There is a plus in all this, I wont need to factor in accommodation costs as I’m not planning on staying at either destination. Fly up, fly back! So yes, there are status runs, to help me renew my Platinum-goodness.

So I’ve now got a BNE-ROK-MKY-ROK-BNE run on the first weekend of July, well a Saturday to be specific. That sound be fun.

A few days later (yes, not a weekend but there wasn’t much availability on the weekend) I’m doing a day return BNE-EMD-BNE. I’ve never been to Emerald before, and wont be staying, but it should be interesting to see it from the air and on the ground for the short amount of time I’m there.

Meanwhile, I’ve booked my hotel for my visit to CTL next month. I’ll be staying in Hotel Corones, a 1924 heritage listed building, in fact staying in rooms that used to pay visit to celebrities and royalty. Really looking forward to the experience.

This month they also introduced a lot of old/new staff members, along with the CEO and Director of Development and Sales of the QLD Symphony Orchestra, the latter of which I spent some time talking to at the bar.

I mentioned I wanted to see AIDA, and he cryptically mentioned I watch this space, and then I suggested an outback aviation themed concert at Longreach, which they seemed interested in. I hope it happens, would be very cool.

Also, loads of canapés, a very good night to go out.

Mark only flew up for the day, managing to join the illustrious club of those who fly to another city simply for lunch, though as pointed out by another, a domestic flight would only get you to the Bronze tier, Trans-Tasman for Silver, Asia for Gold and Europe for Platinum. Bugger!

On his return to MEL he took a guest with him who didn’t pay for their ticket, being Penny. Simply put, Penny had got over Sze Sze forgetting him and wanted to explore MEL with her. I wasn’t flying down there any time soon, so Mark provided the transport.

What this means is that Penny won’t be joining me on any trips any more, despite only doing one together. However just as he left, his friend Who the Owl has decided to stop by, and will be joining me instead. Look out for his entries starting later this month!

I’m on the Newstart Allowance. That program is designed to help get me into employment. I want to be employed, make my own money, not have so much time spent being bored at home. It would be really good for me.

Unfortunately I also don’t know what I want to do, while I do know the usual set of jobs someone in this program would apply for wouldn’t work for me. Be it a job in Woolworths, McDonalds or even as a receptionist taking calls in an office. All of them require social skills I don’t possess and would cause me great stress, before ultimately being fired.

I went to Centrelink because I needed help finding suitable employment and was under the impression they would help.

I gave them all the pertinent information and was placed into the basic stream. About a month later I was moved into the higher stream when I brought to their attention some other information. However for the past 2 months I’ve wondered why they wont recognise I have Aspergers Syndrome, an issue that will affect employment and an issue that requires extra help.

On Tuesday I spent half an hour on the phone to be told ultimately that I just needed to walk into a branch. This morning I walked into a branch to be told that I needed recent proof of a disability (despite the fact Aspergers Syndrome is lifelong so it wouldn’t matter when the diagnosis was made). This evening I searched high and low for proof but came up empty handed. I have my official diagnosis, from ~2003, it should be acceptable!

I don’t see my psychologist again until the end of the month. When I do I’ll get the proof, but it’ll probably cost me extra, and seeing as Centrelink want it I think they should pay for it.

I’m trying, I really am, but I’m not getting anywhere fast. I have a disability, recognise it and help me find a job… or continue to ignore me and pay me fortnightly while not helping… I think I can pick the path that should be followed. Time for the government to wake up.

Eventually I was able to move again, so headed up to Brisbane on the train, getting off at Bowen Hills to meet Mitch and give him a DVD I’d burned of Downton Abbey for his parents. I then headed down to the Brisbane Model Train Show, but admittedly stopped short of actually going inside. With no one with me, an entrance fee of $13 and a brief description from Mitch/a view inside from the entrance, I decided it wasn’t for me. At least this time.

I instead headed back up to Bowen Hills, caught the train to Albion and had a Subway while waiting for Kim to pick me up and take me to his place in Bardot. A lot of land, on the edge of a roundabout, with a strong smell of cats and weed were my initial observations.Kim had moved into Tim’s place, which he shares with his brother.

I arrived much earlier than anyone else of course, with Warrick eventually turning up and the later Rion. It was good to chat, found out what had changed since we were last together, but unfortunately the party as it were didn’t really work. Problem was that Tim’s brother had friends round and so do Tim (us – uni friends). The two groups weren’t going to mix well together and I did joke to Warrick that when we returned from McDonalds (as we were hungry) they’d all be high, and sure enough, there was a bong on the table when we returned.

Because of this Warrick and I left early. Truth be told I didn’t think I was going to come to the party anyway, especially with the back business this morning. Thankfully Warrick dropped me off at Roma St and we arranged to have a get together at my place in the future like old times. No drugs, fireplace, music.

I got home shortly before midnight.

On Tuesday morning I flew up to TSV, expecting rain I packed a jacket and assumed I was in for a boring day at the airport. Instead, while there were clouds, it was very windy, so the rain wasn’t going to get a chance to fall here today.

After changing my flight to an earlier one in the lounge (and in the process scoring a new 738 with AVOD – more on this later), I asked the lovely lounge angel for a recommendation for what to do in TSV. She suggested the C Bar for lunch with views to Magnetic Island, so off I went down to The Strand.

