Other trip days
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Melbourne Departure
A very long and strange day, actually two days in one. Wake up call at 7:30 AM. Shot some last pictures of the view from the 45th floor in the hotel room. Bags were mostly packed, now took out the extra blue bag as a second check-in luggage and left the flip flops. Took bags outside at 8:05 AM for an 8:15 AM pick-up. The hand luggage was heavy because we were trying to limit weight in the checked luggage, so we left the carry-on bags with the concierge. Went down for breakfast on the 35th floor. Got french toast from the omelet guy. Went back to the room to go to B, then down to get the carry-on bags from the concierge (who could not find the Globus bags at first). The bus driver was some cheap guy (Neil Norton). Left hotel for the airport at 9:20 AM. Jann had a drawing for the Koala kline and Norma won it. Gave Jann her birthday card (early) on the bus. Then Jann gave everyone a keychain to everyone and gave the two bridge climbers the Sydney keychain. Got to the airport around 9:45 AM. Helped the bus driver to unload the luggage (his foot was injured). Jann was in a hurry to get us off first since are flight was at 11:50 AM (30 minutes before the others who went on Qantas flight QA93). Got a trolley and wasted a long time in line to check in. Qantas ticket agent made the Kwut check in his roller bag (14 kg, vs the 7 kg limit). They also made me move some books to the checked bags (7.2 kg). Got to passport control. Kwut and I had passports switched and my dupe had already stamped the Kwut’s passport. Got this sorted out and then through security. Got to gate 11, made sure we got there at 10:45 AM and the boarding was supposed to start at 10:50 AM. Kwut went to get some wine, I went to the B and to get some coffee. Sat around and they did not board the aircraft until11:30 AM (so we actually could have changed the Aussie money there).
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Melbourne to Los Angeles Flight
We had seats 74D (me) and 74E (Kwut). The plane was quire empty (flight attendant said there were only about 100 on board the 747). The plane took off and when they turned off the seat belt sign everyone tried to grab a center seat (the pilot had requested that everyone sit in their assigned seats for takeoff). Kwut was able to grab a window seat (72A) on the port side and had a final view of Australia. We got the US immigration forms and were also informed that the US B law was in effect. I worked on the trip log and held on to our original center section. We got a lunch/dinner. Ate the chicken with some tea and had the standard small Magnum IK bar for desert. The aircraft map display showed us over something called Kingston (which we later found out was Norfolk Island), but we could no see it anyway. Played the Caveman and Bowling games. Got a sack with different snacks and a bottle of water from the flight attendant. As we neared Naia, we looked for it in the binoculars. Finally the Kwut spotted the dumpy island (Fiji) surrounded by coral reefs. I watched part of the cartoon movie Shark Tale and then took a nap. I got up and saw that we were near Apia. Did not see anything out of the window at first, so I shot some film of the orange sunset. Kwut also spotted the three islands first (the third island was just a glow under the clouds). They looked like jewels sparkling in the darkness, since it was night now and all we saw was the lights. The first two islands were in Western Samoa, and the third one under the cloud was American Samoa (Pago-Pago). Watched part of movie Garden State and tried to sleep. Looked at a shallow area of the ocean at the halfway point but saw nothing. Tried to back to get back to sleep again. Got up to look for the remote Line Islands. As we passed through the area, we could see nothing even though it was relatively clear.Went back and actaually slept for a little while. With less than 3 hours left in the flight they turned on the lights. After a short while they served breakfast (French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, and cooked tomato). Worked on the trip log some more, played Caveman, and filled out the US customs form. Saw the sunrise as we approached LA (6:30 local time). On final approach the aircraft was thrown around by a violent thunderstorm. We landed around 7 AM (its was 11:30 AM on Saturday when we left so we actually arrived in Los Angeles before we left from Melbourne).
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Los Angeles LAX Airport
LAX required the aircraft to be towed to the gate. Got off and toUS passport control, got to line up in the citizen’s line for once. Passed on to baggage claim and put stuff on a trolley. Told the customs prescreener that I had food, and got sent to the regular (non-agricultural). They collected the card and waved you on. Put bags on the check-in belt for domestic connections. Met some dupe asking for money. Got to the domestic terminal, but could not find a currency exchange. Infobag told us to go back to the Bradley International Terminal. Walked back, went inside to the TSA huck who said to go to the first floor. Found the currency exchange and converted $300 Aussie to US. Walked back to domestic terminal and to the first class security check-in. Went to the LAX Admiral’s Club went to B and got some coffee. At 9:30 AM, left the Admiral’s Club and went to gate 47B. Sat down and went to B and got some food.
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Los Angeles to Dallas Flight
Around 10 AM, boarded American flight 2464, seats 22A (Kwut) and 22B (me). Flight left at 10:40 AM. Took off towards the Pacific, turning back and passed Palos Verdes and Long Beach. After we got over the clouds there was not much to see, except some weird cloud formation that the pilot pointed out. Cheap American Airlines wanted you to pay for the food and headsets (unlike Qantas). The movie Wimbledon was showing. Slept for most of the flight (almost 2 hours). Landed in DFW airport in gate C12. Claim bags, but did not know how to get the Super Shuttle. Went to the ground floor, and Kwut stayed with the luggage. Asked the TSA dupe how the get the shuttle and called on the courtesy phone (hotel/limo). Went back out and we walked to the Scheduled Ride-Super Shuttle. Did not take up offer to ride with City Shuttle. In short order the Super Shuttle van arrived with a driver on one other dupe. Picked up another passenger going to Benbrook (just arrived from Zurich) and another passenger just arrived from Latvia. After making a few other stops, we left DFW airport. Made a stop in downtown Fort Worth. Then they drove to Kwut’s house and dropped us off, but I left my carry-on bag on the SuperShuttle. Kwut called the company, fortunately he had the bus number. They radioed the Ethiopian bus driver who was making the last stop. After almost an hour he pulled up the driveway and dropped off the bag.
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