We are now beginning my series of blog posts on our trip to Australia. Unfortunately, in the upgrade to iOS5 we lost our ‘plane food’ pics on Bill’s phone. When the file gets restored by Apple, I’ll post our usual inflight meal pics!
We prepared thoroughly to ensure our flight from JFK to MEL would be as stress free as possible.
I worked that morning and Bill stayed home and did the final preparations. I got home at 12.30 and at 3pm we were loading our bags into the car. Our driver was lovely and we took some deep breaths and off we went. There are always the usual pre-flight jitters and it was halfway to JFK when I had convinced myself I didn’t turn off the light in the loungeroom. That is where Bill is the perfect travel companion. “Too late now… it will still be on when we get home!”
After checking in, we spent the next few hours in the BA Lounge relaxing and watching baseball. I had come down with a head cold and was feeling average but was so excited to know that in 24 hours we would be with mum and dad.
Our flight from JFK – LAX was uneventful and it was a full flight. Dinner was a mushroom tortellini with salad and I drank LOTS OF SOLO.
I rocked while watching the INXS Rockpalast Concert from 1997 and Simply Red Live from the Opera House (so good!) and also did my usual routine of watching the two Rockwiz episodes that are on the flight.
I slept for about 20 minutes on that flight, enough to recharge for the layover in LA.
We got to the One World Lounge in the Tom Bradley International Terminal and it was like sitting in the Northland Food Court but with people that were half asleep and it was too packed. It was awful. I wish Qantas would have their own lounge at LAX because that one is the worst and it seems to be getting crazier with each trip.
When we hopped on the A380 we got comfy and settled in, trying to stay awake until after the dinner service and now, without pictures I cannot even remember what we had. This was my second time on the A380 and it was absolutely lovely – a dream flight. Take off was faultless, the inflight entertainment is fantastic and the screens were still in good condition. My only issue would seem to be the issue with crowding near the toilets and just that the toilets were not as well kept as the Boeing ones as the taps and general fixtures were looking worn even though the planes are still so young.
My choice of ‘before sleep’ viewing was not a smart one. I decided to watch Snowtown. Sheesh. That is all I have to say and if you have seen it you know what I mean. It was absolutely draining but the time went quick watching it! I drifted into a deep sleep and then woke up four hours later where I was up for another hour and then slept another couple of hours before realizing there was only a few hours left.
Before long, breakfast was being served (a frittata with baked beans) and I was busy watching bits and pieces of random TV shows. It is an amazing feeling when you look at the flight tracking map and you see Sydney… then Wagga Wagga…. then Bendigo… then the nose of the plane on the graphic is over Melbourne but there is still 30 minutes to go. It is the longest time every but the minute the wheels touch the ground it is just like a surge of excitement that flows as we taxi the runway.
No turbulence.
No drama.
No delays.
Good food.
Great entertainment.
Feeling rested.
The flights were basically faultless.
We cleared immigration (quick swipe of the passport, printed out card and then put it in the immigration machine and walk through the gates for me) and customs (no problems there) and came through the big steel doors of Tullamarine. We couldn’t find mum and dad as they now had two exits and they were at our ‘usual’ exit. It was the longest two minutes ever… I was craning my neck while Bill went off to find them. Then we were reunited and it was lots of hugs, “MUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!” and “DADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!” There were no tears as we were too happy for tears. Our holiday had begun and within 10 minutes we were on the Ring Road and headed home.