Witty Whit's Words: The Honeymoon (Part 1of ?)

I would like to be able to say that our honeymoon started off just right with me being a perfect angel, not whining or complaining. I would love to report that Ryan didn't play any little pranks on me leading up to take off. But then I wouldn't be telling the whole truth.

Saturday post nuptials, we hosted a brunch for family & friends who attended the wedding. It was lovely and involved more wine tasting, picture taking, and a comical butterfly ~~release~~ attempt to release. Then we headed to the house where my parents stayed to open some wedding gifts, pack up the cars (all 3 of them), and say our goodbyes. We continued this exercise at Hotel Corque with Ryan's parents.

At this point, I believe we are embarking on our honeymoon in the Porsche and heading to the LAX airport. So Ryan has the Porsche, my car, and the Suburban we rented out in front of Hotel Corque. He walks me to the Porsche then laughs and opens the door for me to the Suburban. I am semi amused. We hop on the 101 going north. North means towards San Francisco. I think for a moment he is pulling my leg and will turn around...after 20 minutes of driving north I realize that is not the case. I mildly protest about this situation (aka a 5 1/2 hour drive to where we live which does not indicate a honeymoon), but I am so tired & hungry that my whining subsides once we pull into In N' Out for some burgers. Post dinner my nap taking skills are not working due to nerves and suspense. Plus the venti pumpkin spice latte probably didn't help either.

whining

We arrive at home around 10pm and unload the car. Exhausted yet unable to sleep I continue to unpack all that was in the Suburban, pace nervously around the house making up things to straighten, & get a bit irritated. You see the tennis team asked if on Sunday November 20th I would be free for the post season party. I deferred to Ryan for honeymoon purposes and he said "we will be getting back that night so I wouldn't plan on it." Stay with me on this thought process... it is Saturday evening and we are in San Francisco still. If we are going anywhere out of the country, it takes at least 10 hours to get there (whether you go to Europe from SFO or towards the west) which I know from previous travel experience. So I am furiously calculating this timing in my head and according to Ryan we are coming back Sunday. I am not pleased. Did I also mention that the passports reside in my nightstand and I just happened to see them sitting there when I put something away? No passport, no international. Grr.

I manage to get about 6 hours of sleep before I jolt out of bed and prepare for the day. He has advised that I need to be ready at 11am. In something cute but casual. I don't do cute for international travel so I am really starting to get upset. I shower, write a few thank you notes, tool around the net, start to boil inside, take a walk, grab a Starbucks (since I kicked caffeine for over a month leading up to the wedding), and come back to find him working out. I begin to feel myself start crying because this is not how I imagined our honeymoon starting out. I realize that I might have been over-reacting a tad, but I was exhausted and ready for some R&R ;)

11am roles around finally and we pack up the car with our suitcases. He drives me from B5 (the lowest level in the car garage) to B3 and remarks about forgetting something. He parks the car in my spot on that level and tells me to get out. We ride the elevator to the lobby floor and round the block to...Prospect. The fab brunch spot in our building that we had yet to dine in. But really right now you want to take me there?? I fight back more tears and follow the waitress to our private corner table with our 11:15 reservation. While having brunch, I quickly down 2 mimosas while Ryan "gets his wallet that he accidentally left in the house." Is he kidding me?! We finish brunch and it was amazing.

Now we are off to the airport. We return the rental car and Ryan leads me to the airline check in counter...Southwest. Tears are no longer an option. Just pure annoyance. Southwest does not fly internationally. In fact once we get to the 10 gates of possible destinations, the options include LA (where we basically just drove from the night before), Las Vegas, and Houston. I don't mean to sound like a brat because I know that there are lots of amazing places in the US to honeymoon, and I am always grateful for any type of travel. It was just that he made such a big deal as did others about this surprise honeymoon and to go to say Las Vegas (no offense mom & dad who honeymooned there 35 yrs ago) would have been not what I expected. Plus we said warm temps and somewhere neither of us had been ruling out a large part of the US. So now that you all think I am a full blown brat, I will continue.

finally heading to the airport...

...sike we're going to brunch

it was very good at least

and we got mimosas ;)

at the airport which seemed like a small miracle to make happen

I sit and read at the mixture of gates, still not knowing where we are headed while Ryan makes about 2,000 phone calls far from me. We board the plane to LAX. Perfect. I ~~love~~ hate LA. A rush of emotion overcomes me, and I think for one minute that he might be taking me on a honeymoon of completing our bucket list from 2010 which would entail a lot of time in several western states. I realize that I am wrong as soon as we land in LA, get our luggage, and exit the airport. Hmm. He explains that Tim is coming to pick us up. Now I like Tim, but I do not want to spend my honeymoon with him.

not very happy...

put a smile on...haha

Instead we hop on a bus that is circulating the airport and get off about 2 miles down the road at another terminal. First site of a smile on my face since this honeymoon got kicked off. There are so many airlines that I don't even try to take a guess. He leads me up past quite a few before landing on Quantas. The Aussie airline. YES!!! Still not knowing the exact city, he checks us in while I wait in the distance. We have about 5 hours before take off so we catch a cab into Marina del Rey for some dinner and shopping. We do the usual Chipotle followed by a glass of wine & dessert at CPK. We're back at the airport in no time. As we approach the plane to board, I read the sign: Sydney. I am so excited and apologize profusely for being rather difficult today. Like a wonderful husband, he accepts the apology.

ah yes the international terminal! thank heavens ;)

just married

Qantas!

love airplane food

getting closer...

that is a long way...

worldy view

A mere 14 hours later, we arrive at 8am Sydney time on what is Tuesday November 15th to thick Aussie accents with words such as G'Day, mate, bloakes, buggies, and more. We are in love.

Aussie girl ;)

Aussie boy!

Hilarious that the name on our pick up was Collins not Thompson!

does anything look funny in this pic?

love these little speed limit signs

SYDNEY!

beautiful hotel

checking in

We spend our first day walking around The Rocks, Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Hyde Park, and George Street (7th most expensive shopping street in the world!). We dine at Selah and hit the hay early.