Australia - arriving

We have just returned home from a terrific journey to Australia, Singapore, and Thailand.  I was unable to blog in real time because I didn't have access to free wifi and was too cheap to buy minutes, but I will share my journal and some pictures with you now, if you'd like to follow along.  If you would like less narrative and more pictures, please visit my website.

MY JOURNAL - first installment:

It is Monday evening in Naples now, but in Australia it is Tuesday morning.  We've been traveling for about 36 hours, rising Sunday at 6AM to catch our first plane from Ft Myers to Charlotte.  Then Charlotte to LA and LA to Sydney.  Somewhere along the way we lost Monday, but we'll get the day back when we have two Fridays on the way home three weeks from now.  At the time I wrote this, we were in the Sydney airport waiting for our last flight, the local to Ayres Rock.  We have nothing much planned once we arrive at the resort, so MY plan is to rest, read, and veg.

Not a bad idea since tomorrow we will set out ninety minutes before dawn to watch the sunrise at the fabled Ayres Rock.  More later after we arrive at the resort, but meanwhile, I'm happy to report that the sleeping pill my doctor prescribed worked well enough that I'm not totally exhausted.  That said, it would be so much better if we had spent the night in Los Angeles.  From now on, that will be the only way I'll do one of these long trips.  We're too old for marathon journeys with little or no sleep.

This is the Quantas Airbus 380 we flew from LA to Sydney.  Two full stories of seating, but it loaded surprisingly quickly and was a pretty comfortable flight, even in coach.  Food and service are a cut above US airlines, even on international flights, as well.

Later.  We arrived at the Desert Gardens Hotel at Ayres Rock Resort, Uluru--along with a few hundred other travelers.  From the looks of things, two planes arrive here within minutes of each other, and then we are all loaded onto buses to be distributed among the several hotels that comprise the resort.  John is in a long line waiting to register, and I am sitting with the luggage.  Bit of a cattle call, but things will settle down soon.

Meanwhile, the glimpse we've had so far of the surrounding desert is beautiful.  This is not only the rainy season but they have also had unusually heavy rains for the last two years, so the vegetation is lush for desert.  The temperatures seem very pleasant as well.  Sunny and breezy so far.  I'm almost afraid I've packed wrong.  The jeans I've been traveling in are my only long pants.  I was sure it would be hot here!  

This is the view from our room.  Scrubby vegetation, bright red-orange soil, and so surprisingly green!

One unusual thing has already occurred.  We had to set our watches back (or maybe forward) thirty minutes after leaving Sydney.  Seriously?  Yep.  This will be our time for all of Australia since we are traveling through the country in a vertical line.  Half hour increments are something we've never heard of!  

New wrinkle.  It's 1:30 here and none of us can get into our rooms until 3.  I'm sure this is a daily occurrence.  Too bad the planes don't arrive an hour later in the day.

A white car just drove up covered with red dust.  The soil here is bright red-orange.  People who live here must spend way too much time on cleaning and laundry.  The young men who work here are all wearing shorts and sturdy, dusty work boots.  We were told by our bus driver that spiders and snakes abound here.  No going off into the desert at night on your own, or even straying off the paths at any time.  Luckily, we are on a tour and will probably be sufficiently programmed to stay safe from wildlife.  [NOTE:  written later. On our flight to Adelaide, I was sitting next to a pilot from the Royal Flying Doctor Corps, who told me that just a day or so earlier they airlifted out a man who had been bitten by snake ON the paths at Ayres Rock Resort.  I was glad I hadn't heard that until we were safely gone.]

Holy cow.  Four more buses just arrived.  I wonder how many flights actually arrive here daily.  This resort is a major destination in Australia.  In addition to Ayres Rock, there are all kinds of activities that appeal to active families, including camel rides. 


Later.  Exorbitant prices here, we think.  We spent a little time at the grocery buying breakfast food to avoid the charges--$28 per person for a continental breakfast and $34 for the hot breakfast.  That was so outrageous that even I balked.  We just got home from a very light dinner--pizza and a beer.  The beers were $8 each.  I've heard that prices are high in Australia.  Clearly true.  The locals are used to them.  Lots of families enjoying the resort.  There is no tipping in Australia, which makes the prices less atrocious.  Their minimum wage is nearly $15/hour, far higher than ours.  I much prefer to think that service people of all kinds are paid a living wage than having to depend on handouts as they do in the US.  Far more civilized, and I'd pay higher prices if we could make the switch.  I can't imagine that would ever happen, however.  Our system is too ingrained in us.


Apparently we are lucky with the weather.  Someone told us that last week temps were over 100.  It was probably no more than low 70s here today.  We've been told it will be quite chilly tomorrow at dawn.  I guess I'll wear my jeans and BOTH jackets.  Meanwhile. I can hardly keep my eyes open.  Good night.