Here are some random observations and discoveries.

Memory is a tricky thing. There are Latin foods that I missed while I was in Melbourne. As it turns out, my mom’s cooking is just as good as I remembered it.  I can’t say the same for some old favorites from various restaurants. Perhaps the quality has declined or maybe my palate has changed.

I’ve done more spiritual work in six weeks here in Miami than in a year in Melbourne. I’ve attended four rituals, engaged in countless philosophical conversations with Pagan friends, reviewed Georgian materials I’ve inherited, and have begun making plans for establishing my practice in Melbourne.

I’ve missed Melbourne. Of course, I’ve missed my partner and Sam, the dog. I’ve also missed the quiet; Miami is very loud. I’m amazed that I was once accustomed to so much noise.

I’ve enjoyed the break from housework. I spent more time reading; I read five books and am halfway through a sixth title. But I’m also looking forward to getting back into the kitchen and learning some new recipes. I look forward to entertaining.

I’m happy to have seen some people I hadn’t seen in a long time even if the circumstances under which we met again were not ideal. I’m grateful that I was here when my (Catholic) godfather passed over and that I was able to attend his funeral and burial. I am grateful I was able to see my father help carry his coffin. I am grateful that I got to see my godmother. I’m grateful that I got to see their sons and their lovely families. I am grateful I got to see friends of the family I hadn’t seen in many years who turned up for the funeral. I’m grateful I was able to see some other relatives I hadn’t seen in years because they happened to drop by unannounced.

I’ve enjoyed shopping more than ever. Melbourne is expensive and so I have rejoiced at paying $16 for a new winter coat (on sale, down from $150), $7 for new sweaters (on sale, down from $40), and $70 for six pieces of new ritual jewelry (owls and snakes!). I’ve stocked up on rubber stamps, books, and tampons.

Friends are still friends. There are some people I saw a lot and some people I didn’t get to see at all. They’re all still friends. They’re all still awesome, valued, and loved.

I’m grateful to have spent good times with family and friends and that I leave here today with no regrets or unfinished business.

I have a long day ahead. I fly from Miami to Los Angeles. I have a 3.5-hour layover and then on to Auckland, New Zealand. Then I have a 2.5-hour layover before heading to Melbourne. I don’t mind layovers as long as they’re under four hours. Two to three hours is just the right amount of time to get from one terminal to another, pick up and re-check my bag, go through security again, freshen up, and get a bite to eat. I’ll read some more and watch movies, but I’ll be glad when the twenty-something-hour journey is over.

I’ve only ever flown Qantas. This time, I’m flying Air New Zealand. I have high expectations. After all, they have Hobbits, Richard Simmons, and apparently the crew wears body paint.

Wish me a safe and comfy journey!

We the People is an American government site where people can create a petition. If a petition meets the signature threshold, it will be reviewed by the White House and the Administration will issue a response. Someone has created a petition calling for “best friends” America and Australia to be combined to form one new nation called Ameristralia.

The Herald Sun, an Australian news source, has a funny article on the petition mostly with comments and images from Reddit, where the story broke.

Reddit users have created Ameristralia flags (koala riding a bald eagle) and combined national anthems (God bless Ameristralia, my home sweet home. And you’ll come a waltzing matilda with me”.

“We will rain down freedom and poisonous creatures on our enemies,” one Ameristralia supporter excitedly declared.

Another said: “The bastard children of the British Empire united at last to a world dominating superpower.”

Naturally, we have to consider some of the issues raised by such a merger.

What side of the road do Ameristralians drive on?

Will Ameristralia adopt metric, or will inches, miles and pounds be used?

Will AFL, NRL and rugby union players be forced to wear helmets and shoulder pads and spike the ball when they score a goal or try … sorry … a touchdown?

Will cricketers fielding be forced to wear a big leather glove?

Can Australians abandon the coming federal election and instead of voting for Julia or Tony invite Barack Obama as the inaugural prime president of Ameristralia?

Will the capital of Ameristralia be Honolulu? The Canberra press gallery will be happy, and suntanned.

