Hi everyone,
Well, I am here in Australia at last! My trip was quite eventful but overall very good. I arrived feeling good and as of this morning am still feeling good with no real after-effects of the time difference. Last night I crashed pretty hard and slept like a baby, so maybe that has something to do with it.
Anyway, today I am going to work on a long post full of details and pictures from my trip so hang tight! Hopefully I will have it up later today, which for you guys is Friday night or early Saturday morning...whereas right now, it is 9:21 on Saturday morning...and 5:21pm Friday night back home!
See you all soon!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Waiting...
It's 1:12AM and I'm waiting until my meds settle to go to sleep. I took them over 2 hours ago and they should have settled by now. But nope, they aren't, so here I sit, watching the Treble Clef clock on my wall tick seconds away, though that clock doesn't keep time properly and is telling me it's 11:30...
Today was a busier day than I anticipated it would be. I figured that I would wake up around 11 or so, get going and finish packing, as well as do some housework and go to the chiropractor's. I actually woke up around 10 and took my sweet time getting going and I don't think I was actually functioning well until about 1pm. After then I was all GO. I finished packing as much as possible, then took off to go see the chiropractor's. On the way back I stopped into hubby's store to tape up a box for sending and to grab a few bucks for sending the box out (and for hitting McDonalds later). Once home, I didn't have very much time before I had to head to Claremont for a meeting that began at 6pm, after which I went to McDonalds with a friend. I got home around 9 and showered and then came down here and ever since then I have been sitting here cold and waiting for the time to pass.
I got confirmation today that my ETA (visa) was all set. Blonde me had given them a date of 7/7/87 as my birth date, not 7/17/87. That's because over there in Australia, they would put it as 17/7/87 so I got all confused. I"m just glad I caught the issue before leaving and that they were able to change the records free of charge to me. So that is one less thing I have to worry about tomorrow.
We will leave here at 10:30am now, and go pick up mom, then officially be on our way. I don't feel like this is real and it hasn't really settled in me that in less than (fewer than?) 48 hours I will see my best friend again! I am totally looking forward to the experience and I can't wait to share more with you all!
Wish I could say I had some pictures for you all, but I don't, due to the fact that my card reader is packed away along with the cameras and everything else. But everything is packed well, bags have been weighed, and there's only a couple of things that need to be packed last minute before heading out! I find it hard to believe this is my last night here at home for 6 weeks. But it is for real...really, it is! I am going to miss everything here so much...which is good...because then I'll have a reason to come back!
For now...I'm going to close out and say good night...or good morning, depending on where you are! I will update ASAP tomorrow!
Today was a busier day than I anticipated it would be. I figured that I would wake up around 11 or so, get going and finish packing, as well as do some housework and go to the chiropractor's. I actually woke up around 10 and took my sweet time getting going and I don't think I was actually functioning well until about 1pm. After then I was all GO. I finished packing as much as possible, then took off to go see the chiropractor's. On the way back I stopped into hubby's store to tape up a box for sending and to grab a few bucks for sending the box out (and for hitting McDonalds later). Once home, I didn't have very much time before I had to head to Claremont for a meeting that began at 6pm, after which I went to McDonalds with a friend. I got home around 9 and showered and then came down here and ever since then I have been sitting here cold and waiting for the time to pass.
I got confirmation today that my ETA (visa) was all set. Blonde me had given them a date of 7/7/87 as my birth date, not 7/17/87. That's because over there in Australia, they would put it as 17/7/87 so I got all confused. I"m just glad I caught the issue before leaving and that they were able to change the records free of charge to me. So that is one less thing I have to worry about tomorrow.
We will leave here at 10:30am now, and go pick up mom, then officially be on our way. I don't feel like this is real and it hasn't really settled in me that in less than (fewer than?) 48 hours I will see my best friend again! I am totally looking forward to the experience and I can't wait to share more with you all!
Wish I could say I had some pictures for you all, but I don't, due to the fact that my card reader is packed away along with the cameras and everything else. But everything is packed well, bags have been weighed, and there's only a couple of things that need to be packed last minute before heading out! I find it hard to believe this is my last night here at home for 6 weeks. But it is for real...really, it is! I am going to miss everything here so much...which is good...because then I'll have a reason to come back!
For now...I'm going to close out and say good night...or good morning, depending on where you are! I will update ASAP tomorrow!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
First Post!
It is 10:56pm on Monday night, March 5th, 2012. I have just created this blog in an effort to record details about my up and coming trip to Australia for the world to see. Or, at least for various friends of mine who wish to keep up with my journeys. I still think that word should be spelled journies. And now there is a little red squiggly line under that misspelled word and it is just about driving me nuts.
Moving on...
I am leaving this house in just under 36 hours to venture out on vacation to Australia for 6 weeks. Chances are, you know me and/or are on my Facebook and you already know that detail. But none-the-less, I include it for the overall effect. My husband, mom and I are planning on departing from here at 10:45am Wednesday morning to head towards Boston. On the way down, we will take a 10 mile detour to go see a horse, Pet, that we used to own. She is now with amazing owners who have offered to let us come see her and her surroundings, which I am quite excited about. I was hoping to ride her for a few minutes, but at the last minute, good old New England weather kicked in and we got a good foot of snow which has translated into mud, making the ground unfit to ride on. Thus, my planned joy ride won't be happening. But at least I will get to see her. I quite miss seeing her and riding her, though I am very happy with her new family as they love her just as much as we did.
