Christmas Eve in Sydney ca,e beautiful and sunny. Hung around Hugh and Sarah's trying to finish packing. The bags bought on the ship to carry excess baggage, which was occasioned by purchases over the last 3 weeks) failed miserably. I discovered my bag had developed a large 6" tear along a seam after being subjected to the rough treatment of a 2 mile Uber ride from the cruise dock to Hugh's house. I decided to pack everything in my carry-on and the 25" bag I'd brought.
At 1:00 we called up an Uber for the rode to the Sydney Airport. By 2:10 we had the bags checked, were cleared through immigration control and at the food court 3 hours early for boarding Quantas Flight 73 for San Francisco.
We'd booked the return flight using miles and we're pleased to find we were in Business Class. Preferred boarding, and once seated, out flight attendant Brandon served up complimentary Champagne. Gin and Tonics followed. Dinner was excellent, with wine, and I had a Port aperitif. Each seat had a TV screen with a wide selection of movies, TV shows and music. I contented myself with listening to the new John Mayer album, then sampled some local Australian artists - Wings of the Wild - Delta Goodrem, Angus and Julia Stone, Birds of Tokyo, Clare Bowditch and the Feeding Set, Empire of the Sun (Walking on a Dream, which I'd heard before in the States) - thereafter I settled in to watch Dunkirk. I was able to sleep some, as the seats had legroom for me to stretch out completely, and were quite wide.
At 5:30 I awoke to find breakfast being served, then we settled in for the remaining 1.5 hours of what was an excellent flight. Quantas Business Class rocks!!!
We arrived at 12:10 pm Christmas Eve, before we left Sydney. There's that pesky International Date Aline thing at work again. Lost a day on the way over, got it back (sorta) today.
Clearing customs and immigration was a snap. Some of the process is computerized now, with a scan of one's Passport and a photo snap that generates a paper receipt that is handed to the CBP officer.
We got rebooked onto an earlier Alaska flight (3:20 pm), so don't have to sit around until 6:30 or so, and arrive in Seattle after 9:00 pm. Unfortunately, all the flights to Walla Walla (Barb) and Spokane (me). So it will be an overnighter in Seattle unless something frees up.
Now sitting at SFO Gate 50A, Terminal 2, waiting for the flight to Seattle.
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