Traveling.,...

Well my adventure down under is underway! I have only flown to LA and I am already tired! Probably didn't help that I didn't get enough sleep last night. I'm hoping I am able to sleep on the flight. I'm sure some alcohol will help with that! So far my adventure has been going quite well. I got a standby ticket from my housemate (thank you Tasha!) to fly from Portland to LA. While I was hanging out at the gate in Portland I saw Don Cooney who works at PDX. He and I used to go to Clear Creek Community Church together. It encouraged me to see him and meet his co-worker Anna. On the flight to LA I got to sit next to this lady who is a flight attendant on a Gulfstream jet for clients such as Tiger Woods and other interesting people. It was fun to hear some of her stories and all of the things she has done in her life. That is the fun part of traveling-you meet the most interesting people. I arrived in LA very early---my flight doesn't leave until 10:30pm and I arrived here at 4pm. It's not like me to be early, but I didn't want to chance missing my flight out of LA. Especially since I was flying standby from PDX. Waiting here at the international terminal I already feel like I am in a different country! So many people and so many nationalities.
In Auckland one of my mom's friends from Iowa who now lives in NZ is going to meet me at the airport. It will be nice to see a friendly face even if I don't know her! Well I am going to move around a bit before rigor mortis sets in! I will try and update this when I get to NZ--although it might take me a couple of days to get my bearings and settle in!