Life of Luxury

Tonight is probably the best night of my life.

Today, after several days in Melbourne, we took a cab to the airport (after a prolonged dispute with Everett involving his desire that we walk about 16 miles to catch a bus to the airport to save four dollars. I won. So we took a cab.) Our flight to Vietnam via Malaysia on Malaysian Airlines was supposed to leave at 12:15 a.m. When we arrived, there was a very long line and letters were being handed out explaining that something had gone wrong with electrical system on the plane and therefore there would be no flight to Malaysia tonight. At first, we were all slightly distressed. Then we realized something. Malaysian Airlines was putting us up in a hotel.

That's right, a hotel. Not a hostel. Not a dorm room. Not a communal shower with a floor that looks like a frat house. A hotel. One of those brilliant places with private bathrooms, clean sheets you don't have to strip in the morning and rooms with no sleep-talking Germans. While Everett seemed kind of bummed about not getting to Vietnam, I was pretty much beaming in the airport.

When they told us they'd give us vouchers for cab fare to and from the airport to catch the next flight tomorrow, I almost jumped up and down in excitement. When they asked if we needed to make any international calls so that they could add that to our hotel room, I wondered aloud if it was possible to get my laundry done at the hotel too.

The entire ride here (we took a car service in some luxury car because the voucher would cover that!) I couldn't stop smiling. When the concierge told us we got breakfast in the morning and a room service snack tonight for free- and that fish and chips was on the snack menu- I nearly started crying. I hugged Laura for a good minute and half just out of sheer joy.

They gave us two rooms and when Laura and I got to our room, we literally jumped around for a good 10 minutes. Laura started blow drying her totally dry hair. Just because she could. She looked at the stereo and asked what it was. It's like we've been living pre industrial revolution. We just ordered room service. I got the cheese plate. I might be the happiest person alive right now.

Finally, as if the night could get any better, I am currently sitting in the "business center" of the hotel. When I asked if there was internet, the guy gave me a key to this room which is basically a private hotel room with a huge desk, computer and printer. Private. And free. Oh, the luxury.

It's worth noting that moments before our flight was cancelled, as we were walking through the airport, two British women walked past us, looked at me and said "she doesn't look like a backpacker." And I was pretty much crushed. I mean, for goodness sakes, I essentially bought out the Atlanta REI store in preparation for this trip, I now own a pair of khaki shorts for the first time in like 10 years, I was wearing my new bohemianish scarf, I've got like 30 pounds on my back and my hair looks like it hasn't seen a blow dryer in months, what more does it take to look like a backpacker? I was devastated.

However, in light of these recent developments and my obvious excitement over riding in a car with leather seats and using a computer in a room without people shouting in other languages around me, I think maybe those British women were on to something. Maybe I'm not meant to be a backpacker. At least not for tonight.

I guess I'll just go eat my cheese plate, watch my flat screen, take a bath and think about it.