Day 45 - Carnival Panorama Cruise Completion - Flying Home to Australia

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Woke up around 6.30am and had a peak outside and we had already docked in Long Beach. We had to be out of the cabin by 8.30 so off to breakfast we go. Kerry went to the buffet and I had a couple of the special Mexican dishes which are just amazing and I would love to have these back home where it could be a genuine rival to the good old bacon and egg roll. This time I had my eggs over medium which is the way to go to avoid having eggs oozing out over my fingers ! I had some time to take a couple of photos and explored the upper decks around the waterslide and found a quiet private adults area called Serenity on deck 15 which had a couple of jacuzzis and what looked to be really comfortable chairs. Bizarre that there are still parts of the ship we have not explored after 7 days.

It’s a beautiful day again and after consuming one final coffee we headed down to get our luggage from our room and wait to be called to debark. It was not long before our muster group was called and we had to head to Deck 4 but could not use the elevators so we had to carry all 4 suitcases and my backpack down 4 flights of stairs and there was people everywhere congesting the area so it took around 30 minutes of queuing to get off the ship so this was far from an organised or pleasant experience but everyone was staying calm. Once off the ship we got through security without any trouble as they used facial recognition to let us through.

Our tickets were for a 9.30am departure to LAX but whilst we arrived at the bus stop right on that time we had just missed a bus so ours left at 10.00. Google maps said it we would be 27 minutes to LAX Terminal # 1 where we asked to be dropped as we have booked a day room at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel which is the 2nd closest to LAX. Terminal 1 is the closest to the hotel and I thought we might be able to walk to the hotel or if not they have a free airport shuttle doing the pick up and drop off loop around the airport. I checked in to our Qantas flight home which is scheduled for 9.40pm tonight whilst seated in the air conditioned luxury of our coach alongside my carry on suitcase that stays with me as I bought this not long before we left and forgot to include any name tags so I have to have it with me at all times and it is now carrying those souvenirs that cannot go in the big suitcase such as coffee mugs (we have a few and a mexican ceramic bowl).

We eventually found the hotel shuttle from LAX and soon arrived at the Courtyard by Marriott LAX and thankfully they had my reservation details that we used to book a day room from website “Hotels By Day” and they honoured the discounted rate of $129- for a 9am to 8pm stay. I asked if they had a swimming pool so we could relax but they don’t but she said we have complimentary access to their sister hotel the H Hotel / Homewood Suites next door. Up to the room we go and it’s quite spacious. We dropped the luggage and went to the H Hotel and the outdoor pool area was not very nice but they had a restaurant we can use for dinner and they have a subway (to clarify that is a sandwich shop and not a train station !) and also a coffee shop so we both had a Veggie Delight and we used their huge lobby to relax eat and they sure load up the fillings compared with back home. Kerry then bought us coffees and we almost used up all of our remaining cash so that has worked out well indeed. She said for the first time on the trip they had a “flat white” on the menu as an option so we finally had our regular coffee fix on the last day. We spent the day relaxing. I updated the blog and Kerry finished her murder mystery book and apparently we now have to find a movie version of The Therapist and some more books from the same author who specialises in thrillers.

We went to have dinner at 5pm for our final meal here and I was pleased to see QF15 from Brisbane to Los Angeles was arriving early around 6pm so we should on time for departure at 9.40pm. I had a meatballs dish for dinner and Kerry had a hummus plate with pita bread and we went back to our room to have a quick shower and change of clothes. We went downstairs to the free airport shuttle pick up point at 6.35pm and by 7.15pm we had checked in our bags (no queue at all) gone through security checkpoint (3 people in front of us) and were already at the gates. So much for arriving 3 hours before people your flight !

Today has been a lazy day relaxing so we just did the same at the gate (in fact the whole trip has been lazy !). I was now down to just $9- cash and after giving the shuttle driver a couple of bucks I went to the shop to buy some Mentos for the flight and a bottle of water for $6- so as I boarded the plane at 8.55pm I only have $1- left in my wallet and I reflected that I only went to an ATM twice on the whole 45 days adventure. Once when the Hotel in Newport, Rhode Island was unable to accept my Qantas Travel Money card for some reason and when I got $400- cash out in Boston after the Fenway Park tour in case we encountered a similar problem later. We were able to use the Qantas Travel Money Card almost everywhere and pleasing to see on this trip the americans have finally started to embrace the pay wave technology that we have been using in Australia for what seems to be a decade or so (probably due to launch of Apple Pay via the iPhone ?).

