With perfect timing, song got Covid a week before we were due to fly. Luckily I avoided it, but every time I went out to a crowded place I wore a mask.
On the day of the flight I wore a mask from the train, on the bus, through the airport and on the plane. I didn’t want to catch it.
All packed thanks to Song, cat sitter given instructions, documents checked and printed, ready to go.
Got the train to the city, dark clouds gathering. Got on the Skybus, started to rain and thunder. Still, it’s a couple of hours to the flight so hopefully should clear; checked the radar and it looked as if the rain band was going to pass.
Song had packed the bags with precision, we were only allowed 7kg each and mine weighed 6.9 and Song’s was bang on 7, although we did have some things in our pockets.
Got through check in and security (I checked in online but they wouldn’t give us the boarding passes online for some reason), then through security and passport checks and got to the gate. Had a coffee, the storm was still going. After a while there was an alarm, then an announcement that it was for the ground staff to leave the tarmac, the airport was shut down due to the storm. After about 10 minutes the all-clear was given and they said there would be delays of around 30 minutes. Not too bad and nothing we could do about it. Went to the toilet and found a driver’s licence and boarding pass someone had left – he’s not had a good start to his holiday. I did the decent thing and flushed it down the toilet. Not really, I handed it in.
Sat at the gate for a while, then they announced that due to the storm the flight would be delayed by about 2 hours, so decided to get something to eat – picked a Vietnamese place, I had a beef salad and Song had Pho.
Went back to the gate only to see it was now a flight to New Zealand, turned out they’d swapped gates while we weren’t looking. Finally boarded at about 7:45, nearly 2 hours later than expected.
We’d paid extra for an exit row seat for the extra leg room, which was a good idea because these budget airlines like to pack people in.
The flight eventually left 2 and a half hours late due to the weather, we had to queue up behind all the other delayed flights, but can’t blame Jetstar for that.
Sitting in the exit row seat I noticed there weren’t any screens, then realised none of the seats had them. Luckily I’d loaded up some tv shows onto the laptop and an ssd drive so was set.
Watched a documentary about y2k, then one about UK comedies in the 70s, then the movie Kiss Kiss Bang Bang while Song slept most of the flight. The flight was 5 hours and 45 minutes but seemed longer.
Luckily our seats were row 1 so expected we’d be first off, and with just hand luggage hopefully through immigration and customs quickly.
I’d arranged for the hotel to pick us up so that saved us the worry of getting a taxi, and I’d let them know that we had been delayed.
First off the plane, a first for me, we were hit with the humidity as soon as we got off. Joined the queue for the immigration and waited. And waited. And waited. It was so slow, it took us an hour to get through. As we walked away I noticed Song didn’t have her passport, it turned out the guy forgot to give it back, and Song thought I had them both. Went back to the kiosk and got it back, disaster averted.
Another queue for the customs, but that was quick. As we walked out we were accosted by money changers (which we used) and loads of people offering SIM cards (I’d bought a Telstra pre paid before we left), then out to be greeted by about a thousand guys with name signs waiting to pick people up. I scanned them for us, but couldn’t see our names so went back again, still no luck so called them, and we were found. It was very humid and about 26C, and this was at 12:30 in the morning. Checked in OK, got to the room and checked for bed bugs (you never know), plugged in all the gear to charge and eventually went to bed at around 01:00 which was about 04:00 Australian time; Song had slept on the plane but I hadn’t, but I still didn’t sleep well and woke up at around 06:00 local time.
We’re finally on holiday.