Over and out…and some reflections from a traveller

 To begin where I left off…both flights were a lot better than expected ( often the case when one is so sure that everything will be dreadful). 5 hours to Abu Dhabi with the 2 back seats to myself, a passably good lunch and glass of wine and The New York Times to peruse. So far, so civilised.

I had made a bid for an extra seat on the next flight and the young man at the checkout in Vienna assured me I’d been awarded it. No indication of this on my boarding pass so I very assertively advised the hostess of this- and, surprisingly (!) she had no idea of what I was talking about and said the plane was overbooked. I descended into a state of gloom as I watched the hoards come in. But the seat next to me stayed empty! My smile returned and I had a passably good 12 hours with a bit of sleep ( thanks to a Zopi) . Strange meals…dinner, an early morning snack of cheese roll and apple crumble and then another big dinner when one would expect breakfast!

So far, so good. I managed a breath of air in Melbourne ( albeit petrol-laced) and even found the well hidden free shower for a bit of a freshen-up. All prepared for the final leg I positively bounced up to the departure gate only to be told the flight was delayed by 4 hours. Amazing how quickly the mood can plummet when one is nearly home and then one is not. I had a large glass of wine and some dinner, tried to snooze on a bench whilst other waitees ( another new word?) partied around me…ball games and craft activities by hordes of kids, card games and lots of chatting. I wasn’t in the mood to be charmed by any of it. Left at 11.15, accepted the $15 voucher for refreshments on the dreaded Jetstar and arrived at 4.30 am. Parading up and down the pickup zone on a dark and rainy morning was a pleasure, as I waited for Chaz. The cold winter air was such a relief after all those airports!

And back home to manage a bit of jet lag, get welcome messages from friends and see the kids again. What a joy it is to be here!

And what a wonderful adventure I had. Despite it being difficult being away for all that time and the anxieties engendered by the idea of such a long trip amongst so many people, it was absolutely the right and the best thing to do. Although I was so cared for by many kind friends, I managed to navigate myself around the world, becoming increasingly confident as I went( although the stomach knot never completely disappeared!). I made some new friends on the boat and bike trip and cemented many other relationships.i will never be able to thank everyone enough for making everything so special…giving up beds, decorating guest rooms, planning so many special activities…the list goes on.

I feel like I’ve done with big trips now…the number of people constantly moving around the world is quite mind blowing and even terrifying if you think about it too hard. There are probably the same number of people at Abu Dhabi airport as there are in Raglan, every moment of each day.

I’m so lucky to return to a place of peace, beauty and sanity right at the end of the world.

Thank you so much, dear friends and family, for sharing my journey…for all your feedback, affirmations and encouragement as you read these stories. I loved writing for you and now I look forward to seeing many of you again. The threads attaching me to people far away are strengthened and will not break.

So, it’s over and out!

Bears in Bearlin and pandas in Melbourne…one of the few sparks of light at Melbourne airport