Home again

After a good night's sleep post two very long flights home I can bring this particular journey to a close. We left our Barcelona hotel seeing that there had been rain overnight and high humidity, so our timing was excellent. Once at the airport we waited until the Emirates check-in was open, and sadly learnt that due to over booking there was no way we could change our allocated seating which had me in an aisle seat and Jo in a middle seat next to a window seat. We both hate middle seats.  Our check in fellow was very apologetic but it didn't change the outcome. So we waited (along with the New Zealand couple) for our flight to Dubai, filling the time with a coffee and chicken burger from McDonalds.  Can't tell you the last time I ate at a fast food outlet, not because it is a national security secret, I simply can't remember when it was as it would have been years ago. Anyway, that was all that was on offer once we went through the passport control area and as the wifi wouldn't connect we couldn't even get onto our computers!!! Thank goodness for my kindle (am currently reading my way through David Baldacci books).
Anyway finally on the plane and so began our uneventful but squishy 8 hour flight, however it was late leaving due to a broken luggage carrier of some sort, and then as we were late arriving into Dubai it meant that our time of arrival coincided with my next flight's boarding time! Jo was due to leave 10 minutes after me for Sydney. So much for our 2 hours in Dubai airport for last minute duty free shopping. So with no time for anything, we found the airport man who was gathering up all the passengers booked for both the Adelaide and Sydney flights and ran us through the airport to our respective boarding gates. I really do mean that he ran us there too! If I hadn't been so tired it would have been hilarious.  There were about 20 of us and as the airport was so crowded with people of all ages and sizes pulling luggage or dragging children or pushing trolleys or pushers and not in any hurry, meant that we had to manoeuvre our way around them and through them to keep up with the airport fellow.  We got to gate 15 and he told us this was for the Sydney bound passengers which was showing 'Final Call' so with a very rushed goodbye that was the last I saw of Jo as we then continued on towards the far end of the terminal for my gate.  Thankfully the Adelaide flight was late departing about 25 minutes so I even had 5 minutes prior to boarding from Gate 23.  Another lady who was near me was complaining loudly that she had a heart condition and shouldn't get stressed, at which point I told her that under those circumstances she should never fly internationally! She didn't see the funny side of it, but I did... This is the same woman who had kept carrying on about 'when will she be able to to her duty free shopping?' at which point I told her "In Adelaide". I won't mention the company logo that was on her top as I saw her go through the gate first with the Business Class, but I won't be going to that Australian company any time soon for a home loan.
And then it was time for the great unwashed to board. I initially sat in the wrong seat but quickly moved one forward to my middle section aisle seat to find myself sitting next to a middle Eastern Muslim man who when I sat down next to him, told me that he would be changing seats with his wife because she didn't speak English and would be jealous.  I simply said, Okay.  Not sure if she was going to be jealous because he is Muslim and I'm just one of those infidel Eurpoean women; or because even in my very tired and dishevelled state she could see what a seductress I was!!! The plane was really full so there was no ability to change seats anywhere else. I then ended up sitting with a young (at least I'm guessing she was) woman in a full burkha and her young daughter (under 1). Things went downhill from then on.
She did her praying in the seat next to me while her husband took his mat and went up the back of the plane - and all this was happening as we were told to take our seats ready for take off. We take off after she finally belted the kid into the seat between her and hubby and so begins the 12 hours flight home that felt like it took 48!!!! The child had a few screaming fits during the flight and got itself so distressed at one stage that it threw up. I was ready to go out in sympathy at that stage but held it together somehow.  The Dutch fellow sitting in the aisle opposite me didn't help matters by reaching across and tapping me on the arm each time there was a crying fit, so that I could see him rolling his eyes and shaking his head - if this was attempt at feeling my pain, it wasn't working!!! Watching this poor woman try and eat and drink under her black face veil was a comedy if it hadn't been so sad. She has the barest slits open over her eyes and could never get a cup back far enough to her mouth to get a decent drink. Much of her food went untouched, I'm sure because it was so difficult for her to get it into her mouth. it's probably very good for serious dieting but not much else - and I don't care how politically incorrect that sounds.
However the flight itself was smooth and we all arrived safe and somewhat unhinged at about 8 p.m. local time. Got through Immigration quickly enough and even remembered to collect my bottles of scotch I had pre-ordered. Then the long wait for the suitcase which I was very pleased to see eventually come onto the conveyor belt.  Straight through Customs as I had nothing to declare, other than I was glad to be home...
The ever delightful Princess Shiny Bright (who has since gained the reputation of also being Florence Nightingale to my mother who had a stint in hospital during my holiday - but that's another story for another time) was there waiting for me and delivered me safely home whereupon I put myself straight to bed where I stayed for the next 12 hours.
A couple of loads of washing and emptying of all contents within the suitcase have followed and our Grand Tour of Spain and Portugal is totally at its end.  Please don't put your passports back into cold storage just yet though as we have an upcoming trip to Perth in September and then Thailand in October to get under our collective travel belts before the end of the year.
Keep safe dear armchair travellers until we do it all over again...