It’s not Italy, but …

 No, it’s not Italy, but, getting to Norfolk Island has proven to be an adventure in itself and this quaint island does seem to hold a great deal of promise. 

And yes, I was meant to be in Italy at this point in time, however with that trip postponed until 2025, due to circumstances beyond our control, my friend Fiona and I decided to make the best of a disappointing situation and take ourselves on a week away in lieu of Tuscany. 

Hence we found ourselves rising at 4am this morning in the Holiday Inn at Melbourne airport, where we availed ourselves of the courtesy bus which ferried us to the airport in plenty of time for our 6am flight to Sydney. 

Having ascertained that our luggage was indeed checked all the way through to Norfolk Island, we threaded our way through security and settled in for an airport-style breakfast, at huge cost. It was tasty however, and the coffee was not only particularly good, but also much needed  

Our flight left on time and consequently landed in Sydney in plenty of time for our 10am connection to the unique Outer Territory of  Norfolk Island. In Sydney however, things were not quite as straightforward. On landing we had to proceed to gate 15, in order to board the shuttle bus to the international terminal, although NI is not strictly an international destination!  

On arriving at said terminal we had to endure the scrutiny of Australian Border Force before finding the appropriate area and gate lounge. After a bit of a wait, suddenly, not only was our gate number finally revealed, but there was a final call for boarding!  Well, that escalated quickly, and lo and behold there was yet another shuttle bus to ride. 

We were taken to a remote cargo area and herded on board the waiting plane which, after an incredibly long taxi, eventually took off and miraculously landed on Norfolk Island a mere two hours later.  

The first thing we noticed was the warmth. It may have only been 20 degrees at 2pm but it was a great deal warmer than the 8 degrees we experienced in Melbourne yesterday. 

We were met and graciously transported to our ocean view cottage where our hire car awaited us… the keys of the unlocked car ‘secured’ in the unlocked cottage. That’s the way they roll in NI. 

Following a drive to Kingston-town’s only supermarket where we found that 2 litres of milk cost $20AUD, we decided long life milk was the best option and we bought some very basic supplies to get us through breakfast in the morning.  Fresh fruit and vegetables were conspicuous by their absence. 

Weirdly, eating out at the local and very ‘colourful’ RSL was cheaper than 2L of milk, and it was a comfortable walk from our cottage.

Tomorrow, we embark on a guided orientation tour of the island and I think we will buy a bucket and go looking for one of their famous island cows to provide the milk to sustain our coffee habit.