leave Australia

Friday 9th of August 1985
It’s 5:30 p.m. at Sydney’s international airport, flight UT 594 has all its passengers on board including me, and as 265 tonnes of DC 10 lifts of the runway for Noumea, Papeete and Los Angeles.
I do my sums.
 (1 A$ = 71.9 US$
 1 A$ = 110 Central Pacific Francs
)

I have:
106 US$

13,000 CPF

2,950 US$ Travellers Cheques

10 £
 and 21 Ozzie cents, which represents my net gains after 12 weeks with John Ward’s Brisbane locum service, misery Midge’s memos, Nigel, Patricia, Wendy, Niall, Julie, Shirley, John and John, Pat, Elisabeth.

Ahh what a pleasure to feel that tropical warmth again. Timeless Tahiti, it’s Friday again! Arrive early in the morning, a smiling girl places a frangipani flower in my hair, this sweetens the wait for customs. Board 'Le Truck' into town for 90 cents, this funky bus has the biggest set of speakers ever to grace an automobile. Walk half way back to the airport again trying to find the youth hostel, no one seems to know where it is. Tired and fed up by the time I find it, Get a 3 bedded room to myself, 1500 francs per night, even with YHA card! Expensive. My own shower sink and balcony are a little bit of luxury, and I overlook the squalid tent site.