Australia Day 1 - Arrival, Zach's Baptism, Hanging with the Halls

G'day mates!  Yes, I'm back from Down Under and now attempting to recount our journey on the blog!  I want to say thanks to all of you who supported me in so many different ways in taking this trip. Especially thanks mom for coming down and taking over my duties for one week, and Grammy Ann for being a support to her and the kids. Thanks Pete, dad, Carol-Diane, grandparents, friends and everyone else who supported me through other means. Going to Australia with Sue to visit Carrie and family was absolutely amazing, and because you were all so supportive and excited for our journey is the reason that I am eager to share this all.  And especially thanks to Carrie and the Hall family.  If you are going to a foreign land where you have never been I highly recommend having family there to pick you up at the airport, give you free food and lodging, provide transportation and detailed tours of the area, and dispense insight and tips that only a local would know. And thanks Aubrye for giving up your comfy bed for me! You guys could not have been better hosts.

Like our vacation itself, I'm going to take it day by day.

Sue and I flew out of LAX late Friday evening, just about Saturday morning by the time the plane took off. After a light meal the cabin is basically shut down and everyone is supposed to go to sleep.  Luckily I was already nodding off while watching The King's Speech on my own personal in-seat entertainment system, so it was easy to put in earplugs, put on the eye shield, and take a bit of a nap. (I did actually enjoy that movie, however it was conducive to sleep)

I was a bit amazed when I woke up later, checked the time and realized we were now nearly 9 hours into the 14 hour flight.  It was still dark outside and in, but I was awake enough to watch The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest and eat a snack.  After a bit we were getting closer to Australia, it was cloudy and windy and the plane started experiencing a bit of turbulence.  The staff began to serve breakfast, but had to take quite a break while the seat belt sign stayed illuminated due to the bumpy ride.  As we approached less than two hours left in the flight it was still bumpy, and I was starting to feel it.  I distracted myself by watching several episodes of Modern Family while anticipating landing.  After a brief repose the turbulence started up again, and while I can take the side-to-side rocking, it was the up and downs that was starting to affect me.  Then, on approach to Sydney with the ground finally in view, we began our descent while the (meager) contents of my stomach began their ascent.  At the exact moment we touched down I was hiding under a blanket using the beautiful air sickness bag.  Sue sitting next to me claims she didn't even notice, I was so discreet.  I immediately felt better, and felt absolutely no ill after-effects of the flight.  Problem solved in less than 10 seconds.  After a quick mouth rinse and sucking on a mint, and I was ready to disembark!

It was now Sunday morning 8:00 a.m. in Australia, we had left Saturday behind when we crossed the international date line.

We quickly made our way through customs and headed toward our designated meeting point with Carrie, which was the airport McDonalds. Despite a bit of rain and construction traffic Carrie and Aubrye showed up at the McD's only a few minutes after we did! Just the first in a series of happy events to come our way in our week ahead together.

have luggage, ready for adventure! 

Sue, Carrie, Aubrye at arrivals 

On our ride from the airport to the Hall's home in north Sydney we get our first

glimpse of the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge when we drive right across it. 

When plans for our visit were in the works Carrie arranged to have Zach's baptism scheduled for this

Sunday of our arrival.  We catch up with Matt and the kids and attend the last two hours of the Hall's church, with plans to return later in the afternoon for Zach's big event!  Arriving home we take part

in a Hall Sunday post-church afternoon ritual, fresh warm pancakes served with syrup, fruit and powdered sugar! 

church building in Baulkham Hills 

sign out front - on top is a Minah (?) bird - they, along with

 other tropical birds such as cockatoos were seemingly ubiquitous! 

Aubrye (aka Madi) with heart shaped pancake - photo sent to Harriet 

with love from one of her most favorite people

Zach's baptism invitation

Not long after finishing the clean up from lunch it's time to pack up the baptism buffet and return to the church to prepare.  The church building is not too far from the Hall's place in Castle Hill, and is home to the Baulkham Hills ward that they attend.  The baptism was well attended and the program was very nice. Zach and his siblings sang a song, and Carrie and some others spoke briefly.  Then it was time for the actual baptism.  Matt did a great job, and Zach could not have had a bigger smile on his face!  One funny thing to note: like most baptismal fonts this one had a partial glass partition that the congregants view the baptism through, with an angled mirror overhead.  The kids will often crowd the glass partition, wanting to be as close to the action as possible, while the adults will watch over their heads or in the angled mirror.  Taylor had his face smashed up against the glass for the entire time, and when Zach came up out of the water he said loudly "My turn daddy!  Now it's my turn!" We all got quite a chuckle out of that. 

From there we returned to the primary room for the confirmation, and then it was time for the afterparty!

Carrie had prepared a few things such as veggie and fruit plate, hummus and crackers, cookie bars and a delicious southwestern salsa dip served with tortilla chips.  Her awesome ward members had also brought an amazing array of food, we had quite the spread!  There were small squares of gourmet pizza, typical Aussie sausage rolls, chicken salad w/cashew sandwiches with the crusts cut off, individually packaged Korean crackers, white chocolate chip cookies and fizzy lemonade. And some astute soul had even brought small cups of red and green jello!  

The kids all very much enjoyed that cultural treat. 

The members of the Hall's ward were so kind and it was obvious that they are all very fond of the Halls and were more than happy to be pitching in and helping with this important event. The Hall's next door neighbors were invited and came, and member friends from their previous ward were there as well.

But I like to think that the visitors that came from the furthest away were Zachy's favorites! :-)

Zach and his family

siblings singing 

baptism buffet

Carrie with ward friends and family

Aubrye smiles with her green jello cup 

Zach with his buddies 

Early evening and we return to the Halls.  Sue and I are beginning to fade just a little bit, but we think we've held out pretty good today as far as being jet lagged goes.  Once everyone is cleaned up and changed from the day, it's time to explore what fun things we brought in our suitcases!  Carrie had made a few special requests for products from the states, there were a couple of birthdays to catch up on, and Harriet had hand made a couple of cards and notes and presents for her cousins.  

cover of the birthday card Harriet made for Zach

dixie cups - one of Taylor's favorite finds

lego game for Bryson

and more for Zach.  We love and miss our cute cousins!! 

Well, by this time the sun had set on Sue and mine's first day in Australia, and it was officially okay to crash and sleep for the next 10 or so hours.  As previously mentioned Aubrye (and Bryson!) had willingly and graciously given up their rooms and beds to me and Sue. It didn't take me long at all to appreciate this, as I was out before I even remember.  (upon arrival home Harriet informed me that Aubrye had texted to her "your mom was asleep before eight o'clock tonight!" yes, yes I was)  In the morning we would wake up and be on schedule, adjusted completely to Australia time and ready to explore and learn much more about this amazing country and all that it has to offer!