Dateline Monday 1st August - Flying over to Oz

Malaysia Airlines flight MH135 KL-BNE in airline speak from KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) to Brisbane, some 7 hours or so, to take me on to the next phase of my holidays based in Australia.

This airline didn't have quite the opulence of Emirates but nothing to complain about, at all. Mind you, stuck for 7 hours next to the miserable git in the seat next to me, could get me going. Looking like Bush Tucker Man, he was sitting in aisle seat as I came to sit down by the window and never said an intelligible word during the whole of the flight, every gesture merely accompanied by a grunt. Suited me, as it was an opportunity to catch up on the missing night's sleep.

The in-flight refreshment started off with a bag of nuts - you'll have to wait until the piccies go up to see what amused me with this offering. The food was lovely, as were the attendants!:-)

The time soon passed and before I knew it, I was looking over the wing at the Brisbane night lights. On landing, I let the mad scramble go past me while I collected by bags, then off the plane and through Immigration where they asked the usual questions - where was I staying and for how long, etc. Then the Customs. The landing declaration asked whether I was carrying any medication, pornography, etc. etc. so, with 3 months of medication on board, I had to tick the "yes" box. Quite amusing being asked by the lady about whether I was carrying this that and the other, so I explained and was told to go to the lady with the sniffer dog. The thing wasn't interested in me at all and in a few seconds found myself in the free world, LOL, the fools had let me in!;-)

While in the queue for Immigration, I'd phoned Jubbly to let her know that I'd landed safely and to confirm details of the transfer arrangements made for me by her. She was panicking a bit wondering whether it would all come good, but she needn't have worried. I found the Transfers desk, checked in, the lady printed a sheet and told me where to wait outside for the coach.

First reaction was that Brisbane was significantly cooler than the steamy KL I'd left behind. I sat outside with my cases and a few minutes ahead of time, a small coach came along with a towed trailer at the back. The guy checked me in but after that any conversation was staccato machine-gun fire - the guy had obviously had some sort of personality bypass (don't you need a personality in the hospitality business?) but what the heck! Got on the coach with a number of others and some 35 minutes later we arrived at the drop-off point, BP Morayfield, to await my local driver, who, I was told, was running a few minutes late but not far behind.

So I was dumped outside with all my worldly belongings, very quickly starting to freeze my wotsits off! I'd left KL where it was 30C at night, appropriately dressed, tee-shirt and shorts, but this was far from appropriate here. I recalled Jubbly's comments over the years about her wearing her winter shorts and wondered what I was letting myself in for and whether this Queensland rhetoric was all PR BS!

Anyway, a few minutes later this minibus comes zooming along, the driver winds down the window and yells "Alan?". It was Gary from Bribie FAST, a local Bribie Island transfer company, a complete contrast to the previous driver. Gary is actually a Kiwi who has lived in Oz for a few years, a wonderfully friendly "in your face" (but not overly so) guy and for the next half an hour or so we had a brilliant conversation about everything under the sun. I'm not a "beers with the guys" bloke but I'd happily do so with him anytime, top guy.

We crossed over the bridge onto Bribie and pretty soon we were outside Jubbly's place. She must have been waiting and seen the headlights because I was greeted with a scream and a "Do I know you?", LOL.

Journey over, now on the other side of the world, the furthest east I'd been, this is GMT+10 hours (although with British Summer Time, it's currently only 9 hours ahead)! Time to dump my bags and have a long natter and catch up with her face to face! So good to see her again and actually BE here in Oz, never thought it would happen. A few hours later, off to bed for lots of zzzzz.