I'm a self-confessed, obsessive netball fan. For years I've been promising myself that I'd go to a Netball World Championships. They're held every four years so you have a bit of time to plan.
The last WCs in 2007 were supposed to be held in Fiji, but surprisingly (not) there was a coup and the WCs had to be moved to Auckland, New Zealand. Aside from the fact that I had a one year old at the time, I decided not to go to NZ because the thought of Australia potentially losing the WCs to NZ on their home soil was too much. Can you imagine? It turned out the aussies beat them on their home soil so I needn't have worried.
Fast forward a few years and the idea of attending the 2011 WCs in Singapore is planted. A year ago myself and two great friends VIn and Mel decide to go. Regular planning sessions are held, usually on a Friday night with glasses of wine in hand. Now suddenly we are sitting on a plane on the way to Singapore.
It's -4 degrees the morning we leave Canberra - see ya!!! We've left behind the Canberra winter, 3 x husbands and 7 x kids between us for 10 nights. How the hell did we pull this off? we ask ourselves, accompanied by high-fives. Mel suggests it is because we married good men. I suggest it is because we presented the idea as a fait accompli - sound confident and you shall succeed. Both are true!
The plane trip is typically agonising, and it is not long before travel madness kicks in. Before we leave Canberra airport in fact. I haven't travelled since the year 2000 when I was foot-loose and fancy-free. Vin and I (along with her husband to-be) had spent 10 days driving around the UK together, this was at the end of my 6 month European adventure. We muse about how things are slightly different this time.
Then, we ate bread sandwiches with freebie sachets of brown sauce to save precious money. Now, we're hooking into the food on offer at the Qantas Club (which is pretty disappointing I might add!) Then, we stayed at backpacker hostels that usually involved a few kilometres of trudging to the outskirts of town with a 20kg backpack. Now, we wheel our 20kg suitcases into the 4 star Novotel in the heart of the Clarke Quay area of Singapore.
Then, you could breeze your way through airport security. Now, Mel and I are picked for the random explosives test and customs interrogation. The customs guy chats to us while we're waiting and we tell him we're going to the netball WCs. He thinks we are playing. Not the first time this has happened in the lead-up to the trip. Perhaps I look like an elite athlete rather than an average one! 'Bring back the cup' he calls out as we leave. 'We'll do our best' I say. LOL
Back in 2000, I kept in touch with home by sending occasional emails from internet cafes. Now, I'm complaining cos my iphone isn't picking up the wi-fi. Then, we scabbed drinks from strangers in bars and when forced to buy our own, we bought the cheapest beer on offer. Now, we stock up on duty-free grog including a bottle of Veuve Cliquot to have at the conclusion of the WCs. Hopefully celebratory, not commisoratory!
We land in Singa, and our first taste of the weather is a shock to the system after frosty Canberra. Driving to the hotel, this doesn't feel like Asia. Reminds us of Sydney or Brisbane with a few more asian signs. Can see the bright lights of city and skyscrapers, not as big as I'd imagined but still plenty of them. The hotel is nice, smells like lemongrass. Into our hotel room, which is 2 beds plus fold-out bed. Mel, the shortest of us, takes one for the team and opts for the fold-out bed.
Our fridge isn't working so we angle for an upgrade but they shoot us down with a replacement fridge. Oh well, at least the champagne is now on ice.
The last WCs in 2007 were supposed to be held in Fiji, but surprisingly (not) there was a coup and the WCs had to be moved to Auckland, New Zealand. Aside from the fact that I had a one year old at the time, I decided not to go to NZ because the thought of Australia potentially losing the WCs to NZ on their home soil was too much. Can you imagine? It turned out the aussies beat them on their home soil so I needn't have worried.
Fast forward a few years and the idea of attending the 2011 WCs in Singapore is planted. A year ago myself and two great friends VIn and Mel decide to go. Regular planning sessions are held, usually on a Friday night with glasses of wine in hand. Now suddenly we are sitting on a plane on the way to Singapore.
It's -4 degrees the morning we leave Canberra - see ya!!! We've left behind the Canberra winter, 3 x husbands and 7 x kids between us for 10 nights. How the hell did we pull this off? we ask ourselves, accompanied by high-fives. Mel suggests it is because we married good men. I suggest it is because we presented the idea as a fait accompli - sound confident and you shall succeed. Both are true!
The plane trip is typically agonising, and it is not long before travel madness kicks in. Before we leave Canberra airport in fact. I haven't travelled since the year 2000 when I was foot-loose and fancy-free. Vin and I (along with her husband to-be) had spent 10 days driving around the UK together, this was at the end of my 6 month European adventure. We muse about how things are slightly different this time.
Then, we ate bread sandwiches with freebie sachets of brown sauce to save precious money. Now, we're hooking into the food on offer at the Qantas Club (which is pretty disappointing I might add!) Then, we stayed at backpacker hostels that usually involved a few kilometres of trudging to the outskirts of town with a 20kg backpack. Now, we wheel our 20kg suitcases into the 4 star Novotel in the heart of the Clarke Quay area of Singapore.
Then, you could breeze your way through airport security. Now, Mel and I are picked for the random explosives test and customs interrogation. The customs guy chats to us while we're waiting and we tell him we're going to the netball WCs. He thinks we are playing. Not the first time this has happened in the lead-up to the trip. Perhaps I look like an elite athlete rather than an average one! 'Bring back the cup' he calls out as we leave. 'We'll do our best' I say. LOL
Back in 2000, I kept in touch with home by sending occasional emails from internet cafes. Now, I'm complaining cos my iphone isn't picking up the wi-fi. Then, we scabbed drinks from strangers in bars and when forced to buy our own, we bought the cheapest beer on offer. Now, we stock up on duty-free grog including a bottle of Veuve Cliquot to have at the conclusion of the WCs. Hopefully celebratory, not commisoratory!
We land in Singa, and our first taste of the weather is a shock to the system after frosty Canberra. Driving to the hotel, this doesn't feel like Asia. Reminds us of Sydney or Brisbane with a few more asian signs. Can see the bright lights of city and skyscrapers, not as big as I'd imagined but still plenty of them. The hotel is nice, smells like lemongrass. Into our hotel room, which is 2 beds plus fold-out bed. Mel, the shortest of us, takes one for the team and opts for the fold-out bed.
Our fridge isn't working so we angle for an upgrade but they shoot us down with a replacement fridge. Oh well, at least the champagne is now on ice.
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