An early morning but great coffee and croissants in the Air New Zealand Lounge. We also enjoyed our own private check-in area as Star Golds. All that flying on UA pays off, although our seats going back don't look to be as good as flying over here.
Oh well - once we've left the Qantas Lounge in Sydney, hosted generously by a fellow Flyer Talker, we'll be sitting in the back of the bus as non-status QF flyers all the way up to Cairns.
Flying experiences like that just make us appreciate our status on United all the more.
Kathy and Brian
Two retired educators alternating joyfully between seeing the world and enjoying our eight grandchildren (in order of birth), Jake, Avery, Taegan, Lily, Peyton, Riley, Blane, and Jace.
Kathy and Brian met in the clarinet section of the University of California (Santa Barbara) Symphony Orchestra several decades ago.
Brian's Western Canadian roots and Kathy's Colorado ties resulted in their making beautiful music together along with producing a cross-border crop of descendants.
Kathy spent a year studying in Vienna at the Institute for European Studies and the University of Vienna.
Brian started the school band program in Hope, British Columbia, and later became the high school's vice-principal for 6 years and subsequently principal for 15 years before retiring in 2001.
Kathy, in between raising our three children, taught kindergarten and first grade, middle school, and high school - mathematics, computer studies, ESL, and her first love, band, before retiring in 2001.
We enjoy sharing our travel experiences and providing the odd travel tip to friends, relatives, and visitors.