It was a 9 hour long flight from Bangkok to Sydney. The Thai airways flight had such colorful interiors just like the candy colors of theirs taxis back in Bangkok. We landed at Sydney Airport in the afternoon after catching those first glimpses of the Pacific and the Australian soil.
Our first week was to be in Canberra and so after all airport formalities, we got out and got onto the bus to Canberra. As there were some space constraints, me and Deepu traveled in different buses. We reached Canberra just before dark and were taken to the Australian Institute of Sports where our stay was arranged. An apartment type of accommodation was arranged for the two families that decided to stay in the Institute. So we had to share the apartment with my batch mate and his spouse. Wasn't a bad place, but we'd expected the Australian authorities to have arranged something better than this for the officers.
For the next four days the officers would attend to their training schedule during the day and the spouses explored the city. In the evenings it was often very cold, but we still did get out to explore the place together. On two occasions an Indian family took us out for dinner, once at their own place and once to a restaurant. Incidentally, the family belonged to Andhra and their daughter was studying Medicine at Mangalore. What a small world? Thursday was the last and final day at Canberra and we had planned to visit Deepu's friend at Melbourne for the weekend. After the official engagement in the morning, we were on our own post lunch. So me and Deepu packed our stuff, checked out of the room and went out to explore the city together. We went to the Canberra center, did some shopping and had some food at a restaurant and left for the airport to catch our next flight to Melbourne.
We landed in Melbourne later in the evening and were picked up at the airport by Deepu's friend's hubby Shridhar. As soon as we reached their place, it was a happy reunion of Deepu and her Med. College classmate. The next morning we were driven to Melbourne city and taken around places. Just loved the tram ride round the city.
The most memorable part of the day I should say was the visit to the MCG which was like a dream come true. I remember how during childhood we would wake up at 5 in the morning back home, to watch the Benson & Hedges matches being played in this ground. The MCG was such a distant dream then for us kids.
The next day, ie 22 of May was a very sad day, not for something that happened in Melbourne but because of what happened back home in Mangalore. It was a Saturday and I was just lazing around in the morning, planning to go around Melbourne city later in the day after lunch. Had even been to a local shopping mall and returned home by about 12pm. As I just browsing the net, Shridhar came rushing to inform that an air crash was being reported on the news channels and it says, at Mangalore. At first I thought.. how could it be... of the places... the place where I am in-charge? but as I rushed to the TV to confirm.. I couldn't believe my eyes.. and what a major crash it was and I had no role to play what so ever from here. I spent the rest of the morning just watching TV9 Kannada, on the web, watching my own officers struggle among the burning debri and look for the remains of the nearly 160 dead passengers of that ill-fated flight.
In the evening, we were driven to the beach and then drove across the city. We went up the Eureka towers and had a good view of the fully lit up city & the MCG, and then proceeded back home. The next morning we had an early flight to Sydney so we woke up early and left. We had about 40 minutes for the flight's departure and rushed to the check-in counter... just to be informed that the check-in was closed for the flight 5 mins ago. The only option left was to cough up nearly $140 and catch the next available flight. Having no choice, we cursed the airline ; ) , went out for a nice breakfast and took the next available flight to Sydney.
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