Journey’s beginning

The sky is silver. It is the day before our journey begins, my first international trip in three and a half years. The bags are almost packed, the housework done. Tomorrow afternoon we go to the hotel near the airport to stay a night before our early departure.

For so long through the pandemic I have dreamed of this moment, of a long flight across the seas to another country. In my mind I’ve imagined cruising high above the Earth, that escape from the house and everyday life. I pictured the excitement of setting off on the journey.

Yet now that reality approaches I’m back to negative thoughts, to anxiety and fear of flying. I know intellectually that it should all be okay, but I just don’t feel it.

So now that everything is done I’ll try to relax and focus on the positive. Take one step at a time and trust it to all work out.

close up photography of yellow green red and brown plastic cones on white lined surface

WordPress ActivityPub Plugin

Last night I setup my own Mastodon server at masto.allrite.at with my account @allrite@allrite.at (difference between the web domain and local domain settings). Now, this account with the WordPress ActivityPub plugin also published to the same account! So, will this cause problems?

Let’s test it out!

ActivityPub from WordPress

Okay, I’ve now setup my own Mastodon instance elsewhere, but it’s not necessarily the best tool for a personal instance. There is a WordPress ActivityPub plugin which allows your posts to appear in timelines.

I’m testing it out here, but I’m not sure if the security software blocks it so it may take a few attempts.

And we are off!

October 2018

It’s up, up and away on our virtual trip to Japan aboard a Qantas A330-300 to Osaka. Sydney’s Central Business District and the famous Harbour Bridge can be seen in the background.

Our virtual flight is about to depart

All aboard our virtual flight to Japan, flying a Qantas Airbus A330-300 from Sydney to Osaka, just as we did back in October 2018.

A perfect day to fly, but…

The sky is clear and the breeze is an insubstantial breath. It is the perfect day to fly. I was supposed to off to Osaka in less than an hour, but COVID-19 has seen all travel cancelled. So I’m going to do a virtual trip here.

Marshalling to Melbourne

Catching the Warrnambool train from Marshall Station to Melbourne in order to watch Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Because that’s what I do.

Gunna Gundagai

The Hume Highway is closed in both directions and I’ve been receiving emergency warnings for fires to the south of us.

When I walked Kita out for his business I saw fire engines racing south, lights flashing, and a police car speeding north.

The dust clouds can be seen blowing in the gusty winds under the amber lights. There was actually some rain a little earlier. Big, heavy drops that did nothing but stain the car further.

Should we evacuate? The car is packed but the roads are closed. I wonder if our journey will continue south tomorrow.