So after a number of going away get-togethers thrown by my lovely co-workers, I had 4 days until take off, so to speak. The weekend consisted of saying good-bye to loved ones, packing and just generally getting organized. I finished packing on the Tuesday about 10 minutes before I was due to leave to go to the airport for my first in a series of flights. I would generally not recommend this method.

Jeremy came by and he and Matt drove me off to Pearson. There was no line up at all, and after some (almost) tearful goodbyes, I was off to board my first flight to LA. I couldn’t cry in front of the boys, so of course I really had to fight off the tears when going through security.

At any rate, the flight was uneventful and I had three seats to myself where I could lay down and actually managed to get some sleep I think. In LA we boarded a 747 and it had to have been the largest plane I’ve ever seen. The enormity of these things made me quite nervous, like how the hell do they get these beasts up in the air! It’s magic I tell you! Oh yes, and Bernoulli, of course.

No matter where I go, I always ALWAYS get the person beside me that likes to chat. This time it was David from the UK. After a couple of hours and hearing about his travels, his partner, her three children and everything in between I drugged myself, threw on my sleeping mask, popped in the earplugs and woke about two hours before landing in Fiji. I flew with air Pacific, which is partnered with Qantas, but NOT Qantas and therefore the food and entertainment (including David from the UK) left something to be desired.