The trip started early from Adelaide airport with a Qantas domestic flight to Sydney. All went smoothly, quietly, and efficiently. Mostly "red eye" commuters around us so the atmosphere was sleepy and peaceful. I have flown too often now for the first take off and the view of a shrinking Adelaide below me to be an emotional event - certainly not as significant a part of the adventure as it once was. The skies were clear, the weather fine, a calm flight ending with the beautiful but now familiar view of Sydney Harbour with its iconic bridge and opera house.
The long haul LANChile flight from Sydney to Santiago went without major incident. There was a three hour stop in Auckland which I had not expected (only because I hadn't read the itinerary carefully)where I missed the chance of calling or sending a postcard to a friend in Wellington whom I have been promising for years I would visit.
So thanks to that magical crossing of the date line we adjusted our clocks and arrived in Santiago de Chile just a few hours after we'd left home.
