Precis
- Packed the flotsam and jetsam of the last 3 years (less furniture) into a taxi box
- Secured tenants
- Drove to and left car at Gloucester (thankyou Colin and Jo) for safe keeping
- Gave over our bodies to be prodded and probed by dentists, doctors dermatologists, cardiologists, and orthopaedic surgeons
- Had our flight cancelled and re-routed through Singapore (but jagged an upgrade anyway!)
- Arrived safely, if somewhat bedraggled, at Heathrow around half 6 this morning the1st of Feb
After what must be a year’s planning, inevitably, we departed the Treehouse in a flustered rush, our plans of a leisurely Davies Market breakfast under the fig trees thwarted by Qantas’ rearrangements. Comfortingly, the flight changes were due to extra fuel, and therefore fewer passengers, required on the Dreamliner (Perth – London leg) in anticipation of diversions due to tensions in the Middle East -awesome! Our 11am domestic to Perth became a 10am International to Singapore!
The changes also played havoc with the TimeShifter jet-lag-stopper app, which subsequently had us wearing sunglassses and napping in Perth while in fact we were waking-up and smashing back caffeines in Singapore. At least for me. Di used wine, which proved to be the better option in these circumstances.
An upside to all these changes was that we ultimately jagged an upgrade on the Singapore to Heathrow leg when the upgrade opportunities for the Perth option were looking grim. This was a pleasant surprise, given that the Qantas phone support team were adamant we were doomed either way.
Of course, before all this happened, we needed to ready ourselves for six months away. We needn’t bore you with all the details here however, it’s worth noting that Di did a stellar job preparing the unit, culminating in all our worldly possessions being carted off to Banyo for storage in a large wooden box wrapped in plastic (insurance was included in the price!). We sold an esky, an Ikea shelf, 6 pots, a day bed and a pedestal fan on Facebook Marketplace, securing enough cash to buy a demitasse cappuccino in Paris.
We also needed to undergo pre-holiday fuel and lubes. Di’s came up all good, but mine, left to the last minute of course, showed up a basal cell carcinoma and an excess of calcium on L.A.D (the affliction to the major artery effectively referred to as the widomwaker).
The follow-up with the cardiologist was on departure day -2 and the BCC surgery on day -1, the latter requiring absence from showers for two days – quite the blessing with 30 hours of flying scheduled the next day.
The Cardio was fine but the heart stress test requested for 4pm on the day before departure, immediately after cancer removal, will have to wait till we get back. Di reckons that living for 6 months in Europe with the current exchange rates should provide sufficient stress to test my heart anyway.
The last evening found us enjoying a quiet drink and a cigar with Harry (who’d bought said cigars as a retirement gift), then jazz with Jord at the Burrow (no photo as we both forgot our phones).
Notwithstanding the overindulgence in Singaporean baked cauliflour and chickpea salad and its inevitable gaseous aftermath, our flight, once finally away, was relatively uneventful. Di’s decision to get a day-bed at Heathrow airport rather than lug bags around from 7am till hotel check-in time was genious giving us time to rest and freshen up after the flight. I went for a wander out to Harmondsworth Moor behind the airport while Di took a nap.
By bus and train we finally arrived in Paddington with time before dark to wander about and dine, (at about 5pm 🙂 ) at a restaurant, Haydens, nearby.
The blog had lots of out-of-date plug-ins and has been causing us some dramas. I hope this works..
Thanks for the update and congratulations on a journey with an organized beginning. Cheers
Thnx Kathleen, Dis organisation has set us up well….mine not so much 🙂
You did it Inspirational considering all add on extras !
Thanks Cheryl, much appreciated. It certainly felt like a push at the end. Nice to be over here now!