Wednesday 10^th February 2010

Part 1 at Sydney Airport

I’m writing this whilst having a coffee waiting for the flight. When I awoke, I thought, this is it, the last few hours in Aussie and the sun is cracking the flags, beautiful day. Typical after all the rain we have had recently. We tried to book the taxi for 1.30pm for a 4.30pm flight but the company insisted on picking us up at mid-day. Hang on a minute, who is telling who here, if I want a taxi at 1.30pm, that is the time we will have one, not when it is convenient to them. They no doubt had a pick-up at that time and thought they could us drop us off and save a journey. I asked Chris to phone back and tell them, which he did. The owner ended up coming out and making a special journey but isn’t that what taxi’s do. I am after all paying $59 for this service.

After breakfast, I went for a walk along Manly Beach and into town to do a bit of last minute shopping. Down by the Wharf, I spotted a young couple in their early 20’s looking at the ferry times. I asked if they were going to use the ferry to which they said yes. I gave them our two tickets which are still valid until 0600hrs tomorrow as we would no longer need them. They were very appreciative especially when I told them they could the ferry all day for nothing and go where they wanted.

Walking back along the beach, the sand was strewn with small bluebottles, jellyfish with long blue tentacles. I didn’t want to stand on one of those just before we set off. We showered and changed and had an uneventful drive back to here at Sydney Airport. The Qantas flight to Changi, Singapore, sets off in less than an hour and is the through flight to Heathrow. Wouldn't fancy that without a stopover as it is 22 hours in the air plus the refuel time. They have have just called out our names over the tannoy to go to Gate 34. Kath is in a panic, they will just want to board us first with the wheelchair.