Day One!

After 15 hours or so of flying in total darkness the sun made an appearance!  

I started out Tuesday morning (San Diego time) about 4:30am, 3 hours later my son picked me up and took me to the Airport.  Went through security, found the gate, (also Coffee!) and waited for the 10:30 flight to LAX.  30 minutes after we took off we landed.  It was pouring rain and every time I found a window it was still raining.  If you haven't heard California has been hit with a BIG storm (atmospheric river) every 3 days or so.  These are causing major flooding and mud slides and piling up yet more snow in the mountains.  California was in a major drought but I don't think getting it all at once is very helpful.  I know San Diego was greener than I have ever seen it.  Anyway, after landing in Terminal 7 I discovered that International flights are in Terminal B.  That meant I walked through Terminal 7, Terminal 6, Terminal 5, and Terminal 4 to get there.  I for sure got my steps in!  Then I waited, emailed with Chooky and my family and read.  Then I waited some more.  The Melbourne flight began boarding about 9:45pm (So that 10 hours I waited) we took off a little after 10pm. I did manage to sleep some of the way but it was not especially comfortable.  We arrived about 7:30 am Melbourne time, picked up luggage, and cleared customs.  (Chooky, you'll be glad to know I still have the canned pumpkin!)  My poor sleep addled brain had trouble figuring things out so I decided that staying at the airport hotel made some sense (especially since I'm leaving in two days for Tasmania).  I've managed to remain awake so that normal sleep might happen tonight.

So far I've learned that I want to upgrade from economy on my next international trip,  that travel pillows are not worth the trouble they cause (sorry Beth), that glass Coke bottles in Australia have twist off tops and that even the hot water is on the right not the left!