Back to Sydney
My trip from home back to Sydney proved to be quite interesting. I still have more posting material from home but I feel the need to tell this story first.
For my flight back I went from Moline to Detroit to LA to Sydney. The jet you take from Moline to Detroit is one of the really tiny 2 seats on each side you can hardly stand up straight in them they're so little. We boarded for our flight, the guy in the seat next to me REAKS, they taxi us out to the runway, then get notice that there's a terrible storm in Detroit so no flights are allowed in at the moment. We proceed to sit there for 2 hours and then finally a half hour after we were supposed to be landing in Detroit we finally take off.
We had to circle Detroit for almost a half hour because so many planes were trying to get in after the storm cleared, and when we finally landed I got off to discover that I had missed my connecting flight to LA. Detroit was total chaos because of the storm so I was sent to a help area where they would put me on the next available flight to LA. I walk halfway across the airport to find the longest line I think I've ever seen in my life, but seeing as I have no other option I line up at the end. Less than a minute later a lady walks over and pulls the last 4 people out of line (me being one of them) And sends us over to another desk for us to be helped right away. Seeing as I have very long legs and was quite determined to beat everyone else I power-walked over and managed to be the first one helped. And luckily this happened because I was then put on the only other flight to LA that evening, and was put in the last seat left on that flight. This flight, however, is scheduled to land only 10 minutes before my next flight was supposed to take off for Sydney so the lady also switches that ticket to another flight taking off a half hour after that (which is still pushing it for time). But, seeing as I have no other options, since that is the last flight out of LA to Sydney that night I take it, go get a meal and chill for a while, then I'm on my plane to LA, happy to at least be making progress.
About halfway through this 4 1/2 hour flight one of the flight attendants comes over the intercom and says quite urgently "Attention, if we have any medical personnel on board please let the nearest flight attendant know immediately. Again, any medical personnel: doctors, paramedics, nurses anyone. Please let the nearest flight attendant know." This later led to everyone having to remain seated once we reached the gate in LA until the paramedics came on and took care of business before we could be let off the plane. During the flight, as I was feeling quite anxious about making it in time (for if I didn't I would be stuck in LA for a whole day more), I asked one of the flight attendants if they thought I would be able to make it. He was so nice and came back to me later and informed me as to which gate we would be arriving at, and which gate my next flight would be at. Lucky me!!!! It's in a different terminal. Luckily, I only have to move between the two terminals that do have a tunnel connecting between. So once finally off the plane I pretty much sprinted the whole way to the other gate.
When the lady rebooked my flight, I wasn't given a boarding pass for the LA-Sydney flight so I went to the check-in machines near the gate and scanned my passport to get my boarding pass. The machine tells me I'm too late to check in to this flight and starts offering me other flights to switch to (all the following evening). The plane had only just began boarding and most of it's passengers were still standing around so my only thought was "Oh HELL no." I marched over to the counter and told the guy what was up and he very happily checked me in and gave me a boarding pass. (I feel a little bad about that now as I probably seemed quite rude when really he did absolutely nothing wrong and was very nice in helping me out). Next thing I knew I had boarded the plane and was finally heading to Sydney. I'm actually quite glad now that I missed my first flight because I ended up having all 3 seats (and a window) to myself. It made for a fairly easy and enjoyable 15 hour flight seeing as I laid down and slept pretty much the whole time.
About 6:30 am Sydney time we finally arrive! I stand in line at customs forever, get let through then go to claim my baggage, which never arrives. My baggage didn't manage to make it out of LA in the short time it was given to switch flights, so I have been informed that it will be delivered to me sometime tomorrow afternoon (it's probably on the plane here right now). Luckily this happened this time around, instead of my first time coming here because I do have everything in my apartment that is absolutely necessary at this point.
Overall, I actually had a fairly nice trip. I just had a few stressful parts here and there, but when boarding the flight in LA I already had a hunch that my baggage wouldn't make it seeing as I barely did. It's nice to be back although I'm not overly enjoying the cold. School starts again already on the 29th so it's already back to business pretty quickly. I already miss my family a lot, and it was hard to say goodbye not knowing exactly when I'll be able to make it home again. I'll do my best to get the last of the photos from home up soon.
