The week before departure was the normal flurry of events prior to a long trip: Robin verified all potential client activity with her partner Brad, Bill confirmed reservations, booked seats (you now have to PAY to reserve a seat), and both reviewed emergency contacts with the kids, double checked checklists and cleaned the house so we can settle in quickly on return
On the way to the airport Teigan and her roommate Erin took us to Fonda Catrina in Georgetown for farewell Margharitas. Hugs and kisses at the drop off and we were on our way.
From SEA to LAX we were fortunate to get bumped to first class; a relief knowing we will be in the cattle car for the 15 hour flight to Sydney. We typically carry on our two pieces. However, this trip covers cool temperate Sydney site-seeing, dry desert hiking in the Red Center, and wallowing through marshes in hot and humid tropical Kakadu and Fiji. My two additional shoes for this, at size 12, just about filled my roll on, so I took a larger backpack as my carry-onand checked the roll-on. At the last second I threw a pair of skivvies into my carry-on.
Going through Tom Bradley International airport in LAX, a relatively new airport, reminded us how well most airports have evolved greater efficiency in security with PRE, Global Entry, and better attitudes..... by their innefficient design and incompentent personnel. This will have consequenses further later.
Settling in to row 56 on the 747, aft of the wing, I was slightly nostalgic for my international career - certainly the benefit of flying business class. From that vantage you have no idea as to the enormity of this plane. Looking forward out the window all I could see was sea of aluminium. Damn, that wing is HUGE! The root chord length of the wing is probably longer the the entire wingspan of the Cessna I fly. And its overall length, viewed from the back, is longer than the Wright Brothers entire first take-off, flight and landing. I know I sound naive (or snob) but from this vantage it was impressive.
After our horrid meal I took an Ambien, and like an anesthesia I was out before knowing it. The next 8 hours I was blissfully unaware of my knees jammed into the seat in front, my shoulders bent like osteoporosis, and my head lolling on my inflatable pillow.
Next Post: Expect the Unexpected and our first day.
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