It will always be summer (and cocktail hour) somewhere in Ameristralia.

It will be easy for former Aussies to buy an assault rifle or rocket grenade launcher for their son’s fifth birthday present.

Reading the comments, however, one discovers that some Aussies don’t think the idea is very funny, or maybe they’re not quite getting the absurdity of it.

Yes the evil spawn reunite after years in the wilderness , drawn together by the irresistible urge to stroke each others demonic egos in the vain attempt to legitimise each others self righteousness . Delusional and sociopathic the united states of freedom unleashes the marsupials of hell on all those who dare to stand in the way . A bit like Dr Strangelove but with a lot more beer and profanity . – Darren Kelly

This makes me so angry. We stand proud as an independent nation, we’ve had our boys fight and die under the Aussie flag, and now the yanks want to just undo that identity to satisfy their egos? I’m proud to be Aussie, I have the Southern Cross tattooed on my arm and I tear up at every dawn service. I like my football to be played without padding. Their beer is wrong. GAAH! On so many levels this angers me! If this petition gets up, and the President has to agree – IS THAT SERIOUSLY ALL IT TAKES!? 100,000 people and we lose everything we hold dear, over 200 years of Australian history, the blood and guts hard work of our nation’s founders, down the toilet because the yanks say so! Foreshame Gillard! How could you let this happen! I can’t believe this will happen in my lifetime. I will never ever ever give up my flag or my passport or the coins in my wallet for some yank version. I am crying right now. It is so sad. My God. I can’t believe it… – Derryn of Melbourne

Well no more footy just that stupid gridiron, will we have to drive on the wrong side of the road, guns for all yay (NOT), more military bases everywhere, no more local TV (not that there is much anyway), so would ANZAC day disapear and we would have to celebrate Thanksgiving….oh the thought of this is scary but must be a late April Fools joke. Funnily enough some simpletons will think this is a good idea… -KJD of Yallambie

The story has also appeared on SkyNews, News.com, and the West Australian, all Aussie news sources, which may explain why some Aussies think this could actually happen. Fortunately, it seems readers on both sides of the Equator realize that even if the petition isn’t a joke, it is, and Ameristralia has become a meme. There’s a Facebook page, a YouTube account (with a bunch of Miami videos, funny enough), and a pretty great entry in the Urban Dictionary:

the union of the greatest country in the world and the deadliest island, Ameristralia rules all of the day and all of the night. Founded in 2013 Ameristralia is the newest and most kickass country to ever exist. The national flag has stars, stripes and a few more stars and stripes to make it the most star and stripey flag in human history. The national animal is the eaoalga and ferocious blend of koala and eagle that rules the skies and terrorizes the ground. The internet never sleeps with Ameristralians on duty for life, liberty and the pursuit of not being bitten by a venomous snake. God Bless Ameristralia.

Hello. My name is Cosette and I’m a Cuban-Ameristralian.

Catherine Baab-Muguira at Daily Finance takes a look at the great retirement divide between the U.S. and Australia.

Australia is not only the home of the koala, the kangaroo, and the duck-billed platypus, but may also be home to that other rare and exotic animal: the secure retirement.

What does Australia have that America lacks? For starters, its retirees enjoy more financial security, better tax laws, and a generally higher standard of living than we do on this side of the globe. That’s thanks to a few key differences in government policy — and some twists and turns the country has taken in the course of history.

Baab-Muguira looks at the stock market, the global financial crisis, housing markets, Social Security, and tax law. I encourage you to the read the whole article at Daily Finance. Come back and let me know what you think. I’ve only been in Australia a year and I’m still a tourist so I haven’t even begun to think about retirement there. Do you have a retirement plan?

Dunbi the Owl is a children’s book based on a story told by Daisy Utemorrah of the Worora people to Aboriginal children living in Derby, Western Australia. It’s a story belonging to the Dreamtime, a sacred era in which ancestral totemic spirit beings created the world. In this video, the story is read by Mary G.

