So I had to go interstate for work last week. I was at Sydney airport and making my way to the waiting area at the gate for my flight when I noticed this guy looking at me. He was at least as old as me, maybe older, I thought maybe he was lost or something. I said hi, he said "hello, want to go up to the lounge?" - which would be the Gold Class Business Lounge. Wow, so forward! A tempting offer to be sure but this guy really looked like the roving hands type probably not that interested in conversation. So I smiled and said no thank you. I noticed that he watched where I went to sit but fortunately he took no for an answer and left me alone.
Even if he had seemed more appealing I wouldn't have been in the mood, it had been a stressful morning getting my hot water system fixed and getting to the airport in high humidity and heat, ugh. (Had to take a paracetamol that night in my my hotel room.)
It's been almost two years living full time and I'm still finding it difficult to find the right way to respond to advances from men. They don't happen all that much and in the past I have been dismissive and sometimes downright rude, at least this time I was fairly polite.
Anyway, it was interesting going on this work trip. It was for a two day meeting in a city I'm unfamiliar with, with people I'd never met...but it all went really well. I felt warmly and immediately welcomed by these interstate colleagues. And being face to face with the service industry - airlines, taxis, hotels, restaurants, etc meant lots and lots of "miss", "madam"...ain't ever gonna get tired of that!
