Australian Adventure 2013

The day started well, but ominously.  Breakfast at Kramer’s was delayed as an overnight “update” meant an Unsuccessful Geek Squad session that failed to restore my Windows 8.1 “start” menu that had disappeared.  Luckily everything else seems to work but it is highly annoying.

After breakfast Annie kept me calm and helped me pack and complete the things necessary to leave the house empty for many weeks.  Annie finally had to leave as today is Tara’s annual Alumni Day & picnic.  Michelle arrived soon afterwards and in due course we set out for the airport.  We had a good run and the check-in process was relatively quick and easy.

We then sat and chatted for a long time until about an hour before my scheduled departure.  We said our goodbyes and, well coached, I sailed through security (TSA) quickly and easily, and fairly easily found the gate from which I was supposed to depart in an hour or so.  American Airlines is being American Airlines today.  I have just discovered that my flight to Dallas has been delayed TWO hours.  Now I am wondering what will happen… more later!

The half-empty and very late plane finally left around 7:30 with all four of the worried Brisbane-bound passengers on board.  We traveled at warp speed and made up some time allowing us to make the train ride to the different terminal, but original gate about an hour before boarding begins.  With luck that will be enough time for our luggage to make the same trip!  As it turns out I have been very glad of Annie’s snacks in both terminals, supplemented by a whole can of Bloody Mary MIX to go with my cup of ice on the flight.

My suspicions were aroused when I was NOT asked for money at check-in in Indy, and were fully confirmed when I boarded this plane and found my seat assignment was NOT in “premium” but back in the cattle car section with miniature seats that feel like they are made of concrete.  It appears that American, or Qantas or both lied to each other and to my nice AAA lady and screwed me royally.  This is going to be a VERY long flight.  Thus far it is fair to say that nobody need envy me taking this trip.  There is hardly room to work this PC so I will sign off yet again.

I settled down and cabin service was quite quick after reaching altitude.  I had a beer (don’t panic, Annie, it was GINGER beer, a British & Commonwealth soft drink) and a dinner.  My late father in law would have said (phonetically – only Marissa knows how to spell it properly) “dobry allo marlow” (translates into nice but small)!  Thereafter things settled down.

It had not occurred to me previously but the outside world was in darkness the entire flight.  Since the world turns faster than the plane flew we went from the sunset side to the sunrise side during our 14500 kilometer (you do the math) 15 hour and thirty minute flight, which meant we were stuck in our seats for close to 16 ½ hours in total.  What it did mean was that the interior was in darkness (or very low ambient light) the whole way and in a plane that big the individual seat lights are not very accurate making even reading rather uncomfortable.

I went into “doze mode” (more or less aware of where I was & what was around me, but with my brain almost at rest and apart from waking up super dry-mouthed occasionally & needing a slug of water from the bottle in my Qantas-supplied snack pack I managed to pass a lot of time.  Eventually I was slept out and broke down & chose a movie to watch on my individual mini-screen.  Don’t remember the title but it was the new movie about Liberace and Douglas was absolutely brilliant in the lead role.  Being John Priddis I would have preferred more music and less “drama” but it was still good.  After that I alternated trying to read with dozing until the light came up & we had very decent breakfast.  More dozing and then it was time to descend.  I discovered that after ones bum becomes numb enough one no longer notices the seat, but the lack of space between rows was a trial all trip for me, who can’t sit still for five minutes at a stretch!

The landing was smooth, deplaning, a bit of a welcome walk and immigration all went smoothly and not too slow, we beat the luggage to the carousel and just as I thought I was done two young women in front of me, me, and a married couple behind me must all have looked like drug smugglers as we were pulled aside and stood in a line, we assumed to have our baggage searched.  However they brought out the drug-sniffing dog, he passed up one side of us and back down the other, smelled nothing, and we were all let go.

Pam & Nick were at the exit doorway, we hugged, had a coffee, drove to Wynnum (only about ½ hour), chatted, had breakfast, etc.  Then I unpacked and settled in, had a most welcome shower and change of clothes and finished this episode.

I am not taking “scenic” pictures today as for the first time in over a month the Brisbane area has gray skies and actual rain, although not until after we arrived.