SO LONG SOUTHERN CROSS AND WELCOME BACK, URSA MAJOR (aka THE BIG DIPPER)

POST #167

Here is the final photo of Ali, taken as I was walking out the door to head to the Armidale airport, after completing my final house sit in Australia.

The look on her face can be described in three words-  "But why, Paul?"

After a month of spending every day together, and playing ball, she probably couldn't work out why I would want to leave.  But such is the life of a house sitter- always on the move.

However, just prior to departing this country house sit, I was invited to go along to a get together with some of the locals.  It was a wonderful afternoon spent with some very friendly and interesting people.

So it was time to say goodbye to the Southern Cross constellation, and hello to Ursa Major ( the Big Dipper), as we crossed over the Equator en route to my next destination.  But before I left, I had time to say so long to a couple of friends, Brian (top), and David (bottom).  I met Brian way back in 1988 through my friend Victoria, and I met David after applying for a job ad in a newspaper back in 1990.  In 2003, David, myself and another sailor named Anthony would spend 43 days sailing across the Indian Ocean from Durban South Africa, to Fremantle, Western Australia.

Above, is a rather grainy photo of the wing of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. I had read an article only a week or so prior to this flight, that Boeing had discovered a glitch in the computer software of the 787 which had the potential to shut down all the power to the aircraft at any time without notice. If it happened while cruising at 39000 feet over the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, it would have been a long glide to a watery grave.  This news, along with the documentary that I linked to a few months ago on this blog, with regards to the manufacturing of this jet, had me wondering whether or not I would make it all the way from Melbourne to Los Angeles, but for anyone who has been there, this next photo confirms that we arrived safe and sound.  I arrived in LA, three hours BEFORE, I left Melbourne, due to the crossing of the international dateline.  May 9th was an extra long day.

 After a few hours layover in LA, it was time to board a different aircraft and continue my journey to Seattle airport.  I had a great view of Mt. Baker as we were on our final approach into SeaTac airport.

The stop over in Seattle would be a short one hour, before boarding a prop aircraft to make my final flight for the day, to Redmond Oregon.

This was taken just after we departed Seattle,  and I managed to catch another glimpse of Mt. Baker, as we headed south.

Finally, here is a video taken en route.

The weary traveller, ah, that would be me, arrived safe and sound in Redmond, at about 6:30pm where I was greeted by my friend Mary.  A short car ride would be the final travel for the day and would have us arriving in Bend around 7pm.

I have some precious time off before I journey to my next house sit which will once again be on Orcas Island in Washington.  This will be my fourth journey there, and I am looking forward to caring for my three furball buddies, Oscar, Felix, and Ziggy.  However, I won't be there until late in the month, so I will have another post on May 21st, as long as I have a computer to use.

Until then,

Happy trails,

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer