I flew to the tropics

I had to set the alarm to make sure I was up by 0330hrs, so I could get the early train to the airport.
Ugh. Picton's finest weather at -2C. Yay.
Still I was on the train and even froze waiting for it. As I boarded the train, I realised that I had left my hard drive behind. I usually filly my CF cards is I don't empty them daily so this was a worry for me.

Arrived at the airport without much trouble and FOR ONCE, no bomb check. The lady in front was checked though.
I had a chai Latte at Maccas and settled down to wait. It was then I noticed the federal policeman sitting not far from me. **Grin** No bomb check but they were not going to let me wander the airport. unescorted. Time for a walk. I took some shots at the terminal, all with my policeman in tow. Cool. Nice to be noticed. As I made my way to the gate, he even came up to stand next to me. :-)

Paranoid? Maybe but one cop happened to be walking randomly the same direction as me for 2 hrs?? I am sure they have other things to do.

My aircaft was going to be VH-VOV a boeing 737-800. A flash 737, not as cramped as the older models.
Good to see that they have inflight entertainment, but Virgin, being Virgin, it was $10 per channel to watch. Screw that I have my iPhone.

We pushed back on time, only to sit at the runway's edge for 15 mins. Ah well. Not like I was moving.
Runway 16R was today's selection. I watched as the landing 747 slamed intot the tarmac. Not a gentle land either but a smack into the ground. At 0850, we lined up for takeoff. A very steep AOC was used and we headed south. BUM!! I had worked out my seating for the coastal route not the inland route. Damn it. No Sydney views for me. Flew right over the western suburbs and I did get shots of Penrith.

Just over 2 hrs of flying saw me in the tropics for the first time in 19yrs. Last time I was here, I was doing a tour group in a turbo saratoga. Not much had changed. The airport was horrible concrete.. being redeveloped, of course. It was spitting rain, of course and the locals still had this stupid idea that Thongs were high street fashion. Ugh.

David arrived shortly after to get me, the boys in tow. A lot of juggling squeezed us all in. Tetris training FTW.
The boys had just driven up from Townsville, so we went straight to the hotel to check in.
 Hello 1980's pink wood. Well pink everything. Cement, floors cabinets.. all of it.

After a brief settling in, we set off again to get Kuranda tickets. I missed the train last time I was here as I was the tour leader, and had to arrange our next stops, but David ensured that I would not miss out this time.
As he knows my low tolerance for such things, he wisely suggested that I go only one way.
After a LOT of fluffing about, everyone had got their tickets.

David looked at the timetable and saw that today's trains were returning. So of course the boys had to chase it. **Sigh** Least it was only for a short time.

As my lack of hard drive was upsetting me, Evan had suggested that the same hard drive was for sale at Office works for $129. Off we sailed to officeworks.

Druey bought one as well. :-) Awesome drives and I an glad I now have one.

YAY!!! for Evan who had a private Wi-fi that he kindly shares...

Sizzler for dinner.

I was exhausted from the 0330 wake up fo crashed early. The boys stayed up a while longer.

Night!

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