Peace Out
For my flight back I went from Moline to Detroit to LA to Sydney. The jet you take from Moline to Detroit is one of the really tiny 2 seats on each side you can hardly stand up straight in them they're so little. We boarded for our flight, the guy in the seat next to me REAKS, they taxi us out to the runway, then get notice that there's a terrible storm in Detroit so no flights are allowed in at the moment. We proceed to sit there for 2 hours and then finally a half hour after we were supposed to be landing in Detroit we finally take off.
We had to circle Detroit for almost a half hour because so many planes were trying to get in after the storm cleared, and when we finally landed I got off to discover that I had missed my connecting flight to LA. Detroit was total chaos because of the storm so I was sent to a help area where they would put me on the next available flight to LA. I walk halfway across the airport to find the longest line I think I've ever seen in my life, but seeing as I have no other option I line up at the end. Less than a minute later a lady walks over and pulls the last 4 people out of line (me being one of them) And sends us over to another desk for us to be helped right away. Seeing as I have very long legs and was quite determined to beat everyone else I power-walked over and managed to be the first one helped. And luckily this happened because I was then put on the only other flight to LA that evening, and was put in the last seat left on that flight. This flight, however, is scheduled to land only 10 minutes before my next flight was supposed to take off for Sydney so the lady also switches that ticket to another flight taking off a half hour after that (which is still pushing it for time). But, seeing as I have no other options, since that is the last flight out of LA to Sydney that night I take it, go get a meal and chill for a while, then I'm on my plane to LA, happy to at least be making progress.
About halfway through this 4 1/2 hour flight one of the flight attendants comes over the intercom and says quite urgently "Attention, if we have any medical personnel on board please let the nearest flight attendant know immediately. Again, any medical personnel: doctors, paramedics, nurses anyone. Please let the nearest flight attendant know." This later led to everyone having to remain seated once we reached the gate in LA until the paramedics came on and took care of business before we could be let off the plane. During the flight, as I was feeling quite anxious about making it in time (for if I didn't I would be stuck in LA for a whole day more), I asked one of the flight attendants if they thought I would be able to make it. He was so nice and came back to me later and informed me as to which gate we would be arriving at, and which gate my next flight would be at. Lucky me!!!! It's in a different terminal. Luckily, I only have to move between the two terminals that do have a tunnel connecting between. So once finally off the plane I pretty much sprinted the whole way to the other gate.
When the lady rebooked my flight, I wasn't given a boarding pass for the LA-Sydney flight so I went to the check-in machines near the gate and scanned my passport to get my boarding pass. The machine tells me I'm too late to check in to this flight and starts offering me other flights to switch to (all the following evening). The plane had only just began boarding and most of it's passengers were still standing around so my only thought was "Oh HELL no." I marched over to the counter and told the guy what was up and he very happily checked me in and gave me a boarding pass. (I feel a little bad about that now as I probably seemed quite rude when really he did absolutely nothing wrong and was very nice in helping me out). Next thing I knew I had boarded the plane and was finally heading to Sydney. I'm actually quite glad now that I missed my first flight because I ended up having all 3 seats (and a window) to myself. It made for a fairly easy and enjoyable 15 hour flight seeing as I laid down and slept pretty much the whole time.
About 6:30 am Sydney time we finally arrive! I stand in line at customs forever, get let through then go to claim my baggage, which never arrives. My baggage didn't manage to make it out of LA in the short time it was given to switch flights, so I have been informed that it will be delivered to me sometime tomorrow afternoon (it's probably on the plane here right now). Luckily this happened this time around, instead of my first time coming here because I do have everything in my apartment that is absolutely necessary at this point.
Overall, I actually had a fairly nice trip. I just had a few stressful parts here and there, but when boarding the flight in LA I already had a hunch that my baggage wouldn't make it seeing as I barely did. It's nice to be back although I'm not overly enjoying the cold. School starts again already on the 29th so it's already back to business pretty quickly. I already miss my family a lot, and it was hard to say goodbye not knowing exactly when I'll be able to make it home again. I'll do my best to get the last of the photos from home up soon.
Peace Out
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