Two things came to mind as I watched. One, this story is very sad, poor owl. Two, who is this amazing woman called Mary G?

Mary G is the creation of Mark Bin Bakar, an Indigenous Australian musician, comedian and radio announcer based in Broome, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Mary G is a Stolen Generation woman, like Bakar’s own mother. She wears the colors of her home, Broome, where the ground is a fiery red and the sea is blue. She wears thongs (flip-flops), which reflect the casual lifestyle, and native nuts as necklaces.

There are so many things to love about Mary G. She sings about how pretty she is and the type of man she wants, one that doesn’t drink all day, smoke too much, one that is strong and brave, not one with one foot in the grave. It may sound silly, but like Native Americans, Aboriginal communities have been devastated by the effects of alcohol abuse and an Aboriginal woman is 45 times more likely to experience domestic violence than a white woman. She is advocate for women and a strong supporter of women’s rights and men’s health. She speaks for the respect of youth as well as elders, promotes literacy, and is a positive and powerful voice for Aboriginal peoples.

Without knowing all this about Mary G, what first struck me when I came across the Dunbi the Owl video is, “There’s a trans person reading a story to children. This would never fly in the U.S.” But this is progressive Australia. In a 2008 piece for The Guardian, Bakar said Mary G has been well received and he’s never felt embarrassed about his female alter ego.

I think the secret of Mary G’s success is her simple humour and motherly presence. She personifies the matriarchal personality; she is the grandmother who tells you off if you’re not pulling your weight. She talks about the issues that affect Aboriginal people, like addiction to drugs and alcohol, which has broken apart so many families. Every week she chips away, and hopefully her message is getting into the psyche of Aboriginal people. I think they see Mary G as a leader and not as a made up character; to them she is real.

I felt no embarrassment when I started to impersonate a woman. I enjoyed doing it right from the start and everyone just seemed to welcome the character with open arms. She is what a lot of people need. She brings Aboriginal humour to Aboriginal people and talks about serious issues with wit and comedy. She holds up a mirror to society and helps people to laugh at themselves. This is what we need. She is good medicine.

Bakar and Mary G spread their message of love, understanding, and social justice through a weekly radio show as well as television and live appearances, music, and even paid government announcements. To learn more about Bakar and Mary G, please visit the Mary G Enterprises website. I also encourage you to check out the MaryGSpot YouTube channel.

This week, Laura and Justin at Smuggling Budgies share their advice for future expats. They answer some important questions that I never dealt with, but I see asked often in expat communities.

1. Should you bring your American electronics?

This is an obvious question as electronics are expensive and Australia uses a different voltage than the United States (220/230 vs. 110). We decided to bring most of our electronics. I did some research and bought voltage converters for a very reasonable price from Amazon.com. It’s worth doing some research because different types of electronics need different size converters. For example, the combination of our TV, mac mini, external speakers, and Xbox all fit on a relatively small converter while the espresso machine and juicer need a giant one.

All of our electronics work in Australia except one. Sadly, we no longer experience the joy of our electronic bidet toilet with its heated seat and refreshing spray and dryer. We’re still surviving (but seriously, everyone should have one. It is a life changing purchase). Oh, and our lamps. Our lamps did not work here, so don’t bother bringing them.

Electronics (like just about everything) are more expensive in Australia. The cost of purchasing the voltage converters and shipping everything to Australia was far less than what it would have cost us to buy new electronics. This includes the voltage converters themselves. Buying them in the US and shipping them here is much cheaper than buying them here.

Suggestion: if you have made a significant investment in nice electronics, you can make them work in Australia. It will be cheaper than buying new.

Tip #3 might just change my life.

Read the whole entry at Smuggling Budgies.

In Melbourne, I’m an adult. I’m someone’s domestic partner. I clean, I cook, I do laundry. I rarely watch TV unless it’s to watch a movie with my partner. I don’t spend much time on my computer because there’s cooking and cleaning to be done, errands to be run, a dog to walk. I get tired of the housework (where does all that dust come from?), but I’m happy. I’m happy to explore what Melbourne has to offer, to take pleasure in how excited Sam gets when I take him for a walk around the neighborhood, and to share a glass of wine with my sweetie at the end of the day.

