Friday 12th & Saturday 13th September

          SINGAPORE - BRISBANE - EMERALD

THE ADVENTURE ENDS

Robyn writes: Well, it's now the evening of Saturday 13th, and we are HOME in Emerald! Exhausted, crook, jet-lagged and broke, but HOME!

Our Etihad flight out of Singapore was supposed to leave at ten to twelve. However, at that stage we were still all just sitting in the lounge waiting ... and waiting ... and finally, well after midnight, we were loaded on and eventually got underway. We were fed a rather nice chicken wrap (which you wouldn't think you'd feel like at 1 am, but what the hell - all of that sitting around makes you a bit peckish.) Then the lights went out so people could sleep. I watched the Cameron Diaz movie "The Other Woman" (and really enjoyed it), while Lex watched "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and also really enjoyed it. Then we tried to sleep. Of course, that just didn't happen. The most I did was doze off for a minute or two and Lex was pretty much the same. It was another looonnnggg night. Of course, about two and a half hours before we were due into Brisbane, they put the lights back on and fed us breakfast, then finally we landed in Brisbane, rather late, at about quarter past ten.

We used our "E" passports to get back into the country, picked up our bags, and were soon out in the Queensland morning! We caught a taxi to Cait and Mikeal's place at Nundah and by eleven o'clock had crashed out to finally sleep. Bliss.

I woke up at about 2.30 when I heard Cait come home from work, but Lex slept on until we woke him after 3.30. After a restorative cuppa or two, we then tackled the big re-pack - our two 30kg bags from the Etihad flight had to be split into 3 with a maximum 23kg allowance for the Emerald flight. (I'd pre-purchased extra luggage.) Cait gave us her old purple port which is falling to pieces as a result of their trip, but she hadn't got around to throwing out yet. There was a lot of weighing and re-weighing, but we got there in the end.

Mikeal got home after 5 and we all got ourselves ready to go out for tea at "Hello India" in Nundah. We decided to walk (about 15 minutes) for a bit of exercise and so everyone could have a glass of wine. We went via the train station where we met up with Cassie, who very luckily is up in Brisbane this weekend - just lovely to catch up with her again! We went to the bottle shop where we picked up a bottle of wine and some beer, and headed for the restaurant. It was just lovely - wonderful curries, big servings and a reasonable price. We had a great evening, then walked back home for tea (and Lemsip, in my case - I have managed to get through nearly 5 months in the UK just fine and got sick on the way home. Bloody plane trips!) Cait and I took Cassie back to the station to catch her train, then we finalised our packing and were all in bed by 10.30 - Lex and I hoping madly that we would sleep!

Cait and Cassie at "Hello India" (shame about the flash!)

Sadly, all didn't go according to plan....we fell asleep quite quickly, then later we were both wide awake. I was quite convinced it must be nearly morning and I was getting up - then Lex informed me it was 2.05! Bugger. I got up and had another Lemsip, went back to bed and finally I did sleep, though Lex didn't much at all. Morning came, as it always does eventually, and we were up in time to farewell Cait as she zoomed off to work at ten to seven, then got ourselves fed and organised before Mikeal dropped us at the airport at 8.30. Our flight to Emerald was also a bit late, but not too bad and we were on the ground at 11.30.



Goodbye green landscapes, hello sunburnt country....coming in past 2PH citrus farm

Louie gets reacquainted with Grandy and Missy

Modelling the latest in Grenadier Guards T shirts!

Enjoying Nana's fridge magnet collection

Jim, Nikita and Louie were there to welcome us - it was so lovely to see them again. Nikita had been shopping and a hot chook was waiting in the oven and salad, milk, bread etc for a lovely lunch together. Unfortunately Jim got a callout so his was rather rushed! Louie demonstrated his almost-walking prowess and got acquainted with Missy again, and was shamelessly doted on by his grandparents! After they'd gone home for his sleep, we (very slowly) unpacked, sorted, found things and washed. Megan and Jake have looked after the house and yard really well, and we actually got a storm last night so came home to a nice wet lawn. Mum and Dad called around with a curry, apple pie, custard, passionfruit yoghurt and strawberries. We are so spoiled! Because of all of this wonderful food provision, I've been able to put off going to the shops until tomorrow. Thankfully. It's been a very slow afternoon but it is very, very nice to be home again! Missy Cat was extremely pleased to see us and has spent a lot of time on my lap and being patted. Apparently I have several months worth of pats to make up. Tomorrow we'll hopefully both feel a bit more with-it and get to catch up with everyone else and start actually unpacking all the bits in the house we had packed up before we left.

It's been a wonderful adventure!