The official first leg of our trip began with a slight detour: a notified six-hour flight delay. The upside? Since we were still at home, we avoided sitting around an airport terminal waiting it out. The downside? We arrived roughly seven hours behind schedule, with our friends picking us up at LAX around 7 PM.
By the time we collected our baggage and cleared the airport, we had a one-hour drive south to Mission Viejo and it was pushing past 8 PM. Hungry and eager to catch up—and keen to catch the tail end of the Scotland v Haiti match – we grabbed a quick Mexican dinner at Hacienda on the Ranch.
June 13
As seasoned travellers, we take unexpected hiccups in stride. Our original schedule had us departing Sydney around 6 PM, but receiving early notification of the six-hour delay meant we could relax at home instead of loitering at the gate. Once at the airport around 7 PM, check-in and security were a breeze, giving us plenty of time to settle into the Lounge (thanks to Status, not Class of Service).
Champagne for Take-Off | iPhone 16 Pro | 2.7 mm Front Camera | f/1.9 | 1/20th | ISO640
After three separate friends insisted the calamari in the Lounge was a must-try, we had a light bite, enjoyed a few glasses of wine, and chatted through our expectations for the trip. We had slightly different takes, but the shared excitement and optimism for the journey ahead were palpable. We headed down to board around 9:20 PM for our 10:00 PM departure and got settled in.
Despite the delay, we landed around 6:30 PM on the same day—June 13th—thanks to crossing the International Date Line. Our friends met us at the airport, and we drove south to Mission Viejo. After a short debate, we settled on a local Mexican restaurant for a light meal before turning in for the night.
There was one minor moment of panic on arrival: while stopping for a restroom break before Global Entry Immigration, I decided to locate our passports. Checking the usual bag turned up nothing, and a quick scan of my other hand luggage was equally empty. Sweating a bit, we proceeded to immigration, where the automated facial recognition cleared us seamlessly without requiring physical documents.
June 14
Our hosts were determined to keep us awake to beat the jet lag. I was the last to wake, greeted by a fantastic breakfast spread of avocado toast, fried eggs, haloumi, and fresh fruit. Shortly after, we headed to a nearby lake where two of us rented a two-person kayak and stand-up paddleboards. We paddled across to a beach to relax before swapping crafts for the journey back.
Back at the house, I unpacked my bags completely and finally spotted both passports tucked away in a smaller pocket. I had been anxious enough to pre-book a Monday morning emergency appointment at the San Diego Passport Agency, so finding them was a massive relief.
The primary reason for kicking off the trip this early was my niece’s upcoming wedding in Colorado. Not wanting to haul formalwear for the entire six months, I drove to Anaheim to get fitted for a suit jacket and tuxedo. Afterwards, we headed into Los Angeles proper for dinner at Yamashiro, a stunning Japanese restaurant nestled in the Hollywood Hills – highly recommended. I fell asleep on the drive back (a mix of jet lag and sake), turned in early, and slept clear through until 12:00 PM the next day.
Yamashiro | iPhone 16 Pro | 6.8 mm Back Camera | f/1.8 | 1/240th | ISO125
Yamashiro Dinner | iPhone 16 Pro | 5.1mm Back Camera | f/1.6 | 1/30th | ISO640
June 15
One of the few things I genuinely miss about living in the U.S. is a proper sub sandwich, as good ones are hard to come by in Australia. My top two picks are Jimmy Johns and Jersey Mikes. For a late lunch, we took our friend to Jersey Mike’s in Mission Viejo for her very first visit—a nostalgic stroll down memory lane.
Later that afternoon, we returned to Friar Tux for a final fitting. After a few tweaks, I walked out with a tailored suit jacket, two white dress shirts, a full tuxedo with a vest, and dress shoes. After picking up our friend from work, we made our way to the Lido Hotel rooftop in Newport Beach for evening cocktails before heading back for board games.
Hotel Lido Rooftop | iPhone 16 Pro | 5.1mm Back Camera | f/1.6 | 1/210th | ISO50
Hotel Lido | iPhone 16 Pro | 5.1mm Back Camera | f/1.6 | 1/1600th | ISO50
Tuesday June 16
We spent most of the day running errands and organizing gear. Picking our friend up early from work, we drove out to Laguna Beach for beachfront drinks at The Deck. We picked up Greek takeout on the way home and spent the evening playing two rounds of Carcassonne (neither of which I won).
The Deck in Laguna | iPhone 16 Pro | 2.7mm Back Camera | f/2.2 | 1/160th | ISO50
Wednesday June 17
Wednesday was a travel day. We woke up at 7 AM, grabbed coffee, dropped one friend at her office, and were driven to LAX. Traffic was manageable, leaving us over an hour before departure. However, because American Airlines lacked check-in facilities at the International Terminal, we had to haul our luggage over to Terminal 4. For a Wednesday morning, the airport was remarkably congested. By the time we checked bags and cleared security, our flight was already boarding. We boarded quickly, took off smoothly, and enjoyed an uneventful leg from LAX to DFW before connecting to our final destination, Eagle Creek in Colorado.
Paul Rin Travel Photojournalism 