In Miami, I’m an overgrown child. I am spoiled by my Cuban mother who doesn’t let me lift a finger. My father still asks me the questions he did when I called while away at college: Are you well? Are you making friends? Do you need money? Do you want to take some fishing equipment? Without household chores to fill my day and without the dog to walk, I spend more time at my computer, watching TV, and, sometimes, I even get bored.

I like the Domestic Partner more than the Overgrown Child. There’s another side of me that seems to exist (for now) only in Miami: the priestess.

One of the best things about being in Miami is spending time with my friends, almost all of which are Pagan. My former coven, Beachfyre, treats me like I never left. The Everglades Moon Local Council of the Covenant of the Goddess, an organization of Wiccans and Witches that I belonged to while I was a member of Beachfyre, greets me with open arms and invites me to participate in ritual and other activities with them. I often gather with my closest of Pagan friends and feel supported, nourished, challenged (in a good way), and renewed. I am my best self in the Pagan community – smart, creative, confident, compassionate, inspired.

The longer I am here, the more I yearn to (re)create this Pagan experience in Melbourne. I have been seeking out others, but the pool is Melbourne is much smaller and meeting the right people will take time. Meanwhile, I need to create my own sacred space and find that part of myself in a strange land inhabited by ancient spirits that I don’t know. I have many so many questions: How do Aussie Pagans connect? How do they serve their communities? How can I establish my practice and tradition? Will Theo like the new statue I purchased for the shrine I haven’t built yet?

About the featured image: HighPriestess. Tarot by mari-na, deviantART.

From Miami

Caribbean and Latin Food

Melbourne could use a few more people from the Caribbean and Central and South America. Then they could all set up restaurants and I wouldn’t miss Jamaican jerk chicken, Nicaraguan churrasco, Venezuelan tequeños, Colombian arepas, all those delicious plates that we share as Caribbean and Latin people such as rice and beans, yellow rice and chicken, carne con papas, malanga, boniato, fufu, tostones, tres leches, and, of course, all those Cuban delights – lechon, platano maduro frito, yuca con mojo, pastelitos, empanadas,  croquetas, tamales, flan.

The Spiritual Community

In the greater part of the U.S., religion is closely tied to political views. People who are politically conservative tend to be religiously conservative, usually evangelical Christian, and religion informs politics. Miami is unique in that it is largely politically conservative, but religiously plural. Miami has a very large number of people practicing Afro-Caribbean religions such as Vodou and Santeria. It also has a vibrant Pagan community. Perhaps even more interesting is that many people participate in various religions. It’s not uncommon to find a person dancing the night away to the beat of African drums in the worship of Yemaya on Saturday night and praying to Jesus at Catholic mass Sunday morning.

Images of loa and orishas are seen in street art, the sounds of drums can be heard in the streets, offerings are left underneath sacred trees, new initiates smile as they walk down the street wearing white from head to toe, and Pagans dance around bonfires at the beach under a full moon. It all gives Miami a unique flavor that I miss.

Cuban coffee meant to be shared. Photo from Rober1000x’s Flickr.

Coffee

I’m sorry, Melbourne. I know you think you have an amazing coffee culture, but your little menu of about five espresso-based drinks says otherwise. Your iced coffee, which contains ice cream, is tastier than our version of iced coffee, which is some variation of drip coffee or espresso with cold milk over ice, but drinking ice cream every day will surely pack on some pounds. Let Miami introduce you to Cuban cortadito, café con leche, colada, and that delicious shot of sweet rocket fuel we simply call café Cubano. Just walk up right up to one of the many take-away windows of the cafes that heavily dot the streets of Miami and lay down a couple of bucks.

Starbucks exists in Melbourne, but they are few. Melbournians don’t seem to enjoy Frappucinos and Caramel Macchiatos nearly as much as we do. Flavored coffee is unheard of. In fact, Melbournians seem wholly unfamiliar with drip coffee. At home, many drink instant. Sad, but true. Melbournians like to decorate their coffee though so +1 for that.

