First internet access of the trip...

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Ugh.

Five days without internet access creates massive withdrawal, especially when so much has happened in those days.

We made it to Las Vegas ok - after too many hours travelling to count. An hour to Perth Airport, two hours before boarding, four hours to Brisbane Airport, five hours layover. 12 hours from Brisbane to Los Angeles, with less than 6 inches between my face and the video screen of the chair in front of me for the whole trip. The chick in front of me, before we even took off, laid her chair back so violently she missed my face (as I was settling my puzzle book into the pouch in front of me) by less than an inch. I leaned forward and politely asked her not to do that. She went off at me, saying how the hell was she supposed to sleep if she couldn't lay her chair back? I responded that she could lay it back, but please, not all the way. She raised her voice and said, "Well, I paid for my seat, and I have every right to lay it back". I said, "Well, I paid for my ticket too, and I have a right not to wear a chair back in my face". So she retorted with "perhaps you should buy a better seat with more...space". Just like that. Now, I admit I am not a small woman, but I fit comfortably in the seat, and behind anyone else with half an ounce of decency (like on our domestic flight) I generally have quite a lot of room.

But 12 hours behind her was almost as bad as screaming kids (which thankfully we had none of on any flight!). I got the exact same meal on our domestic flight (supper - chicken something-or-other) and for breakfast on our international flight. It was edible - just.

Towards the end of our flight (in which I got all of an hour's sleep in a few short naps, and the hubby got about the same) I vowed we will never fly internationally in Cattle Class (economy) ever again. It's business class all the way. And if that means we don't travel overseas for [i[another ten years - so be it.

We arrived at LAX at 0640 (PST) - and sat on the tarmac until LAX would open our gate at 7am, and finally walked into the terminal at 0720. The most pleasant surprise came at then. We were queued in Security for less than 45 minutes, got fingerprinted and photographed, collected our luggage and got through customs in less than an hour in total. Our travel agent advised us it routinely takes approximately 2-3 hours, and sometimes upto four. I think we were very lucky. In fact, it almost took longer to do the bag drop at American airlines for our trip to Las Vegas (LAS)! So we finished check in by about 0830. We were in plenty of time for the 0955 flight to LAS, but we were ticketed on the 1225 flight. So then, we had 4 hours until our flight. Bah. After 26 hours travelling so far, and more than 40 hours without more than an hour's sleep, we'd just about had enough. But the departure lounge area in Terminal 4 (Gate 47a) SUCKS. The chairs are so uncomfortable, and set back to back, and in no more than pairs, so there's nowhere to stretch out. Ugh. Four hours of that.

But we made it.

And we've barely stopped since then. I will continue my story in the morning. along with photos once they have been uploaded and vetted 😊

Talk to you all again soon,

Love

princess_kessie

(due to intermittent, expensive internet - I consider US$15 for 24 hours very expensive - it may be days between updates. So much for my pledge to update every day 😞 I will also add photos shortly.)

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