Just before getting onboard I checked Netflix and a few shows had to be refreshed from my downloaded offline list which was way too excessive for the flight but gives me lots of choices. We have the same exit row seats in Row 49 on our flight QF16 to arrive in Brisbane 2 days later at 5am. They gave us the usual blanket, pillow and a small bottle of water which with a nifty new hinge lid that flips open instead of screwing it on and off. The flight took off right on 10pm and the Captain soon said we were facing some headwinds and we might be half an hour late. I started by watching a show about the America’s Cup win in 1983 and it was really interesting since we had been the Newport in this trip where it all occurred. Some of the footage showed places we had been so I was able to get a sense of how crazy it must have been. After that we were served dinner and Kerry had the Chicken and Salad and I went for a the Irish Stew which was very good and supplemented with a chocolate cake and a can of Coke Zero.

I then did some updating of the blog so I’m hoping to be ready to get the final days posted soon after we return home. Whilst it’s time consuming doing the blog each day it helps me with recalling all the memorable moments I’d otherwise probably forget in the years ahead. I reflected that my my first blog post was on December 22nd 2010 and whilst I’ve posted 8 separated trips I’ve been a bit disappointed in myself for not finishing these on our last couple of trips here. The staff later brought out some coffee and some Tim Tams (must be the most perfect biscuit ever made ?). Also a few packets of some nuts to nibble on if I get peckish but the lights have all been turned off so I think it’s supposed to be time for a sleep but I’m wide awake so at 2.48am Los Angeles time I’m going to look for something else to watch on Netflix as were close to 5 hours in to the flight now and a third of the way home !

I decided to watch the story about Manti T’eo who played with Notre Dame in 2012. Two episodes and I finished the first part but as it’s now 3.57 I’m going to have a nap. I woke up around 6.00 to an announcement asking all passengers and crew to be seated so it got bumpy for a while. Finished the 2nd episode about Manti T’eo faking the death of his non existent girlfriend and then decided to watch a movie called Below Zero about a van relocating prisoners gets hijacked and it was a Spanish movie with English dubbed in and it had some action to keep me awake but was pretty lame.

I then decided to watch the comedy movie Me Time starring Mark Wahlburger (not his real name !) and Kevin Hart which had some funny moments but I was drifting off at times so probably did not get the best out of it. After 15 hours we landed in Brisbane and it was not long before we got through customs as there were no other international flights arriving at the same time and our transfer driver was ready and waiting to take us home and was quite chatty.

A great holiday was had And only gained 3kg so quite acceptable really. America is a great country lots to see and do, just ignore all the bad stuff the media portrays (yes it has issues). We’ve now visited all 50 states, resumed sailing on a cruise ship and the top highlights in no particular order are :-



Pink Jeep Broken Arrow Tour in Sedona,

Antelope Canyons,

Discovering the Navajo Taco,

Monument Valley at sunset,

Zion National Park,

Going to the Big E State Fair,

Watching the mighty Penrith Panthers go back to back in the NRL,

Leaf peeping in New England in the fall,

Playing golf at Sunday River Golf Club in the fall,

Visiting the Von Trapp Lodge,

Evening Receptions at the Embassy Suites Phoenix and Green Mountain Suites in Burlington !

Dining at Little Italy on a Saturday Night,

Eating Cannoli from Veniero’s Pasticceria & Caffe,

Enjoying so many great diner experiences,

Eating mexican food with mexican beer,

Cruising on a big new ship to Mexican Riviera.



Until next time, it’s goodbye for now ! (Please leave your final comments).

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Photos

My final breakfast for the holiday (this tastes so amazing)
Definitely have to try eggs over medium in future.

A touching farewell from our steward
Thanks to” I Made” for everything you and your colleagues do !

They have huge seagulls here in Long Beach
And they also enjoy eating fries.

Off the ship now but had so much fun !
Only 15 months until we board the Carnival Luminosa from Brisbane in Feb 2024 !!

About to head to LAX for our fight and only have 9 $1 bills left in cash so that worked out well.
I doubt they will ever change to coins for the dollar bill like we did many years ago due to the tipping process.

The amazing lobby in the adjoining H Hotel next door we were able to use with our day use hotel booking
The desk had two PC’s which made updating the blog a bit easier for me.

Bali Hut - Time to install more licence plates !
Thanks to Paul for keeping the pool clean and special thanks to Elise for getting me hooked on collecting these licence plates in 2010 ! It has added an extra layer of fun to the travels (and just a little stress !)

All the new licence plates we be put up by Christmas hopefully !
Shame one of our new coffee mugs did not survive the travels (from the Navajo Nation) but we do have 4 new ones to enjoy ! I think the New Hampshire one appears to be Kerry’s new favourite.