The road trip continues. After a quality breakfast on the lanai (McDonald’s on the trunk of the car), it’s off to a meeting before a run to the airport.
Honolulu to LA to Sydney to Adelaide in one “day” (using the term loosely) tends to wear out the butt and associated body parts…
I did have an interesting set of conversations with Ron Schmeits (NRA President) and his wife on the trip from LA to Sydney. He is very approachable, and we discussed a wide range of issues surrounding not only shooting in the USA but what is going on world wide. He is very pragmatic and thoughtful in the approach he is taking to fulfilling his duties, and acknowledged the near impossibility of pleasing ALL the segments of the shooting community in the US. I also appreciated the fact that he was willing to listen and actually answer questions.
After multiple hoop jumps (dang travel agent didn’t calculate the arrival date correctly), I got my flight changed to the correct day (rather than the next day); hotel reservations corrected, and actually got into a room at a decent hour!
Of course I’m now hungry, so exploring I go… the mini in the room has… Beer $7, beer $7, more beer $6.50, booze $11 each, ONE water $6, ONE Coke $4, and one wine $9 that’s it. Hmmm, chips Um… Honey Soy Chicken? Don’t think I’ve ever seen that at Wally World… $6, cashews $4, and a bottle opener $8 (huh???) Guess people are ripping off the bottle opener! Multiple teas, and @#^&* instant coffee…
Why is it you can’t find BREWED coffee in Australia without paying a barrista for it? sigh…
/grumble/ Guess I’ll wait and catch up with the gang that’s already here for the meetings.
Off to dinner finally and where do we go? A pizza place (like I haven’t had enough pizza in the last month in Italy), and the ‘featured’ pizza includes bbq roo… Ah no, not tonight!
So I ask about the Barramundi, and the waitress kinda grimaces (hmmm, I think that’s a hint to change my order), skip the pizza, skip the spaghetti, Ah… How bout a salad? Caesar with Chicken? Okay that will be $25!!!
Finally back to the hotel, face plant in the bed, only to come wide awake at 0300 local time. There is absolutely NOTHING open at 0400 in the morning, and the meetings don’t start until 0800…
Sigh… And people think travel is fun…
You had an interesting trip.
There was a certain grace to traveling by steam ship with nothing but the wireless to send the odd telegram. No jet lag, no cell phones, just time on your hands with fellow passengers and the endless sea.
The remnant of a more elegant age has been replaced by instant everything (apparently including coffee based on your post).
Australia does offer tea — or has that gone away too?
Supi- It’s STILL going on…
LL- Oh yeah, tea is still the staple! I think I counted six different kinds in the room.
$6 water? Sounds like you’re staying at a Six Flags. Oh well, get it over with & hurry home safely!
PS: I made it!
You need an accounting firm just for the expense report.
Snigs- That’s the Cheep water…
WSF- It’s about a 2 hour job just trying to document everything… If I don’t work on it every day, it’s a PITA, believe me, and my accountant does NOT like me…
Must have been a BIG salad!
You are the party guy for sure NFO. Really not sure how you keep up the pace. Have a good rest of your trip!
Mrs. C- it was about the size of a dinner salad, not big at all…
Peedee- Party is NOT on my schedule… SLEEP is 🙂 Besides I learned a LONG time ago not to try to drink with the Aussies… (THAT was truly the hangover from Hell!!!)
I take a baggie of ground coffee and one of these (http://www.sweetmarias.com/sweetmarias/coffee-brewers/filtercones/bonmac-v-shaped-plastic-dripper.html) when I travel, even in the US. I get *my* coffee at *my* intensity after heating the water in *their* whatever. And all that without putting on pants!
lol … should have come a bit further west …
Apperently these boobs think we are pretty darn stupid.
How the surprise will be to them that we are not.
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