The trip home

It is a long way from Melbourne to RDU and you can figure about 30 hours door to door.

MEL-LAX is about 14 hours non stop and I purposly chose the new A380 Airbus for my journey.

OK so I am flying coach but I have to say that Airbus got this design right. I was impressed.

There is loads of headroom and large luggage bins, quite comfortable seats (last place goes to Cathay Pacific on their A340 from Mumbai to Hong Kong) and an excellent in flight entertainment setup. I had a couple of interesting folks sitting in my row. Both are Aussie history teachers and we had a few laughs and some good conversation. I estimate that there were about 60 movies to choose from as well as the TV and radio stuff. I am very impressed with the airplane and the journey so far. Qantas has 6 of the A380s in service and 14 more on order!!

They do the Sydney LAX every day and the MEL-LAX 3 times a week as well as one of the London services.

I hope Boeing has their act together with the latest version of the 747 and the new 787, although it's NPI program may have been managed by Caterpillar.

It all went to hell in a handbasket in LAX. What a hell hole, and what a horrible way for someone to first experience the USA. I am ashamed. It is dirty, has not seen a coat of paint in 20 years and is incredibly inefficient. I thought I had arrived at an airport in the developing world but most of theirs are better. Enough said.

I then connected with American to Raleigh via Chicago. I was treated to a center seat on both flights where they did not serve food and both flights were full. Reverse culture shock would be the appropriate term.

I got home around 11pm after weather related delays in Chicago and my cat Mabs looked at me and basically said "Who the Heck are you and what are you doing in my house!"

She has warmed a little to me now so we will see.

I am home for about 3 weeks before heading out to Zambia at the end of the month.

I will resume around that time.

Thanks to the Chadwick and Hoops team for caring for my place so well, and thanks to all the blog readers and followers. 

My travel companion Rhino made it home with me but a little the worse for wear. Some poachers cut off his horn at one point and his ears became victims too, but he is a high milage trooper and we have been through a lot together.

Writing the blog has been a growth experience in it's own right and it has taught me a lot about how to write and communicate as well as figure out how to show sheep shearing and tuna slicing videos. Comments and helpful suggestions gratefully received.