Way had one layover: IAH (Houston). From here we would be embarking on The Literal Longest Nonstop Passenger Flight in operation. That is not hyperbole. At 17½ hours, Houston to Sydney was really the longest flight operated at the time (in the years since, Singapore Airlines has introduced some 18+ hour flights from Singapore to the US). That's good and bad, but more good than bad, especially because I plan to sleep through most of it and then wake up on the Sixth Continent.