Okay.....made it to Vancouver safe and sound. Boy am I getting groggy...the endless sleepless night is catching up to me. We had to deplane to have a passport check and nothing was open at the airport....so stared at the wall for a bit and it wasn't too long and we got to get on the bus again. Different crew....you can tell there is a diff on international crews and domestic. Lot more of them and very bubbly bunch and I got a glass of bubbly to sip whilst standing in the aisle as my butt is seriously starting to ache from all the sitting. It's a major full bus and then the gal came by to hand out newspapers. It hit me like a brick...the Australian News.....holy crap I am really going to Australia. That put a smile on me face, did not read the paper however as they only seem to contain bad news.....did not need that.
  
I had already made the mistake of watching Mayday the sleepless night before me trip.... Air Malaysia....the missing 777 somewhere around the neck of the woods I am going....okay a bit farther west. Either way....15 hr of water....not cheating like on the way to Hong Kong, the great polar route hugging the coast lines of Alaska and then over Siberia.....this is a direct route seems only land will be Hawaii as we are to go right over it. Other than that is all water. One must put a lot of faith in modern technology when you think about what a modern airliner can do...good ole Boeing and American Aluminum at its best! Checked the pilots as they walked by and did not see spinning eyes either so feeling good.
 
They did not waste time we buttoned up and pushed back I think it was less than an hour. Wee taxied to the runway and they hit the gas in no time we were climbing out over the lights of Vancouver....over Vancouver Island and then saw nothing but black out the window...oh its 2 am. Body is messed up I can tell....going east then west is not helping LOL. The wining and dining commenced right away. Another top drawer meal. I am trying to pace meself but they are insisting on it they shamed me into two pieces of carrot cake....and a bunch of Port....then the Cognac. Somewhere about halfway to Hawaii me head started to spin...could barely keep me eyes open.   Not from the drinks...that I can handle...was the sleep thing.  
 
With that I dragged out the comforter hit the buttons to get me pod flat....and commenced to fit in. Still a bit tall for it but I do fit. I also recently traded in my much loved Bose noise canceling headphones. Had them forever and they work great. But tried the new in ear noise canceling ones and with the trade in they give on your old set it was a no brainer..... the background noise on the plane goes from "HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS" (do that for 15 hrs if you don't have noise canceling headphone) to this "                !" Ya its that mind blowing and you can wear them whilst trying to sleep as I was and it was very quiet in my world.  
 
So I finally actually fell asleep on a plane....very rare. Did I mention the one additional passenger sitting in the pod next to me... a mom...and a baby......yup. A very cute baby....but a baby none the less. Sooooo I was not liking how the only baby on the plane ended up next to me...but I had positive thoughts.....I think I was dreaming of Gwen Steffani (do not ask me why...mystery to me too) when a blood curdling  "WHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" seems to have interrupted me bliss with Bose clarity.....they cancel out the background noise but not ear piercing shrieks it seems So much for sleeping hadn't even made it to Hawaii...... think I got two hrs sigh. I sort of sat upright....staring into space...then a coffee with baileys just appeared out of no where....
 
Only black out the windows....so decide it is finally time to finish Breaking Bad once and for all. Then the sky started to lighten....that pond looks big. Then the mom closed my shared window...cuz she was sleeping now.......back to Breaking Bad. Its not good to sleep when the sun is up people......So I cracked me windows to get some natural light in made me feel normal. Somewhere over Hawaii we did hit turbulence....I swear just as I made the decision for a bathroom break...."ping"...fasten seat belt sign goes on .....and the plane started to bounce. It was pretty interesting bouncing and it was two hours at least of steady bouncing in different directions......if only I did the potty break a couple of minutes sooner. Two hours of shaking a full bladder....new type of torture. Was about to ask for a cup to do my biz in then it stopped.   Ping....I bolted for it. Finally able to watch me show in peace.
 
I did prep and loaded up the tablet with some good movies and shows prior.....definitely a good idea. I had the inflight map going of the flight whilst I whittled away the time. Finally crossed the equator.....then we were two thirds of the way.... was counting down the mileage....5000, 6000, 7000......little bit of a right turn and we were heading straight for a landing in Sydney.....the ocean below had a nice blue to it. The descent had begun at last.
 
They greased the landing. So it seems Aussies are a bit more protective about bugs I am finding out. They made the crew read a long list of things we can't bring into the country and we had to fill in the I promise I don't have Ebola forms....I feel so much safer now that that form exists, government to the rescue. Then the most bizarre we have arrived greeting. The plane stopped at the gate. We were all told we had to sit until instructed we could stand. The crew opened all the luggage racks. They then had to spray a WHA sanctioned insecticide along the length of all the racks. We had to sit for about 15 minutes after, until the nice sounding Aussie quarantine expert who was on the plane now told us on the intercom we could stand.  
 
It was a beauty day out and humid, it hit me as I was walking off the plane on the ramp. Started to sweat already....wahooooo. Was glad to be here, rather b*****ed but feeling not too bad actually. My third wind must have hit. Immigration was a breeze.....after I again testified I do not have Ebola....I was soon looking for me bags and they made it. I have arrived!
 
