AUSTRALIA

April 6

All my bags are packed I’m ready for Australia!  Off on another epic adventure, this time I have a wedding to attend in Merimbula on the Sapphire Coast of Australia. Let me tell you a little about my experiences of travelling from Toronto to Los Angeles, then off to Sydney.  The security is brutal, we all know it is, even the folks in parliament get annoyed by it at times.  This particular lady “insisted” that I slide my carry-on luggage in one of those silly metal frames, you know the ones intended to regulate the size of bag you’re allowed to take inside the cabin of the plane.  

Well she looked at my bag and thought it was too fat, I took on the challenge and tried to slide my wheeled suitcase inside.  Attempt number one – failed.  I went to the side and shifted a few items around.  Attempt number two- failed.  Once again moved things around and took some clothing out.  Attempt number three- failed. Alright!!! This is enough.  I’m going to jump on the suitcase and squish everything to make it fit.  Just on the other side of the gate, a couple is watching me and started to laugh and offer suggestions.  Attempt number four – successful!  I did it.  The couple is celebrating with me, and off I go to clear into US customs.  Everything went smooth… the Air Canada flight from Toronto to L.A. was almost five hours in length, with a crying 2 year old baby sitting next to me with his dad.  It was a wonderful reality check!!  Note to self:  1) Babies cry. 2) Don’t bring babies flying, because they will cry. 3) Make sure not to have babies.  I was entertaining this little one for almost 4 hours, and towards the end he was so exhausted from crying that he decided to sleep.  Arrived in L.A. ran around searching for the right terminal… going up and down escalators, going on a bus and asking for directions a few too many times.  It was all part of the experience.  On my way into security, I noticed one of the gentlemen’s from the Toronto-L.A. flight and we were constantly going in the same direction and slightly following each other.  I asked him where he was going and he said “Sydney, Australia” and I said “me too!”.  So we started talking and he was telling me that he was off to visit one of his 4 daughters… to help her build a house down there & I was off to a wedding.  We great conversations about the Olympics and a few other things while waiting at the airport, found our gate and then jumped on our United flight 839 for the next 14 hours. Brace yourself.