Half the Fun is Getting There, Right?

Wellll... I made it! Hello from Sydney!! (How Oprah do I sound?!?!?)

I actually made it into Sydney earlier than expected this morning... how often does THAT happen?! I took it as a good omen, if you will. The travel experience was... well, at least it's done. All I have to say is... to all my friends/coworkers who have flight status and use it for international flights... congratulations.

I'm certainly not bitter in the least. But let me back up.

So, my journey began by being stuck in some godawful traffic on the way to O'Hare. God bless Chicago (I do kind of miss it already!). In any event, I was trying to get to O'Hare early enough to catch a 5:50 PM flight, rather than the 7:30 PM flight I'd originally booked, given the super tight connection (40 minutes!!) I would have in LA. However, I get to the airport and holy mother! International terminal lines galore... and the line to try to get flights switched was ri-diculous (and the attendant informed me that I wouldn't even make it in time to get the 5:50 PM flight as it was). Sigh. Oh well. I wasn't all too concerned... I mean, it would suck if I missed my connection, but it is what it is right?

In any event, I get through security and start heading to my gate... when I spot a United customer service desk. Since I had hours left to kill, I figured it wouldn't hurt just to do a friendly little inquiry about switching my flight... I mean, there WAS no line after all. And... well, God bless United. For a mere $75 change fee, they were able to switch me right on up to the 5:50 PM flight... no wait, no hassle, nothing! Sweet. Success.

So, off I headed to LA. Once in LA, I figured now would be a good time to eat something considering I had yet to eat anything all day long (what?! I had a busy day!). So, what did I choose?

Here's the thing. If you know me, you know I never eat McDonald's (or much of any fast food, really). The idea kind of just grosses me out. But I was S-T-A-R-V-I-N-G. And call me nostalgic, but I figured I might as well get my American eating in while I could.

Shortly after scarfing down what can only be described as chemically processed variations of questionable "meat" (read: chicken nuggets), our flight started boarding. My heart went a little a'flutter in anticipation... I mean, I wasn't exactly looking forward to this longass flight, but my vacation was finally starting!!

Well, this anticipation lasted all of about five minutes. Because once I boarded and realized the space I had to deal with for the next 12-13 hours... well, come on. You'd be a little disconcerted too. To give you an idea of what the space issues were looking like, here is me around hour 7 (please disregard the hair, the glasses... well, everything except for the space restrictions which is what this picture was primarily intended to convey):

Trust me, it was an experience. To say the least. I mean, literally- there was NO. ROOM. I guess that kind of explains why my entire BODY is aching today, but whatever.

No problem! Because at the end of it all... I'm here! I'm in Sydney! As soon as we landed, I was all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready and waiting to begin my Australian journey... really take in all things authentically Australian. So imagine my surprise when, upon exiting customs, one of the first things that was there to greet me was...

Lord. You really can't go anywhere without good ol' America following along, now can you? Sigh. In any event, shortly after making it through customs, I was greeted by one of my high school best friends... the one and only Katherine! (No last names for Internet security purposes! You are welcome :)) It was all very delightful, really.

Unfortunately, it was super rainy when we stepped outside the airport, but after making it back to Kathy and Liam's apartment, I felt as good as new (to an extent, at least)! Today's been fairly low-key... just some coffeetime downtown...

The starts of some sightseeing (to be completed in more detail later in the week)...

And now... some cozy teatime before more reunions this evening!

Till next time! (I know you guys are waiting on the edge of your seats, really.) Happy St. Patty's Day, btw!

First Class?! YES, PLEASE!

After a long week traveling for work, the last thing ANYONE wants to hear is that their flight is delayed. Talk about the buzzkill to end all buzzkills, really. Of course, if you are flying back into Chicago's O'Hare airport on anything BUT Southwest*, you KNOW that the likelihood of a delay is more than inevitable.

