Tour de Timor
The Journey
What a mad rush. The days leading up to my departure were consumed by strategic packing and last minute purchases for the trip. The amount of bike related stuff, that you need to take to a 5 day stage race is pretty overwhelming, especially when you have package weight and size limits. I had planed to get some of the teams luggage freighted up to Darwin early to give me some breathing space for my domestic flight limits, but as I so often do, due to lack of experience, I stuffed up this plan, and boy oh boy I was paying for my lack of organisation big time. Not only did I have to take “ALL” my own stuff, I now needed to find room for some of the other guys’ stuff also.
So I was situated in a balancing act with the size and weight of all my luggage and I knew that it would only take one flight attendant on a bad day to ruin it all for me and send me home.
With my stomach in my mouth I presented myself to the baggage check in ladies in the most “desperate, cut me some slack, PLEASE” manner I could manage. And It seemed to be doing the trick, I got through the series of standard check in points receiving the iffy looks by all the Jetstar staff, until it became time to board, and the lady at the counter proceeded to say my carry on was too large, and that it would be left in Melbourne! My heart pretty much sank. I new if this bag didn’t make it to Timor... my race would be over! This bag held all my race clothes, helmet, cycling shoes, etc, etc. I had to get this package on the plain, so I stooped low and pretty much begged for understanding until they changed their mind. They didn’t actually end up changing their minds in the end, I was extremely lucky that one of the hostesses came out of the plain after everyone was seated and informed the head check in lady that there was some space left over! Yes this was a victory for me, but it came at a cost, the respect level during the flight definitely sank to a rock bottom zero.
I’m writing this post flying over Mildura at 10pm, tired, bored but amped for what is to come.
ScottyL
What a mad rush. The days leading up to my departure were consumed by strategic packing and last minute purchases for the trip. The amount of bike related stuff, that you need to take to a 5 day stage race is pretty overwhelming, especially when you have package weight and size limits. I had planed to get some of the teams luggage freighted up to Darwin early to give me some breathing space for my domestic flight limits, but as I so often do, due to lack of experience, I stuffed up this plan, and boy oh boy I was paying for my lack of organisation big time. Not only did I have to take “ALL” my own stuff, I now needed to find room for some of the other guys’ stuff also.
So I was situated in a balancing act with the size and weight of all my luggage and I knew that it would only take one flight attendant on a bad day to ruin it all for me and send me home.
With my stomach in my mouth I presented myself to the baggage check in ladies in the most “desperate, cut me some slack, PLEASE” manner I could manage. And It seemed to be doing the trick, I got through the series of standard check in points receiving the iffy looks by all the Jetstar staff, until it became time to board, and the lady at the counter proceeded to say my carry on was too large, and that it would be left in Melbourne! My heart pretty much sank. I new if this bag didn’t make it to Timor... my race would be over! This bag held all my race clothes, helmet, cycling shoes, etc, etc. I had to get this package on the plain, so I stooped low and pretty much begged for understanding until they changed their mind. They didn’t actually end up changing their minds in the end, I was extremely lucky that one of the hostesses came out of the plain after everyone was seated and informed the head check in lady that there was some space left over! Yes this was a victory for me, but it came at a cost, the respect level during the flight definitely sank to a rock bottom zero.
I’m writing this post flying over Mildura at 10pm, tired, bored but amped for what is to come.
ScottyL
posted by Scott Liston at 3:03 pm
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