Saturday, January 31, 2009

Landed in Sydney!

I am sitting on the flight from LA to Sydney and can't sleep.. I slept for a while but now I'm wide awake, got a Golden Ale from James Squire to try and put me back to sleep.. James Squire's Golden Ale is a beer that was made specifically for Quantas airlines, one of the big things that people don't realize about airline food/drink is that your taste buds are less active at high altitudes. With that in mind James Squire developed this beer, I bet it tastes horrible on the ground, but on the plane it tastes really good.

Speaking of tasting really good, Jessie had signed me up for the Vegetarian meal which meant two things. One - I got my food before everyone else! Two - I got a Indian style tofu/rice dish which was amazing. The girl next to me got the chicken dish and it looked ok. Speaking of the girl next to me.. I was in the LA airport waiting for the flight and I ended up chatting with a girl also waiting for the flight, we were talking about the ridiculousness of the LA airport when I saw her ticket was the seat next to mine. She lives north of Boston and is studying for her masters degree in Sydney and is going back for her second year. She is very cute but has a boyfriend in Sydney that she is pretty serious about. As I type this she is reading the 2nd book in the Twilight series, I might give book two a shot depending on the Audible play lists..

Let me back up to the first flight.. I got on the flight from Boston to LA and there was a seat empty in my aisle, it stayed empty till the last person got on the flight.. Now, my first thought was crap now I'm in a full row but when the lady sat down I was very happy to have her next to me. She was probably in her late 50s or early 60s but she looked like she was in her 40s at most, she works as a nurse for a cosmetic surgeon. We had a very long talk about people with body images and how sad it is that so many of these women come in and keep getting bigger boobs, flatter stomachs, etc. She was on her way to LA to meet her daughter who works teaching classes world wide, her daughter was coming from Texas and they were going together to Australia. They were flying to Melborne for the first week and Sydney for the second week before flying home. It would be really funny if we were on the same flights home. I have never had a problem with my ears on a plane before today, I had taken a decongestant before boarding but I didn't take one on the way down, in retrospect I really should have. Old plane + head cold = ears that won't pop. I took the decongestant when I landed but my ears are still not fully popped. I have one more decongestant which I'm going to take an hour before we land in Sydney.

Now to LA.. Land in the airport terminal and there is a shuttle bus to a secondary terminal for the Quantas flights. I went to get on the bus and they told me that if I wanted to eat or shop I should stay in the main terminal since there was nothing in the secondary one. I got a cookie and some water, looked at the shops and got bored so I jumped on the bus. Speaking of food, I ate sushi and miso soup in Logan airport which was real good, but real expensive. When I got over to the other terminal it was a dump, there was a few terminal desks and doors which led to buses! When they board the plane they have you check in a desk, go outside and get on a bus, then they drive you to the plane and have you get off the bus and walk on the plane.
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Landed in Sydney around 8am local time which I guess makes it a 16 hour time difference! It's 4:30pm now and 12:30am for you east coasters. Took the train from the airport to Circular Quay which is pronounced Circular Key. Walked the few blocks to the hotel and checked in and changed before getting changed and heading back out. I walked down Pitt St and saw all kinds of stores which will be fun once I'm in shopping mode, I walked across Cockle Bay and all around Darling Harbour which has the IMAX and the Aquarium. Walked back over the Harborside Bridge which is a walking bridge across the bay and back up the Circular Quay area which has the Ice Bar and the Opera House. Why in the world would I want to go into the Ice Bar? You pay for 30 minutes in the bar and it's basically like sitting outside back home!

First let me tell you that I felt like shit on the whole plane ride, I was constantly blowing my nose and drinking Gypsy Cold Care Tea and EmergenC. Once I got into the sunshine and heat I felt 100% better, after walking around for hours however my right foot is killing me which is why I'm back at the hotel. Plan for tonight is to soak my feet in the hot tub and then go back down Pitts St and find something good for dinner. For lunch I grabbed a Lamb Souvlaki wrap from a stand on the street. I found but didn't eat Movenpick ice cream, I didn't feel like ice cream since I was enjoying the heat but will most likely eat some tomorrow since it's close to the hotel.

That's all for now, I will probably post again before bed or at the latest in the morning to tell of my dinner experience. By the way, my stupid left ear is still not popped!

1 comment:

  1. First, (((hugs))) for your ear still being screwy. I've had that happen before, it definitely sucks.

    Yay, Moevenpick ice cream! Have one for me? I miss them...

    I love reading about all your adventures and the people you meet and their stories... though I suppose I don't have to tell you that. :)

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