By the time we landed in Perth we did the math and we'd been traveling 32 and a half hours. While we were on airplanes everyone we knew had gone through an entire day and more.

I spent most of the stopover in Singapore trying to understand how they crammed so much shopping into one airport and just trying to stay sharp. Some important work stuff came in and I couldn't for the life of me get email out and then the next thing I knew it was time to get back on a plane. After an 18 hour flight a 5 hour flight felt like a cakewalk, though we did sort of start to lose our minds.

(It's weird visiting a place only by its airport; the thing I remember most about Singapore were the signs in between the United Colors of Benneton and Burberry stores stating that "Drug use is punishable by death" in big bold letters).

I like to do this thing where I ask people to pose for photographs but they must show complete and utter terror in their eyes while smiling as large as possible. I don't think we had to stretch too much for these, though.





I spent the flight thinking of ways to rework a treatment I wrote before I left. And finally getting some sleep, a good deep twenty minutes against the window. I think all told I got in about 4 hours of sleep in those 32 hours. And then we landed.

As soon as we landed we turned on our phones and there's something to be said for txt messages people send to say "i hope you had a safe flight" as soon as you get off a plane. At the airport we were met by the amazing Ross Mcpherson. He books bands for Australia and has done so for Death Cab. He's put us up in house for the stay and I can't say enough how thankful we are for this; he's been the most gracious and generous host, doing everything he can to make us comfortable without seeming at all like it takes any effort on his part. Ross reminds me of most of the Australians I have ever met, sturdy, humble, hilarious and fllthy at the right times, and just overwhelmingly upfront and laidback about being kind. And then his lovely girlfriend Lena showed up with a Red Emporer fish to barbecue Thai style. She's half Thai, and oddest of all lived in Cork, Ireland the exact years I did. I had thought all those years I was the only hapa in the entire country.

Within an hour of getting in Ross had us at the beach. Mark, Nick and I were reeking of travel and man stench so we dove right into the ocean.



Ocean never felt better. Ragged with exhaustion, we were still over the top in our excitement, probably freaking out the locals at the beach a little. Still wet we went down the pub and of course this being Australia I was forced to drink a local beer which was incredibly golden. And here I am about to go to bed with only the ocean on me but I feel cleaner and calmer than I have for months.



And then we got Lena to try and do the terror smile thing but I don't think she's faking the terror, look at Mark's face for the love of god.


My picture of Ross nailing the look came out all blurry. He'll be here tomorrow. He has a lot lined up for us, fishing, the outback, relaxing, seeing some shows, before we go off to Brisbane for the Great Barrier Reef. Right now I'm on his porch, feet up, my silly foot still tingling, still some sand on my calves. I can hear wind blowing through trees I've never seen before.

Life is good. Time for sound sleep.