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I was driving back from Columbus Ohio and while driving on I-68 east i passed this huge jet taking up two lanes. I thought that was amazing, but kept driving. 10 minutes later i called my boss to see what time she wanted me to work the next day and at the end of the conversation i just mentioned that i just passed a plane on the road, in which she replied "oh that is definitely Sully Sullenberger's plane on it's way to a museum, i saw it in the news today!". I was shocked and immediately turned around and hunted the famous plane down and found it freshly parked at it's resting stop for the night in West Virginia, on a truck weigh station, off of I-79 South.
Something completely different than my normal posts :))
This plane buzzed overhead as I was on the beach... Actually, it's much further away than it looks, due to the reach of my telephoto lens... The grain in the sky and clouds is intentional and for effect...
Nov.8,1956. 72nd and Palisades Ave in North Bergen,NJ. The building on the right is the transmitter facility of WOR-TV and radio. The huge tower that the plane crashed into would be on the far right(out of frame).
Калининский фронт. Обломки сбитого фашистского самолета (самолет был сбит зенитным расчетом сержанта Фицнера).
Фото: В. П. Гребнев. 1942 г.
the plane, a 737 was spotless inside. Not a mark, on surfaces or fabric (compared to somewhat shabby marks and wear and tear on US airline interiors). Not one dead trapped insect stuck in a windowed coffin between the inside and outside window of your seat (look next time, and how DO they get there to begin with).
Soon after takeoff we bank to the right to head south across the coast of sydney and the state of new south wales (NSW), over canberra (the national capitol area) into melbourne in the state of Victoria (VIC).
"Afternoon refreshments" in economy class said the announcement once in the air. Wow. Complementary wine and beer (mixed drinks A$6). Ignoring the fact the beer includes Fosters things were good. The "snacks" provided were good too. A joint packet of cashews and apricot. Large portions. Good quality. As the ingredients list, contents 100% cashews. Yum.
Cabin staff, in economy, smiles, friendly, want to help clearly.
Also walked around offering apples as snacks. Good apples. In a huge basket that must have had about 30 apples in it. I wanted to take a picture but I was laughing at the sight.
I LOVE the orange tablemat thing they give out too. It's a perforated nice-feel absorbant material. Its a tablemat. It's also a bag for trash afterwards so as they walk through doing pickup it takes seconds. It's also a napkin. It's a great tablematnapkinbag idea.
It also contains inside a wetwipe and stirrer for drinks that's twice the size/length of the US ones.
Sunsets. I've noticed the sunrises and sunsets occur very quickly here. Like within 15 mins and it's suddenly light, or dark. Must be the hemisphere and season (last week of winter). It's chilly enough at night i had to go buy a coat. My fault for thinking australia, sunny, its august, it will be hot.
Flight time 90 mins. Sydney to Melbourne. Quantas CityFlyer. $
Airport. Terminal 3 sydney. Bigger than National (DCA). Quieter but I realised its the people who go about their airporty stuff with less of a presence or noise. Folks just a few seats away on a cellphone have what appears to be a habit of covering their mouth with their other hand so their calls are not public (and hence quieter). A full flight doesn't have a gate boarding seat area where there are no free seats. Even the gate agent counter area is turned 90 degrees from the US standard so folks queueing are lining up in the area not out into the corridor. Terminal 3 is dedicated to quantas domestic flights. From arriving to boarding was never asked for any photo id. Why does showing some form of unverifable photo id help us with flights in the US?
New Zealand Maori queen laid to rest today. Queen Te Atairangikaahu (Dame Te Ata) reigned for 40 years, lacking any constitutional powers but beloved of the NZ nation. Before europeans arrived the Maori were ruled by many chiefs, their monarchy only came about after contact with the British. New Zealand - originally Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud - was not colonised by the British in the way Australia was.
The natives, descendants of the Polynesians, often reacted violently to foreign visitors, begining with Abel Tasman in 1642. Captain Cook took possession of the islands for Britain in 1769 - without consulting the natives. The presence of the fierce Maori menat the British preferred and went off to colonise Australia instead.
But foreigners were drawn to New Zealand. British, French and American ships began making regular visits. Mostly whalers, seal hunters and traders. The Maori became part of their trading network and acquired tastes for european and american goods and a knowledge of Pakeha - non-Maori culture.
By 1830's foreign settlers were buying large amounts of land and the numbers of Pakeha had increased to such a point that the British goverment decided to annex New Zealand. Naval officer Hobson negotiated and they agreed to cede sovereignty to the British in exchange for a guarantee of ownership of their lands. Formalized by the Treaty of Waitangi of 1840. Initially NZ was part of the colony of New South Wales but in 1841 because autonomous (with Hobson as Governor).
By 1845 open warfare ensued from chiefs. By 1847 and the First Maori War they realised better to have a consolidated approach. They sought to emulate the unity and disciple of the british and so started the Maori King Movement.
For the first time in 1966 a princess was chosen to ascend the throne and Queen Te Ata became a symbol not only of her people but for NZ women. Long may she rest.