The Journey Begins

Preparing for my trip to Melbourne, Victoria Australia was pretty much the same as preparing for any business trip, but it just felt different. I never needed a visa to go to Defiance, Ohio or a foreign currency to go on a trip to Miami (although when in Miami I do wonder if USD is accepted everywhere).

The weirdness I feel inside is simply the distance involved I think. I feel like I am headed for the dark side of the moon. I will never be farther away from the ones I love. I am sure that once I arrive, everything will seem normal...I just will not know a soul in the entire hemisphere!

It is now 5:00PM CST on Thursday (sitting in ORD) and they tell me I will arrive in Melbourne on Saturday morning at 9:40 AM. Hmmmmm....it seems I am heading through some sort of time warp as I change hemispheres. At the right time, I will recline myself and sleep while trusting the crew(s) to keep us on course. Flying first to Los Angeles, the Chicago to California trip will never seem as short.... as it will tonight.....knowing the long haul is just ahead.

I find comfort in knowing that when I arrive, the signs will all be in English and the people will all speak English (or some form of it anyway) . I also find comfort in knowing the local Hilton will make me feel right at home. Home though.....will never be so far away.