Finally, after 15 long hours, I landed in Sydney. I was worried about my luggage because it didn't show up in baggage claim until the very end. But thank you Air Canada, you successfully checked my baggage from Denver to Sydney Australia.
Retrieved luggage, headed towards the duty free store. Suzan had asked if I would pick up a Scotch and Bourbon at the store since it was significantly cheaper than in the stores. Scotch was $35 and Bourbon was $25 for a liter, which she said we be $40 to $50 in a regular store. It was my first try with my American credit cards - the ones they said I no longer need to notify them about travel - and I was apprehensive about them working. Worked like a charm. Gathered up my to liters of alcohol and headed off to customs and much to my delight I was directed straight to the exit. Being old and tired apparently garners sympathy - or maybe they figure I'm just too tired from travelling to be any trouble. Of course the dogs were actively checking luggage for biologicals and he just wagged his tail as he passed my luggage without incident.
Suzan was waiting for me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and balloons. So nice to see her friendly face after the long trip. We headed towards the train to go home, which is when we discovered the pull out handle on my suitcase was broken. Happened somewhere in transit since it worked fine in Denver. What a pain to get to and on the train, but we made it. It was then I discovered I had dropped my Opal card and was stressing over having to get another one when a nice gentleman asked if that was my Opal card next to my foot. I dropped it on the train. So that stress was gone. Suzan was a trooper, she wrestled my suitcase on and off the train, then into her car. Later this week I'll perform surgery - see if I can fix it.
Home we went. Suzan has a lovely home, all one level, that is a perfect retirement home. Three nice bedrooms with a bathroom in between that has a separate shower, sink and stool area so perfect for multiple residents. Her roommate Margaret, has her room next to mine and as before, was just a delight to reconnect with. Like me, she likes to binge different series. Right now she is watching Chicago Fire so we compared notes since it is also a favorite of mine. A shower and change of clothes and off to a pub for lunch.
Finished lunch and off to an RSL club. RSL stands for Returned and Services League of Australia which is a member-based veterans' charity founded in 1916, and the largest veterans' charity in Australia. Similar in concept to the American Legion or VFW, the clubs themselves are quite large and very modern. They have event centers, dining areas with a full bar and restaurant, a casino and a large Keno board, which apparently is very popular in Australia. We were at this club last time I was here and the same people were there this time and so welcoming. We chatted and had drinks (diet coke and hot chocolate for me) until I actually fell asleep in my chair. Guess the 2 days of travel finally caught up with me.
With that, my Friday ended with a really great night's sleep.
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