The big dry has finally broken, the last few days bringing welcome rain to our parched patch of the world. The soaking rains have allowed us to concentrate on packing ourselves for our three month trip as well as pack up the house in readiness for our departure today. We awoke to a dreary overcast sky the early morning rain having dissipated before we rose. As we breakfast the sun edges its way through the clouds spearing rays of light into the last of the raindrops that hang precariously from the last of Autumns leaves. The raindrops explode with twinkling colours of the rainbow dazzling our eyes as we contemplate the day ahead. Our flight first to Sydney, leaves at 4.15pm, plenty of time to check, recheck and double check the hold luggage, carry-ons, passports, tickets, itineraries etc. etc. just as well we live in the digital age the paperwork alone would fill a suitcase!
Our ride to the airport duly arrives at 1.00pm we are ready, cases locked hand luggage packed, we flick the switch on the last of the house lights and power down the last of the electronics and are on our way. The somber morning sky has cleared to bright blue and sunshine, making our drive to the airport a pleasant one. The winter suns warmth amplified through the cars glass warms our faces, the very same sun that will in less than 24 hours shine its summer warmth down on us in Honolulu. In just 30 minutes we arrive at the airport bathed in clear sunny weather for our flight to Sydney this afternoon, on time, no delays.
We haven’t flown since last August, retirement allows us the time to drive to nearby destinations, anywhere north of Sydney and west of Adelaide though is a definite flight. We take to the skies heading west out into the Gulf of St Vincent, the sun throwing a beam of light that creates a pool of molten orange in a sea of sparkling green/grey below us. We dip into a turn, then head eastwards to Sydney the sun slowly receding behind us.
A little ahead of time we descend out of the velvety black sky studded with stars into the city of twinkling many coloured lights that is Sydney airport. Midweek, with the business flights over for the day the airport is subdued, we make our way to Gate 15 to wait for an international terminal bound bus. It’s just a short wait for the bus that ferries us across the airport grounds between the domestic and international terminals. The bus has a driver! In this day and age! Surely a monorail would impress, if the management were smart they could have picked one up for a song when the city of Sydney off loaded theirs. That monorail ferried people from Darling Harbour to the central shopping district in style but sadly for some unknown reason met its demise. Even Adelaide is trialling driver-less buses at their airport! Well no technological marvels here.
Whisked through the multicoloured lighted pathways that link the two terminals we soon arrive at the international terminal, our bags are checked through and so are making their own way (one hopes) to rendezvous with us at our final destination. We disembark, making our way through duty free ogling the stands but moving on to our gate. Passport control is a breeze all electronic with no technological gremlins in sight.
We head for the lounge to await our flight, relaxing with a glass of wine before our flight is called for take off at 10.05pm. Hard to believe that we will awake tomorrow in the Honolulu sunshine to live July the 5th 2017 all over again!
Honolulu here we come!
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