Remainder of time in Sydney was spent watching final round of Pebble Beach Golf before starting to pack. Ok, so my TSA lock won’t open, lucky it was unattached at time. Across toad to QVB and a quick purchase of a new one and then time to catch train to International Airport. The airport link train is an excellent mode of travel. Of course I arrived in plenty of time and was pleasantly surprised to be able to book in 4 hrs before departure ! As it was a late upgrade I did not have seat confirmed but happy to see it was a window seat in middle of upper deck. The Qantas club is of course excellent but one does have to pace one self. Yeah right…….
Fairly smooth boarding and we left on time. On a 16 hr flight one is a little concerned when in a window seat but luckily had a small Asian woman next to me that was going to be easy to jump over even at full stretch. These are of course the refurbished A380s and they have skinted on some of the luxuries – like number of toilets ! The plane was showing its age a bit but these are first world problems. Have been fortunate to fly Emirates BC as well and would say the seat and cabin are better there but where Qantas excel are food and service. Now even though the possibility exists to get as full as a state school hat rack you never do because before u know it the shades are down and the Jammies are on. Yep, slipped into my Peter Morrisey Summer Bogan collection that would not look out of place at Station Square on Centrelink day. Comfy though. Now lie flat is a fine concept but never really get comfortable and my feet did actually touch seat bubble in front at full stretch. Watched The Martian at last which was very enjoyable and then a couple of 20 min cat naps and before you knew it there was only 10 hrs to go! Another fine breakfast served a couple of hours out which was actually 11:30 am Texas time so body clock could get confused . Now just have to see how the traverse through customs goes and hopefully there is a driver waiting outside to take me to Dallas lodgings
Got through Customs nice and quick with automated processing although the Sheila in uniform wasn’t buying I was old enough to be retired! A sista was there to take me to lodgings and she was very helpful and even took me to AT&T after check in to fix up phone. The apartment is great and in a good complex. A few lite groceries and then a walk around neighbourhood before jet lag sets in. Hey, look at that a beer garden….. Katy’s Trail is a well known walking running track in the area and of course smack bang in middle is the Icehouse beer garden. As expected in Texas the beers and burgers were huge and very reasonable price. Once again very friendly people although may get tired of hearing ” ya good Hon” ? after a few days .Mind you if she is serving beer it may pass. Or maybe it is a question unrelated to service at all and more of a challenge ?? I will have to go back and try the beerita – frozen Margeurita with beer upturned in it. Lovely afternoon despite current forecast of thunderstorms. Who would have thunk the bureau could be wrong here too.?
Will be early night after flight and then full on touristy clown starts tomorrow with Segway and JFK museum.
I think I could like Texas
flashman181 