Attachment grows on me like a vine clinging to an empty wall. It is set in my very core how I do without changes and how complacency is so attractive to a point that I build my safe zone with the status quo.
For the record, there are opportunities that break your values. I chose to define one. Hence, my travel this month to the land down under, Sydney Australia.
Why a series of firsts? Let me pull you out a small list:
1. A first to travel alone in an unfamiliar place
2. A first to look after myself for the longest time since I learned how to breathe
3. A first to spend my natal day without any friends or family around
I guess, it is becoming evident that I also grew dependent not only to the circumstances that I am very much used to but also to the people in it. In as much as I would like to keep everyone in, I would also need to have a space of my own. That sense of solitude where your happiness is not defined by the people around but with what exactly you think would make give you that same, warm feeling.
July 5, Saturday. Flight is scheduled at 8:15PM Manila Time. Only to find out that the best of Manila traffic will also get the best of me. I was ready to actually book another flight if I miss this one out - for professional reasons, of course.
I arrived at the departure area of NAIA 1, exactly an hour before 8. Had to scurry to get to the check-in counter and was lucky enough to be told that boarding is at 7:30PM - I am still 30 minutes early before missing my flight.
It was the usual 8HR flight with a dinner and too early of a breakfast in between. I thought we would arrive in Sydney by 6AM Manila - as my Math calculations would always fail me. However, we got in around 6AM Sydney - 4AM Manila.
The dawn is inexplicably beautiful. Seeing the light through the plane's windows is breathtaking for me to forget about my fear of taking-off/landing. The arrival at Sydney airport was as swift as it could get - an hour passed and I was out to explore Australia.
There are options to take to get to the city - I chose to take the train as it is cheap and fast. My boss already gave me a lecture on how to get to the city itself - only that I should not take the wrong train or go down the wrong terminal.
The train was an easy bit - I got into the Museum station without any hassle. Off I went outside the train and saw a very charming terminal, one for the books actually. It is very old world and it felt like I belong in it (I usually think I am an old soul that belonged to a history richer than it has ever been), the likes of Jay Gatsby.
Unfortunately, the terminal does not have a lift nor escalators - too much for the old world theme. I came from the airport with a 30kg baggage + 7kg handcarry along. The flight of stairs are two sets - which I never really complained as I was more bothered by the cold. It was really becoming so cold as I took another step upward.
Street Level - Sydney. I knew I had to take pictures. One word: beautiful.
