Saturday

Saturday Cairns - Sydney - Auckland

Well today is our last day in Oz - ever!

We are so sad to be leaving after a really wonderful trip. Such a great country and so much to see although it is expensive! We had breakfast and packed everything up and closed the cases. I looked around for one last check and realised I was still wearing my nightie! I got dressed and put the nightie in the front pocket of the suitcase. This was a bad move but I will come back to that.

The owner phoned us at exactly 10.00 to ask if we were checking out on time and we told him we were on our way down. They charge $25 per hour extra for late checkout!

We decided to leave the cases in reception and drive into the centre and take the car back then go for a walk around and a coffee.

When we got to the rental office he said he would take us to the airport if we wanted so we decided to go and get the cases from the apartment and leave them at the office. We sorted that out and then went into the centre and found a lovely place for coffee before having a look around the shops

We walked back to the rental office and they took us to the airport so saved us $25. We were too early as we knew we would be so had plenty of time for lunch I have to say Cairns airport is so noisy and very busy. We have forgotten what it is like to be around so many people.

Our flight was due at 2.30 but the incoming flight was late so ours was late and we eventually left at 3.10 not really very late but as we only had an hour stopover in Sydney so we knew we were pushing it!

It was a lovely flight down the coast and as we had a row of three I was by the window and got some lovely shots of the coast and some of the reef islands and the sunset. Of all the flights we have had over the last two weeks and none have been late and just when we can't afford to be delayed we are. The stewardess took note of our flight and as we landed she announced that there were a number of people connection to Auckland and the flight was being held till we got there.

We rushed off the plane and to the transfer desk where we waited with about 25 others for a bus to take us to the International Terminal. It was raining really hard in Sydney when we arrived. We were given fast track cards for security who decided they would search my bag fully. It was like they were on a go slow just to annoy us. We finally got through and found our gate to be number 35, the last gate at the end of a very long walkway!

By the time we reached the plane I was exhausted and was desperate for the loo. They let me use it and gave me a drink of water. We then sat and waited 30 minutes for the other passengers and our luggage to be transferred before we finally took off.

Due to the heavy rain the first half hour was a bit bumpy but after that it was fine and we had a good dinner, two mini bottles of wine and two episodes of Downton Abbey, what more could I ask for.

It was raining a bit in Auckland and only 12 degrees! We phoned the hotel and the shuttle bus was there in ten minutes.

We checked in and were given the same room we had before we left would you believe? We opened the cases and I got my nightie out of the front pocket but it was very wet as were some of the clothes inside. I think they must have got wet in Sydney on the way across from domestic to international and in their haste to get them there they didn't cover them up. Never mind at least they arrived.

I went to bed in one of my tops but it took a while to get off to sleep/