The Flights Back
I had set an early wakeup call so I could get the airport shuttle and make it for my Sydney to Los Angeles flight in good time. Like most international airports, Sydney has its share of fancy shops and fanciful architecture. I walked from where the shuttle dropped me, found where I should check in my bag, but I was too early, so I found a place to sip another Long Black to wait for the check-in to open. Check-in turned out to be relatively easy, and I made it through security and thence, after a long walk through duty free areas and fancy shops, to my gate. I ended up arriving at the gate for my flight very early, but that was good, because I used the time to book my domestic flights (Los Angeles to Manchester, NH). Thank goodness for my mobile! The International flight left Sydney around 10:30am, I slept pretty much the entire 15 hour flight, and we landed in Los Angeles around 7:00am the same day. (That International Date Line plays tricks with your mind!) Back in the USA! At Los Angeles, my encounter with US Border Control was surprisingly easy. I was guided to a booth that had no one waiting, walked up to the guy, who asked me to stand in front of a camera (just a simple webcam), within a few seconds, he addressed me as "Bryan?". I said "You got me!" (or some such), and he said I was good to go. He didn't look at any documents, nor ask me any questions. It felt weird, after my previous experiences with US Border Control. I made my way to Baggage Claim, and waited a very long time for my bag, but it eventually came, and I collected it. Then, to get to my hotel for the night. I knew from previous experience at LAX that I needed to find out where to pick up the private hotel shuttle (it's not at the same location as the 'regular' shuttles), and, true to form, I found that it was a very long walk to get to that location. LAX doesn't appear to believe in providing anywhere to sit on the way there. But, I found it, and after about 20 minutes hopped on the shuttle for my hotel, the Sonesta Los Angeles Airport LAX hotel. I arrived at the hotel, but I was way too early to check in, so I checked my bags with the concierge, found a place in the lobby to buy breakfast and a coffee (this time, no Long Black; it had to be an Americano). I ate my breakfast, and then settled in a comfortable chair with my coffee, and closed my eyes. Around noon, I was able to check into my room, went there with my reclaimed baggage, and spent a lot of time sleeping -- I was feeling pretty fatigued, with the after-effects of COVID, ten days of isolation, a long flight, and a significant timezone…