The last couple of days felt like a week. I knew that the journey from the US to Australia was going to be long and tiring. I tried to build down time into it. The benefit is a decrease in the disorder, confusion, and stress, but it can make the journey longer.
I came to Australia not from Miami, where I’m from, but from San Jose, California. I was there to attend PantheaCon, an annual Pagan festival. The San Jose airport is small and I got through check in and security quickly. Then I spent an hour sitting at a mostly empty terminal before I got a connection to Los Angeles (LAX).
I had a four-hour layover in LAX. The terminal was one of those outside the regular part of the airport. A shuttle took me and other passengers to an island somewhere in the maze of LAX. It’s one of those terminals without cafes or shops. There wasn’t even many people. Flights to Australia typically depart at night so it was dark and quiet.
The Qantas flight to Melbourne was as comfortable as Economy can be. I scored a great seat with extra leg room. Some people have that superpower where they can sleep anywhere anytime. I do not have that superpower. But I have a Kindle.
Once in Australia, it took me two hours to get through immigration and customs, but it went smoothly. I was so relieved to see Theo waiting for me outside the gate.
Today was a day of settling in, unpacking, and getting familiar with the house. We took a walk in the park and visited a friend. Breakfast was served on the plane, lunch was yummy kebab from a Turkish cafe, and dinner was Chinese takeaway. Now, I’m ready to crash.