Ice Cream

Melbourne is just as hot or hotter than Miami. There are few things better than delicious creamy ice cream on a hot summer day. Yet, sadly, Melbourne lacks great ice cream shops. You can buy ice cream at your local supermarket, of course, and I’ve seen kids emerge from milk bars with ice cream bars in their hands, but I’m talking about the classic ice cream parlor, which there is no shortage of in Miami.

We’ve got Carvel, Cold Stone Creamery, Ghiradelli, Ben & Jerry’s, and numerous independent shops. It’s a treat to enter one of these and build your own sundae to your crazy childlike delight. While I’m pretty boring – vanilla bean with caramel or cookie dough ice cream will do for me – if you want three scoops of rainbow-colored bubble gum ice cream topped with chocolate fudge and Oreo cookies on a waffle cone, you can have that.

Melbourne has some good gelato shops, but let’s face it, gelato is not ice cream. And like with coffee, the gelato menu is usually small and traditional.

Lemonade

Dear Melbourne, Sprite is not lemonade; it is a colorless, lemon-lime flavored carbonated soft drink produced by the Coca-Cola company. Lemonade is a refreshing uncarbonated drink made with freshly-squeezed lemon juice, water, and sugar. The frozen variety is especially nice on a hot summer day at the fair or park.

From Melbourne

Melbourne Bike Share. Photo by Auckland Cycle Chic

Bicycle Infrastructure

People in Miami have always ridden bicycles. Aside from tourists and beach locals riding for leisure, Miami is a city of poor working immigrants from countries where bicycling is common and bicycles are a cheap alternative to cars. As long as I can remember, I’ve seen older men hauling groceries in baskets on tricycles. On this trip, I’ve noticed many more people on bicycles – old men with groceries, young men going to work, some women running errands, a few students wearing backpacks. I’ve also noticed more new bike shops.

Nevertheless Miami is not a bicycle-friendly city. There are few bike lanes and fewer bike paths. Cyclists may ride on the street, sticking as far to the right as practicable, and follow the same traffic laws as cars, but considering how bad and hostile Miami drivers are, this is like playing Russian roulette. Many cyclists are seen riding on the sidewalks, which is legal here, to the dismay of many pedestrians.

Miami could learn a lot from Melbourne when it comes to bicycling. It could learn that bicycling is inexpensive, healthy, environmentally friendly, and can often get you to your destination faster than driving. It doesn’t require special gear or clothing (spandex is optional),  provides a nice breeze on a hot day, and is easy enough on the body that just about anyone can do it. Miami needs more bicycle lanes, paths, and parking, and greater education as well as law enforcement to teach people how to share the road.

Mediterranean and Asian Food

What Melbourne lacks in Caribbean and Latin food, it makes up for in Mediterranean and Asian cuisine. Melbourne has the largest Greek population outside of Greece. Thank the Olympians that some of them, along with the Lebanese and Turks, have set up terrific eateries. I’ve had the best kebab and baklava in Melbourne.

Melbourne also has a huge Asian population and a walk down High Street in Preston reveals one small restaurant after another of delicious Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, you name it, and all very reasonably priced. Equally, there is an abundance of delicious Indian food. There’s good Indian food in Miami too, but there’s not enough of it.

Public Transport

Melbourne is served by a public transport system integrating rail, the largest tram network in the world, and bus services. Not having been in Melbourne long, I find the network confusing, but with a little research, it has always gotten me where I want to go. The trains, trams, and buses are fairly comfortable, clean, and mostly on time.

Miami’s public transport is abysmal. We have one rail that runs back and forth on one line. Recently, a second line that goes to the airport has been opened. We have buses driven by hostile drivers who are more than happy to leave you behind. Buses rarely arrive on time, largely due to Miami’s heavy traffic, and sometimes they don’t stop at all, leaving groups of people in disbelief at bus stops marked by graffiti and broken glass. Miami is a car city and buses are largely taken by the poor, the elderly who ride for free, and the homeless. They’re often dirty and smell foul. Riding a bus in Miami is not a pleasant experience.

