Leaving Today!

So today's the big day I finally take off. My flight doesn't actually leave until about 8 tonight but I've got a pretty daunting voyage ahead. First I fly a short leg down to San Francisco, which shouldn't be too bad. Then it's about a 17 hour flight to Sydney. Finally in Australia, yay! But then I have two hours in which I have to get off the plane, get my checked bag, go through customs, get checked in for my next flight, and head to Perth. That's another five hour flight. Basically, it takes a lot of time to travel halfway around the world. And I should also mention that saturday essentially won't exist for me, because I'm going east to west over the international dateline. I get to Sydney about 630 Sunday morning, and I'm in Perth by about noon (when it will still be Saturday back in the states).

Regardless of all the anticipated travel hassle, I'm very excited to go. I've wanted to go to Australia for a very long time and this is a trip I've been planning for over a year. I also want to give a shout-out to my parents, especially my mom, who have been extremely helpful in getting me ready, packing, and generally ensuring my life is in order. Thanks guys!