Well, Day 4 was very much like Day 3, except there was no fourth knock. So I did indulge in some retail therapy. I didn’t bring all my small kitchen appliances (wrong voltage), and my little sister happened to point me to a good online retailer. They had some KitchenAid things at really good prices, so I took advantage.

For a reason I can’t explain, I turned on the TV first thing and browsed through the channels and there was the Saints playing the Lions (gridiron, New Orleans and Detroit). Having some N’awlins history, I have to follow the Saints. Fortunately, they won; would not have been a good start to the day otherwise.

Apart from that, I did get a bunch of work done and got into a nascent exercise routine. Didn’t get any calls telling me I was COVID-19 positive, so all is good.

Day 3, far too much excitement! The daily phone call from the nursing staff, four knocks on the door – three to announce my meals and one for a set of fresh towels – and ….. well OK, maybe not that much excitement. I did sneeze a couple of times, one big double sneeze; but I lost track of how many times I scratched my b…., perhaps TMI.

Still struggling with jet lag. I woke up at 2:30 (an improvement on 2:00), but with daylight savings just started that was really 3:30. Hey, I’m taking every little win that comes my way.

I’m fortunate that I have plenty with which to keep myself occupied. I spent most of the day going through my accumulated notes and scratchings trying to impose some of of order. But even so I can feel a sense of ennui lurking. I can already see why a lot of people struggle.

I discovered that, officially, the day I arrived here was Day Zero, so I’ve changed my posts to suit. Today is Day 2; the day of my first COVID-19 test. A long swab to the back of my throat and then up each nostril. I’m glad they got that in the right sequence! Should get the result in a couple of days.

Yesterday with dinner I got the menu for next week’s dinners doesn’t look too bad.

I hadn’t paid much attention, but the US Government financial support for airlines, among others, expired at the end of September. United and Delta have, as a result, let go large chunks of their workforces. I wonder if that will also mean further flight cancellations? I may have got lucky, once again.

I think, as of tomorrow, I need to start recording all my scratching, sneezing, and other bodily functions just so I have something interesting to write about.

Not having proper exposure to sunlight seems to be making recovery from jet lag more difficult. I woke up about 2am, dozed on and off, fell asleep again about 5am, and woke up at 6:30. During my intermittent dozing I placed an order for a monitor, some Oz power cords for my laptop and hub, and a power strip. Although there are several double electrical outlets in the room, the spacing of the pair of outlets in each one doesn’t allow for two adaptors to be used, so getting the Australian cords is important for being able to connect all my computer equipment.

The meals are being provided by an outside contractor, but we can also order some things from the hotel bistro. I’ll see how much variety we get before taking that option. This was lunch today, not too bad. Today will mainly be about settling in and getting set up to start working (that’s what the monitor is for). The room is provided with a small fridge, and dish washing supplies. Fresh linens get provided every four days; we do our own sheet changes and put the used items in a bag and put them outside the door to be collected. Laundry can be done at a cost, but I brought some quick-dry gym shorts and shirts which I can wash and dry easily.

I had a brief interaction (our meals get left on small tables outside our rooms) with the woman next door who also arrived yesterday. She already seemed in a bad mood about the whole thing; I hate to think how she will be after two weeks.

The quarantine period is fourteen nights, so I will be free on 15 October, subject to testing negative for COVID-19. My first test will be tomorrow, and then another one on day ten.

After a stressful few weeks and lots of emotional goodbyes, it was time to begin the journey home. Monterey to San Francisco to Los Angeles to Sydney. The weather was fine, so no problems with delays. The marine layer had come over the coast, which meant I wasn’t able to take one last look at my home for the last ten years. Arriving at SFO I made my way to the United Club, only to discover that the bar wasn’t operating. That was certainly not in my plans!
The next indication of how COVID-19 has changed travel was the flight from SFO to LAX. In business class the cabin crew would mix drinks and serve them in a glass glass; now there is no handling of anything edible. That includes the provision of lime slices.
LAX was very quiet when I arrived. The only operating Club closes at 6:30pm, so I just had to wait in the gate area.
There’s fifty plus business class seats in the 787 I was on; only eight were occupied. The same drinks rules applied, and similar for the meals. Dinner would normally be served as separate courses, but now it was a single tray. The beef short ribs I had was pretty tasty though.
We arrived about thirty minutes early, seemingly the first arrival of the day. I was first off the aircraft, quite strange walking through the arrival areas with no one but airport staff around. Had my temperature taken, answered the standard symptoms questions, went through immigration control, and the bags were already arriving on the carousel by the time I got there. Customs showed very little interest in us, then it was another record-taking station, and a short wait until our coach arrived.
A bunch of Army and Navy troops were there to act as porters loading our baggage. I overheard our driver talking to the Highway Patrol escort driver, so I knew we were heading to the Parkroyal at Darling Harbour. I hadn’t read anything negative from there, so that was encouraging.
Being a clever boy, I sat in the first row, which meant I was in the first pair off. Once again, there were troops there to take care of the baggage handling. Checked-in, had a police interview, got a bag with breakfast handed to me, and it was up to my room.
I don’t have much of a view, but the food has been decent. Dinner was salmon with a mustard cream sauce, rice, and veggies. Got unpacked and semi-sorted, then spent most of the rest of the day in a stupor! Didn’t even have the enthusiasm to open any of the bottles I brought with me.