After visiting her, we will head back towards Boston. Our plan is to make a stop in Woburn, MA and pick up a bus that will take us directly to the terminal that we need to go to, which in this case, is terminal C. Normally, I would be going to terminal B as I have taken American Airlines out on this particular flight. However, this year that flight was not available until well after we purchased the tickets, so I am unfortunately flying with United Airlines from Boston to LAX. I say unfortunately because that comes with a price tag for checking my second bag. Last year I was forced to check my carry on bag both ways, so this year I thought I would save myself the trouble. If I had been able to fly with AA, it would have been free, because Qantas and AA are interlined and allow two free bags to Australia. I am hoping to check in around 3:30-3:45pm, even though it is a good two plus hours before my flight. That way I have plenty of time to work out baggage fees and make sure that my ETA (visa) is all set. Then I suppose I will sit around and chill out on the net while waiting for boarding.
Obviously, as anyone would be, I'm pretty excited. Unlike most people, I actually like flying. Even if I am squished on a narrow bodied, narrow seated plane for 6 hours of the trip. I'm excited to fly on the A380 once again this year. The 747 the first year was pretty nice, but the A380 topped it, by far for me. Airbus still has a few kinks to work out with their A380s, but overall, it is a really nice jet and despite the fact that I'm in economy, I feel privileged to fly on it.
Everyone has the same question. Why are you going? First and foremost, I am going to see my best friend Chrissy. Everyone's next question is "How did you meet her?" We met online, on a small Christian women's forum. It was not by chance or coincidence, because out of the thousands of people that were on a much larger forum of which we were both a part, somehow we both ended up at a much smaller forum by invitation due to the larger forum going a little haywire. We had no knowledge of each other while being at the larger forum, but somehow, God must have known we needed each other because we both joined the smaller forum, where we first met. Through a chat room held there at the time, we got to know each other, and later we exchanged instant messaging addresses and Facebook names. From there, a friendship was built very quickly and though the first year was pretty rough, we are inseparable now and it has been and will continue to be an amazing journey, both individually and also as friends, walking side by side. This March marks 3 years that we have known each other, and I couldn't imagine my life without her now. The hardest part about the friendship is that we are so far apart geographically. Maintaining any kind of relationship long distance is not easy. We can't balance out fun stuff with the heavy stuff very well, because there's not a lot of fun stuff to do other than play internet games and go crazy on Skype. So anyway, the number one reason I am going is to see her. This is my third trip out there and yes, I am very very blessed to be able to go not once, not twice, but three times. I do hope to get out there every year, but we'll see what God's plans are for me. I love going out there, not only to see her but also to see all the other beautiful friends I've made out there.
This year, I am going to be gone exactly 6 weeks. I'm leaving on Wednesday, which is the 7th of March, and returning 6 weeks later on Wednesday, April 18th. Last year I was gone for 5 weeks and 2 days. This year I had intended to do the same, but these dates were the only ones that promised the best price so I just went with it. It's totally ok, but wow that is a long time. I am sure going to miss being home with my hubby and all the kitties (except King, I won't miss him...). I'll miss seeing my family and friends here, and I'll miss going to church here. But it will be worth it. I know that I am going to come back refreshed and ready to take on the world. Right now I'm pretty depleted...though the winter has been a mild and fairly calm one compared to normal, it has been a difficult past 6 months or so. Things have settled a lot in the last month or so, but I am still tired and in need of mental and emotional rest from it all.
Well, I am pretty much running out of things to say, and I probably should do a little laundry and a couple of other small things even though it is now 2:33am. I kind of got distracted by watching a goat give birth (on a webcam) and talking to Chrissy on skype, among other things such as Smudge (one of my cats) getting in my face a few times for lovins.
I hope you will enjoy the various musings that I will post in here. I am going to try to keep a detailed log of all that happens on my flights and in the airports and beyond, complete with pictures. For now, this is all I've got!
If you have any suggestions for this blog or otherwise, let me know! I'm open to anything! I can also change how this blog looks if you feel that it's too hard on your eyes.
Hope you all have a great rest of the week and I will be back soon!
For those who are curious about my itinerary, jets that I am going to fly on, etc, the information and pictures are below.
Here is my official itinerary:
Here are pictures of the jets I will be flying on. To see them larger, just click on them.
My first flight is in this jet, the United 757-200.
My second flight, as well as the first flight on the way back will be in this jet, the Qantas A380:
On the flight from LAX back to Boston, I will be taking this jet, the American Airlines 757-200 (which I hate):
Moving on...
