Saturday, December 18, 2010
OK, so I couldn't wait until Sydney to jot down a few more thoughts! :-) We boarded the plane at ~0645 for a ~0720 take-off. Take-off was actually around 0730 and I'm blogging airborne again.
Landed in Cairns at ~0510. I have a couple of hours of layover before re-boarding for my next leg to Sydney. On the flight from Tokyo, the onboard passenger information system alerted we folks connecting in Cairns on domestic flights to locales in Australia, that we'd have to clear customs, pick up our bags at baggage claim, re-check in for our domestic connections and clear security again?? Turned out not to be true. My bags had been checked through to Sydney and when I deplaned, at the top of the jetway, a JetStar rep directed me to the left, not the right for International connections and arrivals, but for domestic connections including to Sydney.
Walked down a hallway, up some stairs and queued up for security screening into the domestic terminal area. The security screening wasn't bad, fairly laid back but, as often happens to me (and I have no idea why!) I was selected for further screening... body pat down and bomb residue tests by the Aussies - no biggee.
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| Inside Cairns domestic terninal |
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| Freckles with me in Cairns |
Cairns domestic terminal is quite dead this early in the am. Only a book store with lots of great touristy stuff and a small coffee/snack shop in the middle of the concourse area called the Sail Bar. It was quite warm in the terminal. Temp outside was a balmy 78F. Had to take off my warm top and it was then I noticed/remembered that underneath my top I was wearing my tie-dye Woodstock t-shirt! Believe I may have stood out a bit. :-)
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| Sail's Bar - where I bought/ate my 1st meat pie in over 40yrs! |
Anyway, went over to the News shop and did some browsing: cool, really different candies, lots of books, magazines, periodicals, nic-nacs. I ended up buying 3 small picture books of (Cairns, Sydney and the Red Rock); some magnets for Meg and the house; a few small, local aboriginal leather goods and some candy bars.
From there strolled over to the Sail Bar, queued up and bought a latte and the first Australian meat pie I've had in over 40 yrs for breakfast! Hmmmmm, yummy! Snapped a handful of shots inside and out the windows of the terminal. Cairn's terminal has a very tropical feel and is decorated appropriately with a tropical theme. I could imagine a very enjoyable vacation here - gateway to the Great Barrier Reef amongst other very inviting locations to visit and enjoy.
My ride to Sydney will be another A330-200, twin engine Airbus. I'm in aisle seat 45G, 4 abreast, all by myself. The flight attendants just came around and asked me if I wanted a beverage. Not thinking I said yes, she said "3Au please." So, forked over 3 dollars for an apple juice. Man, the airlines charge for everything now-a-days. :-(
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| JetStar Airbus A330-200 |
Should be landing in Sydney around 1100 local time. Once I clear customs there, get some cash and pick up luggage, I'll figure out how to get to my 1 day hotel, the Sheraton. I plan on getting cleaned up some, changed into shorts/casual top and calling my colleague Hoa to come meet me for a bit of sight seeing in Sydney!!!
Plan on my first official blog in Sydney being a photo one!!!!
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