Sunday

Sunday - Sydney to Adelaide

We got up and ready and went down for breakfast.

We finished packing and went down to check out. Jon tried to log on to the Qantas site to pre book our seats for the Cairns - Sydney trip as we didn't want to be squashed at the back again and resigned ourselves to paying the extra $50! Unfortunately, you only get 15 min free wi-fi in the hotel lobby and it ran out before he had finished.

We decided to go to the airport and do it at the Qantas desk so we went outside and got a taxi to the airport a bit early but not to worry.

We did our own check in and then dropped off the cases before going to speak to Qantas customer services. The lady told us she couldn't do it as we had to speak to reservations and told us we could use the direct line phone which we did.

Jon told the lady what we wanted and she booked them for us (Jon needs an aisle seat to be able to get out easily. Unfortunately, it now means I have to have a middle instead of a window) and booked all the other flights, too and didn't ask for my money! Not sure why you have to pay if you do it online but not on the phone? Well it is done now and we have good seats for all the flights.

We went through security and had a coffee before going o wait at our allocated gate. It was half an hour before the flight and still no plane at the gate. I happened to overhear a man say they had changed the get and off thy went without a word to any of the rest of us so I thought they were at the wrong gate. Just in case Jon went to check on the board. Sure enough they had changed the gate from number one to number nine right down the other end. We got up and I told the other people waiting that it had changed and we all, about 20 of us, rushed off to the gate where it was on the final call! Phew! You would think someone could have come down to tell us!

The flight was fine and not full so we had a row of three to ourselves and so I got my window seat. We had a sandwich and a drink and an apple which was fine.

When we landed and collected our cases we went out to get the bus to the city. I asked the driver if he went to the street where our hotel is and he said he would put us down near it so we got on. He dropped us in the city and then told us we needed another  bus to get to the hotel! It wasn't far but too far to walk. We headed off in the right direction then decided it was silly so went and got a taxi which we should have done in the first place!

We arrived at the hotel at 3.10 and I had arranged to meet Derek, one of the doctors I was secretary for in Newmarket, at 3.30! We checked in and then had five minutes to do a twenty minute walk to a place we had never been to so didn't know where we were going!

We arrived at the Wine Centre and Derek and his wife Teri and daughter Emily were there. We had a really lovely afternoon with them. Jon got on with Derek really well only ever having known him as a GP and I got on well with Teri and Emily who I felt I knew anyway due to Facebook. We had some good wine, too

Soon it was time to leave them as they had Derek's parents coming over so we reluctantly said our goodbyes. They are very settled now and love life here and after a few major hiccups they now have their permanent visas through, just last Friday. So happy for them. I had brought them some little gifts from NZ and they gave us a very nice bottle of SA wine all bubble wrapped to travel so we might break that open in Cairns for my birthday as we are in apartments there.

We were by now a bit cold as we had rushed out when it was sunny and it was now dark but once we got walking we warmed up and were soon back  at the hotel.

We had a half hour rest then went out for dinner.

We found an Italian place not far away and had a nice dinner before getting home and ready for an early start tomorrow.