The clock is ticking

"Time is like a river, flowing to the sea..." said Alan Parsons.  And so it is with travel preparations.  So, with less than 24 hours until we test the theory of relativity, I'm going to take a minute to talk about the things we're doing to get ready.

Its almost eerie the planning that is involved.  Passports, Visas (both the immigration kind and credit card), points of contact, reservations (airline and hotel).  Not to mention the fact that there is no easy way to get back should something happen.  No, "I'm getting in the car and going home" on this trip.  Since the only "foreign" vacation that I have made that was longer than a week was to Canada (thanks mom and dad, still remember that trip) and that only required a copy of a birth certificate (By the way, I'm not sure that the Mounties even looked at that copy of my birth certificate.) I'm not totally sure that I am as prepared as I should be.  I have taken care of things at work; invoices are paid, desk is cleared, assignments given.  I think that things are prepared at home; dog and cat fed (not to each other), bills paid, house looked after by very considerate neighbors (hat tip to Kris and Kevin).  Wills and other legal documents in place (big yikes!).  I guess that the "bad" preparations have been made.

But the good preparations can also get taxing.  I have downloaded an app for my phone (I hope it continues to work down under) for Australian slang.  What if I don't pick up on the language?  I'd like to know if I'm being made fun of while in the pub, and I'm not sure that I'm up for that right now.  However, studying is fun and I'm learning fast.  Don't worry if I'm bending the elbow with some mates, she'll be apples.

We're focused on the flights and the preparations for that.  I've flown from here to the west coast before and its taxing but not too bad.  Bring a good book, some earphones for the radio on the plane (channel 9 on United is ATC, almost like being the pilot but not getting paid) and the transcon is OK.  I'm not sure that I can be fully prepared for 14+ hours on a plane over the ocean overnight.  I have every confidence in the plane and the pilots, don't get me wrong.  Bernoulli was a genius along with Orville and Wilbur Wright and that part is fine.  Its the fact that after what I think is a long flight, we will not even be halfway to Sydney.  How many times can I watch the same movie?  I, being an aspiring professional pilot, feel it is my solemn duty to stay awake so the plane will stay in the air.  What if I'm needed in the cockpit?  Surely the flight crew of 6 or so pilots will need me at some point during the trip?  Don't they know who I am?  I'm sure I will just fall asleep despite my efforts at staying awake and the trip will continue and the only assistance I will provide to the flight crew will be in my dreams.

This is it.  The last posting before we leave.  I'm going to try to keep notes while making a 24 hour trip.  I'm still amazed about our travel.  We will be as far away from home as we can be before heading back toward home.  We will be flying non-stop for 14+ hours to make a journey that used to take months by ship.  We are so excited that we haven't stopped smiling.  Lets make sure that we are just as happy on the way home.