Markets

I’ve written before about Melbourne’s wonderful markets and how much I love them. Every weekend, Melbourne hosts a number of markets. I love a good Trash and Treasure. Sadly, Miami fleas markets have all but disappeared over the years and those that are left sell mostly new junk rather than old junk/treasures. I also love all the arts and crafts markets. Melbournians appreciate unique and handcrafted design in jewelry, clothes, housewares, furniture, and more. And at markets like Camberwell, you can find a great mix of old junk (the good kind), vintage treasures, new handcrafted goods, and cupcakes (they’re all the rage these days).

Law Enforcement

Many expats observe that there’s a lot of officialness down under. Even Aussies will sometimes complain that Australia is a nanny state. There are a lot of rules and laws that are heavily enforced with fines. Some of it is annoying, but some of it is what helps makes Melbourne a pleasant and relatively safe place to live.

I’m told Miami has laws too, but people don’t follow them, and the police doesn’t enforce them. I’m generalizing and exaggerating, of course (though not by much), but Miami is a pretty chaotic place to live.

My sister told me just yesterday that her husband, not long ago, made some kind of illegal turn. He didn’t realize there was a stationed police vehicle just a few feet away and then expressed he hoped the officer hadn’t seen him. My clever 11-year-old nephew told him not to worry because the officer was probably having his donut or Snickers bar. Sure enough, my brother-in-law went on his merry way.

As she suddenly and quickly backed the car up and crossed two lanes to make the highway entrance she’d missed, a good friend once told me she doesn’t mind driving a little crazy in Miami. It’s really just keeping up with everyone else. Last week, I posted on Facebook that I accidentally drove on the left side of a residential road. Friends laughed and said that’s okay, it’s Miami, nobody noticed. It is all a big joke.

Red lights, stop signs, speed limits, pedestrian crossings – these are all merely suggestions. At roundabouts, the person with the right of way is the one who can make it there first and fastest. Hit and runs are a daily occurrence. Car registration and insurance are not really required. I mean, technically they are by law, but, you know, not really. Theft, littering, gun violence, rudeness – that’s Miami. Where are the (under-trained, underpaid, overextended) police, you may wonder? Ignoring emergency calls while they they have Cuban coffee.

What about you? What are some things you’d take from your native country and give to your adopted one and vice versa?

Comparisons don’t have to carry the judgement of rightness or wrongness. Different is just that, different, unlike, dissimilar. The problem with judgement is that it’s based upon a particular set of values, on opinions formed by belief systems, and the culture to which they belong. But it’s natural to have opinions, to like one thing more than another.

Here’s a basic truth: sometimes you hate it all.

I’m critical of the U.S. and I’m critical of Australia. And I love both. I’m allowed to have a complex range of emotions and I’m allowed to like certain things and dislike others and I’m allowed to get mad and even sometimes hate the U.S. and Australia and, no, I don’t need to go back to where I came from if I don’t like it.

Americans think the U.S is the best country in the world. Aussies think Australia is the best country in the world. These are expressions of nationalism that I have no interest in because I’m too busy living in between cultures and trying to experience the best each country has to offer while minimizing the worst. When I say that Aussie hot dogs taste different from American ones, that’s the least of it.

Miami no longer feels like home. The property where my family resides, where my cat calls me with a meow, and my bed beckons to be slept in after many months alone and cold, is home, but the city is not. Melbourne isn’t home either. The house I share with Theo is home, but the city is not. I am reminded by the government that I’m only a visitor to Australia, a tourist, unable to work there, or go to school, or take advantage of its medical system, and by its people, the moment I open my mouth and my accent is detected, that I’m a yank.; no, I’m not from around here, but yes, I live here now, sort of. Meanwhile, in Miami, people die, friends become acquaintances, and in less than a year, I quietly fade away from the city I called home for 30-something years.

