3 - This Is Australia Calling! Is Anybody Out There?

 

Our corner Hilton Hotel room - 42nd floor

We left our porch in Tallahassee at noon on Thursday. We took an Uber cab to the Tallahassee Airport. We had 3 flights - 1 hour - 4 hours - 14 hours. Tallahassee to Atlanta to LA to Sydney. All flights were full and on time. If we didn't get covid from that - we may never get it. You do not look forward to a 7500 mile flight over water for 14 hours - in a 2 engine Delta Airbus 350. 

It took 30 hours to finally arrive at our Hilton Hotel in downtown Sydney - but we checked in Saturday around 8 AM. We got a beautiful room on the 42nd floor overlook the famous Queen Victoria Building. 

This is the famous Queen Victoria Building. 
this is the view from our 42th floor room. 

We caught a couple hours of sleep - and Lulu was off to enjoy shopping in the Vic. It is 60 degrees and almost spring in the city. 

Sydney is the biggest city in Australia in the state of New South Wales. It has 5 million people - but in area - it is 6 times bigger than London. Remember Australia only has 25 million people - so 20% of all of their people live here. We will be in Australia 45 days - but most of that will be in Canberra - the capital. That is where Lulu will be doing her research at the Australian National Library. 

Remember Australia was settled by opening up the prisons in the United Kingdom. It has a strong reputation of independence. But in all the wars - they have been loyal to the USA and the UK. They love  Americans. They are also very open to immigration - they want people. Obviously they speak English. 

We were here once before - about 10 years ago. When Lulu was president of AASL - they invited her to be the keynote speaker at a major convention. It was only for a week - so we spent a lot of time adjusting to the time zone. This time we have 6 weeks to settle in and feel like residents. 

I like forward to the people - cars - history - animals - and cultural sites. 

That is Sydney City Hall

It is cloudy - then sunny - and 60 degrees. 

The longest flight - 7500 miles - 14 hours. 
We went right over Fiji.