Melbourne for Nothing

Despite the continuing OSC problems we're encountering, I had to leave for Melbourne in a hurry to do the hardware upgrade in Sunshine tonight. The timing was so tight I didn't even have time to have lunch. And that was after I postponed my original flight for a couple of hours.

I picked up my laptop and hopped on a cab and off to the airport. Didn't get to bring any change of clothes. Forgot my toiletries bag. Left behind my mobile phone charger, which is the worst. Got to the airport 30 minutes before takeoff. I tell you, check-in is dead easy if you have your booking reference handy.

This time around I stayed at Stamford Plaza Melbourne along Little Collins Street. Honestly, the place feels more like a dorm than a hotel. You have the lobby with the concierge and reception; the other tower has the bar and restaurant, and everything else is floors and floors of hotel rooms. My room is bigger than usual with a mini-kitchen. However, there are no free toiletries, no free Internet access, and only three cable TV channels. Reception can't even lend me a charger for my Nokia. Had to leave my phone with them to charge, while waiting for my colleague to deliver me a spare one.

The only good thing to happen tonight is that the hardware upgrade has been called off, postponed till tomorrow, maybe. As it was drizzling and freezing cold outside, all I can do was to grab a sandwich from the Subway across the store and buy some toiletries from the 7-Eleven beside it. Back to my room for a quiet night in. Fortunately I forgot to bring along my camera, or I really would've been tempted to brave the cold and rains to take a few pictures.