Off to Oz Redux

So I'm still in LA. not Oz.

After a simple boarding on DC to Dallas, the second flight--Dallas to LAX-- was cancelled. An unexpected two hour layover and one middle seat later, I arrived at LAX for a 6 hour layover.

I finally boarded at 11:30 for the 11:50 flight. Window seat no one next to me. Not a full flight. Awesome.

Take off ... And announcement: one of the flaps on the wing was not retracting, something hit it on take off. It is creating too much drag and we will run out of fuel before reaching Brisbane. They would serve us dinner and then TURN THE PLANE AROUND.

At this point it is 3 am my time and I have a choice of chicken or fish for dinner as I watch the in-flight map show the plane facing back to the
US. Two hours later I'm back on the runway at LAX as we wait for engineers. They come, they fix, we deboard. Why? Now if we take off now the flight crew will be beyond the max flying time.

We are taken to a hotel and I get the 2nd to last room. The rest behind me were sent to another hotel. We would get a wake up call between 8:30-9:00 am and we would be on the plane again by noon. I wash out my socks and unmentionables and go to bed. It is 6:30 am LA time or 9:30 am in DC. I have been up more than 24 hours.

This morning: no wake up call and no plane at noon. They found more damage on the wing and so now the passengers were rebooked on one of three other Qantas flights leaving at 11:00 pm tonight. The upside: I booked straight to Melbourne. The downside: I arrive on Monday morning and not Sunday.

I went back to bed. I showered. I ate. I confirmed my new flight, which is now full due to 16 refugees like myself.

I'm now back at LAX and awaiting my second Qantas flight. Due to board at 10:20 and take off at 11:10 pm. Wish me luck.

I have to say, this is one way to start off a honeymoon. Will has already promised me a spa day at the hotel in Melbourne for tomorrow. That sounds more romantic, doesn't it?