The Way Home - Part Two

Made it home in one piece, just about.

The journey from Christchurch to Sydney was relatively painless. I watched Machine Gun Preacher, which was actually pretty good.

The journey from Sydney to Bangkok was a bit of a test though; I had no idea it was that far! I think I watched The Decendants, but to be honest, time started to blur and that could have been on any of the flights really. Either way, I was impressed. I'd heard bad things about it, despite it's Oscar successes. Also watched the Muppet Movie and Seabiscuit, finally! The aussie couple who were sitting next to me liked to wait until I had gotten comfortable, wrapped myself with the blanket (with the seatbelt over it so the cabin crew wouldn't have to disturb me), put on my headphones and my eye-mask until they decided they needed to pee. Even though mere minutes beforehand I had gone to pee myself and thus left them a clear path.

Eventually we got to Bangkok, where it was 28 degrees at 1am. I got to stay on the plane here while they cleaned it, because I couldn't be bothered getting off and going through security for half an hour of airport freedom.

Because of the heat, I assume, the people who got on the plane in Bangkok tended to stink of B.O. Luckily I had a few of them near me, so the trip to Dubai was mainly a smelly one. Managed to get a bit of sleep here though.

The aerotunnel to allow us to get off the plane was broken in Dubai so by the time it was fixed it was a bit of a mad rush to get through security and to the transfer gate. Some guy from Glasgow decided that now was a suitable time for him to go have a smoke however, and acted like the poor man who's job it was to direct us to the right gate was solely and intentionally responsible for there not being enough time or a nearby area for him to have a cigarette. After having been sleep deprived for a considerable period of time by this point, I have never been so close to mouthing off to some bloke three times my size before. He wouldn't let it go. Even on the plane. Oh how it bothered me.

Anyway, I had a cushy little nest seat on this flight. I normally choose aisle seats so I can stretch out my wee legs and get up often to pee (thus enabling me to stay hydrated by drinking lots) and get stuff out my hand luggage should I need it. But I couldn't choose my seat here because I had to check in at the airport but it turned out pretty well - a window seat with the toilets behind me so my seat was right against the wall. Watched another film here, but I can't actually remember what it was. I'm pretty sure I'd seen it before though...

Anyway, home now and - though I seem to be immune to jetlag - I feel a bit spacey. Think there's something going on with my ears, since I got water in them in Abel Tasman. Need to take the paint off the coffee table and go to the post office to get new passport application forms. I don't think I'll be going anywhere overly exciting for a while though...