I stare outside the window, and watch as the ground slips out of reach, falling further and further away. I press my head to the cold, condensating glass as the lights of the city turn into distant stars. Finally, we're up.
"Mintie?" I look towards Mae, and she's holding a whole packet of them. Chloe's already chewing. "It's to pop your ears."
I shrug and take one, zoning back out, listening to my music. The seatbelt sign turns off.
"How long is the flight?" Chloe asks.
"Like 4hrs, I think." Mae responds.
"So we'll get there at 5 in the morning! How can they expect us to stay awake? I know I won't!"
Mae snorts.
"You'll be fine, Chloe. Besides, we'll probably get the chance to sleep once we get there." I say.
"Probably? I'm getting the f*ck to sleep. Night guys." Chloe pulls her sleeping mask over her eyes and snuggles into her neck pillow. Mae shrugs at me. We sit in silence for a moment.
"Are you excited to go to Canberra?" "Neither of us have been there before, so I don't know what to expect. I guess I am excited though." I respond.
"I know what you mean, but hey, it's home to so many national Australian stuff. Like Parliament house, Questacon, the Supreme Court, the Australian War Memorial, the national museum place thingy,"
I laugh.
"What! I just named like 10 famous places in ACT, you should be proud!"
"5, actually."
"Oh shut up Eirin."
"You both need to shut up actually! I'm asleep, remember?" Chloe yells. She turns over and murmurs something about respect. Mae shrugs again.
"Well I suppose it is..." she looks at her phone, "Shit! 1:38am! Yeah we really should go to sleep..."
"No kidding, dumbasses!" Chloe calls from under her blanket.
"Sorry Chloe! Night Eirin." Mae adjusts herself and falls asleep, too. I reach up and turn off our seat row's lights.
Looking out the window one last time, at the mass of bare land below, I smile, the excitment of the trip finally starting to dawn on me. I don't think there's much that could possibly ruin it. I turn over, and let myself drift slowly off to sleep.
Canberra, here we come.