We should quickly add that the prez-to-be was aged eight at the time, travelling with the carrier Qantas as an unaccompanied child.
“I was travelling from Indonesia where my mother was living at the time, to my grandparents in Hawaii and I was travelling unaccompanied,” he said.
Obama recounted being enthralled by the stewardess who had been assigned childminding duties.
“We had to stop for a day for the connecting flight and Qantas stewardess took very good care of me,” he said, recalling being supplied with Coca-Cola and comic books for the flight.
“I had a big crush on her,” he said, to the delight of the audience.
“I felt very sophisticated, very worldly, travelling on my own and so that’s my first association with Sydney. And it just keeps getting better every time I come back.”
Although the former ‘leader of the free world’ was in town to discuss other weighty issues, such as the war in Ukraine and his response as President to school shootings, there was also time to do some sightseeing.
He and Michelle were treated to a sightseeing tour of North Harbour with Australian prime minister and lunch at the Balmoral Bathers’ Pavilion, before a tour of the Sydney Opera House at Circular Quay.
The Obamas continued their Australian tour with another speaking event last night, at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena. He is due at further public engagements as part of his Evening With Barack Obama in Europe next month.
The ex-president is not expected this side of the ditch but was last seen in New Zealand golfing at Northland’s exclusive Kauri Cliffs resort in 2018.
