Alex and Dino Down Under

Morning of changes to blessings in disguise

Original Plan: Saturday, February 4. Wake up, pack, see a few family friends for goodbyes, dinner with the family, go to the airport for 9pm. Leave for London at 11:30, then to Bangkok, then to Sydney. Sydney airport for the night, fly to Brisbane the next afternoon.

What actually happened: Saturday, February 4. 10am Dad knocks on my bedroom door “get up, your flight’s been cancelled, we need to make some calls”. By the time I got upstairs I had a new flight. Halifax - Toronto, Toronto – Vancouver, Vancouver – Sydney. Leaving Hlaifax at 5pm…which meant getting to the airport at 3 and cutting 6 hours I would have had with my family. TALK ABOUT OVERWHELMING!!!!

In the end, we got all my things packed and organized on time and all headed to the airport for a drink and some snacks before I headed off on my adventure. Traveling this new route also meant avoiding two large international airports and not leaving Canada until, I got to my final destination. It also meant LESS time on an airplane, and it meant getting in to Sydney 11 hours earlier.

I got cranky, and teary, and very very overwhelmed, but I got everything packed and organized on time. Coming to the realization that I was going to have less time with my family and friends than I had planned for was hard though. When I got to Vancouver I would have just given them their last hugs. Knowing me, I always go back for second and third hugs, so this was hard to swallow.

But I did it. I made it to Australia. With all my bags. And all my sanity. Flight from Halifax to Toronto was quick and painless. I sat by a nice man who told me he and his wife were on their way to New Zealand for vacation and that she was sitting further up on the plane. I offered to switch seats with her, but she was in first class and wasn’t feeling it…Fair trade I though : )Toronto to Vancouver I had a three seat spread to myself and the Vancouver – Sydney leg, I was joined by another girl, so we sat on the outsides and shared the middle seat. Such a bonus. I didn’t mind the 15 hour flight either. I watched a lot of movies, took a few naps, did some colouring (you know you have a great friend when they give you a package of Kleenex and colouring pictures and crayons for your flight). Arrived in Sydney relatively on time.

Small hiccup #1: Tried to get my phone to connect to a Sydney network. Bell said it would – they lied.

Small hiccup #2: Can’t get connected to the airport wi-fi until I need to run to the shuttle bus. At this point, I can feel the stress waves coming from home because I haven’t been able to check in yet. Take the shuttle to my hotel in town and decide to suck up the cost to buy internet for the day.

Small hiccup #3: Can’t get connect to the internet. Have to call the IT guy. Nice guy. I think he could hear or sense my frustration and tears through the phone.

I skyped with my family and the lovely Maura Casey and after a few hours decided I needed to shake myself out of my overwhelmed state and get out. So I got out, I got out and explored Sydney. I walked from the hotel to the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Bridge, by way of the Botanic gardens. What an amazing experience! I can’t wait to come spend more time here with Dad, or Colton or Maura, or whoever wants to come visit and see Sydney at the same time. (FYI I’m taking visitor bookings now)

A few pictures from the day:

I walked from the blue highlighted dot at the very bottom all the way up to the Opera House and Bridge. A lovely outing!

The first Olympics I remember watching were the Summer Games in Sydney.
This was a commemorative plaque given to the Country by the Olympic Committee.