This is becoming like those annoying ads on TV that you try to avoid and switch channels the moment they come on, but because you've seen them that many times and the jingle is so catchy, it still gets in your head.
That analogy can very (very very) loosely be applied to my situation with Darwin Intenational Airport. The affair started in January, where Jimbo and I waited here for our flight to S'pore on the way to Nepal. Within 5 minutes of being at said Airport, we decided it definately was no Changi. In fact, it was mildly better than Kathmandu (Tribhuvan) International Airport.
Why do I dislike this place so much?
Well if the Darwin Stories haven't given it away, I just generally do not like Darwin. I. just. dont. On top of that, I don't care what you think. It's hot. It's small. And there is nothing at fucking all going on. Ever. People if you think Adelaide is bad, come to Darwin. Adelaide will seem like Vegas after that. Now that's just the city. The airport itself also sucks. Sure it has air-con and free internet (I really am not complaining about this - loving it actually! And using it to bite the hand that provides me with internet). But you what is also has? The most in-efficienct check-in ever. Virgin, in every other airport (apart from maybe Gold Coast airport) has e-check in. Darwin doesn't. Might I remind you that this is an international airport? It's competing against the Changi, the Dubai, the Glasgow -aka the big names in the airport world. Actually, it's NOT competing at all: it's the dead horse that the other horses look at and go "at least I'm not that."
Apart from it's inefficiency, it's also small. Very small. There is one duty free store that sells things that are about 3 seasons out-of-date/fashion (I can only vouch for the technology side of things- a 40-150mm lens for my Olympus was gonna cost $120o, a price set 3 yrs ago! It costs about $350 now). Not only that, the options of food at this place include Bogan beer, cheap crap coffee with over-priced foccacas or Red Rooster.
Yep, Red Rooster. Now if anyone knows about real-estate, you will know that McDonalds are the best at finding real-estate that will do their restaurants justice. And even they have decided that this airport, this international airport, is so shit, that it doesn;t even deserve a McDonald's express!
Oh that's not all. You know the PA system in most other placess, including hospitals? People tend to sound like they know what they want to say, instead of sounding like dyslexic monkeys. But not in Darwin. Fuck, they forget their sentences half-way into said sentence and begin again! This one act makes me think that some 3 yr old has stolen the PA and given it to the 5 yr old who has just discovered prank calls. It is that amateur-y.
And lastly and most-importantly, I'm pissed off at this place because my Tiger flight was meant to have left at 1:20 - it is 3:30 and I have another 2 fusking hrs before the plane even gets into the airport.
Why?
Here is the answer at verbatim from the Tiger rep "Because the plane broke!"
Great- My plane isn't here and I'm talking to a 26 yr old that has the literery skills of a 5 yr old. How about "there was a fault in the plane" or "it failed regular maintence check" or anything other than that.
Sigh.
In the end, I'm just sleep deprived and grumpy. But Darwin still sucks.
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