There are aspects of expat life that are fun and exciting and romantic. Moving across the world for love, spending a lazy afternoon lying on a riverbank with a fishing rod and Hemingway, driving along a country road next to golden fields as the sun sets, catching a glimpse of a beautiful exotic animal in the wild, walking on a beach with a collection of huge limestone stacks – yes, all fun and exciting and romantic. And in the end, these are the things that have to make it worth it, that have to be stronger than the feelings of displacement, of rootlessness, and of otherness.

Sometimes I check in at a kiosk without help from anyone. Sometimes I need to stand in a long or short line to check in with an airline agent. Sometimes they give me the boarding pass for the connection and sometimes they don’t. Security is always different. Take your shoes off; leave your shoes on. Leave your laptop in your carry-on; take it out and place it in its own bin. Take your jacket off; leave it on. Sometimes the walk to the terminal or gate is short. Other times, I feel I’ve walked a marathon or I must take a bus to what feels like a remote concrete island.

Lesson 1: Don’t carry too much in your carry-on bag or make sure the bag is on wheels.

This time, I traveled with the bag that’s the smallest in my suitcase set and doesn’t have wheels. When I packed it, it didn’t feel heavy. It only contained a book, some papers, my laptop, and various device chargers. That was in the middle of the day when I was feeling refreshed and didn’t have to walk a mile to get to the gate. Along with my purse containing my tablet, Kindle, and extra book, I thought my shoulder was going to break away from my body after a while.

Despite that my flight out of Melbourne was delayed three hours and then I had another four-hour layover in Los Angeles, I never did use my laptop. I relied on my iPhone and my Android tablet. I get nervous about packing my laptop in the suitcase I check in. Theft by airport employees is all too common. What do you do with your laptop? Do you pack it in your checked-in suitcase or carry it with you?

Lesson 2: Relax.

It’s easy to get worked up when things don’t go smoothly. As I mentioned above, my flight out of Melbourne was delayed by three hours. Some people were very upset and complaining. I sympathize. I wanted to get moving too and I was concerned about missing my connection, but it’s not as if the airline is deliberately trying to hold you up or upset you. On the contrary, Qantas is very accommodating and has the best service I’ve ever experienced. Getting angry and making a scene isn’t going to get you moving any faster. So, sit down and chill out. Read a book, play a game on your mobile device, or catch up on Facebook.

A folding tote doesn’t take up much room in your bag.

Lesson 3: Take an extra bag.

I mean a folding tote bag that you can carry along in your purse or carry-on. When I finally got to my seat on the plane, I found what I always find on a Qantas flight: a pillow, a blanket, and headphones. Sometimes you also get a little bag with a toothbrush, toothpaste, sleeping mask, and other small items. Plus I have a neck pillow and water bottle. There’s not a lot of room in an Economy seat and I never know where to put all this stuff. I don’t want it to end up on the floor. My folding tote bag turned out to be the perfect solution. I stuffed all these extra items in there and under the seat it went. I also took a plastic market bag with me. Sometimes you accumulate trash – food wrappers, napkins, tissues – and the flight attendants don’t come by often enough to pick it all up. I just collected it in the bag and handed it over at the end of the flight.

The flight was as comfortable as could be for Economy. Flying Qantas is always pleasant. I was feeling too tired to read, but I can’t sleep on flights. I caught up on movies instead. There were easily over a hundred movies to choose from including all the latest releases. I watched Django Unchained, Argo, Lincoln, and Anna Karenina. For dinner, I chose Roman Beef Ragu with mashed potatoes, roasted zucchini and carrots. Other choices were a chicken, potato, and coleslaw salad or a white fish due to it being Good Friday. All came with a salad of cos (Romaine lettuce), fire roasted capsicum, and feta cheese. Dessert was dark chocolate mousse with salted caramel fudge. Snacks were served throughout the flight – a hot mini-pizza, a mango ice cream bar, crackers and cheese. For breakfast, I chose cereal (muesli) and milk over a hot breakfast of eggs, bacon, and spinach, along with a muffin, melon salad, orange juice, and coffee. Everything was delicious.

