Melbourne, Australia (trip 3)

December 26th, 2008

Now that all the Christmas formalities are done. I am packed and ready to head back to Australia where it is warm and there isn’t any SNOW! My buddy brings me and another friend down to the Amtrak station about a half hour from my place and we promptly get on and stuff our luggage on the shelf. We were running a bit late due to the lovely snowy weather in Michigan so we got there just as the train was pulling up. It is a 4 hour ride to Union Station in Chicago and goes without a hitch.

We make it to Chicago in normal time and get off and into Union Station only to wander around aimlessly trying to find the food court. After asking a couple people that work there and fighting with the only elevator that goes to the food court, we take the one escalator that we can find up to the food court level and get some food waiting for another friend to meet us there. After a good home-cooked Pizza Hut lunch we catch a cab to the James Hotel where we are gonna crash for the night.

This hotel rocks! I had stayed there once before and really liked it. We waited in the lobby and had a couple drinks waiting for the 4th member of the crew to show up and then headed up to the room to off load our luggage for the night. Teyo was really cool at the bar and was on top of things serving us loiterers.

After dropping off the bags and getting a short nap in we head back downstairs to the Primehouse for dinner. After a bunch of pomp and circumstance from the waiter about the quality of the beef we ordered and ate. Good food for sure! I just didn’t need to know the bull’s name that I was eating.

We meet up with a 5th partner in crime and head out to the Park Hyatt Hotel and up to NoMI wine cellar for a few drinks and some good conversation. This is a really classy place. Nice and quiet with a great selection of wines and liquors.

I slept in a little side room that was really only big enough for a bed but as I lay down for the night I look up and see a projector and immediately begin to play with the remotes trying to figure this thing out. With a Bose 321 system and a DVD from Jim’s library I have found a great new toy!

The rest of the room consists of a huge main bed and another living room area with a decent size bathroom… As long as you are strong enough to open the sliding door to get in.

My little sectioned off area was cozy enough. That is all I need.

27th

The next morning we pack up and divide on our separate ways. Jim orders a limo to fit his and my stuff. Now, I know I packed a lot for this trip but there was no need for the “P Diddy” limo that we got to O’Hare. This thing was monstrous and all we asked for was a large SUV. And Tony, the driver, rocked!

On arrival at the airport we are greeted by an obnoxious and rude sky cap, who apparently had control over all the cart in the entire airport and wasn’t going to let us partake in the use of any of them. Well, Tony and Jim sorted him out for sure! Check in was easy, which is more than I can say for the security check. All I have to say is “TIME M-A-N-A-G-E-M-E-N-T”. Most security checks take a bit of time and some are super quick. This one took FOREVER. Seriously, people. I am not a terrorist. I am a cripple. There is a big difference!

After an hour it seemed in the security line we get to our gate and the flight is delayed to Los Angeles by a couple hours. Once in Los Angeles we get another car. This time is just what the doctor ordered. A nice black Suburban and a killer driver to take us to the Chateau Marmont in Beverly Hills-- known by TV watchers from the show Entourage. The hotel was a bit dusty and old school but very nice. Yet another giant room with bedroom, kitchen, dining, and living rooms. It also has a balcony that spanned the whole side of the room with a view out over LA to the ocean. I can see why the celebrities like this place.

We had dinner at the Bar Marmont and they even set a special table just for us before we arrived, knowing I wouldn’t be going down the 2 stairs to the dining area. These guys are on top of things. We enjoyed a very swanky meal and headed back to the room to pass out during a movie.

28th

Today I just sat around and enjoyed the room. I got some work done from the couch and took full advantage of room service. I really need to get out more…

29th

Today, another suburban to LAX from the hotel. At LAX the ease of experienced travel was slowed to a halt by and inexperienced ticket agent and a compulsory need to check and double check if it was ok for me to bring my sports chair and wheel bag on to the gate with me. After 2 phone calls the answer was still the same as I had given in the very beginning. I wasn’t upset, just glad she checked to make sure before I trekked all the way to the gate with everything. I also had her make sure there was a note in my record that I would need an isle chair, which she did… in the wrong place… In the lounge the girls said there would be an isle chair waiting for me and that they would come get me early to pre board, which they didn’t on either account. As last on the plane I was ready for the long haul on an Airbus A380. Even coach was huge and a killer entertainment system. These new planes add a whole different level to the flying experience.

31st

We landed the next morning in Melbourne with 2 cars from Monarch Corporate Hire waiting to fit all my stuff. The drivers get us to St. Kilda in good time. I bring all my myriad of stuff up to my buddy’s condo and pretty much pass out on the couch. That 14 hour flight from Los Angeles is a tough one still.

I am so cool I slept pretty much through the New Year's celebration…

Jan 3rd

After a spur of the moment idea to go visit a buddy in Tasmania we hopped a plane from Tullemarine to Devonport on Qantas. We spent the night at my buddy Matty’s parent’s place we headed off on a beautiful drive to Cradle Mountain Lodge, getting there in the nick of time for a couple seats on a killer quad ride with Ray through the mud and horse trails near Cradle Mountain. Now this is what I consider a killer trip. Matty and I got all muddy tromping around on quads in the middle of nowhere—not to be confused with the town Nowhere, that is.

We have dinner at the lodge restaurant and back to the cabin for the night. We sat out on the deck and fed the not-so-wild possums on the deck of our King Billy Suite. And after the apples were all gone it was time to get some shut eye so we stoked the centrally located island fireplace and slept like bears in the winter. This cabin was very rustic on the outside and rather modern on the interior with a nice living space and big bathroom with enormous double shower!

We drive our way back down the mountain and hop a plane back to Melbourne on Qantas again. Landing on the tarmac again and waited forever to get the high-lift. The ground crew feeds me some lie about not having enough staff to get everything together and when I finally am let off the plane there are 5 people just standing around “supervising”. Just be straight with me and tell me you messed up.

Well, that is it for now. This trip is gonna be a long one so just check back later and I will have all new adventures for you.