Going to a land down under...

Two weeks from today, I'll be 30,000ft above the Pacific Ocean, en route to Sydney, Australia. Because of the time difference, I'll be inside the aircraft for the whole of Sunday (I don't suppose I'll be able to get updates on the Bengals' game... ) Usually my itineraries are pretty open; but because I'll have just seven days in this new continent, I have a good idea of what I'm going to do each day. (I'm already looking forward to three weeks from today, coming home and writing about my experiences and posting pictures!)

I'm excited to be disconnected for some time, too. The Earth will continue to rotate, Fox news will continue to slander the president--and here I continue to experience mild outrage at this unsubtle attempt to undermine this administration every step of the way; how are they not treasonous? were we like this during the Bush years?--and health care will or will not get passed.

Australia: We'll tour the Sydney Opera House, climb the pylon on the Harbour Bridge, get invited to eat shrimp on the barbie, trek through a rain forest, snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, and hug a koala bear.