January 21, 2011

Dear Familia,

We decided it would be easy and fun to use this thread to keep track of our activities and thoughts of this wonderful trip to Sydney, Australia, for Robin and Tane's wedding.

We arrived in LA Wednesday at 5pm and by 11pm we learned that we didn't quite make the cut at the gate, so we got a room at La Quinta and tried to sleep. After a great breakfast, we hung out in the lovely lobby for a few hours then leisurely shuttled back to the airport. I had "the best" chicken tortilla soup at a little cantina right by our gate, and then we sat on the internet for hours...met several nice travelers and just tried to enjoy our vacation in the airport! At 11pm we were still not lucky, just too many people heading down under this time of year or something... but my friend Kathy Hooton Brown flew in from SLC and we put her on the plane we were denied access to...bummer! So we got another room (after waiting hours for a lost bag...don't worry, Robin, it was full of your clothes, but they found it this morning). We set our alarm, had a nice breakfast with our fellow lodgers, and shuttled back to LAX to catch a flight to San Francisco. Papa had purchased a real ticket just in case we didn't make the standby cut. There were people around us who were on vacation and that's just what they do...sit at the airport, get denied, go play locally for a day and then start all over again..and they don't really care if they get on at all. WE, on the other hand were frantic to get on and it just wasn't to be. Thanks, Rennie, for trying so hard to help us out - and tell Dusky we really appreciated the passes, just didn't work in this case. We are having a blast in San Francisco right now...the clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl was fantastic! and we have the tops of the bowls tucked away in our bag for later,... when we're cold and hungry, flying somewhere over the vast South Pacific. The shopping is great too...Gucci is around the corner and I spotted a handbag I simply can't afford! Papa bought trail mix...what a practical fellow. I brought tons of snacks and we had most of them eaten before we even left Sky Harbor Wednesday at 5pm! Oh, thanks for the ride to the airport Jackson...you're the best! Papa hopes you and Mel are holding down the fort!

So, about 2 hours ago Robin called and said she couldn't find Kathy anywhere at the airport..I said "Maybe the dingo ate your auntie"...and we really were getting nervous and messaged her daughter in SLC and then finally Robin texted and said she found the dingo who had auntie and all was well. Now they can go play and have a lot of FUN until time to pick US up at the airport tomorrow (Sunday to them) We've rented a car so all the running back and forth is a lot easier than the train, and less expensive too!

We have about 4 more hours so write back if you get a chance and we'll answer questions or just keep this thread going for the whole length of the trip. Maybe all you do is read it and you don't have to reply at all, it will just be our way of journaling the daily events while keeping you all up to date.

Robin and Tane are very excited that the time for their wedding is just 1 1/2 weeks away. Pray for them that all goes well.

Okay,that's about it for now.

XOXOMimi&Papa

PS: Julie & John, Ronnie & Judi..Thanks for coming to be with the family last weekend - we all really appreciated you being there...and we were so happy to have you stay with us. And thanks for all your help!


January 22, 2011
We arrived at 7am - 14 hr trip from San Fran

We are going to church at 1pm

will report more later...

Love,

Mimi and Paps

Rethinking the long thread...we'll just send new ones each time... Here are a few pictures..I couldn't attach them all so I'll drop them in Shutterfly later.

Sunday Jan 23, 2011

Finally down under, and hanging on for dear life..we’ve survived the mind numbing days living at the airport and the 13 hour flight, but not sure if we’ll survive watching Robin drive on the wrong side of the road from the passenger seat…so weird, but we’re going to give it a shot behind the wheel too!

We had a tailwind and arrived 1.5 hours early, but Robin and Kathy were there to greet us soon after we snuck (is that a word) through customs with our “Judi granola bars”…no way was I givin them up!

Tane was at church so I didn’t get to meet him right away, but Kathy gave her thumbs up – said he’s already her “son”, so I couldn’t WAIT for them to get back. We moved into the Temple Apartments (on condition that we go as many times as we can while we’re here) and showered and got ready for a 1pm Sacrament meeting. So far we have everything we need, cute little kitchenette and all. The temp is high 70’s today so the AC is on.

I was downstairs in Kathy & Robin’s room when all of a sudden it got kind of dark in the room…I first thought it was a cloud covering the sun, but I turned around and saw it was Tane filling the open doorway! Wow, it was great to finally see his face in person and get a great big hug from that sweet looking guy. What a soft-spoken, kind faced gentle man! He had worked all night and gone to church while we were arriving. I took him upstairs so Papa could get a good look at him - he likey very much!

And off we all went together to the Normanhurst Ward. It is smallist; only ten double rows of benches but all were full. I closed my eyes and it sounded like Mick Dundee was conducting! The RS Pres spoke – she is amazing.

Afterward Tane took us to the RSL to eat lunch/dinner. It’s a place where you become a temporary member and it is for the retired servicemen – I think proceeds go to help them. We had “the best” fish and chips EVER.

Driving around the area is beautiful – it reminds me of So. California and Florida so much. Tons of eucalyptus trees and rolling hills and darling houses. Mel, we LOVE it too! The air feels like fall or spring in Arizona, only better!

Back at the rooms we let Tane fall asleep so he could go to work again, and Robin sat on the bed and gave Kathy and I foot massages. My feet were so swollen from the flight I couldn’t hardly walk. The movie “Australia” came on so we managed to watch it off and on. Papa and I were so dang sleepy we didn’t even care that the bed was actually manufactured in H—L!

Monday January 24, 2011

Wow, that BED! I rolled up all the blankets in the closet and made us another 5 inches of mattress – hope it helps tonight! Feet look normal again! It’s going to be in the low 80s today, so off we go! Our objective is to go by the "flat" Robin found and see what kind of job opportunities are in that area.

Wish her luck and pray she finds something - rent on the studio flat is $400 a week!

Hope you're all doing well and that nobody else got sick after we left. Papa is fighting a sore throat/cough with Silver Biotic and doing much better.

xoxo

ps the water out of the tap is wonderful! what a blessing!