Today is the day - we're moving on again and this is the penultimate journey, flight, and stay of the whole journey. We get up early to say a fond farewell to Sue and Phil who both have to work today, and to thank them for their generosity whilst we've been with them. It's only been six days but it seems like a week, no it seems like we've been with them for ages!
After a quick run through of where to leave everything and what to lock up with, we're left to get ourselves packed up and ready to go and Phil has left us with his IPad to use the Go-Catch App to get a taxi for the airport when we're ready to go. I'm wary of this, I like to have things booked and organised so doing it at the last minute just doesn't sit right with me, however he assures me it'll work just fine!!!
Breakfast and coffees keep us going and the packing is completed again, not that much really came out of the cases, but before long we are ready to go again and I bring my sheets and towels down to the washing machine ready to be washed but don't want to set it going as it'll probably break, but at least I've tidied up! At last it's nearly time to go so we use the Go-Catch App to request a taxi which takes about 3 minutes before one responds and confirms and we can then track him as he drives towards us, telling us that he will be with us in ten minutes. I'm impressed and as he gets closer, we get our cases down the stairs and make sure we've locked up everything that needs to be locked up, then the final challenge is to get the cases out to the top of the drive, and ourselves, then to press the button to close the garage door and place the closer inside the garage before running out, hopefully not getting trapped inside with everything else outside! Phew, did it, just like Indiana Jones in a very girly way!
Once again, it's a lovely day and a shame to be travelling but needs must as they say. We manage to get down the steep drive with our bags in one piece and we've only been waiting a couple of minutes when the taxi arrives. I could definitely get used to this, as he picks up the bags and packs them into the boot for us! The friendly driver chats as he drives us to the airport, telling us as we approach the Sydney Harbour Bridge and pass a truck stuck in the middle between freeways that it had held up the traffic that morning as it was too high to go through under a bridge - I bet the commuters loved that!
Arriving at the airport, once again having checked-in online the day before, we just drop off our bags and collect the boarding passes and then make our way through departures and security and into the Duty Free area where, once again, we find free liquor and this time there's three to choose from, two of which were flavoured Baileys which went down surprisingly well, even though it was still before noon! After trying these, we then continued through and Becky started looking at some jewellery, where a nice young lady tried to encourage her to look harder for something she might like!
It seems she had decided that she'd like to get herself some Australian Opal jewellery to remind her of her trip so I continued to look around at the other pieces, wondering if I should get something for the granddaughters and that they were probably too young. At this point, my eyes were drawn to some very pretty, sparkly items and upon closer inspection, I found a necklace that I just couldn't take my eyes off, it was sooooo pretty, with all colours of crystals in it. The girl suggested that I try it and I was tempted so agreed. When she passed it to me, it was quite heavy, a sign of quality I think you'll find, and as I put it round my neck, I was caught. I had to have it, and whilst it was probably more than I've ever spent on a piece of jewellery in my entire life, I thought 'I can treat myself', I had allowed myself a certain amount of money in my account and hadn't used it all so, yes, I could treat myself and I would, so there! Then, I noticed the bracelet that went with it and I should probably have the earrings too - Oh, go on then! As I was treating myself, I sort of said I'd pay for Becky's Opals too as it was easier to put it all on one card and only have the one commission charge, ooops! Also, sorry to the granddaughters, no jewellery for you two! I hope it wasn't the alcohol consumed just prior to purchase that is to blame!
Time to move on, quick, before either of us spots anything else! I did purchase a couple of little soft toys for the granddaughters in one of the shops and then had to go and sit down quick, before I spent any more! Whilst sitting waiting for the flight, they showed a short film of Bangkok and what to buy and how much cheaper everything is and I just began to wonder if I should take the jewellery back ... Nah!
It wasn't too long before the flight was called and we were herded on for the last but one flight. Finally leaving 'Down Under' and getting back to the northern hemisphere - a step in the right direction! A nine hour flight to Bangkok and by this stage I was kind of wishing it was home instead, but still, not long to go!
When we arrived in Bangkok, we went through pretty quickly and out into the Arrivals Lounge where we soon saw someone from Oriental Escapes and a piece of paper with our names on - Phew! You don't know how good it is to see that when you arrive at a foreign airport where the language is not your own and not anything like it - it doesn't even use the same letters of the alphabet! We were quickly guided through the airport with the young man taking two of our cases, and when we eventually came to a exit and taken outside, the heat hit us like stepping into an oven or sauna - Wow!
However, soon we were in the air conditioned car and were given bottles of iced water and driven into Bangkok itself. The roads were pretty good at 9 p.m. at night, until we got into the city itself, then it was a real eye-opener and we just couldn't believe the traffic. It just didn't move for ages and then it all streamed forward and cars swapped lanes and went into gaps that weren't even there - it was frightening! When we arrived at the Hotel, our bodies were telling us it was early hours of the morning and we needed our beds, so we checked in and our bags were taken to the room for us and before we knew it, we were ready for bed.
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