Departure, arrival

As we drove to the airport on Boxing day, the sun was out, glinting off the snow and into the backs of our eyeballs. Jonathan said he was getting a headache.  We, of course, expressed sympathy. It wasn't until about four hours later, on the bumpy, noisy plane taking us to California that the headache became nausea, and then he was sick.  Meaning he threw up into his airsick bag.  Gross. 

Another two hours later, out of security, past the multiple lanes of cars parked in the pick-up area of the LA airport, and then back through security again, well past dinner, Jonathan picked at his quesadilla, then gave up and ate a few fries.  We were off to an auspicious start.

But things got better.  There was no motion sickness on the large plane flying in a straight line over the ocean all day.  We all slept for about six of the sixteen hours.  We left snow and cold on the 26th, and arrived to wind shaking out the green tops of the eucalyptus trees on the 28th.  Green grass.  Blue sky.  Shorts and t-shirts and Merry Christmas décor still all over town. 

We were too early to check into our hotel, so we dropped off all nine of our bags (nine!) and ate an exotic meal of fried chicken at the chain restaurant two doors down.  After checking in, we walked a few blocks to buy a phone that would work on this side of the world.  We realized just after arrival at the phone store that we needed passports to actually purchase the phone, and the passports were back in the hotel.  So then we walked the few blocks back to the hotel.  And back to the phone shop again.  Then back to the hotel again.  We do own a phone now.  And sore feet.

And that was really the end.  It was early evening at that point.  We succumbed to jet-laggery and stayed inside, went to bed at 8pm. 

This morning we made our way to church, in a neighborhood we are contemplating living in.  The people were friendly.  The neighborhood seemed pleasant.  The commute was actually only 40 minutes, one tram, not 60.  A 40 minute commute is not unreasonable.  Is it?

Tomorrow we hope to inspect several apartments, and submit an application to live ... somewhere.  We are all dreading the day.  But Tuesday and Wednesday, agencies are shut down for New Year's Eve.  So we will relax and be tourists then.  Hopefully we will be tourists with an idea of where we can live for the next six months.  Insert frowny face.

For today, jet-laggery may be winning out again ... at 9pm.  If I can make it to 10pm tomorrow, then Tuesday I just have to endure two more hours to meet the New Year at midnight -- 18 hours before most of my friends. 

Anyway, I will close this post with those two important goals:  first, find a way to avoid sleeping on the streets after our hotel stay is up, and second, overcome jet lag enough to meet midnight on December 31. 

The end.