Waltzing Down Under
November 2017
It’s a long way to Australia & New
Zealand! But surviving flights to Vietnam last Spring encouraged us to think
about another long trip. Coincidentally during dinner at the home of Aussie
colleague Peter, wife Ellen, and sons Conor & Quinn we learned Peter would
have a Fall sabbatical at Australian Nat’l U in Canberra. Couldn’t pass up a
chance to see some of Australia with a native. Then discovered a Qantas airfare
sale ̶
“dirt cheap” said Peter. Seemed like travel karma. So I did the fastest
trip planning ever! Multiple flights across time zones & date lines,
several destinations (Auckland NZ, Sydney AUS, Papeete Tahiti to decompress on
the way home), plus hotel arrangements via booking.com. Then Qantas kept making
changes, mostly in flight times. Whew!! I’m back to my “travel agent” persona,
making all the trip arrangements myself. And had to arrange “Electronic Travel
Authority” docs on-line for Australia. (And who knows, with the way Trump is
going, can we get back into the US? Peter says if we ask for asylum they’ll
welcome us right in.) As in some other trips, we’ll have to handle 3 different
currencies: Australian & New Zealand dollars are similar (1 AUD = $.77, 1 NZD
= $.69) but Tahiti’s Pacific Franc is more complicated (1 CFP = $.01).
More recently, we’ve been busy since
returning from a trip to KC and Branson on 10/25. Marjorie creating another
Grandma Halloween costume requested by grandson Miles ̶
he’ll be a Box of Popcorn! I wading thru 300+ pages of a
dissertation ̶ not quite done with academia. Friday up to
Glens Falls for a reception at artist Tom Myott’s studio in “The Shirt
Factory,” celebrating his segment on WMHT’s program “AHA” (A House for Arts). Tom’s
paintings include beautiful images around the Saratoga track. Marjorie was
instrumental in connecting him with WMHT, where she used to work; she also
provided a cake for the reception.
Tom very thoughtfully arranged a room for us
at the classic Queensbury Hotel, and we enjoyed the late peak Fall colors in
and around Glens Falls. Saturday afternoon off to a play at Curtain Call: “The
Legend of Georgia McBride,” a comedy featuring an Elvis impersonator and drag
queens. That night to a Halloween costume party hosted by the President of my
Mendelssohn Club singing group.
Tom very thoughtfully arranged a room for us
at the classic Queensbury Hotel, and we enjoyed the late peak Fall colors in
and around Glens Falls. Saturday afternoon off to a play at Curtain Call: “The
Legend of Georgia McBride,” a comedy featuring an Elvis impersonator and drag
queens. That night to a Halloween costume party hosted by the President of my
Mendelssohn Club singing group. 
Sunday a rendezvous with son Matt & family
at friend Marlene’s in Poughkeepsie to deliver Miles’ costume and see William’s
last-minute decision to be a hot dog. And we fill out our 1st absentee
ballots for the 11/7 election. Whew! We need a vacation.
