Last weekend I bussed down to Canberra for the very last time.
Incidentally, it was Valentine's Day, the weather was sh!thouse and we spent much of our time indoors. It was sad in some ways- as the bus pulled into Canberra on Friday night I saw the same guy I always see on Northbourne Avenue- his bucket and tools set down on the median strip, as he jogged from car to car, asking people whether they wanted their windows cleaned as they waited for the lights to turn green.
I walked around the "City Centre" remembering how astounded I was at the lack of people, the white pillars of the Sydney and Melbourne buildings and the slow-pacedness of it all. We ate, we watched DVDs and had a typically Canberran weekend.
On Sunday, when it came time to come home, I said "Bye House" to the place that has been Man from Mars' abode for the past six months and mindfully experienced the bus ride back that is, Canberra to Sydney. The dank smell of the bus. The traffic. The hours.
Never again.
Because, there would be no more Sydney to Canberra and back again.
This weekend, Man from Mars drove from Canberra to Sydney and back for the very last time. He offloaded all the things he no longer needs in Canberra- his bureau, his sauces, paper, a fan and some DVDs.
We had a typically Sydney weekend. Man from Mars got his haircut, we watched movies and ate lots of food.
The weather was sweltering, the sky was blue and the streets were crowded.
Today, when it came for Man from Mars to drive back to Canberra, he said "Bye House" to my house and we reminisced.
When it comes down to it, the Canberra-Sydney trek was okay. It was do-able. It was affordable. It was fine.
Now Man from Mars goes back to Melbourne and the longer distance is a little disconcerting. Plane tickets aren't always affordable. Riding planes isn't always do-able. Delays are inevitable. Airports suck.
And so maybe we won't get to see each other every weekend...
Incidentally, it was Valentine's Day, the weather was sh!thouse and we spent much of our time indoors. It was sad in some ways- as the bus pulled into Canberra on Friday night I saw the same guy I always see on Northbourne Avenue- his bucket and tools set down on the median strip, as he jogged from car to car, asking people whether they wanted their windows cleaned as they waited for the lights to turn green.
I walked around the "City Centre" remembering how astounded I was at the lack of people, the white pillars of the Sydney and Melbourne buildings and the slow-pacedness of it all. We ate, we watched DVDs and had a typically Canberran weekend.
On Sunday, when it came time to come home, I said "Bye House" to the place that has been Man from Mars' abode for the past six months and mindfully experienced the bus ride back that is, Canberra to Sydney. The dank smell of the bus. The traffic. The hours.
Never again.
Because, there would be no more Sydney to Canberra and back again.
This weekend, Man from Mars drove from Canberra to Sydney and back for the very last time. He offloaded all the things he no longer needs in Canberra- his bureau, his sauces, paper, a fan and some DVDs.
We had a typically Sydney weekend. Man from Mars got his haircut, we watched movies and ate lots of food.
The weather was sweltering, the sky was blue and the streets were crowded.
Today, when it came for Man from Mars to drive back to Canberra, he said "Bye House" to my house and we reminisced.
When it comes down to it, the Canberra-Sydney trek was okay. It was do-able. It was affordable. It was fine.
Now Man from Mars goes back to Melbourne and the longer distance is a little disconcerting. Plane tickets aren't always affordable. Riding planes isn't always do-able. Delays are inevitable. Airports suck.
And so maybe we won't get to see each other every weekend...
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