Back to Oz

This was our last day in USA.  Levi and I flew out at two in the afternoon, so we had some time in the morning to play.  We went to the park and played on the play structure and then when it was too hot to do anything else, we played in the water at the splash pad!  It was a great way to get running around before having to sit for the next, well, forever!  Levi got the option to travel in the convertible and he was very happy to exercise that!  So off he went in that and the rest of us went in the bigger car.  It was so much fun.  The playground had a snake thing that flexed at two points and the trick was to try to walk from one side to the other or alternatively, hold on for dear life as your brothers try to shake you off by violently moving it up and down.  They also had a flat bench on springs.  It was hard enough to stand still on it because any inherent tremor would get magnified until you were unable to stand.  We tried to hop the length of the bench.  I got about three quarters of the way before falling. 

At the splash pad, the boys pretty much had it to themselves for most of the time.  It meant that they could play wilder, older games in the water and not feel as if they were putting other kids in danger.  They played and played until we had to go to the airport.  It all made for lovely exercise prior to the flights.  The flights were a bit harder than normal.  First off we were flying Virgin Australia rather than Qantas and I suspect that we won't make that mistake again.  When we got to LAX we had been booked in separated seats.  So Virgin in their wisdom had booked my seven year old son a whole bulkhead away from me.  I jumped up and down and finally we got seats together but it meant that we were in the center.  Nothing to prop Levi against so he could sleep!  Eventually I got him sleeping by pulling him up on my lap and holding his legs bent.  Every now and then, I would not be paying attention and the sleeping boy would stretch his legs out, planting his foot on our next seat neighbour's jaw!  Sorry!

Ah well!  You live and learn, and fly Qantas!