Plane trip back to Australia

News of my fathers death came to me in the middle of the night, John was in France when my mum called me to tell of the sad news. I was Ok when she told me and I asked the usual things, how did it happen? was dad without pain and how was mum herself. It was not until an hour after the call when I tried to ring all my three children and got answering services, that is when I broke down and cried and I rang John. Poor John woke up to listen to my sad news and was so supportive even though he needed his sleep for an important meeting at the Chateaubriant plant the following day.

For the rest of the early morning hours I found myself ironing and watching television as I was unable to sleep. John had organised my trip back to Australia to help mum and go to dads funeral. Dad died on a Tuesday I was to travel on the Wednesday. I got everything organised all washing and ironing up to date, the apartment cleaned so when John returns home he will find the place welcoming but empty. So on Wednesday morning a little on the panicky side I set of much too early to catch the train to Geneve. Wanting to prove to John how competent I am I attempted to buy my ticket from the ticket machine. After all I have seen John do it, you can set it for English how hard could it be…….. Well some time later and several people queuing I gave up, rather embarrassed I walked into the office and joined the queue to purchase a ticket from a human. I got my ticket but then had the problem of not knowing what platform to go to, that is when I remembered John saying he thought I would have to go to platform 2. On platform 2 I nervously waited wanting some one to confirm I was indeed in the right place. Luckily for me the screen had Geneve airport on it. Yes I was on my way and feeling rather proud of myself.

The luggage was a problem I was such a klutz I seemed to bang my baggage against nearly every thing and every body it was watch out for the crazy lady with two wheelie bags, I tried pushing one and pulling one, then pulling them both but nothing was easy. I am sure people watched like I was a comedy sketch or something out of Bridget Jones Diary. Got to the airport very early 4 hours early in fact and went to collect my booked tickets where I discovered my fight was cancelled. This is when I thought it would be a good time to break down and uncontrollably cry, blurting out between sobs my dad has just died and I need to get back to Australia. I nice young man started to shepherd me to another quiet counter where they arranged another flight, but maybe I will have more problems because Heathrow was fogged in. Again this is the ideal time to ring John he just loves the hysterical call from me( god knows he should be used to them). John always calming says don’t panic It was good I arrived early and to go to Heathrow if worst comes to worst I can stay in London for the night, but he is sure that I will be winging my way to Singapore later that evening.

What to do in an airport for hours drink coffee, eat chips, drink beer eat chips cry all in moderate amounts. I tried to read but had just started the book and had not got interested as yet , so found myself being distracted frequently and watching the clock every now and then, alright I was like a kid waiting for school to finish, I would look then look again just to find only three minutes had passed .
Eventually the time came to board the plane, now I did my maths and figured I would have an hour to spare before I board the plane to Singapore. The plane was held in a holding pattern before we were able to land in Heathrow. We landed I then had to get off the plane to be bussed to terminal 5 and of course I was right at the back of the plane and was unable to get off to get the first of the three buses. Unfortunately three rows in front of me…. some rather fat lady was dithering with her baggage obscuring the way out and holding me up. My stomach was churning I am finally on the bus and taken to terminal 5 where I then raced to get the next bus that takes me to terminal four, I just miss it and have to wait 12 minutes for the next one. Checking my watch whilst on the second bus I realise I have 15 minutes before the plane for Singapore leaves, the bus driver now announces the trip will take 18 minutes, bugger bugger bugger well I thought to myself maybe the plane has been held up as well so I keep a little bit of hope. Now that I am very anxious I am pissed off at all the people on the escalator that don’t move so I start shoving my way through and deliberately nudged the fat lady that stopped me from getting the earlier bus. As luck would have it the gate I now had to get to was right at the end of the terminal. I went through security check not a sole there just me flinging my laptop camera and headphones into the container that takes my hand luggage through the x-ray machine. Still a fair walk ahead of me I slowed my pace down it was now over 16 minutes ago that the plane should have taken off. Two young teenagers saw me and said the plane is still grounded run run run girl. So I did down the empty corridors thinking all the time they were joking with me. However I made it all hot and sweaty and grateful my bladder held up. The airline staff said “you are lucky” and I crashed down into my business class seat, very grateful I could now relax. I was travelling British airways I have never travelled business class with BA, you sit opposite each other. This middle aged gentleman was to be my travelling companion, what struck me first was his huge unruly eyebrows. One very wayward hair went up and out then curled back almost into his ear. After introductions he proceeded to discuss everything I did not need to know about British airways. I explained I was a nervous flyer and would prefer not to know that planes crashing into water was a less likely chance of anyone surviving, as the whole plane would just disintegrate. So then he spoke of his wild Chilean wife. All the time he was droning on I could not help but see that long hair from the eye brow, would it be the longest hair, could he get into the Guinness book of records, if only I could snip it off for him. The dam hair tormented me maybe I could ask him If I could pull it out, maybe I should go to sleep and I did. At breakfast the hair was still there but I consoled myself that I would only have to look at it for another hour and I would be in Singapore.
In Singapore I planned to go to the Qantas lounge and have a shower to freshen myself up before the last leg to Sydney. I went to the lounge and presented my card,” you can’t use the lounge that card does not entitle you”, you have to be accompanied by your husband. So here I was all stinky and having women’s problems and unable to shower knowing that I have the next leg in economy 8 hours sitting next to some poor sucker hope they don’t have a keen sense of smell. I sat and waited for a couple of hours the plane was late, I was confused when I found out the plane was going to Sydney via Adelaide. What else can happen!. Sitting inside the plane I got a window seat when I always request an Isle so I don’t have to climb over people with my frequent toilet trips. After putting my hand luggage away a very broad shouldered man sat beside me using my hand rest, he was big. He glanced at me and I could tell he wanted to talk. So I told him I was not in a chatting mood as my father has just died and I am not keen on plane travel, this is when he said “ it will take three years to get over it , I know I lost my dad three years ago” and he started to cry and so it begun my long flight with this man remembering and sharing all the sad moments in his life he cried on four occasions and there I sat obliged to give the man sympathy . I got off at Adelaide went through security then made a dash to the ladies where I did my best to freshen up. I went to what I thought was the correct gate as I had recognised a young Indian who was on the same flight. Thinking the plane was late as usual I got a call over the intercom, it seems I was holding up the flight as I was at the wrong gate and as usual I had to be right at the other end of the terminal what is wrong with me. I got on the plane just to have all the passengers stare at me for inconveniencing them and I was at the back again walking through the rows of icy cold stares. We landed in Sydney and just to welcome me the pilot landed like a kangaroo hopping on the tarmac finally my heart beat settled and I left the plane thanking god all plane trips were behind me. Even the 40 degree heat of Sydney did not phase me that much ( well! ok it did).

Johns wonderful Daughter Sarah was waiting at the airport all cheery and smiley a sight for sore eyes. Sarah was to drive me to the railway station. She had a timetable printed for me and off we set. Now I am not sure if I was overtired and still anxious but I got scared on a few occasions with Sarah’s driving, we got lost so maybe Sarah herself got anxious and flustered. I only commented when I thought she was a little too close to the police car ahead of us, but maybe it was her boyfriend Jake driving the cop car. Any young girl prepared to pick me up from the airport in 40 degree heat without an air con has to be commended, she is beautiful. So I took a lovely train trip in air conditioning to Wentworth falls where another lovely young lady waited for me, and drove me to Mudgee, I was grateful that Karee’s car had air conditioning but because of my luggage and my weight her poor little car struggled up mountains so we had to turn it off. When I got to Mudgee I barely acknowledged my mother and sister and raced to have a very long cool shower, re emerging as a human being of sorts.