Up at 7:30 this morning to use up the last of the bacon and eggs. Our checkout time is 10 a.m., which gives us lots of time to wander to the airport, as our flight leaves at 1:55 p.m.
I mostly packed up last night. It is amazing how my luggage requirements have already grown - and we still have two weeks of adventures ahead of us in New Zealand!
I will miss our little corner of Australia. The heat is a bit much for me, but I love the birds and the flowers. I think if I stayed here, I would not be able to avoid looking like Crocodile Dundee, which is admittedly not one of my life's goals. But I would love to come back and explore other parts of Australia. Both JQ and I had been interested in Cairns when we were in the early planning stages, and I would absolutely love to see Uluru and Alice Springs (yes, I'm aware of the heat - that would have to be a winter trip to make it anywhere remotely near manageable).
At 10, we left our little house on Harris Street for the last time. At the LRT, we topped up our Opal card so that we have enough money to get us to the airport. The LRT ride to Central is only a few dollars, but it is $16+ to take the train to the airport. It is not a particularly long distance, just another airport tax.
At the airport, we head to Departures and go to the counter to check in some bags. As per usual, JQ and I bicker at the counter. The clerk asks for proof that we plan to leave New Zealand, like proof of a flight (apparently, they are very sticky about that in New Zealand). JQ hasn't printed that off, so has to figure out how to do a screencap. I don't have that email on my phone, and so I am berating her for not forwarding it, and she is berating me for not knowing how to do a screencap on her phone. We eventually get it sorted, and the clerk says goodbye, smirks and says, "battle on, ladies." Don't encourage us!
Then it's off to once again bow before our robot overlords by giving them our passports and staring into the camera. What do they do with these before and after pics, I wonder? Possibly advertising. "Look how haggard and bedraggled these sad Canadian look after their 15 hour flight. And look at them now, less than 2 weeks later. Happy (and possibly on their way to permanent sun damage)."
After the mandatory photo session, next up is security. One of the guys ahead of me in line was trying to fly home with a half-full jug of milk. "No!" says the security guy, "You can't take this!" And off it goes into the garbage.
Because of my many electronics, I get an extra bomb screening. JQ says it's because I look like a criminal. Maybe I would look more chic if she loaned me her hat, but no go - she has to wheedle her way through security too.
Sydney has an appropriately large and interesting airport. We're at the airport early, so we are wandering around, looking at the high-end shopping options, with all of the overpriced goods. For our part, we choose to spend our money on overpriced food. JQ gets a $20 salad, and I get a ridiculously cheap $10 sandwich, Coke & chips combo from a bookstore. Go figure.
To get to New Zealand, we are flying Qantas, and their logo is a Kangaroo on the tail. This makes me happy. I keep thinking of that exchange from Rain Main. "Qantas never crashed." "Qantas? Qantas! You have to get to Melbourne Australia to fly Qantas!" Actually, in our case, it's available from Sydney Australia too.
When we get on the plane, I find I have a USB plug-in at my seat, which pleases me and my many electronics. Time to charge up! Our flying distance is 2161km, which seems to me would be a very long boat ride. I wonder how long that would take? Google says, depending on boat speeds, around 15 days of seasickness. Glad we're flying.
On the plane, I try to decide what movies to watch. I did start watching The Shape of Water, but it was too bright out and I wasn't catching the detail on the screen, so I switched to Dunkirk instead. There was a scene in the film that made me all teary-eyed and might have made my cold dead heart beat a little bit, so I'm going to say it was a good film.
Also, my noise cancelling earbuds are the best investment ever. Definitely getting my money's worth out of them this trip! 😀
The flight attendants come around with meals, much to our surprise. Unfortunately, neither of us are hungry and so decline the meals. Had we known, we would not have purchased expensive airport food. JQ tells the flight attendant that Air Canada would never feed us on a 3-hour flight. Just another example of how the world is different on this side of the world.
It is a sunny day with fluffy clouds over the ocean, and a mostly smooth flight, which is always appreciated. Next stop, New Zealand!
I mostly packed up last night. It is amazing how my luggage requirements have already grown - and we still have two weeks of adventures ahead of us in New Zealand!
I will miss our little corner of Australia. The heat is a bit much for me, but I love the birds and the flowers. I think if I stayed here, I would not be able to avoid looking like Crocodile Dundee, which is admittedly not one of my life's goals. But I would love to come back and explore other parts of Australia. Both JQ and I had been interested in Cairns when we were in the early planning stages, and I would absolutely love to see Uluru and Alice Springs (yes, I'm aware of the heat - that would have to be a winter trip to make it anywhere remotely near manageable).
At 10, we left our little house on Harris Street for the last time. At the LRT, we topped up our Opal card so that we have enough money to get us to the airport. The LRT ride to Central is only a few dollars, but it is $16+ to take the train to the airport. It is not a particularly long distance, just another airport tax.
At the airport, we head to Departures and go to the counter to check in some bags. As per usual, JQ and I bicker at the counter. The clerk asks for proof that we plan to leave New Zealand, like proof of a flight (apparently, they are very sticky about that in New Zealand). JQ hasn't printed that off, so has to figure out how to do a screencap. I don't have that email on my phone, and so I am berating her for not forwarding it, and she is berating me for not knowing how to do a screencap on her phone. We eventually get it sorted, and the clerk says goodbye, smirks and says, "battle on, ladies." Don't encourage us!
Then it's off to once again bow before our robot overlords by giving them our passports and staring into the camera. What do they do with these before and after pics, I wonder? Possibly advertising. "Look how haggard and bedraggled these sad Canadian look after their 15 hour flight. And look at them now, less than 2 weeks later. Happy (and possibly on their way to permanent sun damage)."
After the mandatory photo session, next up is security. One of the guys ahead of me in line was trying to fly home with a half-full jug of milk. "No!" says the security guy, "You can't take this!" And off it goes into the garbage.
Because of my many electronics, I get an extra bomb screening. JQ says it's because I look like a criminal. Maybe I would look more chic if she loaned me her hat, but no go - she has to wheedle her way through security too.
Sydney has an appropriately large and interesting airport. We're at the airport early, so we are wandering around, looking at the high-end shopping options, with all of the overpriced goods. For our part, we choose to spend our money on overpriced food. JQ gets a $20 salad, and I get a ridiculously cheap $10 sandwich, Coke & chips combo from a bookstore. Go figure.
When we get on the plane, I find I have a USB plug-in at my seat, which pleases me and my many electronics. Time to charge up! Our flying distance is 2161km, which seems to me would be a very long boat ride. I wonder how long that would take? Google says, depending on boat speeds, around 15 days of seasickness. Glad we're flying.
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| Goodbye, Australia! I love you! I'll miss you! |
Also, my noise cancelling earbuds are the best investment ever. Definitely getting my money's worth out of them this trip! 😀
The flight attendants come around with meals, much to our surprise. Unfortunately, neither of us are hungry and so decline the meals. Had we known, we would not have purchased expensive airport food. JQ tells the flight attendant that Air Canada would never feed us on a 3-hour flight. Just another example of how the world is different on this side of the world.
It is a sunny day with fluffy clouds over the ocean, and a mostly smooth flight, which is always appreciated. Next stop, New Zealand!
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