Missing...

With the best of intentions, after my last post, I meant to write a series of posts about our Sydney trip. I took photos of some beautiful scenery of the coastline of the Sydney area and to the south. I have photos of lovely old buildings too...and bridges...and landmarks...you know how it is when you travel...it's so easy to take lots of digital photos! So one day those posts with the Sydney photos will get written. 

This post though will be about our house guest who arrived this morning...at 6am some of our family were at the Brisbane International Airport waiting for the Qantas flight from LA.

Last year DH and I stayed once again with his cousin Adrienne who lives at Huntington Beach...Adrienne and her partner had 'spoiled us rotten'; taking us to all sorts of places.

Adrienne's mum Thelma, was a cousin of DH's mother and she  had been an Aussie War Bride, who went to live in the US after WW2. Thelma lived to the ripe old age of 98 and passed away in early 2011. Her wish was for her ashes to come back to Australia and be scattered near her childhood home at Kangaroo Point here in Brisbane. And that is the main reason that Adrienne has made this visit. 

The other things on her wish list are a trip to Taree ( in New South Wales)  to visit her grandfather's grave and to see ( and photograph a sunrise and a sunset) Stradbroke Island. ( near Brisbane) And I'm tagging along on those trips too!!!

So back to this morning...the family members who were in the welcoming committee of 6 at the airport, came back to our place for a light breakfast...before our guest of honour went to the spare bedroom to rest...jet lag. 

When she is rested...let the fun begin! She has heaps of other cousins here in Brisbane who are looking forward to catching up with her, as well as some cousins from Melbourne who are arriving on Monday afternoon...it will be a busy 16 days!!

Travels...

Since last October, DH and I had the idea that this year we would visit DsD3 in Canada, but our planned March/April departure just didn't happen due to health issues for both of us. Eventually though, plane tickets were purchased for a July 22 departure. 

Then a month ago, another health 'drama' for DH; some routine tests showed there could be a problem with the prostate. So everything to do with travelling was put on hold...

Visits to a specialist...

Some scans, examinations and more blood tests were done but the specialist needed more information...and so it was that DH had a MRI  done as well...the specialist said don't cancel your holiday...time for that if the MRI results were not encouraging. But keeping the appointment to see the doctor after the MRI, became difficult...

The specialist couldn't make the appointment as he was 'stuck' in Bali because of the volcanic ash clouds!!! DH's appointment was moved twice with the final date being Mon July 20! 

 But luckily, due to the circumstances, when the doctor finally arrived home late last Friday afternoon, he rang DH to say that there were no signs of cancer...have the holiday and then go back to him afterwards for some surgery. So it was quite a rush then to finish organising things for the trip!

So this is the scene, July 22...the International Airport Brisbane...

We had booked 'Premium Economy' instead of our usual Economy or 'Cattle Class' as it's often referred to. Because of his ill health this year, DH had decided to book the more expensive class; mind you, I didn't argue!!! Lol

It was worth the money...no queuing, more room, nicer food, attentive staff, white cloths and napkins, cloth towels in the toilets and just very comfortable all round. No plastic either...even the water was served in glass. 

One of our fellow passengers kindly took this photo...

Our plane was delayed by poor visibility at Brisbane Airport so we took off an hour late. And 12 1/2 hours later we landed at LA...at 7am, Wednesday July 22...yep! We get 2 July 22s lol. 

Even though we had booked for an early check in at our hotel, the room wouldn't be ready until 12.30...so we put our belongings in the office and then headed out to walk around the streets...despite having had little or no sleep for nearly 24 hours...as you do though when you travel into different time zones. 

DH bought a phone and we walked and walked...stopping eventually for a cuppa and some free WiFi. 

So for the next 5 weeks my posts will share our adventures with you....

( after a shower and a 4 hour nap, we felt quite 'human' again and we went walking around again this evening)