Time flashes by in an instant. We’ve returned from Australia, our last overseas duty. No more mindless cleaning or splashing out on new items. No more pre-flight anxiety. 19 days ago, we left with heavy hearts, dreading the baggage quarantine inspection having heard that past batches had been held up for as long as 8 hours at the airport. Well, things have never been brighter for us as we breezed through the checks and were done in no time.

Camp grounds weren’t that bad too. Terrain was slightly rocky, with a little sand patch here and there. Tentages are anchored on solid concrete ground and seems pretty much sturdy against the elements. But such perceptions are undoubtedly untrue. Strong gusts have been known to sweep up tentages and strewn their contents across the camp. Nonetheless, it’s all comfy and safe to be sleeping under them during the night. It’s really as good as it gets.

Bed-wise, it’s probably the best you’ll get. Not bed-bugs infested mattresses or plywood beds. But safari beds that are fit for human use. Discounting the lack of pillows, snuggling into the sleeping bag when the temperature dips below 20 really gives a cosy and good quality night’s rest. In fact, the accommodations are that stupendous that one can only lament the lack of power points in the tentages to make it complete. Also liked the idea of living in small clusters rather than large-scale communal living as it helps to foster closer relations among the people.

Sanitation was a class above the rest as toilet cubicles were more than sufficient and maintenance was carried out almost every day. Due to the state’s water-saving initiative, shower bags have to be used which is really a refreshing experience for all of us who are too used to the shower heads and the bucket/scoop. Unlike Taiwan, there’s a relatively stable supply of hot water just in case you need to take a bath at night. But the water is weird-tasting with a tinge of chlorine/bleach as it has been treated. Well, that’s something we had to make do with.

The climate, however, told a different story. Temperatures sunk to as low as 10C at night and soared to the 30s mid-day. Such extreme variations were definitely going to take a beating on our health. But fortunately, none of us fell ill. It seems that freak weather conditions were no stranger too as hailstorm warnings were given. Thank God none happened. Weather was good as we virtually experienced almost no rain, save for a slight drizzle that lasted barely 10 minutes.

Food was exceptional. Although mostly fried and hence, unhealthy, it’s so good and tasty that many go back for second servings. A pity that the cookhouse tentage is quite small and meal timings have to be staggered such that there will be enough seats for those having their meals. It really leaves you with very little time to savour what you’re eating. A redeeming point, though, is that there were no dishes that need to be done as it was all disposable plates and utensils. Environmental-unfriendly? Not for me to decide. Night snack was fantastic too with the cookies and hot drinks.

And what’s food without the canteen? Canteen food is pretty costly but just as mouthwatering. Though I had not bought any food there, from what I’ve tasted, all I can say is c’est bon. Alcohol is also cheap if you really booze a lot. However, most people are there for the movie screenings and you would want to be there early to get a seat with a good view. The movies are not the latest but good enough if you’re stuck in the middle of a training ground 4 times the size of Singapore with nothing to do. Occasionally, you get movies that are aired again because they do have limited selections.

R&R kicked off with a trip to the zoo. Doesn’t sound the most exciting but for snap-happy folks, it’s like a visit to the candy store for kids. Zoo doesn’t really qualify as a description. A park would be more befitting as the animals are free to roam around and interact with the visitors. You wouldn’t find elephants or giraffes in the park, but animals more native to Australia like the wallabies, koala bears and dingoes. A rewarding one-hour stay I must say. We headed for City Centre Plaza next. Shopping there wasn’t exactly gratifying as there aren’t that many shops in the first place and the products on sale didn’t appeal to us.

Lunch was buffet-style at Cambridge Motel as was dinner at Central Queensland University. Good thing we didn’t had to fork out a single cent because it was really expensive for a meal. The rest of the day was pretty much free-and-easy. We stayed at the Tropical Gateway Motor Inn which was located in a god-forsaken place far flung from town. Luckily, the amenities were better than expected though the stay was short. We checked in and out in a span of less than 24 hours.

It was more like a night stay-over place for us. After dinner, we had intended to party in one of the rooms but after such a long day, many excused themselves and turned in for an early night. We ended up with a lot of unfinished food and drinks, but all this was in the name of fun for those who fought the Z monster and remained till the end.

The next day, we had continental breakfast at the bistro before we checked out. Fortunately, it was complimentary as it would have cost a bank-breaking 17 bucks had we just dined in. We proceeded to Stockland Rockhampton for some shopping extravaganza as it’s touted as one of the biggest shopping mall in town which is probably true since we also paid a visit to Kmart Plaza and Northside Plaza which weren’t just as happening.

Lunch was at the mall’s food court which is a far cry from what’s in Singapore. Portions were big but not exactly appetizing. So again, we had left-overs. Dinner was on us and for me, I went to Hungry Jack’s, Australia’s franchise of Burger King, where the food wasn’t tempting too. And before long, it was time to head for the airport to catch our flight.

Lessons learnt during this trip:

1. Don’t drink too much. Always know your limit. Being tipsy and throwing up aren’t cool. You can have fun but drink in moderation if you know you can’t hold your liquor.
2. There’s not much nightlife in Australia. Stores close at 5.30 and streets are empty by 7. The place’s practically a dead-town! Too much land perhaps?
3. Food is expensive, alcohol is cheap. You can’t survive on beer, so bring lots of cash especially when your meals are not covered.
4. Urbanisation is spoiling our night-scape. It’s so much different viewing the night sky in the city and out in the field. The stars, they seem so surreal. You need to see it to believe it. It’s a memory I’ll take away from this trip.
5. Singapore Airlines suck. Not the service but the kind of planes they put us in. They ought to learn a thing or two from other first-rate airlines. How about more leg room for the peasants in economy-class, please?