Australia Trip, 2-Feb

It Begins

It's happening! My pack's on its way to Sydney, and I really hope to follow it. Didn't sleep much at all - maybe two hours - owing to excitement and converting 48 albums to put on the iPod (but not starting the conversion until 5p yesterday afternoon). It's quite likely I've forgotten something, but hopefully it's nothing big, and there's exactly nothing I can do about it now. The board says the flight's on time, and I can't believe how awake and alert I feel for essentially a no-sleep night.

LA this morning, a few hours waiting, then off to Sydney around 12:30p. Biggest trip of my life, period. Been talked about for two decades, discussed with Monique for two years, planned for several months. Can't wait to see Rachel and hear dogs bark with Australian accents.

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Brief Respite

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747-400, our home in the sky

A nice turkey sammich from Starbucks, an after-meal mint or nine from our stash o' candy, and now we wait to board at noon. It was a great flight down -- the baby behind us only fussed once, and her older sister only kicked the backs of our seats 70 or 80 times. We left on time, arrived early, and so far the flight to Sydney is scheduled to depart on time. I've been telling folks we're 16 hours in the air to Sydney, but it's only 14. Still the longest flight I've ever taken!

There's a young woman wearing ridiculously rectangular glasses, red tennies, and hair like the lead singer of Journey. I bring it up because she sat down about 15 minutes ago and has been on the phone constantly. I think this is her third call. Life must be pointless for her without a cell phone. Actually she's more fascinating than annoying, listening to her seamlessly switch between English and Spanish.

I'm glad we already have our seat assignments, this is a completely full (oversold!) 747. I'm sleepy, but so jazzed for this, I couldn't care less!

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We're Off

Less than a minute after takeoff and we're over the water. Weird, exciting, and a little daunting knowing we'll stay over water the next 14+ hours. We'll fly over no land (the pilot says we'll fly within a few miles of Fiji), but I doubt a 747 could land there. Maybe we could. Regardless, it's wacky stuff, and I hope the pilots are well-rested and in a good mood.

(muuuuch later) We crossed the international date line a while ago, but I'm not converting time zones tonight. All I know is it's Friday, 3 Feb, 9:30p Sydney time. It's been a remarkably smooth, quiet flight back here in Row 70. Ours is a two-seat row, with a little area between the window and Monique's seat. I noticed only a few loudmouth boors (yeah, New Jersey, I'm talkin' to you), and even they quieted down after a while. I hope for a good long sleep at Rachel's. For me, tomorrow is all about not sitting. Ladies and gentlemen, we've started our descent toward Sydney -- WOO HOO!

For Carla: My feet hurt, my nasal passages are dry, and the plane is very loud. The woman in front of me bathed in perfume, snores, and has a nasty stomach disorder, if ya know what I mean. I think I left the toaster plugged in, I probably won't be able to watch the SuperBowl, and my neck's sore.

My duffel bag is stupidly heavy, and the pen's blotching up. I just lost a chess game to the in-flight entertainment system, and now I have a stomach disorder. What a stupid trip this will be.

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