Afternoon departures are soooo tedious - the day just takes forever. We spent this morning packing and waiting before Chari drove us down to Jess and Pete's. After freshening up we left just as a freak storm hit Penrith. We were doing 40kph on the motorway, with our hazard warning lights on! - until we pulled on to the shoulder and waited it out for five minutes or so...... There were trees down and the side of the motorway was littered with the shredded leaves from the trees that were still standing. So we'd booked a room at Rydges - right on Arrivals Court - but not one with a view. What a pity. The bathroom is all open plan - and the toilet is not a private, sealed cubicle! But it's all we need for the night! We wandered over to the airport terminal, across the road to choose our dinner from one of the many outlets in the food court, and sat and watched the comings and goings of the planes, aided and abetted by my Plane Finder app. After dinner we returned to our hotel across the road to enjoy the complimentary drink - lovely large glass of a tasty sparkling for me and a schooner of beer for Tom! So.... This is day 1 of my next travel blog... Not written to inspire other people, or to impress anyone, just as a crutch for my diminishing memory, and a way for the dear ones at home to know we are safe and well, and give them an idea of what we're getting up to!