I wasn’t looking to spend a lot, and as luck had it they had a lunch special of chilli mussels with a glass of wine for just $20. Score, though I did get mussels confused with clams, thinking I was getting the smaller ones. I was surprised how good they tasted though, and very pleased I had them.

Following lunch I took a walk down The Strand to the Rockpool at the end, briefly wishing I had brought bathers instead, before catching a taxi back to the airport.

My flight home was of course in J, and I’d like to think the seat next to me was blocked but I think in reality it was just a lightly loaded flight. However what really pleased me was the fact that this was a relatively new plane, with new seats and AVOD (Audio Video On Demand), and gate to gate with the screen being in the back of the seat in front of me. I quickly looked through the movies knowing this was a 1 hour 40 minute flight and settled on The Iron Lady, which was 1:45 long. Save for a slightly quicker than expected flight time and cabin announcements pausing play ever so often, I watched the whole movie gate to gate, with credits rolling as we landed.

My quick overview of the movie is that it was very well acted, but I agree with the Thatcher family and critics as it did portray her very badly, when it could have actually done a marvellous job if it took out all the scenes where she was talking to a ghost. Glad I watched it though.

On arrival back into BNE I stepped into the lounge to meet up with a fellow AFF member before driving up to Rothwell to stay with Mitch and his family tonight. Meeting them for the first time, I should have been less worried, but I tend to worry about any social situations.

Wednesday morning we were up early. Mitch was doing some flying, my treat, and I had a big day out and about on the ground. In the morning I took to plane spotting at the general aviation viewing area opposite the runway. I’d previously heard of it’s existence but never checked it out, and was glad I did. Turning into an AVGeek, yikes!

For lunch I met up with Andrew at the Caxton Hotel, on Caxton Street obviously, and caught up on a few events I’ve missed lately. Lunch was good, but Andrew had to go back to work so I continued on to my next destination.

I was surprised to find Tae at home, expecting to just leave her a black postcard so she’d known I’d been. Instead she shared a couple cups of tea with me, before I drove her to and from the supermarket to aid in the transport of bulky and heavy items.

Finally I went back to the airport, met Mitch, had dinner in the lounge before seeing Mitch off (picked up by his dad) and was soon on my own flight, back to TSV for the night. Front row on a 734 so I chose 1F for the cutout and it turned out to be one of those great flights.

Another spare seat by me, really great crew, nighttime departure to the West, with a sharp right bank over the city, and I mean directly over the city. So I took in all the lights, looking right down on everything. It just felt so right. Dinner service was a chicken and chorizo dish with broad beans and rice, while dessert was a lime cheesecake and a Lindt orange chocolate. The perfect items for me.

Back into TSV we landed shortly after a Virgin Australia flight, so I felt for a moment I’d be finishing my night in a taxi line, but I was somehow first to the line, away to my accommodation for the night, Civic Guest House, and while it was spartan (my room consisted of a bed and a fridge), it was all I needed.

Finally in the home stretch, after settling the charges for my room for the night, off I walked into the city and down to The Strand again. Ended up with the same taxi driver that took me to The Strand on Tuesday, taking me back on Thursday, but little did he know where I’d been since then.

Took a shower in the lounge to freshen up, sent some postcards, and then off I went on a Q400 to CNS. Back into another lounge to wait for my next flight back to BNE, where I somehow managed 3 seats to myself. I’m trying not to let it get to my head that the 3 seats directly opposite me were all taken too, I’m not that important a customer, surely.

Back in BNE I had my final lounge stop for the journey, having two platefuls of lunch, which was a Chinese-style braised chicken with steamed rice, and then two slices of a mouthwatering pecan and cinnamon teacake. I nearly stayed there all day to eat the whole thing.

Straight down the motorway I drive, say hello to Chilli and Eee. Stop in to a body corporate meeting and take notes for an hour to send to mum and dad, and finally, get back in front of the computer to type my adventure out.

When can I fly again?!

On my first ever F flight on SQ about 15 years ago I think I heard the most wonderful sentence in the English language:

‘Krug or Dom Perignon sir?’

Holly: Hope they’ve got some odds and sods on board, we’re short of a few supplies.

Lister: (drinking tea) Like what?

Holly: Cow’s milk, ran out of that yonks ago. Fresh and dehydrated.

Lister: What kind of milk are we using now?

Holly: Emergency backup supply. We’re on the dog’s milk.

Lister: Dog’s milk!

Holly: Nothing wrong with dog’s milk. Full of goodness, full of vitamins, full of marrowbone jelly. Lasts longer than any other milk, dog’s milk.

Lister: Why?

Holly: No bugger’ll drink it. Plus of course the advantage of dog’s milk is that when it goes off, it tastes exactly the same as when it’s fresh.

Rimmer: Erm, I think we’re all beginning to lose sight of the real issue here, which is: what are we going to call ourselves? And I think it comes down to a choice between “The League Against Salivating Monsters,” or – and this is my personal preference – “The Committee for the Liberation and Integration of Terrifying Organisms and their Rehabilitation Into Society.” Erm, one drawback with that – the abbreviation is CLITORIS.