30th and 31st of January 2018

30th January

I had a really lazy day today - knowing that I would be getting very little sleep tomorrow.  We went shopping to get Becharovka and beer for dad, to see how much I can add in my luggage.  The answer was 2 x Becharovka and 4 large cans of beer!

I have packed and am at about 29kgs, taking into account the last minute toiletries to pack - I just hope they don’t check my hand luggage.

Janko managed to take my stitches out, on second inspection, so I’m really happy they are out.  I will wait until the morning to wash my hair though - give it overnight to heal the tiny stitches holes.

31st January - homeward bound.

Got up a little earlier than normal - but still late by real standards.  Showered and finally washed my hair properly - it was wonderful!  Packed the last bits and pieces.

Svartava came over - with another Becharovka and a tin of chocholates for mum... My scales said it was exactly 30kgs - phew!  (Still sweating bullets over the hand luggage - it’s about 3kgs over!

We didn’t dally over goodbyes - we’d just cry - so we made it quick - like taking off a bandaid....Checked in okay and through security with no problems.

When I got to my gate I got worried - as they were checking the boarding passes to allow you through to the waiting area the lady is picking up the hand luggage of the people in front of me....I’m about to get busted SO badly......  I smile like I’m just your average passenger - and she waves me through....then I notice, she’s only checking the hand luggage of Asian passengers....not sure if they are notorious for having too much - because they didn’t seem to have any issues.....  But that was the sad fact of it.  Talk about racial profiling!

The flight left on time - it was okay - nothing special or bad.  I watched a couple of movies then started on catching up on season 10 of The Big Bang Theory....still have a couple of eps to go on my next leg.

Dubai - also zero problems - flight again, left on time... finished season 10 TBBT and then watched more movies.  I’m coming up blank on all the movies I watched - talk about Dory’s memory! Had a particularly wanky wanker next to me who insisted not only on taking the entire arm rest - but spilling over to my side!  Happily he’s getting out at Singapore, so I have hopes of a better neighbour next leg.

Quick stop in Singapore for fuel.  I hate having to go through security when transmitting at the best of time - it’s ridiculous to get off a plane that you’ve been screened to get on to, and walked through the secure section of the airport to get to another gate, but we think you may have picked up something you’re not allowed to have.......  But this was even worse - we got off the plane, literally turned right at the end of the jetway and sat in seats to wait being allowed to get back on - the same plane... and they made us go through security for it!  Anyway - nothing you can do about it.

Got in to Brisbane a few minutes early and I have to say that with the chipped passport and ‘teller’ machines to get through, it was really quick.  We were the only plane there at the time, and the luggage came out pretty quickly.  By the time I’d gone through customs and wandered over, I waiting maybe two or three minutes and hey presto-chango - luggage!  I think I was out and talking to Dad within 20 minutes of landing!