Post 32: Journey home

It started out with a quick breakfast followed by slow traffic to Heathrow- just over 6 miles in 55 minutes.

It gave me a chance to look at the trees again, many still bare skeletons,







































others green, and some flowering.

Once we pass the Airman I know we must be closing in, but it is still another 15 minutes driving around to the city that is Heathrow.

Once there, my passage is smooth. Qantas is open for business. All I have to do is hand over my bag, find the lounge and respond to Veronica's texts.


The flight is comfortable, slightly shorter than the westward journey because of the winds - about 16 hours 45 minutes. I manage to sleep for about five and a half hours from what is 4pm in London and about 2.30 am in Adelaide. I figure this is moving me in the right direction.
Somewhere
over the Indian Ocean I see what I think is a sunrise.






It turns out to be the moon.

Very difficult to photograph the moon.

I managed to read a whole George Bellairs book in the time I was awake, and do a little zenbroidery..

We arrive in Perth on time - even a little early. The transition is smooth. I declared the wool roving that Nicola gave us each as a gift. It was washed and carded and in a cellophane bag, but did not pass muster. The quarantine official was uncertain, but erred on the side of caution. I was sorry - but I know the importance of our quarantine laws and don't quibble. Too much at stake.

The flight from Perth to Adelaide was a little late leaving, but expected to make up the time. About an hour out of Perth, an hour and a half from Adelaide, in the middle of the meal being served, there was a medical emergency on the flight. The crew asked for help from any medical personnel on board and rushed to the back of the plane with the physician's kit. After 5 minutes or so, we were advised that medical advice was to get the passenger to a hospital urgently and we were diverting to Kalgoorlie - about 25 minutes away.

All meal service was suspended, we veered north, landed at Kalgoorlie, where paramedics efficiently removed the patient through the back of the plane. It took about half an hour to refuel, remove the patient's luggage and get a new flight plan. We stayed on the plane, which then took off smoothly.




I was one of the lucky ones who had been served a meal before the emergency. The hot food could not, for health reasons, be reheated, so about half the plane missed their meal. They got cheese and biscuits, almonds and free drinks.



We arrived in Adelaide at 9.10 pm instead of 7.35. The crew did a remarkable job. Everyone seemed understanding and tolerant. The strangest thing was the the continuous queue - of mostly men - to use the toilet. It started in Kalgoorlie, before the free alcohol, but was continuous to Adelaide. There were more men than women on the flight, so maybe it was representational. Perhaps it is a reaction to stress. Odd, I thought.

My transport was waiting for me at Adelaide - having adjusted to the flight change. It is a pleasantly warm evening in Adelaide and I have the balcony doors open to air the place a little before I go to bed. Plantar fasciitis in my right foot has been a small bother while I've been away. It doesn't like long flights.

On the flight from Perth I managed more zenbroidery. Perhaps this will be called Kalgoorlie Zen.
I will post the finishes of my three England projects - Jenny's Hill Top construction (when I get the box), Nicola's Herdwick Sheep and Becky Hogg's Metalwork Fox  to my embroidery blog, https://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com/ when finished. Perhaps I will just post a note here when that is done, so followers know to look.

Thanks for following along. I'm a bit sad, really, to be finishing - but there are new stories and journeys to be had.