:( It’s my last day of vacation and a hard traveling day. I leave Sydney at 1:50 p.m. on May 18 and arrive in Los Angeles at 9:00 a.m. on May 18, I have never “made” time before. Should be fun? Right? Feel better after sorting a few things out on an unexpectedly answered call. I did miss their comforting voice. I really did try to be good and not bother anyone, but I did return in the doghouse probably forever. C'est la vie. Things work out as they should.
My hotel had a car waiting for me -- how fancy? My friend and I had tried the shuttle thing before and it was disaster so for a few dollars more -- a car was a great idea. It was a BMW higher class one, which I think are very expensive here. The driver was great -- he was from near Trogir, Yugoslavia. I told him I had visited there last year. He had emigrated 15 years ago to Australia. Prior to their war, he had worked in the tourism industry for Yugoslavian Airlines and had visited all over the world and loved Sydney the best, a very nice man. He helped me out with my bags and said he had seen much worse :).
I got to the check in and it didn’t open for 30 minutes. So I sat on a bag and read my book and waited. (Reading Sullivan McLeod’s “Tunnel Vision” almost through with it. Great read and I recommend it to any vagabond gypsy, even non surfers like me enjoy his exploits.)
When the lines opened I was probably in the first 20. At the counter I asked as I normally do, “Can I upgrade or get a better seat?” and the normal answer is either “no” or “do you want an exit row?”. This time the answer was do you want first class or business class. Hello, “How much?” She told me and as it was just about what a nice hotel room and 3 good meals would be I gave her my credit card quickly in case someone else tried to grab the seat. :) cha ching.
I have only traveled first or business class once and that was to France and back from Italy in 2005. It was great then and I am sure it will be great this time too. Also she gave me an “express” pass for customs/security and the directions to the lounge. Yeah me.
At their passport control you have to have filled out an exit card (didn’t know that). Then the sweet little guy stamps your passport as leaving. Went through security, which was more like US security and they made you take out your ipad too.
Hiked down to the gate area, as I had forgotten a few peoples’ gifts I found just what I was looking for there and had a shopping bag now too for the plane. Ugh, three bags, I know they will fuss in LA and Houston.
Went down to the lounge area, how out of place did I feel? A little country girl like me in a fancy place like that. I had my money ready for the cafeteria style food set up, but there was no cash register nor prices -- it’s free :) I got a few mini-muffins and a weird US style mini biscuit and some fruit. Wished I had the tummy to eat real food, but I normally don’t when I fly.
Met a very nicely dressed lady from Sydney who lives in DC and is with the National Herb Society (wonder if she says “Herb” or “erb”). She has lived in the US for 17 years and is retired and just volunteers. She gave me her card.
Got to get on the plane early, and found my seat faced backwards, this was going to be weird. No one was beside me so I could put my toys in that seat. There was a nicely dressed couple beside me and he smiled all the time. She was a beautiful older lady who was wearing white jeans. I mean really, how many ladies can wear white jeans and actually get away with it.
After I sat down the flight attendants came by with water or real drinks. As I don’t drink on planes, I took a water.
Take off facing backwards was a weird sensation (as would be the landing). I had ridden on many a trains facing backwards but not for a take off or landing. In first class, the video said they had shoulder harnesses.
My last views of Sydney -- definitely ranks in one of my top 10 big cities:
After we started off, I laid the seat back and started watching, “Barney’s Version” probably not a good idea as it makes you think of your life and life choices very hard (and this was a very long flight to just sit and think on). But it was a great movie with Paul Giamatti and Dustin Hoffman and Rosamund Pike. They all did a brilliant job in their roles.
During the movie, they first brought us warm bowls with heated nuts and a drink (water for me again). Then they brought out very quickly your three course dinner -- first course, a salad with vinaigrette dressing, smoked salmon (not for me as it looked and tasted raw-- I could just see me getting sick on a 14 hour plane ride -- not happening), and garlic bread. Second course, cannelloni, and lastly, pavlova (which is meringue) and fresh fruit -- yum.
I slept good after that with some dramamine --about 4-5 hours. Then I woke up to write in my journal (I am catching up quickly), and watched “Life as We Know It”. It was actually a good movie. I didn’t remember what it was about and had never seen it. It was in the comedy section, but it was more of a drama I thought. But the guys in it were easy on the eyes.
Slept in that lovely seat that laid straight out like a twin size bed, about 3 hours more, then they brought around breakfast. This looked amazing but it’s that airplane tummy of mine, don’t eat much so you don’t risk getting sick. So I ate half.
I could get used to this business class action. But I felt like a fish out of water there, an impostor. Do you think they knew I didn't "belong" up there? How can I make enough money to afford this every time I travel overseas?
Got to LAX, nightmare central of course. Made it through passport control fairly quickly, a nice couple behind me in line headed to Alabama from Japan (where they worked for the government for two years). Talk about one disaster zone for another.
Then through customs with my luggage (took the opportunity to stick some of my “new” purchases in my checked luggage too). Then for some reason LAX feeds you to the outside (horrible signage -- one Aussie couple I had to help find the Bradley terminal because there were NO signs whatsoever). I found the entrance to my terminal also and went through security again. The gate area was packed, my flight left in about an hour and a half. While I was on the phone with my cousin (now that I could call anyone I wanted), some idiot hit a door with an alarm and it was going off for at least 20 minutes -- hurt my ears it was so bad, I had them covered.
While at the gate, I asked the nice man beside me if he would like the hat I had bought for my brother. With a sly smile he said, “As I am a Kiwi, no. But he would probably love it”. Gotta love that Kiwi/Aussie rivalry. He was from Auckland and a photographer headed to summer camp in North Carolina to work and then travel to Florida and Argentina -- sounded like a true vagabond to me. In line we met a interesting sort, weird facial hair -- either do a beard, a goatee or a mustache don’t do a half of all of them as a combo. He was from the Cayman Islands and telling us about a great scuba place in Belize. He was on his way to Frankfurt for a year of traveling around Europe.
On the plane, my seat mates were Allen, a Marine helicopter pilot stationed in Monterey, traveling to Florida to celebrate his birthday with his twin sister. And Sophie, a daughter of relief workers/Peace Corp volunteers, who was headed home to Clarksville, Tennessee. Her husband had just retired from the service and works as a consultant for the government training people to do what he used to do. Both were very nice and talked, but I was beat and curled up in a ball and slept most of the way.
In Houston, I got a turkey sandwich (love those American sandwiches) and headed to my gate. Two hours later I boarded my plane home. A beautiful full moon shone as we flew, my camera wouldn't take the picture very well but I tried. I could see the craters of the moon clearly. It was a magical site.
My family was waiting for me when I got off the plane --- I had help with my luggage and got lots of hugs, a great end to a wonderful and magical at times trip......
Remembered one of my grandmother’s favorite phrases -- “Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home”. Had a great time in that Sunburned Country and will definitely be going back.
No comments:
Post a Comment