AUCKLAND TO SYDNEY
Painless and easy. Landing to the sound of Dave Dobbyn singing “loyal”.
Sydney airport is so boring. It’s bland. Even the bookstore. How could I not find a single book that seemed worth reading? And the food options are appalling. Yuck. Miserable way to spend five hours when all I wanted to do was be travelling.
UNITED FLIGHT TO LAX
What a perfect flight apart from the lack of inseat entertainment. Those big screens are really frustrating. Lots of room, a whole row. Lots of time spent talking with Jesus and feeling my nerves come down. Had a complete freakout about 1 hour into the flight. Overwhelmed by a sense of aloneness, of missing home, of all the people I wished were with me. I wrote in my journal and gave thanks for every good and deep love I have here on this earth, the ones left at home and then the ones I was travelling too. Regained my equilibrium. Bliss. Captured all the bliss by writing loveletters home to some of my dearest old and new friends. Felt amazing landing in LA.
FLIGHT TO CHICAGO
Stratched window ruined a little bit of the view until we got closer to the big late summer storm system over the whole Midwest. The clouds were huge, dramatic and all swirling together – you could picture the time lapse. Landing the sun was setting to the west of us and so the sky was Polaroid and the clouds full of pink and golden hues. So divine.
CHICAGO O’HARE
So many things to note, but the united terminals at o-hare form a sort of golden palisade, rendered caramel, gold and coffee coloured as the sun rises and hits it from the east and sets, illuminating it from the west in the evening. It’s sharp gleam must beckon homeward bound as the smooth glass dome runs on an north – south axis. Once inside the lengthy connecting travelator is still one like a living interacting tribute to colour, the resene colour swatch wall effect with glass panels echoed in the multicoloured neon madness that sits overhead. All the marble and quietness after the hours in the air is enough to make your head spin.
PEOPLE
Charlie – Charlie the marine, stationed in California and out at sea until he got the call to come home for the birth of his second child, another daughter with his wife. She was in labour while he was waiting for the customs check, hoping that she could hang out for his frantic trip to the hospital in LA
Charlotte in Chicago, a city dweller who loved to talk about all the places to stay and what to do. Gave the River Bus hint, rather than the river boat or taxi tours. For 2 dollars a trip you get an 18 minute ride down the best parts of the river on a DIY architecture tour. Also familiar with st louis she recommends forest park and the st louis zoo as one of the best in the world – and “on the hill” for thai food.