Australia 18.2.13 - 19.2.13

I have just arrived today 19th February 2013! And I have tons of stories to tell right from the start of packing, flight, arrival, and settling in.

My flight to Australia was yesterday on the 18th. Packing was incredibly tiring. There were 3 luggages, a total weight in which they must not exceed the limit of 63 kg, 2 backpacks of which were hand-carried. There were a couple of silly mistakes that occurred on my way to Sydney.

the stuffs

I was a bit excited of going to Sydney. It has been such a great while for me riding an airplane. I have no idea why I love riding airplanes. Especially long-distant journey.

There were some incidents. While checking in at the airport, while putting our luggage into the baggage, it took about 4 to 5 tries for me and cim to organize the overweight suitcase and maintaining the light-weighted suitcases to not reach 23 kg per suitcase. Apparently, we didn't know that each suitcase has to reach a maximum of 23 kg. It was really frustrating of going back and forth to get the weight right. Our porter, 294, he refused to tell us his name, had even asked us to even tip him more as he was also helping us. --" .

In the end, we made it through the final checking of handcarries. Unfortunately there was another incident that happened. Obviously, I had forgotten that I had put my scissors and my cutter inside my backpack. When my backpack was scanned through the sensors, they detected my sharp objects and confiscated them. T_T

us waiting for boarding

Moving on, it was time for boarding! The plane was huge. And there were blanket, headphones, toothbrush and toothpaste supplied. I used Qantas and the 7 hour journey began.

We took off at about half past nine. And at about 10, the stewardess handed us all the menu.

the menu

the food, I ordered an appletizer

banana week

my sister's share with a sparkling water.

When I was about to watch, I took out the remote control that was attached on my seat, and I was trying to return back to its original position, the cable jammed and remained unstretchy, I was in a total shock and I din't knwo what to do but to force it in. However, it turns out to be stuck. Furthermore, I couldn't took it out. I even burned my fingers just to get that remote out.

the stuck remote

the fruits

rice with fish

It was really hard maintaining the camera in a steady position to avoid blurry image.

it was about 2 in the morning (Indonesia time) in which it was 6 am in Aussie, breakfast was ready.

sunrise in the air

oh yeah I tried taking the remote out from its stuck position with a spidol but it wont budge and my spidol's end got broken and flew somewhere back in the plane. Then after a while, the stewardess was bringing the drink trolley and crashed. That was probably my spidol end she had stepped onto. idk. I just kept quiet. 

At around 8, we arrived at the airport, Laushi Rudy, Cim's acquaintance picked us up. There were some rules I was not familiar with. In a car, we should wear our seatbelts. Or else a fine of $300 was imposed. Furthermore, there was another rule of not leaving the trolley cart near the car at the airport. Unlike, Jakarta, a free country in which we can leave and break any rules and regulations and not be fined. LOL.

Firstly, we went to Cim's homestay in Maroubra to leave our suitcases there and use handcarry instead to the uniterrace. Laushi Rudy was kind enough to offer us a ride to uniterrace. If it wasn't for him, it would be difficult for us to reach uniterrace with loads of stuffs.

We were a bit lost finding where to check into the uniterrace. It was tiring to find that I had to check in inside a building with a sign "UNSW Residential Community". When we reached there, the receptionist was asking me if I had any identity card with me. I had just arrived there and I didn't know anything. Not to mention my agent didn't tell me anything about the requirements. urggggHH..

The roads in Australia are really smooth and there is no traffic jams at all! Well there is, but it is not as long as the ones in Jakarta. The sun was incredibly hot too. So humid. It was still summer season after all.

At about 10, I finally was able to enter my UniTerrace room. Got the card and a mail room key.

my bathroom

the cabinet

the pantry/kitchen

my study desk

my twin drawer desk

After checking in, we rested for a bit, I took some original pictures of the room. I was shocked about the room condition. There were no mattress, no utensils, no heater, no ac (just a fan, but later on I found that an ac was of no use as when it was night time, the weather turned cold). urghhh. Next, we went back to the residential community to discuss about the rental payment of my dorm. This time the staff was very friendly.

there was a water fountain near the library

this is the library's entrance, I stayed there for only a while

After the payment discussion, Cim helped me to open my very own bank account in Commonwealth Bank. We waited outside the bank for quite a long time as Cim was trying to reach my mom by phone.

there was a notice board outside.

my keys. that keychain is from Wii. lol.

the bank

We took about an hour and a half to get everything done in the bank. And finally I got my own bank account! Yey. Then later on, Cim showed me around the campus. At that time, I couldn't remember any routes. One time during the evening, I challenged myself to go back to my dorm from the Australian School of Business by myself. Unfortunately, I knew how to return to the dorm but I forgot the way to the ASB. So I got lost on my way and had to call Cim for directions.

there was a tombstone in the campus

super swollen face.

this building stores rainwater and uses it for flushing. How efficient!

super awkward setting. oh yeah, I was carrying Indian curry back then

the Red Center, my math building

quadrangle stairs

UNSW bookshop

this was a charging slot. I thought it was a sharpener or it might be a place to scrap off some cigarettes while smoking. Btw, I had no idea why this photograph looks so cool. HAHA,. My digital camera is full of surprises

So, we were both really tired and headed back to my room !

time to eat. it looks so mushy. But frankly, that chicken curry on the right was superb! The beef tasted like Indonesian rendang which was okay.

the view from room. so dull. and lately it became really noisy with all the ongoing construction

This is pretty much the nutshell of my first day in Australia. I'm truly hoping a better day every day in Australia. That night, my sister and I shared the single bed together with no pillow and blanket. Cim was freezing and used my sweater to cover up her feet. While I on the other hand crumpled up in a for of a jumbo shrimp to resist the cold temperature. 

By the bye, at 11 pm, the supervisor came knocking at my door to see if I had not passed my curfew. She'll be coming every night. 

I'll be starting my orientation Step Up program tomorrow for 3 days straight. 

ps: this post was posted on the 21st of February, I only had the time now to post this after days working on my wifi setting in my room which still is unable to be accessed. Suckish much? I changed the posting date though. HAHA.