I finally arrived in Los Angeles. At customs, the line for residents and citizens was not too long, but it moved very slowly. In Melbourne, customs had been staffed by friendly and smiling women and the line moved along quickly. In L.A., there were six sour-faced men who took their sweet time. There were never more than two assisting a traveler at the same time. When I finally got through and looked at my watch, I realized my flight to Miami was leaving. I went on to retrieve my suitcase.

As I was waiting for my suitcase to appear on the baggage carousel, an announcement was made overhead: travelers on Qantas 93 who missed their connections should see the agent near  the baggage carousel. She was just a few feet away where I could still keep an eye out for my suitcase. I gave her my name and she handed me a boarding ticket for a flight to Miami in four hours. And then she said my suitcase had suffered damage during the flight. I saw it then, just behind her. The whole side had been ripped off. Minutes later, I was in the baggage claim. The airline quickly replaced it with a larger suitcase and none of my personals were damaged. Unfortunately, the new suitcase is black, like thousands of others. The agent kindly gave me some stickers I plastered all over it so I’d be able to quickly identify it later.

My broken suitcase.

Lesson 4: Reconsider your baggage.

Lesson 4 is one I’m still working on. When I went to England some years ago, I traveled with only a single carry-on for a week’s vacation. That was before 9/11 and traveling was easier. After 9/11, I figured I would avoid the hassles of security by checking my bag and, if was going to check my bag, I might as well take a large suitcase and be comfortable and uncompromising in what I take. Now, after the near destruction of my suitcase and many horror stories of theft and lost baggage, as well as the discomfort of lugging a heavy suitcase around plus carry-ons, I’m reconsidering this approach. When you travel internationally, how much baggage do you take? Are they large or small suitcases?

I rechecked my suitcase, went through security again, and on to terminal 4, which has changed some since I was last there six months ago. The most annoying change is that there are hardly any places to eat. There is a Starbucks, Homeboy Cafe, and Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza as well as some kiosks selling overpriced cold sandwiches. There used to be a Chili’s Too and Burger King, but both appeared to be closed. I opted for Sammy’s. Between the wait and serve time, it was about an hour, but the mini-cheeseburgers I had were quite good, and I overheard other patrons comment on how good the pizza was. A nice hot meal certainly made me feel better.

Then it was just more waiting time at the gate. LAX now offers free WiFi, which is terrific, but by this time, my iPhone’s battery was low. In the whole terminal, there were two charging stations with four power outlets each and constantly in use. Beyond that, I saw only one power outlet and it required a converter. My tablet’s battery was half-full and I used that to  update family and friends via Facebook. So, this brings up a couple questions and I’m curious as to how other international travelers solve these problems.

Lesson 5: Something to do with mobile devices and communications. I haven’t figured it out yet.

1. Do you carry more than one mobile phone or sim card, one for each country? Once I left Melbourne, I could no longer use my iPhone without incurring outrageous charges. I become dependent on WiFi to update family and friends and let them know I’m okay. WiFi is sometimes free, as it is in LAX, and sometimes it’s not, as in Miami. When I arrive in Miami, I’m unable to communicate with anyone. Pay phones are, of course, a thing of the past, and it’s not worthwhile to pay for the airport WiFi if you’re going to be there a short while or just to let my mom know I’ve arrived safely and will be there soon. What do you do?
2. Do you carry an extra battery pack or some other way to charge your mobile devices as you travel?

The flight from L.A. to Miami on American Airlines is just adequate. It gets you there. It’s not particularly comfortable. The plane always feels old and dirty. The food is never complimentary ($8 for a bag of chips?). The in-flight entertainment is very limited and quality of the screens is usually poor. I dozed a little and then watched The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2.

I arrived in Miami at about 10 o’clock Friday night. By the time I collected my suitcase, which made it intact this time, and cabbed my way home, it was about 11pm when I walked through the front door. I greeted my mom and my cat, had a bite to eat, and crashed on my old familiar bed.