Live from Meeka

Well not quite..... After waking up at 4:30am (3:30 if you factor in the changing of the clocks), I was all set and ready for my cab to arrive at 5:30am. Then the waiting. More waiting, followed by waiting. Calling Swan Taxis, and then waiting. I had heard rumours of Monday mornings being terrible due to all the Fly In Fly Out miners, and just the fact that Perth taxis were horribly unreliable. Well finally, at 6:30, the taxi arrives. One problem, I was supposed to have been checked in by 6:15.

Enter Zac, the Ethiopian cabbie. A very polite, apologetic cab driver, who actually took it upon himself to pick me up, even though there were closer taxis that were supposedly "ignoring" my pickup. The drive to the airport probably consisted of one red light. Zac was flying through traffic, weaving in and out, and telling the traffic lights "yellow means go faster". I was clutching to anything I could hold. Making the flight took a back seat.... making it out alive was priority one. It was just like The Amazing Race.... except there wasn't a million dollars at the end .... but there was Meekatharra.

I arrived at 6:50 due to the phenomenal drive by zac. 10 minutes before takeoff. Unfortunately, the bags had already been put on the plane, and the weight calculated. They wouldn't let me on. This is where all those years of watching Amazing Race's Charla and Mirna were going to help me. I pleaded, I cried, I begged, I screamed, I bribed, I collapsed, I even told them that I would win $1 million if I got on this plane now. All for not. I guess I was missing one thing ..... a midget :(.

I then had to take the shameful taxi ride back to the office. Try again tomorrow. Also found out today that I'll be spending 14 of the next 18 days in Meekatharra. By that time, I think I will have found a new home!