Today was all about riding the bus for from Geraldton to Perth. The hands down best thing was seeing a flock of emu strolling through a wheat field looking extremely Jurassic. 
Today’s version of carving initials in a tree.
saw this guy at the Melbourne zoo. Today, in person.
Saw my train this afternoon, it must have had 40 cars. I could not see either end.
No internet or cell signal until I get to Sydney on February 14.
Tired. Good night until Sydney.
Before Facebook. Before the blog. There was my travel log. It is still around. Just digital.
Most notes written on planes or just before falling off to sleep.
Australian Adventure Before Alzheimer’s
Feb 2 Friday
Billy and I had a late breakfast and he took me to the airport. Short flight from Kona to Honolulu. Then a modest layover. Now on the plane heading for Brisbane. The captain just said the flight time will be 10 hours and17 minutes. I just ordered a Heineken!
Just noticed…the plane has ambient bird sounds. How strange is that?
One Heineken and a bunch of Mac nuts down and 9 hours 35 minutes to go.
Finished my eggplant supper. 8 hours 10 minutes more. Switched to audiobook. Time to try for a nap.
The nap eludes me. But with 6 hours 55 minutes to go, got time for one. Went for a walk and got some coffee. Time to read.
Flying over Fiji now. When you fly to Hawaii from North America you don’t fly over anything. But lots of stuff between Hawai’i and Australia. About 4 hours left. Another nap. Maybe a snack. And then we’ll be there.
Feb 3
February 3rd got lost at the international date line. Will pick it up on the flip side.
Feb 4
0430 and I am wide awake. It is still dark and about 65 degrees. Looking forward to being at my hotel in Melbourne at about 2PM.
0650 now. Waiting for the plane to Melbourne. We had a glorious rainbow it showed up as I was finishing a very short yoga program. Wonder what the goddess would have done if I had completed a long program?
Note Carlton-I am staving and caffeine deprived. I sprung for a $5.50 coffee but passed on the $9.00 toast with butter and jelly. The coffee is essential to sustain life. Toast-been waiting for someone to order it. Oh, 2 guys just got beers before 0700. Australia hasn’t changed that much in 35 years.
Feb 5 Melbourne
Royal Botanic Gardens was the event
Feb 6 Melbourne
Yesterday’s 10 miles on the fitbit is a bit much for this 74-year-old woman. So, today I am planning on exploring Melbourne via bus and boat. Maybe a trip to the zoo is in order. Because, I haven’t seen any exotic critters. Not even a kangaroo. Not even on the menu.
Feb 7
Went to the zoo yesterday and the south Melbourne Market today. It’s 103 degrees but I still got 8miles on Fitbit and a great takeaway lunch from the market.
Feb 8
8:40. All packed up and ready to roll. I have enjoyed my stay in Melbourne, a fine city. Could have spent the entire month here.
10:30. At the airport, waiting. My Visa card didn’t work at the hotel. My pin was “incorrect” fortunately I had enough cash to pay for my breakfasts. $100 for 4 breakies. Damn good breakies.
And when I got to the airport I was able to get more cash. With a different card. Cash is king.
The frugal ghost of Carlton lingers on. He is currently wondering why I spent $4 on a tiny cup of coffee. Well, big guy, life’s uncertain-even more since the orange lord’s hostile takeover of our once fine country.
8:50am Perth time. 3 hours earlier. Up in the air. A bit off putting, we steerage passengers have seat belts, but the business class folk also have crash belts. Guess if you pay more they take better care of you. We poor smucks in back have to cushion each other. 4hours until the next adventure.
9:50am. Plane seems to be over water. Some how I figured it would be over land. I would have known if I had looked at a map.
Just had a surprisingly good airplane curry for lunch. Followed by a dreadful frozen threat or the other.
10:45. It is different, going out on this adventure without emailing the journal to some helpful concierge to print out for Carlton. But like solo travelers since the days of sailing ships, I am compelled to write. It keeps me connected to “real life”.
11:15. I am tired of being on the plane. Australia is a very big Island!
11:45. Another hour. Tick. Tick. Fucking Tick…
Landing and they came by with a Lindor chocolate. I am eating it. Lindor doesn’t do hot.
Evening-got to the hotel fine. Talked to a young lady adventurer. She was happy to know that with luck she had decades more travels ahead.
Nice modern city is Perth with South Asia colonial undertones. I get a little more exploring time on Saturday.
Alarm set for 0400 hours
Friday February 9
6:30. Perth airport. safely on the plane and heading to Geraldton. Been on the adventure for a week. Looking forward to the next week which has visit with friends, a 6 hour bus ride, 3 nights on the train across Oz, ending with a couple of days in Sidney.
Aussie notes
Mackers = Mickey D’s
Woolworth = a grocery store
Root = fuck as in the act not the oath