In a matter of minutes....I had found a simm card so I have comms, and determined the only way to me hotel that made sense was a taxi. Got in the Que and got me a ride with an interesting kid from Nepal. Seems they drive over there with one foot on the gas and one on the brake. Nice kid but omg....I think I got whiplash from the hitting the gas and hitting the brakes constantly while we wandered what appeared to me to be the back roads of Sydney. First impression ..... kinda like 118 ave....with a British twist.....not that impressive ....yet. Least he found the hotel, and a great gal checked me in....got me room, dragged me bags in and I took a quick shower and was back at the front desk asking for instructions on how best to get to something neat to see.

Seems I will be using public transportation today. The bus stop is right across the street to get to down town. So I bought an all day pass at the gas station right there and commenced to wait....it was late but it did show up. So being new to town I took the advice of the receptionist and headed for the Circular Quay. She rambled on about the bus...then a train station and another bus....I only heard the first bus part. So decided not to worry about the rest. Was not sure where to get off of it though. Long bus ride but it rode right through down town. Busy place. I must have had the lost deer look as the gal sitting beside me took me for someone needing advice. Turns out she had an Aussie accent, born and raised in England, and has been to Canada a few times. Filled me in on how their Prime Minister is a nut case and told me all I have to do is stay on the bus till they kick me off. I can do that. And the bus driver did kick me off.....at the end of the line.
 
Its a really funky part of town.   I put opera house in google and it told me which way to start walking....so I prominently went the wrong way. Took me spidey senses to sort it out. Then google found itself and we were friends again.    I had long walk through a very artsy part of town, really cool, and ended up in the Botanical gardens. At times it was like a jungle. Cool birds just wandering about and such. So I was taking pics and just wandering down paths that I hoped were towards the Opera house. Ended up near the water and voila.....there it was. Kinda cool looking. So I took a few pics stared at it for a bit, then helped couples take pics together for a bit....and wandered about.  
 
You are right near the Sydney bridge and close to an area called "The Rocks". I had remembered the receptionist mentioned it. Amazing area its a harbour full of restaurants and shops and folks of all types wandering around. Not too bad in the tourist department. Seemed like a lot of locals. So I found a restaurant that is right on the water where you sit right on the waterfront with the QE2 cruise liner right behind me, the bridge behind to the right and the Opera house in front of me. Nice view, and boats of all types sailing past. The opera house is cool....but am thinking if you market something enough it becomes famous just for being famous, its no Egyptian Pyramid. I'm still feeling pretty good and its hot out...so not like back home already.  

Was time to wander more. Where I was all the ferries depart from and the train station is right there and a main bus station.......sooooo lot of people walking about. Lots of restaurants etc etc. I got a chicken kabob and some chips from a lil deli and sat on a bench to eat and people watch.

Okay, I like sea gulls. They look cool. As I sat their minding me own biz...listening to some gal sing Lorde tunes....very well I might add. I decided I would toss a bit of a fry to one of the gulls staring at me. Well....did I start something. Seems he was the Arnold Schwartzeniger of Sea Gulls. As I tossed one lil bit of a fry about 50 gulls swarmed me and landed in front of me. They all commenced to stare at me. Well...Arny...he wanted none of that...He poofed up to about the size of a small poodle...with a beak...and feathers all poofed out...made the goofiest noise and commenced to make every one of the minions back off....he chassed em all back...so he had me to himself. Then he stopped and stared at me....if any gull pigeon or person for that matter got within about 8 feet of me he shooed them away....making all snarly noises and he had a thousand yard stare... every bird ran for it. Then he would stop stand in front of me and stare.....so I figured I would mess with him. I tossed some fry bits to the other guys. I sware he looked at me and said "You son of a Bit$h!"....... I rethought the strategy.....told him to take it easy......tossed him a couple......and he was placated for a few minutes....then he said screw you bud.... flew straight for the box of fries I had. Had to seriously shoo him off......felt like I was in an episode of Birds. Threw a bunch the other way...closed the lid....and tossed the rest...was time to go anyways....as I walked...a big white splat landed on the side walk next to me.....seriously....I am sure it was him....

About here I noticed I lost my all day bus n ferry and train pass.....sigh. So had to hump around on foot. So I wandered further into the rocks. Really cool. Seems it is the first sort of dock area of Sydney and they kept the buildings historic. Found a statue of Capn Bligh....and a tonne of cool restaurants and bars. I walked up to the Sydney Bridge...but the feet were starting to protest. I think the sandals I have are due for retirement. It was a lot of walking....uphill. Then I found an Ooomp pa pa band playing at a german pub. How can I say no to that.....I ordered 1 stein with me thumb. Went down soooo well.
   
All things must come to an end however and I was running out of steam....I needed to figure out how to find me bus. Well....google to the rescue. It pays to have a data plan....seems I had some walking to do.....and I had to figure out how to get another bus ticket. Found a store....asked how to get there from here....seems I only needed a one way pass, $4.20. Whilst discussing how dumb I am about losing me pass the folks in line behind me started a discussion about how not right that is that I should get another free pass....started quite the support group. In the end they all agreed it ain't right still had to pay the 4 bucks but felt better about it. Thought that was kinda cool, then the long walk began to try to find the right bus stop...again google naved me there but it was a long haul. Found it....sat on the bench....an the bus drove up. Hopped on it and in about 20 mins I was back at me room....sprawled out on me bed. I was tuckered....feeling that I could sleep....but to seal the deal...I figured a couple of muscle relaxants may help avoid that wake up at 3 thing. Sure did.....woke up to a puddle of drool......at about 7...thought I was late for work....felt like my batteries were recharged. Still behind but its a start.