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I think I Jonahed my flight yesterday when I used the word 'hopefully' in relation to it leaving on time. We boarded on time, but were delayed 95 minutes on the tarmac while engineers found and fixed a 'computer problem in the toilet system'. I suspect, from the flickering of the cabin lights during this process, that  this was about the lights that indicate whether the toilet is occupied or not. I was just relieved that it WAS fixed and we left. Having, like many other passengers, changed into my Qantas pyjamas, I did not fancy either queuing to change out of them again, or finding myself in Heathrow Terminal 3 in my PJs.

We did, however, take off. I managed about 5 hours sleep on the 13 hour journey and arrived in Singapore 90 minutes late but with comfortable time to make my connection to Melbourne. Singapore would have to be one of the best organised and efficient airports in the world.

I managed another 2 1/2 hours sleep before breakfast on the 6 1/2 hour flight to Melbourne and arrived pretty much on time at 5.35am. I was confused whether to follow the ePassport line after scanning my passport or the Express line privileged by my Qantas ticket. I made the wrong choice and went with Express. Friendly official told me I’d have saved 5-10 minutes the other way. It didn’t much matter as my luggage arrived at the carousel as I did.

There’s been some changes to the transition area since I was last there and the signs weren’t clear, but I made it to the Qantas club after waiting several minutes for security to find a woman to scan my knee replacement. I said I didn't care who did it, but that is, apparently, against the rules and terrified the security men.

I had my second breakfast waiting for my connection - pretty much the same as my first breakfast.

I then had a third breakfast on the plane.







There was a bit of cloud cover over Victoria - and hot, dry conditions.














We approached Adelaide from the West - a more promising view of the countryside than the view on the ground.




I guess that’s to be expected when it is 32C in the second month of Autumn.

Not sure how the luggage of the 2 Geelong Grammar AFL teams on board came off considerably ahead of everyone else! Perhaps Qantas had to add a roof-rack!

Jennifer was there to meet me - so pleased to see her and hear some of her news.

So, back at the apartment...

SA Water is digging up the road outside to lay new pipes - will take until May, it seems.









My plants have survived - even thrived (they like being left in containers of water!).

I’m expecting the kids after school and had made and frozen some Bolognese sauce for that purpose but Katherine has thoughtfully left some milk and a cottage pie in the fridge - so the Bolognese sauce can keep for another day.

I had a shower (made a bit of an odd noise and seemed harder -perhaps doesn’t like being unused for a few weeks), unpacked , did the washing and hung it out. It dried in an hour - even the Qantas pyjamas.

There’s a pile of mail, a ceramic repair to attend to from an accident while visitors were here, the clocks need changing, I’ve booked a pilates session and made a physio appointment to work on my sciatica- and my embroidery projects need sorting.

This is where I got to with the Zenbroidery.

I need to make time to tackle the harp!

The holiday is over - but the benefits will linger long. Thanks for the support, friendship - and for following my trip.

Oh - and I need to pay my deposit for next year!

Day 26: Homeward bound

Today was supposed to be warmer and sunny. There wasn't a lot of evidence of that this morning, although the temperature did, I think, get to 15C.

We had breakfast, packed and met up on the outdoor area of the bar.  Sue managed to get us all free coffees. She did some sketching, I did some stitching and Alf kept us entertained, although not, this time, with his mouth organ.

Yesterday I forgot to mention that Turks, the company that run the ferry service, have a boat called Jeff, that they use mostly for events, that was a Dunkirk vessel. According to the young ticket collector on our journey yesterday, Jeff made three trips to Dunkirk, carrying 100 men each time (licensed, apparently, for 20). We looked for Jeff near Hampton Court, where our informant said it would be moored, but didn't find it.

Sue and Alf left around 1pm to catch their trains home. It was Sue's idea to take a selfie. I'm not very good at taking selfies (and no, I do not want a selfie stick!).

 This was my least un-favourite of the 4 we took.

For some inexplicable reason, Sue and Alf preferred this one.


After they left, I checked out, 1.00pm being the latest I had been able to negotiate as the hotel is fully booked tonight. I then repaired to the dining room to have some lunch, watch the river, and read.





There were some curious inflatables with outboards - rubber duckies I guess, battling the current.







I sat in the reception area to stitch and read until my car and driver arrived at 3.45. I had moved my pick-up forward an hour from 4.45 because I couldn't extend the room. As it turned out, the driver had been an hour earlier still but hadn't come in.
I was annoyed about that, until I got to Heathrow at 4.15, walked past the outdoor "passenger smoking area" to discover that the Qantas book-in counters did not open until 5.15.
There was not a single seat in the booking area, so I became second in the queue, sat on my suitcase and read my book until 5.15. It didn't do my suitcase a whole lot of good, but it survived.

The passage through customs, immigration and security was efficient and fairly quick, in spite of my artificial knee.

So here I am, at 7.15pm, in the fairly empty Qantas Lounge, topping up the charge on my phone, writing my last blog from Blighty for this trip and ready to stitch and read until my plane leaves, hopefully on time, at 9.15pm. I am ignoring most of the food and drink, but have just accepted a tiny plate of calamari.

My final post will be from home - just to round off the trip. It has been terrific. I always doubt my ability to manage on my own and surround myself with support. It has paid off, and I've had a deeply satisfying month. Thank you so much to all the friends and family who contributed and made it so.

Day 25 To Richmond on the Thames

Today was forecast to be 16C - way more than any other day since I arrived nearly four weeks ago. Even fortified by a hot breakfast, it was cold down on the river, where the high water had dropped by a few inches.


Eventually the Turks Ferry website told us the ferry we intended to catch was running today.  Fortunately Sue rang them and got the news that because of the fast, high water, the first ferry would be about 20 minutes late arriving.

Down at the landing jetty I got to identify Canadian Geese, a coot (just near the pylon)

and, of course, the swans - all feeding on the detritus collecting around the wharf.












Our boat, when it arrived, was the Kingston Royale.

I can't resist the chimneys of Hampton Court.



The fence is in the process of being painted gold.




As we reached Kingston the waterside filled with apartment blocks.

We changed boats in Kingston. This time it was to the paddle steamer, Yarmouth Belle - late again because of a problem with the lock.



We sat outside this time. It was by now a little warmer.








This is an interesting stretch of the river, with lovely boathouses,

 

bridges,



bare trees,

and some extraordinary institutions - including schools.












We went uneventfully through the Teddington Lock.

past lovely trees



























and into Richmond, where we had a very quick lunch at the White Swan.The lateness of our arrival only gave us about 40 minutes for lunch.






There were more passengers on the way back so we sat in side. Sue sat outside for a while to take photos.

The trees are lovely, there is a lot of mistletoe

and some extraordinary decorations in the yards running down to the river.








There were a number of children on the trip, one group entertaining themselves with bubbles.

In Kingston we changed boats again, this time to the Southern Belle. We chose the downstairs saloon which had very comfortable seats but fairly high windows.






The windows provided a view of the tops of trees. It is a a view worth seeing - the trees are very beautiful in their bare state.




I can't arrange them here into a long strip - but I'd like to.

Towards Hampton Court we came across a horse-drawn carriage and the newly painted fence was sparkling in the afternoon sun.

I ended my trip, as I began, with the chimneys.






It was a lovely trip.




We had a bit of a rest before meeting up for dinner - a long, leisurely affair with a young crested grebe diving under our window and a worthy sunset.


















A fitting end to a lovely day. Tomorrow we leave, Sue and Alf back to Margate and me to my journey back to Australia.

We have time for lunch together tomorrow.