Saturday 11 July 2009
Highlights: Upgrade to Business Class, Essendon winning at the SCG

Well good luck smiled on me for the flight, at the gate I was stopped from boarding with 7 others due to a problem with the seat allocation. Everyone else got new allocated seats (to allow families to seat together) I on the other hand was upgraded to Business, scoring well on an award ticket, going with yesterday’s promotion news I was wondering if I should buy a lotto ticket.

The business seats meant I could change the seat to a flat bed, very handing for a red eye flight leaving at 12.40 am. The flight took 3 hours 20 minutes, faster than normal because of the big trail winds. The flight was rough at times, the roughest flight I’ve ever been on, still I got about 2 hours sleep and felt very refreshed on arrival.

My good luck ran out when the train ticket machine refused to give me my return train ticket and with no one to help, I suppose the $14.60 fare is gone since I can’t be bothered writing in for the refund. I ended up at my hotel at 7.20 am way earlier than I wanted and checkin wasn’t to 2 pm. I left my main bag and set out to find the SCG.

At the ground (took me 30 minutes to find but in reality was 10 minutes from my hotel) I found they hadn’t even start setting up the car parking. I found an internet cafe and replied to congratulation e-mails about the promotion. After this I set out for the CBD and walked about Chinatown and had an early lunch.

Back at the ground I was told I’d have to pay $92 for a seat or buy a restricted view seat (this was at 11.50 am). I went for the restricted view. By the time the game had started only 2/3rds of the ground was full so I relocated along with about 20 other Essendon supporters. The ticket seller tried to rip us off!!

I changed my tip before the game due to a suggestion my brother Reagan made and boy was I glad. Essendon won every quarter and the game 15.17 (107) to 10.12 (72), it was good to be back home watching my team again. Looks like a finals appearance might be on the cards this season.

I arrived back at the hotel just before 6 pm and for the rest of the night switched between watching football, cricket, Sky News and sleeping. I’m hoping I’ll be re-adjusted to local time since I’m due back at work on Monday.