me that I had arranged a special something that Leigh has left on his front doorstep… IT WAS ME!!!!!!!… he had totally no idea!!! I love surprises!! Happy Birthday Davo!!!
After David got over the shock, it was present time. First of all was some photos I had enlarged from my trip down there at Christmas. Secondly, as David is a bit of a Triple J freak…. I organised to get a Triple J shirt signed by most of the presenters on the J’s. David loved it, he thought it was ‘filthy’!!!
Davos JJJ shirt.. FILTHY!!!
It was then time to head to the BBQ which was being held at friends of David… Rob & Kristy. On the way we picked up one of David’s good mates, Ty. We diverted via the shops to get some supplies, and then headed to the bottle’o.
I decided that I was going to have a quite one, like I always do, so I figured a 6 back of Cougar and coke would more than do me for the arvo/evening. When I entered the bottle’o, I thought I might add a Mudslide to the order. I picked up the Cougar, found the Mudslide… but what’s this I have spied??? It’s a 2 litre cask of Cowboy for $25.00!!!! With no hesitation what so ever, the Mudslide was ditched for the cask of Cowboy. I walked out very happy with my purchase. David thought it was ‘Filthy’!! lol. Does not look like I’ll be having a quite night after all 
In the back of the Kombie on the way to the BBQ.
I was very nervous about the impended evening…. Having not met any of Davids friends before, and being a bit older, I was thinking that I might not fit in.. or maybe considered an intruder… all sorts of things where going thru my head. I really had no idea how I would be accepted. My fears were soon turned to mush.
As we were one of the first to arrive, I got to be introduced to everyone has they arrived, which made things a lot easier. All of Davids friends are amazing people. I was welcomed into the group with open arms, and made some great new friends.
View from Rob & Kristy's place.... supurb!!
We drank, played cricket, listened to cool tunes, ate abalone, played more cricket and then, after I finished my last can of Cougar & Coke…. The cask of cowboy came out. It was all downhill from there… but it was fun!!! How far can you get the gooney bag away from ones mouth without missing!! For some, it was not far at all, and for others…well, lets just say that Cowboy up the nose does not work (does it Dave?).
David loosing some of the cowboy after the 'nose incident'.
Overall I had a fantastic time and was well worth the bullshit and cost it took to get down there. I would do it all again in a heart beat! I am now even more looking forward to moving to Tassie. With all these new friends to get to know… I can see my transition to life in Tassie is going to be much easier that expected. A big thank you to all Davo’s friends for welcoming me into the fold, you are all champions!! Also a big thank you goes out to Rob & Kristy for your hospitality…. you are wonderful people.
Heaps of new friends!
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