I am leaving this house in just under 36 hours to venture out on vacation to Australia for 6 weeks. Chances are, you know me and/or are on my Facebook and you already know that detail. But none-the-less, I include it for the overall effect. My husband, mom and I are planning on departing from here at 10:45am Wednesday morning to head towards Boston. On the way down, we will take a 10 mile detour to go see a horse, Pet, that we used to own. She is now with amazing owners who have offered to let us come see her and her surroundings, which I am quite excited about. I was hoping to ride her for a few minutes, but at the last minute, good old New England weather kicked in and we got a good foot of snow which has translated into mud, making the ground unfit to ride on. Thus, my planned joy ride won't be happening. But at least I will get to see her. I quite miss seeing her and riding her, though I am very happy with her new family as they love her just as much as we did.
After visiting her, we will head back towards Boston. Our plan is to make a stop in Woburn, MA and pick up a bus that will take us directly to the terminal that we need to go to, which in this case, is terminal C. Normally, I would be going to terminal B as I have taken American Airlines out on this particular flight. However, this year that flight was not available until well after we purchased the tickets, so I am unfortunately flying with United Airlines from Boston to LAX. I say unfortunately because that comes with a price tag for checking my second bag. Last year I was forced to check my carry on bag both ways, so this year I thought I would save myself the trouble. If I had been able to fly with AA, it would have been free, because Qantas and AA are interlined and allow two free bags to Australia. I am hoping to check in around 3:30-3:45pm, even though it is a good two plus hours before my flight. That way I have plenty of time to work out baggage fees and make sure that my ETA (visa) is all set. Then I suppose I will sit around and chill out on the net while waiting for boarding.
Obviously, as anyone would be, I'm pretty excited. Unlike most people, I actually like flying. Even if I am squished on a narrow bodied, narrow seated plane for 6 hours of the trip. I'm excited to fly on the A380 once again this year. The 747 the first year was pretty nice, but the A380 topped it, by far for me. Airbus still has a few kinks to work out with their A380s, but overall, it is a really nice jet and despite the fact that I'm in economy, I feel privileged to fly on it.
Everyone has the same question. Why are you going? First and foremost, I am going to see my best friend Chrissy. Everyone's next question is "How did you meet her?" We met online, on a small Christian women's forum. It was not by chance or coincidence, because out of the thousands of people that were on a much larger forum of which we were both a part, somehow we both ended up at a much smaller forum by invitation due to the larger forum going a little haywire. We had no knowledge of each other while being at the larger forum, but somehow, God must have known we needed each other because we both joined the smaller forum, where we first met. Through a chat room held there at the time, we got to know each other, and later we exchanged instant messaging addresses and Facebook names. From there, a friendship was built very quickly and though the first year was pretty rough, we are inseparable now and it has been and will continue to be an amazing journey, both individually and also as friends, walking side by side. This March marks 3 years that we have known each other, and I couldn't imagine my life without her now. The hardest part about the friendship is that we are so far apart geographically. Maintaining any kind of relationship long distance is not easy. We can't balance out fun stuff with the heavy stuff very well, because there's not a lot of fun stuff to do other than play internet games and go crazy on Skype. So anyway, the number one reason I am going is to see her. This is my third trip out there and yes, I am very very blessed to be able to go not once, not twice, but three times. I do hope to get out there every year, but we'll see what God's plans are for me. I love going out there, not only to see her but also to see all the other beautiful friends I've made out there.
This year, I am going to be gone exactly 6 weeks. I'm leaving on Wednesday, which is the 7th of March, and returning 6 weeks later on Wednesday, April 18th. Last year I was gone for 5 weeks and 2 days. This year I had intended to do the same, but these dates were the only ones that promised the best price so I just went with it. It's totally ok, but wow that is a long time. I am sure going to miss being home with my hubby and all the kitties (except King, I won't miss him...). I'll miss seeing my family and friends here, and I'll miss going to church here. But it will be worth it. I know that I am going to come back refreshed and ready to take on the world. Right now I'm pretty depleted...though the winter has been a mild and fairly calm one compared to normal, it has been a difficult past 6 months or so. Things have settled a lot in the last month or so, but I am still tired and in need of mental and emotional rest from it all.
Well, I am pretty much running out of things to say, and I probably should do a little laundry and a couple of other small things even though it is now 2:33am. I kind of got distracted by watching a goat give birth (on a webcam) and talking to Chrissy on skype, among other things such as Smudge (one of my cats) getting in my face a few times for lovins.
I hope you will enjoy the various musings that I will post in here. I am going to try to keep a detailed log of all that happens on my flights and in the airports and beyond, complete with pictures. For now, this is all I've got!
If you have any suggestions for this blog or otherwise, let me know! I'm open to anything! I can also change how this blog looks if you feel that it's too hard on your eyes.
Hope you all have a great rest of the week and I will be back soon!
For those who are curious about my itinerary, jets that I am going to fly on, etc, the information and pictures are below.
Here is my official itinerary:
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Here are pictures of the jets I will be flying on. To see them larger, just click on them.
My first flight is in this jet, the United 757-200.
My second flight, as well as the first flight on the way back will be in this jet, the Qantas A380:
I am sitting in this section, the green section, all the way in the last back row, all the way to the left.
Here is a youtube playlist that has videos of my flights from last year's trip. I had American Airlines to and from LAX, and Qantas to and from Melbourne.
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