Down Under

October 5, 2008

It’s existential to travel to Australia, where the time, day, and season are all different upon touchdown. It takes about nine months to acclimate, which means you might as well become a resident, except they won’t let you do that, so you become comfortable awakening at 5 am local time, which is 3:30 pm, May 4, 1951 in most other parts of the world.

On the way out here I met a police officer with a black German Shepherd in Phoenix. I told him I had a white one.

“They’re beautiful dogs,” he said, and told me that the dog lived with him and his family.

“What’s her specialty?” I asked.

“She’s one of the best explosive-detecting dogs in the service,” he said. “How about yours?”

“Well, ah, he’s ah, very good at catching squirrels.”

“Nice talking to you,” he said, not looking at me, “but we have to finish our patrol route.” The dog shot me a look. I strictly adhered to her “do not touch me” sign.

When I first began flying to Australia, the 747s had first class in the nose, as now, but merely coach behind that and the upstairs deck had a piano bar, leather couches, and drinks. We would hustle up to find comfortable seats, since first class seats then didn’t turn into beds and were adjacent to each other. Today, business class is crammed upstairs, no more hedonism up there, though the first class seats now recline into beds with duvet, blanket, and thick pillows.

My habit is to read and have dinner for two hours, sleep for six hours, then write for three hours, and have breakfast, read, and clean up for landing for three hours.

I’m in Melbourne for a day’s presentation, then returning to Sydney this afternoon, and am no doubt the only person in Australia holding rooms in two Park Hyatts in different cities on the same night. It’s too much trouble to pack up and clear out.

The economy here is somewhat shielded from our mess at home, but there is clear fallout. The presidential election looks even more bizarre from here than it does at home. These are the best candidates available for the most important political job in the world?

PS: Both granddaughters enduring a variety of pre-mature difficulties, and Alaina just had an operation. You can find information and leave comments here: http://danielleandjan.blogspot.com/