Alas, this is what I get for following the crowd (read: my team) and flying United. I'd checked in to my 5 PM flight and gotten my 2E seat with the usual lackadaisical fanfare. I just figured this was one of those tiny planes where you can pretty much feel the propellers all along the way, but I didn't care as long as I was near the front so I could peace outta that plane once it hit ground.

A seat's a seat- I just wanted to get HOME (which, to be honest, was slightly questionable considering Chicago had its first snow of the season today...). When we got to the airport and found out our flight was delayed by an hour, I actually wasn't too put off- I mean, I'm a seasoned enough traveler to expect SOME sort of delay flying in and out of O'Hare, who are we kidding here?

As my teammates and I were chilling in the airport, I brought up how delighted I was with my second row seat... you better believe I was going to be ready and SET to peace outta that plane the instant it landed! It was only through this conversation that one of my teammates mentioned that the plane was, in fact, one of the larger planes and not one of those tiny little planes like I'd previously expected.

And that's when the lightbulber went off... I. Had totally. Gotten. A FIRST CLASS SEATlkjfsakdjlkfjsl!!!!

I honestly could not contain myself!! I don't know HOW this happened, aside from the fact that I had booked my flight super last minute and some sort of plane angel just had to be looking down upon me at that moment in time. I mean, I've never flown first-class before! I had no idea what to expect!! If I'd KNOWN such a momentous occasion was going to be happening, I would've totally dressed in my Sunday best for the experience! Duh.

Instead... I just shamelessly took pictures to document this entire experience. Whatever, I turned my flash off so hopefully no one really noticed (HA- because discretion is my middle name? PLEASE. Oh well).

First class is NO JOKE. My experience started with me quickly shoveling away my luggage in order to quickly get cozy in...



Heaven in a seat. I mean, can it GET any plusher? Any cozier?

Even before the flight took off, the stewardess came around asking the first-class people for beverage orders. Ummm... I don't even really LIKE wine all that much, but I figured I simply HAD to order some... to get the full first-class experience (or something like that).


I felt so refined, so high-class (well, as high-class as I could get sporting my puffy Gap vest rather than my Sunday best... SIGH)... so SHAMELESS. Yes, my friends. I certainly did ask the random businessman sitting next to me (who, quite frankly, looked like he was going to fall asleep... but whatever- shamelessness has no bounds, after all) to take my picture!


All in the name of documentation. You're welcome in advance.

And to think- all that over-stimulation happened BEFORE the flight even took OFF! Okay, sure, I didn't exactly get to enjoy my entire glass of wine (well, what? How was I supposed to know that the stewardess would come through and snatch up the cups before takeoff?), but it was more the thought that counts, right? Right.

Once we were nice and turbulent-y in the air, the stewardess came around with cashews and another beverage order. I settled for water this time (gotta stay hydrated!) and reached for a cashew... but lo and behold! These weren't just ordinary cashews! These cashews were PIPING HOT!!!!


Ummm!! All I have to say is it's amazing what heating up some cashews can do to the experience of eating cashews. A-maze.

I swear, the food wouldn't stop COMING! Once those cashews were devoured, the stewardess whisked up the empty little dish in order to place... dinner on my tray! What the heck! I can't even remember the last time I was served a meal on a plane! But check out this meal! It was no. joke.



So colorful! So... well-balanced! You would think that would be it... but no. What dinner wouldn't be complete without a dessert, after all?



Just like those cashews, this cookie was piping hot and everything. Need I say more?

God, this seriously was one of the best flights ever... delays and all. Normally, I tend to nap on flights just to make the time go by faster but not today. Today, you better believe I was wide awake to fully cherish every single moment of my first class experience.

I can safely say that I am now officially spoiled rotten.

*Just a friendly FYI: I'm a die-hard Southwest supporter. I actively advertise just how splendid and delightful of an airline they are to pretty much any and everyone. Any airline that promotes rapping stewards to enhance your flight experience is a complete and total winner in my book.