[JRNL] Day 4: The Indigo Departure

I jokingly said to my room mates that we'd be waking up at 2pm. They all agreed that we should.

However, the light streaming into the room past the curtains at 10am made it difficult. I woke up, went to the bathroom, checked my phone and then tried to go back to sleep. I managed to doze off, but my body was accepting it was awake and wanting to move by around 12pm. I got up.

As I went to change, I encountered Ash sweeping the ground floor corridor, starting his assigned cleaning duty. When I had changed, Tanner met me as he came down the stairs. He informed me I could go home that evening if I wished, instead of the following morning. My options were to go with Sofie, Romy and her dog, Holly, or Rachael, a guest who would take BTS photos for the day. Holly passed by to have breakfast, but she said her car was full, so I couldn't come. Tanner said I should speak to the others to see who I felt comfortable with going. 

I went upstairs with my cabin group to get breakfast/lunch/brunch(?). It was the first time I had toast with the Nutella I bought. I was pleased to note that the milk jug was less than half full and the Nutella jar had some scoops taken out of it too. I think the Milo can was also a bit emptier than I last remembered it. People were using the food that I brought! That was nice.

While I was preparing my meal, I spoke to Sofie who was chilling on the kitchen counter. I can't remember if she asked for my Facebook there and then, but I do recall asking if she could take me home, and told her I lived in the Northern suburbs. The only person she was driving home was Luke, so I wasn't too much extra! I was concerned I'd be too much out of the way for her, but she reassured me it was fine. While it would've been fun to go with Romy and Lotte, I was concerned about staying in an enclosed space with a dog. Furthermore, while Rachael was nice, I didn't know her well enough to ask. I was so grateful to Sofie for accepting me.

Fatima was disappointed that we couldn't have a free day to go to the carnival, but Tanner suggested that we could still do things in the time that we had at home. The group had been meaning to play Among Us on the trip but had not until then. Fatima suggested it and after dishes were done, people gathered to play. The space crew consisted of Tanner, Emily, Romy, Luke, Sofie, and me. I played a few rounds, but then backed out to do my assigned chore. Tanner told me to vacuum the bottom floor bedrooms, so I did that. My room was pretty easy to cover.

I didn't have to go as far as I did, vacuuming behind the giant double bed in Holly/Aaron/Tom/Ash's room, but I noticed the toys, old wrappers and dust on the floor so I felt like I should. Climbing into the cavernous space sandwiched between the single upper bed and the double lower... felt like I was intruding. I cleaned up quickly and then left.

When I finished up, I spoke to Emily and Tanner, who said that I would instead be going home the following morning. I was a bit disgruntled since I'd already finished packing, and stripped my bed of its sheets and covers down already. I assumed that Sofie went up to Tanner privately and said I was too out of the way for her? I was going to accept this, but I sort of... got a bit overwhelmed and escaped to my room for a bit. Fatima urged me to speak up to clear any misunderstandings, so I went.

I happened upon Sofie and told her what I'd heard, but she said she was still happy to take me. We figured that since I hadn't told Tanner yet about the arrangement, he assumed I didn't ask anybody and was a bit stuck. We cleared it up with him and I was set to go for that night!

I finally sat down to have my lunch, two baked potatoes that Lily made me. They tasted warm and homely. I had only asked for one since I mistook baked potatoes for loaded potatoes, which are potatoes cut in half and have their insides scooped out and mixed with vegetables, before being put back in. 

After preparations, we left to go film. It was a much hotter day this time, and I was grateful I could sit in the shade and keep Lotte company (when she found me intriguing enough, I suppose). I watched Tanner and Emily hand out water to the cast constantly. Since people's hands weren't caked in dirt for Day 3 and Day 4, I prompted Tanner to hold onto the bottle of hand sanitiser and get the actors to clean their hands in between takes. Although I could've done that, technically my job is to observe that these protocols are being upheld, not to do it myself. And... I think I would've been awkward trying to insert myself after every take... better a Producer to do it rather than me.

When we were close to running out of water, Tanner and Aaron left to refill our giant water jug. They returned with not only a full water tank, but ice creams for everyone, and a gift for the land owners: A bottle of wine and a card. Here was the ice cream!

I also took my hat off several times to air out my head and wipe away the sweat on my brow. I'd done this a few times before on the trip, but didn't mention it until now. It's so staggering how much vision you lose when wearing a brimmed hat. It's like taking a portrait photo on a smartphone and cutting out the upper half. When I take my hat off, the sky just expands infinitely above my head. I've heard that people seldom look up (which makes it easier to sneak up on unsuspecting victims) but jeez, the vision that you lose... well, keeping the harsh sunlight out of your eyes is always worth it.

I was, once again, among the last to arrive back at home base. Even from outside, I could see that the house was abuzz with energy. People packing and preparing to leave. My COVID duties were finally over, and now suddenly hugs were being exchanged. I forgot how much I missed physical contact. I think I got a chance to hug everyone there! I was surprised by how much people thanked me for doing my job well. I got teary-eyed when the praise came on thick and sincere...

