Day 1 - Brisbane to LAX

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Hello readers as we embark on another journey that I am sure will be enlightening for us all. We have taken Luke and Elise out of school 2 weeks early before normal holidays and I have committed to having a break from golf for the next 4 weeks as well !

Well we had no trouble at all getting up and ready for the 6.30 am pickup from Jan Murphy (five star transport) for the ride to Brisbane Airport for only $160- and we arrived at around 8.00 am and surprised to see no queue at Qantas check in. Dropped the suitcases and got the boarding pass to confirm the good news that I suspected was going to happen. We had been upgradedg to Premium Economy. Yippee !

Flight left on time at 10.35am and we had exit row seats so lots of room. Flight was really calm and I can't recall the fasten seat belt sign going on oncefoes the whole flight. The you beaut entertainment system failed everyone so all we had was an ongoing loop of around 10 movies to watch.

I bravely sat alongside Luke (who remembers my last flight with Australia's nose bleeding champion ? ) but no dramas this time at all. Kerry and Elise were on the other side of the plane (row 36).

Food was pretty good and great service as well. I watched 3 movies which were all good (Big Miracle, On the Ledge and Margin Call).

Landed in LAX around 6.15 am and big queues at Customs and got out at around 7.45 am. Easy walk to wait for Hotel Shuttle to 4 Points Sheraton where we booked 2 rooms for 24 hours before we fly off to Washington DC.

Room was not ready despite doing the precise 7am to 7am booking so they gave us free breakfast which was neat. We all then had a nap for a few hours.

Later went for a stroll around the block and bought a couple of cell phones and Luke forc me to buy him and me a burger at In'n'out Burgers which are a real treat.

Had dinner at Bar/Restaurant downstairs called which had lots of Plasmas with Baseball and other stuff happening but as you do in LA everyone was glued to local News channel which was filming a Police DUI car chase via Helicopter. They eventually caught him after an hour with pistols drawn ala the movies. Welcome to LA !

Dinner was Quasedillas with a local lager brew.

No pictures on Day 1 but will get some posted soon. Got to be up by 4.30 am for flight to Washington DC tomorrow.

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