Day 17: CNS --> SYD --> DFW --> MLI

Well, all good things must come to an end.  Today we made the looooooong trek back home.  Up at 4:30 for a 5 am transfer.  3 hour flight from Cairns to Sydney.  Once in Sydney we trekked all over trying to connect to our international flight.  Our flight from Sydney to Dallas, apparently, is the longest in the world.  15.5 hours...which ended up being 16 - for some reason we arrived 30 min late. And as they say, everything in TX is bigger...must include the lines at DFW as I've never seen passport lines that long.  Good thing we had a long layover as we were in lines for about 2-3 hours...not kidding.  Grabbed some lupper (lunch & supper) at TGIFrday's and then just chilled at our gate.  One last little flight from Dallas to Moline, a mere 2 hours.  We were greeted by some very happy parents at the airport - lots of cheers & hugs & tears!
Airports & I are on a love/hate relationship.  There are many happy moments...and some sad moments at airports.  It's always bitter sweet to see the kids sooo happy to see their loved ones...you grow pretty attached to them over the course of a 17 day trip.  Such great memories we have made over the last few weeks...memories that will last us a lifetime!

Our amazing TD, Adam, looking spiffy in his Team Iowa shirt!

Kids & Adam at the airport

Off to Sydney we go!

Farewell Cairns - we had a blast!!

Sunrise over Cairns

Ready for take-off on the longest flight in the world - Sydney to Dallas - a mere 16 hrs.

Yep, we're excited for this route!

'Merica - home of the free refills & ketchup!!

I have many thanks to hand out...
--Thanks to my mom & dad for the airport shuttle, and for taking care of things at my casa while I was away. Sorry your travel-obsessed daughter is never home...
--Thanks to the moms & dads who made this trip happen for their kids - you can never go wrong with the gift of travel...while scary to let go, remember that awesome feeling when they come back!  :)
--Thanks to the 3 M's:  Mike, Molly & Mary!  What a blast traveling with you three!  I love your zest of travel...especially with kids.  Not everyone is built to travel with teenagers and you three were amazing!  Mike & Molly - your 1st time... Mary - lucky #7. Hope there is more in your futures!
--Thanks to the amazing people at EF!  You all really helped make this a trip of a lifetime!  We loved Cairns and are so grateful to have gotten to go up there! What an amazing tour - top notch!
--Thanks to our amazing Tour Director, Adam!  Your good-nature, chill attitude, passion for adventure & love of everything Aussie made my kids fall in love with your country!  I love all the stories you shared, the anecdotes you told, the videos we watched (Beached Az; Sam Kekovich), the songs you taught us (that are forever stuck in our brains!), and also to your parents who so graciously allowed us into their house & showed us their macadamia nut operation!  Thanks just doesn't cover it all...
--Thanks to the kids who absolutely made this trip a blast!  I love your quest for adventure, your curious natures, your good hearts, your laughs & smiles...especially at your 4 am wake-up knocks, your love of life, your jumping skills (Eddie??), your go-with-the-flow way of being, your positive attitudes, and your awesome singing skills.  You will forever have a special place in my heart.  I wish you all the best at college - will be weird not seeing your faces next fall, but you're off to bigger & better things!  Make sure to keep in touch!

Well, that's it for this summer's successful student trip!  Next year we're doing Greece for Spring Break and Spain/Portugal in June, and an Adults-Only Italy/Sicily trip in July...join if you want!  The more, the merrier!
As for me, I've luckily got a few more personal trips up my sleeve this summer!  Thanks for reading the blog!  It was always cool to see how many people read our blog while we were sleeping!

Until next time....
~steph :)