I was amused when Tom came to say goodbye to me. He was the only person to offer the COVID Safe elbow bump first. "What's wrong, you don't want a hug?" I smirked.

"Well, if you're offering!" He replied. I appreciated he kept that gesture in mind, though.

After some preparation and final goodbyes from those remaining at the house for another night – Tanner, Lily, Fatima and Emily, I departed with Luke and Sofie. I brought my Nutella, Milo, and milk jug (with less than 1/10th of it remaining). I decided to take a quick photo in the bathroom... I suppose as a last memento of the journey. I hadn't taken many photos inside the house, but I felt like grabbing this one all of a sudden.

I took the back seat while Luke sat in front. Apparently the two of them travelled together to the set, so he was familiar with the finnicky set up for Sofie's phone set up! They tilted the screen upside down (so the charger cord was coming out the top), and the phone was attached to something with an elastic band going lengthways down the screen. We were on a nighttime adventure again!

I forgot how much emptier the roads were at nighttime, as we made it to the mainland in record time. I appreciated that I arrived at Phillip Island with a specific set of people, and was leaving with a different group, signifying the new friendships I had made during the trip. I enjoyed getting to speak with Luke and Sofie in the car.

Luke and I briefly spoke about Punch Out!! for the Wii, where I revealed my favourite fighter was Don Flamenco. Aargh, I can't remember who his was! But funnily, this conversation reignited a Punch Out!! interest in me. A week after the trip, my current favourite fighter is Aran Ryan, with Don Flamenco fondly in second. New crush for 2020. Since Sofie wasn't responding to the chat, I quickly changed topics so she can be included.

I snapped a few photos in the car to show off our journey, I didn't notice that Luke was smiling in one of them until I checked my gallery later! Hehe.

I took the opportunity to ask how the two of them got involved with Indigo. In unison, they said they were hired on StarNow.com.au. I was surprised to learn they weren't associated with Swinburne like the others! This likely applied to Romy and Aleisha too. I'm really happy that everyone got along so well at the house, and that I felt like I fitted in as well.

A few days after the trip, Luke wrote on the Indigo Discord that he missed everyone like hell. People expressed similar sentiments, and I was definitely feeling that way as well. Even though it felt like a school camp on the first day, by the end of it, I wanted to stay for a while longer... I wanted to continue the routine we were having. Wake up late, hang out and do chores for the day, film in the evening, eat dinner and do a nightly activity before going to bed. I wanted to go on that carnival day out too! I seriously can't wait to see them all again at the wrap up party in a few weeks.

We soon arrived in the southern suburbs of Melbourne, where we dropped off Luke. His dog came rushing out to greet us – it was quite scary, having a blur low to the ground rush towards you! I thought I was just seeing things, until I saw it again jumping at my feet. Cute little bugger.

I moved into the front seat for the second leg of Sofie's journey. I got to know her car and GPS a bit better – her name is Karen, and it came from the name of the female voice on her original GPS. Karen's spirit has merged itself with the car, with the GPS on her phone, and many other inanimate objects in Sofie's life. We enjoyed bantering with Karen about her navigation instructions and talking about each other's lives.

As we approached the roads closest to my home, I was shocked by how unfamiliar it all was. I pointed out my high school, and yet, the road we were travelling on... felt like a stranger to me. I even asked Sofie to wait for me to open the door to my house and get in before she drove away. Just in case something went wrong. Like maybe my keys wouldn't work?

My mother greeted me just as she was heading off to bed, and I was quietly left to decompress in the living room from the whole day. It seemed my sister had taken over my "office" in my absence, her belongings and books strewn about everywhere. The house was super unfamiliar.

This never happened after a school excursion.

I went to the kitchen and was disillusioned to find the fridge and pantry much emptier than the overflowing ones at Tanner's beach house. Heck, I was expecting there to be new food in the fridge, it had been almost a full week since I'd left! And yet, the humble pot of Nilaga was still there. I decided to make some toast instead. I drank all the milk in one go from the container too, after I used some for a cup of Milo. I'd forgotten to eat dinner before filming that evening, so I was hungry when I returned home.

I took my sweet time getting to bed. Completing my nightly routine, watching some videos on my phone, just coming down from the high of the trip. I was surprised when my sister spoke to me a little when I finally came into our room. Apparently she woke up from the noise. At last, we fell asleep together and I was... home.

That's all for Day 4. I'll make a post when Indigo comes out, adding my afterthoughts for the whole trip then. I don't have any more posts lined up for here, unfortunately! But I'll update my left side bar to include a link to my Plague Wanderer blog, which I worked on in Semester 2 2020 to develop my essay for the Plague Stories anthology. You can look there if you'd like to see more of my content!

Thanks for reading, and especially so if you read all the Indigo posts! When I reach the mid-year break and finish my degree at the end of the year, I hope to post more. Once a week, on Sundays, would be good. Please take care and stay safe! 'Til then~