Day 17 - 19
Time to finish the report.
Arrived at Miami Airport at around 10.30am, flight wasn't until 5.00pm, unable to check in until 2 o'clock, so a loooong 3 and a half hours sitting with my bags. Passed the time with 30 minutes of free wifi, read a book, and attempted to go to the toilet, but couldn't bring myself to take my bags into the toilet. Probably the biggest negative of being a solo traveler, not having someone to keep an eye on your bags
Checked in finally, ran to the toilet, then explored. Miami airport is huge, so able to spend quite a bit of time wandering, brought a few last minute items and grabbed a Cuban sandwich.
A few snaps within the airport
Boarding finally came around and I was down the back of the bus so was one of the last on. Missed out on a spare seat next to me, and to my great delight old mate had a bit of a bark and an eversion to covering his mouth. So my trip was spent with a jumper wrapped around my head, desperately hoping I wouldn't catch what he had. Didn't work , first 2 weeks back home I carried the cough and sore throat around.
Spied the boys having a bit of a mishap on the tarmac.
Flight from Miami to LA had changed from a A320 to a 777, so was going to take about 45 minutes off the flight time. Good news. Unfortunately spent a bit of time on the tarmac and took off late. About 4 times during the flight a message came over the PA asking for a doctor, so was thinking that we would divert at some stage.
No diversion, and landed at 7.15 instead of the scheduled 7.50. Good news. Then the bad news, gate wasn't available for us, we waited and eventually got to the gate at 8.10. Then over the PA we had to wait until the paramedics came on board. 8.35 finally got off the plane.
Followed the signs to Tom Brady and found myself in the international departure terminal. Wasn't 100% sure that I'd gone the right way, as didn't realise I didn't have to go through security again.
Found the departure boards, and good news again, flights to Australia had all been delayed, due to late arrival of the New York flight. So another 5 hours to waste.
Wandered, grabbed a pink berry, used my free internet time and did a bit of people watching, and hoped some miracle would happen where my name would get called and I would be put up the front of the plane.
Finally boarded, lucked out and got a spare seat next to me. Conversation with the American fella in the window seat, was coming to Oz to recruit tennis players to the University of North Carolina. Being a sport nut, and having recently taken a large interest in the College Football season, able to have a decent conversation about colleges and college sport. He was quite impressed with my knowledge of Colleges when I asked him about his College career. Him - 'I went to FSU' Me - 'The Seminoles right?'
Anyway time to take off, started watching episodes of Impractical Jokers. Unfortunately was into to my third episode from push back until the time we took off.
Ordinary pasta dish, then was time to sleep. Looked at the flight map, last thing I saw was 10.24 remaining. Next thing I woke up, thinking that was a good sleep. Looked at the map, 10.03 to go. Wasn't so good.
Attendants came through the cabin quite often offering food and drinks, some them more often than I did in business on the way over.
6 hours to go and I was fast forwarding the bits I didn't want to watch in Pulp Fiction and screen freezed. Only able to play games for the rest of the time, so mahjong it was.
Hour or so to go, bit of breakfast, grabbed a handful of kit kats from the self serve at the back and readied for landing.
Due to the delays, missed my original flight to Perth, so another 4 hours to wait. This was some marathon, ended up being marginally shy of 42 hours from waking up on the boat, and landing in Perth.
Mundane flight from Brisbane to Perth, dropped off 2 or 3 times for a couple of minutes at a time. Landed and happy to be home.
Re a cruise, at the time was thinking would have liked more time to explore the ports, and also I do struggle to do nothing. However, having been back at work for a couple of months, the thought of sunning myself and stuffing myself with food doesn't seem so bad. Also I sleep better on a boat than I do at any other time.
I would cruise again, but would definitely do more research re the ports and the excursions available from operators not involved with the cruise line. Also wouldn't bother trekking a suit half way around the world, would just head to the buffet on those nights.
Bit of a stop on my traveling for a while, work to do on the house, although I will be heading to Melbourne in April and the Gold Coast in July for work. Thinking Japan/South Korea January, and keen for Croatia October 2018. See how I go.
Thanks for reading.
