This Time, Hold the Carrots

I'm home.

I am still coming off of having to look at my watch every ten minutes and as a result am very anxious just sitting down. So I thought I'd write about the last portion of my trip for both my sake and for your entertainment.

Spending times with the Hutchissons was great. Leaving felt too soon but alas planes wait for no one. I ended traveling with an old Korean missionary couple who was headed to Cairns as well. While waiting four hours in the Port Moresby Airport the old man decided to bestow upon me his entire life story starting in 1974 to present.

That killed three hours. He bought me french fries though so I felt obligated to listen.

The flight to Cairns was simple enough; we flew over the Great Barrier Reef while landing. Cairns is like Jurassic Park and the airport is like the Command Center. I went to walk to the domestic terminal (from the international) and not only was it humid but there were parrots calling from the trees, whole neighborhoods of birds living up there, bats, insects screeching, the whole nine yards. I thought about what I would say to a raptor, had I encountered one. "Clever girl" seemed appropriate.

But rather than meeting a raptor I met the man who vacuums the airport at night. I never actually got his name but we became quite good friends. He informed me that the domestic terminal was closing and he was trying to save me a walk. I thought to myself, "He's the vacuum guy, what does he know?"

Well it was indeed closed. Walking back, I avoided seeing him so I wouldn't have to admit my fault. I wandered upstairs and searched for a bench to call my bed for the night. Turns out Vacuum man was now cleaning that floor. He rides by and stops his little ride-vacuum in front of my bench.

"You should try and get a taxi into town. It's better than sitting here hungry," he says.

"Yeah, we'll see," I replied. "My flight leaves early tomorrow so I can't go far. Thanks though."

He started his vacuum car up again and rides off. He comes back.

"There's a coffee shop that stays open in the domestic terminal when people arrive. The next flight gets in at 10pm so I'd recommend heading over at 9pm," He informs me.

"Oh? Thanks, I may head over," I say with no intention of actually doing so.

He rides off. This goes on for several hours. He took a liking to me I guess. He didn't seem like the social type...he does vacuum an airport at night.

Anywho I got about two hours of sleep that night. The airport is horrible to sleep in kinda like a 747 is bad to sleep in. Speaking of which I didn't sleep on the plane ride home. I did watch 7 movies though.

I got about 90gigs of interviews and footage while there. I'm excited to start editing. Thanks for praying for me I truly felt it. I look forward to my future travels!

Oh the carrot reference in the title refers to the Subway I ate in Brisbane on the way home. Last time, in August, the Subway sandwich I ate was a Italian meatball sub that they put carrots on. Truly the most disgusting thing I've ingested. I ordered the BMT this time around and said to put eveything on it. I glanced over and saw the carrots. "Um, except the carrots," I said in a hurry before she got to them.

It was a much better sandwich.

Your friendly neighborhood giant,
~Alan

I Did Say That I Wanted an Adventure...

[The following was written in Sydney. I am now in Brisbane for the night]

Sitting in the Sydney Domestic Terminal, watching the planes come in and out along a backdrop of an Australian sunset, I am at ease. In Christ Alone is playing on repeat from my ipod, a song that both comforts me and stirs me, as I reflect on both the trip thus far and the trip ahead of me.

This carboard tube (the one mentioned earlier) has become a sort of friend to me (in the most sane manner possible). I think I'll be sad when I give it away.

"Jesus commands my destiny"

How true that line of the song is. When I departed three days ago I was excited for my adventure - I had no idea what kind of adventures God had in store for me.

"My Comforter, my All in All"

He has comforted me immensely thus far and has kept me from being alone for very long. He changes my plans and then takes care of me - I'm so down for that. It's times like these that remind me of the awesomeness of being God's kid.

"No power of Hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand"

So even on the otherside of the world I can maintain all confidence in God's plans. If this were all up to me I don't think I'd be where I am.

I bought this cool pen which is only cool because I bought it in Australia; otherwise I'd be compelled to just call it a pen. It writes nice I guess.

I get 2.5 days in PNG now which I am thankful for regardless of the time shortages. I missed the opportunity to speak to all the missionaries and show the trailer but the trailer was shown regardless and, rather than me speaking, I have gained the prayers of nearly every missionary in Ukarumpa - I'm humbled by the trade.

I had coffee today at the University of Sydney with my friend Nick (a native Sydney-sider who I met at UCSD last quarter). It was really hot outside but I had such a gnarly headache that it sounded good to drink some caffine - it worked alongside some Advil.

I'll be staying the night in the Brisbane airport (where I am currently sitting). I hope I can get some sleep tonight, though the idea of sleeping alone with all my stuff concerns me some.

Next stop: Port Moresby.

Your friendly neighborhood traveling giant,
~Alan

"Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have a Slight Problem"

That's how the captain greeted us after an unusally long wait on the runway. "The winds are reaching in excess of 55 mph, so we'll have to wait it out. We'll get to Sydney eventually."

Well, we sat there for two hours. Those were the two hours I had to get off the plane in Sydney and onto my plane to Port Moresby, otherwise it was a no go.

No go it is.

I missed the PNG flight by an hour and worked on getting a connecting flight to Brisbane tomorrow night (your Monday) and a PNG flight out of Brisbane the next morning at 8am (your Tuesday).

The little single-engine plane that might be able to fly me to Ukarumpa is packed and can't hold much weight so it's not even guarenteed that I will get on it. If that's the way things go down I will be on my first flight back home.

I'm trying to see God's hand in all this. This was all looking so good. I'm trying not to be a Job and start asking God why but rather have a willing heart to something new.

Which adds some spice to the whole shibang. On the bright side, being stuck in Sydney alone is better than being stuck in Port Moresby alone.

Stay tuned. I'm hungry and I need a hotel...

Your friendly neighborhood giant,
~Alan

San Francisco International

San Francisco is cool, I guess. I got through the TSA without them violating me; that's a plus. It's dark and rainy but I could see my ship pull into the tarmac from the second floor. I have my ipod in my ears and my stuff next to me three hours ahead of time. Somehow I got a suitcase, my camera bag, a tripod, and a cardboard tube to count as ONE carryon. Thank you, Lord.

Carboard tube, you ask? Allow me to express my hatred for this carboard tube. It was shipped to me from Canada and it contains two paintings by some Canadian lady who paints (clearly). This tube has been volunteered to join me on my quest to the other side of the world but we (the tube and I) have a bitter relationship. The paintings are for the missionaries I am going to stay with and rather than paying 400 dollar shipping it was sent to me to deliver by hand. I completely understand the practicality of this but it's such an awkward thing to lug around.

There are Australians all around me including a woman, who upon closer inspection, is a man. The guy in front of me at check-in had a tag on his bag with a picture of Australia on it. "That doesn't look like Australia," I thought. Then I rotated my head and realized it was upside down.

For the first time since yesterday morning, I am alone. I'm collected and currently redirecting my mind on course for what's ahead. I do believe God has some cool stuff in plan for this trip including showing several hundred missionaries the trailer and speaking to them about it. I got volunteered for that one.

Stay tuned. I'll try to say hi from Sydney but time could keep me from doing so.

Your friendly neighborhood giant,
~Alan