Last Exit To Brisbane

This airport lounge posting has become quite a habit. I’m starting this post at 5:27am on Thursday 26th, having arrived at gate lounge 2 17 minutes before boarding is scheduled. I even seem to have beaten most of the crowds (either that or they are at the Gloria Jeans booth I pass on the way to the gate). I’ve considered a nice latte myself, but have decided against it only because the flight to Brisbane is so long! And besides, I’m already sitting here with a laptop open, and an iPod connected to my ears, so the addition of a latte would probably make me look just that little too pretentious. Tres prétentieux, en fait :).

I’m listening to Mute Math as I type this, and I’m trying to type at the same pace as the music. I’m not doing well, and there are many, many typos as a result. The MM CD arrived last week from Amazon, and is terrific (as evidenced by the fact that I’ve used “Noticed” in the last post). Amazon actually shipped us a version of the CD which didn’t have the advertised bonus disc, so they apologised profusely, refunded us the total amount and invited us to keep the CD due to the cost of postage (they had run out of the bonus version). It’s always so refreshing to be treated well as a customer: the kind of customer service that is so good that you feel bad for accepting it! Anyway, the CD and concert DVD are fantastic - and I'm even starting to win over Mel as a MuteMath fan.

Today’s flight to Brisbane looks like it will be my last. After 5 trips, my scheduled tours have been cut short to focus on some other local issues, and I certainly won’t miss the travel. For one thing, I think I’m too tall for QANTAS Economy seating – but it’s not likely that our company will ever spring to bump us up to Business Class. I have had some pleasant surprises in the past few flights though as far as that goes – at least three times he person scheduled to sit next to me (and these CityFlyer flights are always packed) has failed to arrive, meaning that I can angle my legs out to the side for the 2.5 hours. Last time, the check-in lady moved someone from Aisle 14 (over the wing exit, hence much more leg room) and gave me their seat when she saw my height. But this morning’s flight has me sitting in the back, in the middle of a 3 seat group, and the gate lounge is fast filling up.

Anyway, it’s now 5:42 and I have about three minutes to exercise my legs before they are squashed into the back of someone’s seat for the next couple of hours (at least this is a morning flight: on the afternoon flights, the person in front often likes to recline their chair too!). I’ll save this and go for a quick walk to appease my legs. "Come on legs, you can do it: only two more flights to go!"

Matt