Wednesday 22 April Flights home

Not much sleep last night but that's the usual before flights for me. We are out of our room with bags packed and downstairs in the lobby at 6.50am with our car expected for 7am. But no show, until 7.10. The driver was very apologetic but he went to the wrong Prince hotel! Gave us a mini panic in case he didn't show at all! Anyway we got to the airport in good time and with help from staff, managed to check in and book in our luggage. Easy enough to get through Customs and Immigration. Then find the lounge where e had quite a wait until it was time to head to our gate. And then more waiting as the flight was 35 minutes late boarding due to maintenance and refuelling.

However we eventually take off and settle in for our almost 7 hours flight to Singapore. Nice views of Mt Fuji soon after we are in the air.

Nice meal and a couple of wines, and I'm set for the duration.

Watch a couple of movies and read to pass the time. As we were late departing we find ourselves in a holding pattern waiting to land so more delay. We finally arrive and are off the plane at 5.30pm local time Singapore. Our next flight is in a different terminal, boarding in just over an hour so thankfully time to get to the lounge for a cuppa and catch our breath. Just hope my luggage makes it in the next flight too. Due to the heavy rain and lightning, or next flight is also delayed but not for too long. We get on board and settle in for the next 7 hour flight. I am almost all food and drink 'out' so don't eat much and cancel my main meal order. I watched a bit of TV shows and decide that it is about 11pm Tokyo time which makes it a very long day, so try and sleep for the remainder of the journey. We arrive into Melbourne about 4.40 am local time. I've changed my watch so many times I give up on working out time differences. We get through immigration early enough and are pressed to see our bags arrive, although I don't know why my bag weighs more now than it did in Tokyo... unless someone has slipped something in it! However I go through the nothing to declare lane of Customs and aren't stopped so maybe no one has slipped anything in the suitcase. We then head for the domestic terminal which is under the one roof and book in for our Virgin flight home. Was not a nice feeling having to go through the security check in the Economy line... Just over an hour wait now till it flight. Am looking forward to getting home and going to bed even though it will only be about 8am when we arrive. We then have our one hour flight home to Adelaide which was uneventful and on time! Our driver was there to meet us at the airport and it luggage arrived quickly so we were home in no time. Suitcase unlocked, load of washing underway, coffee enjoyed, showered and all clean again! Time for a late morning nap and put away everything tomorrow. Will keep the passport near the top of the drawerthough as it won't have time to get dusty before our next adventure in October. Japan has been a real treat. Do I need to go again? Probably not, but enjoyed everything about it. Hope you did too.