Memories in Ink

I had a really nice sleep in (until 8.30am) up to when I headed to meet the remaining people of Module 2. Lana had to leave last night already, so we had a very heartwarming goodbye yesterday. But most other people wanted to meet for one last breakfast together. We talked about last nights' happenings and laughed about memories we got on our trip. However, there was a silent coat of sadness above all our words. I'd really miss them and travelling with them. But everything good would finally get to an end.
I had the same transfer into the city centre as Chrissi, Simona, Betty, Mathilde and Lorena. I'd stay at the Britannia on Williams tonight to start my next tour tomorrow. I wasn't looking forward to that. I was so tired from socialising, no matter how nice the trip had been. And I felt ill, too. I just wanted to go home really.
I took Chrissi with me to leave my luggage at the hostel and go into the city centre for some more shopping. I didn't need nor buy anything, but it was nice to stroll around the city without any hassle or following someone else. We met with Lorena and Mathilde for lunch and I had my very first (Halloumi) burger in Australia. The others were already sick from all the burgers, but for the vegetarian I am, I had always gotten some Gnocchis, salad or weird stuff to eat. Something as normal as a burger was quite nice to get.
After our tummies were filled, Mathilde went back to her hotel room to sleep over her last nights' hangover some more, and we met up with Simona. Then, something very strange happened. The three girls decided to get tattoos. Chrissi wanted her very first tattoo to be Down Under (with Under being written upside down) and Lorena and Simona just jumped on the waggon and decided to get some more tattoos for themselves. I would have never thought, that I'd casually walk into a tattoo artists studio like doing an afternoon stroll through the park.
I watched the girls deciding within 2 hours on thekr tattoos and then held Chrissis hand during her first one. It didn't seem to bother her at all that a little needle was spiking into her arm. Neither did Simona when she got an M for her daughters name tattooed on her ankle, nor Lorena with a red heart being inked on her arm. Weird people. But the experience really was something. Afterwards, we got some Aloe Vera after care creme for them, as well as TimTams (some kind of famous Australian cookies). Then, we waved Chrissi goodbye who would stay at the Crown Metropol until her 9.30pm pickup. Simona and Lorena brought me to the Britannia on William as I didn't like the idea to walk through Perths' streets alone. We said goodbye and I checked in. I got my luggage to my 3 beds dorm and was basically shocked. After staying in the most fancy hotel for the last two nights, this wasn't a downgrad, it was an endless downfall. I was completely done with this before it even started, so I quickly texted Chrissi if the room would be booked for the whole night and if I could come to hers. She immediately said yes, so I checked out after being less than 1 hour checked in and I took an Uber to the Crown Metropol. I was so glad being there again, knowing that I'd have my own room for at least one more night before going on the next trip and needing to share with multiple strangers.
As I didn't feel very well, I took another Covid test. I had tested myself after Sofie has been tested positive on the Margaret River day, but it had been negative back then. Now... It turned out to be positive after mere seconds. I was so shocked and glad at the same time that I burst out in tears. I couldn't go on the trip with Covid. I didn't need to go on that trip! What an absolute win! But wait... That was shit. I had to tell Autopia I couldn't go tomorrow morning at 7.25am. So, I tried to call them, but they didn't have a 24/7 hotline. That made me really cross, as I think it's the least a tour operator can do. I contacted James and he tried to help me in finding some more hotlines from Autopia that I could ring. Neither was available after 5pm, so I sent them an email, explaining the situation. James told me to call their Sydney office first thing in the morning, as they'd be open 2hours before and so I could barely make it. What would happen now though? For tonight, I had a place to stay, but where to go tomorrow? What do tomorrow?
I called my insurance and got a very strange comeback about not having a Covid package included, so that they wouldn't cover anything. I was nearly hyperventilating. That couldn't be true. I told Seb to call them again and he got from two different people the same amswer: When you've got a PCR test , they would see it as a normal illness and cover everything. With these mixed signals I was more or less left alone, stressing over it. I really couldn't do much tonight, so I tried to calm myself down with another bath. I'd figure it out tomorrow.Read more