So the day started off hectic. I managed to get in my Week 5, Day 1!! But I got the airport a little later then I planned and ran to my gate. I barely made the flight to Phoenix that would connect me to Los Angeles. It was a long 4 hour flight. I got to Phoenix and there were people everywhere. Of all places I thought would have delays for weather, Phoenix was on the bottom of my list. But there were tons of delays. I missed flights to LA. I was stressing… ok, I always stress when I have to make connections, but I have never done the international jump seat thing, so I was even more stressed then usual. Finally I got on the last flight that would, barely, get me there in time to catch my flight to Sydney. I got to LA at 835pm… flight leaves at 1026 pm from a different terminal. There was another plane at our gate, so we waited…. And waited…. And waited… didn’t get to the gate until 905pm. I ran to catch the shuttle to Terminal 7 and United. I got there about 915pm. This whole time, Pat is calling from Australia wanting to know if I made the flight… poor guy had to keep calling me back until I knew…
So I run up to pay my fee’s and taxes and such, as I have been told to do on International flights. The woman said I had to go to customer service at the other end… so I run… I get there and realize the other woman still had my credit card!!! Ran back… got my card… ran back again. Whew! Guess I didn’t need to do my running earlier in the day! Haha… Anyway, the second woman just told me I needed to go to the gate and they would handle me there. So I take off for gate 77. I run up the escalator to the security checkpoint. I am in uniform, so I get to skip to the front which is awesome! So I blaze through there and head for my gate. I check in with the nice woman and she checks my visa, which my friend, SC, was nice enough to tell me about. And she tells me it will be a few minutes before she knows. Ok… now I wait. Hurry, wait, hurry, wait! Story of my life, ha ha… Finally Pat calls again(there were a few more calls from him in there too) and as we are talking she pages my name… and gives me a seat!!!!!!!!! Awesome!!! Whew! I told Pat I was on my way! He found me a super cheap flight up to see him, so I didn’t have to take the train,(which I ended up missing anyway because of customs) and he booked that for me… alright, now the trip is on.
So I get on the airplane, and chat with all the flight attendants. I haven’t been on a 747 since I was 16 and going to Spain. So I tell them my seat and they said it was a Business class seat. What!?!?!? REALLY!?!?! Wow!! But I went to check in with the captains(there are 2 full crews for a 14 hour, 44 min flight.) They were all very nice, made sure I had a good seat and told me I could change into street clothes for the flight. Now that is AWESOME!! Sweet! So I said goodbye and went back downstairs. I grabbed some clothes and changed in the bathroom… no small feat on an airplane! I felt like a magician! I settled into my seat, met my seat mate, Jose. He was moving to Sydney for work and was super excited like me! I got some water, and a snack and away we went!!
They give you a menu of your choices for food, pillow, blanket, a headset and a bag of goodies(eye cover, lotion, mints, toothbrush and paste, earplugs, and socks to stay warm). We chatted and had dinner and then it was time for some sleep. The seats laid waaaay back and I got comfy. I slept for about 5 hours… I would wake up and my glass of water would be full, so I’d drink it. Mom told me one of the reasons people get so jet lagged is because they are dehydrated, so I drank up. I would go back to sleep, and when I woke up, there would be more water. So I drank it again… this went on for the whole flight… they were awesome!! I woke up, had a snack from the snack cart and then slept again. I spent most of the flight sleeping. I knew it would be early in the morning when I got there, so I figured I better sleep while I can! I arrived in Sydney at 610 am and had to clear customs and immigration. Then it was time to change terminals and find my flight to Ballina/Byron Bay… more in the next post…
So I run up to pay my fee’s and taxes and such, as I have been told to do on International flights. The woman said I had to go to customer service at the other end… so I run… I get there and realize the other woman still had my credit card!!! Ran back… got my card… ran back again. Whew! Guess I didn’t need to do my running earlier in the day! Haha… Anyway, the second woman just told me I needed to go to the gate and they would handle me there. So I take off for gate 77. I run up the escalator to the security checkpoint. I am in uniform, so I get to skip to the front which is awesome! So I blaze through there and head for my gate. I check in with the nice woman and she checks my visa, which my friend, SC, was nice enough to tell me about. And she tells me it will be a few minutes before she knows. Ok… now I wait. Hurry, wait, hurry, wait! Story of my life, ha ha… Finally Pat calls again(there were a few more calls from him in there too) and as we are talking she pages my name… and gives me a seat!!!!!!!!! Awesome!!! Whew! I told Pat I was on my way! He found me a super cheap flight up to see him, so I didn’t have to take the train,(which I ended up missing anyway because of customs) and he booked that for me… alright, now the trip is on.
So I get on the airplane, and chat with all the flight attendants. I haven’t been on a 747 since I was 16 and going to Spain. So I tell them my seat and they said it was a Business class seat. What!?!?!? REALLY!?!?! Wow!! But I went to check in with the captains(there are 2 full crews for a 14 hour, 44 min flight.) They were all very nice, made sure I had a good seat and told me I could change into street clothes for the flight. Now that is AWESOME!! Sweet! So I said goodbye and went back downstairs. I grabbed some clothes and changed in the bathroom… no small feat on an airplane! I felt like a magician! I settled into my seat, met my seat mate, Jose. He was moving to Sydney for work and was super excited like me! I got some water, and a snack and away we went!!
They give you a menu of your choices for food, pillow, blanket, a headset and a bag of goodies(eye cover, lotion, mints, toothbrush and paste, earplugs, and socks to stay warm). We chatted and had dinner and then it was time for some sleep. The seats laid waaaay back and I got comfy. I slept for about 5 hours… I would wake up and my glass of water would be full, so I’d drink it. Mom told me one of the reasons people get so jet lagged is because they are dehydrated, so I drank up. I would go back to sleep, and when I woke up, there would be more water. So I drank it again… this went on for the whole flight… they were awesome!! I woke up, had a snack from the snack cart and then slept again. I spent most of the flight sleeping. I knew it would be early in the morning when I got there, so I figured I better sleep while I can! I arrived in Sydney at 610 am and had to clear customs and immigration. Then it was time to change terminals and find my flight to Ballina/Byron Bay… more in the next post…
My greeting after customs!! HOORAY!!!
3 comments:
Oh Katie how exciting. I am so jealous. Oh I hope you have a wonderful time, and I can't wait to hear part two, three etc of your story.
ohhh...I am so jealous. I wanna go! I really do hope you have a wonderful time!
Sorry about your hectic trip. I hate connections and late flights myself. Maybe knowing you won my Giveaway will help! Please send my your snail mail, and I will send out the prize this week. Congrats!
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