Low, Lower, Highest!

Low: I might have cried on the way to the airport on Rarotonga. I'm not a prolific crier generally but leaving the paradise that had started to feel like home totally bummed me out. I'm pretty sure I lost half my tan on the plane to Auckland, where we slept for 5 hours at an airport motel until the next leg of our flight to Melbourne.

Lower: After spending several hours in the Melbourne airport we were tired and dirty and ready to check in to our shitacular airport motel for the rest of that layover. Our room was tiny but fine and I was planning to catch up on some blogging and Skyping. Then I opened my bag and realized my notebook was gone.  In my 5 am fog, I'd left it on the flight from Auckland to Melbourne. This isn't just any notebook. Its a calendar that I bought at Tokyu Hands and the cover reads “A Moderate Request.” In it, I've recorded what we've done every day of our trip since October 1^st when I bought it.  I made all of our lists, recorded our research, and jotted down all the hilarity in my head in its “notes” pages.  One of my favorite things to do at night when I filled in the day's activities was to say to Ed “Do you know what we did on this day in January?” And then fill him in on the details. Some nights I would read the entries from the same day of each month from the whole trip and we'd relive those countries and highlights. And it was in the seat back pocket of seat 60A.

I speed walked to the airport around 4:30 pm and talked to three ladies at three counters who didn't have it. They were all lovely and sympathetic but couldn't help. I returned to the motel and for the second time in as many days, got misty.

We slept poorly again and were up early for the last leg of our flight to KL. I'm sure this sounds highly convoluted (and is) but for monetary reasons these flights actually made some sense.  After checking in we were warned by the AirAsia folks to go directly to security because lines were crazy long. We didn't want to miss the flight but I wanted to check for my book one more time before we left Oz.  Ed heroically agreed and we split up to hit Quantas' baggage services, the Found property room, and the information desk. When I saw Ed & a Quantas employee walking toward Found property,  I intercepted them to say I'd already checked and not to waste their time.

Ed said “Oh, but this lady saw it in the system and its here.” And so it was. Filed happily away in a different part of the room. This goddess among women with her beehive hair and certain pack a day habit strolled out of the office with my memory filled Moderate Request held up for me to see.  I almost kissed her and very nearly cried again. I really need to get some sleep.

The book is sitting next to me on the plane as I type, and we're going to photocopy its pages when we get to KL, so we don't have to worry if its misplaced again. Tonight we'll going to play the longest game of “this day in our trip” in history. Thanks to Quantas lady, Air New Zealand, and the kind soul who turned it in rather than chucking in the garbage.  I care more about this calendar than anything else in my baggage.  Including my wedding dress.  Best.