Day 72- Going Home!
Well it started out well with the final packing done and I checked out of the Generator by 10.00 am.
Getting the bike box complete with bike and luggage out of the room proved to be a bit of a logistical challenge but with help from the staff I managed the task. I had to pay £2 to store the bike ahead of catching the Uber to Heathrow…. I must admit the costs in the Uk were quite staggering and this was just but one example!
As it was raining, the trip to the airport was slower than normal plus the traffic was busy being the bank holiday weekend, but I arrived in good time to terminal 3…. Then the fun began!
I lined up to check in at American Airlines only to be told that I need a temporary visa to transit through LA….the guy at the check in counter said I could apply online which I tried to do unsuccessfully as I had trouble with getting wifi access then the online approval process proved to be a real problem. I informed the American Airlines staff to cancel my booking as the plane was due to leave within the hour.
So here I was … at Heathrow the Qantas staff were nowhere to be seen and they had let me down badly not telling me of the visa requirements in transiting through the US!
I tried the UK Qantas contact numbers which were saying that were “not connected “…. Bugger!
I then tried the Australian Qantas number which worked and a guy called David managed to sort out an alternative flight home with Qatar Airways. This must have taken about an hour of organisation but at least I had a way home…. Thanks David!
The issue then was to move from Terminal 3 to Terminal 4 which sounds easy but it requires catching an underground train! Once again easy but with a heavy bike box and huge numbers of other travellers it was a real challenge… but I did it!
I found the Qatar check in counter and after some logistics in getting the bike box weighed I was finally checked in through security and customs and in a coffee shop waiting for the boarding on the plane!!!!
After boarding I was seated with a spare seat beside me… there is a god…and e waited and waited for the push back to occur…. Then the pilot advised that there would be an hour delay as we had missed our take off slot!! At this stage I was really quite over all that the UK had to offer as it was pouring rain and the issues I had gone through had taken their toll! I needed a drink!!!
With the hour delay I was thinking that the connecting flight in Doha to Melbourne would be problematic but there was nothing I could do! The flight to Doha of about 7 and a half hours was ok and we arrived at about 3.00 am Doha time just as the connecting flight had departed. Fortunately there were many others who had missed connections and the Qatar ground crew were there to sort out reconnecting flights and hotel accommodation for us all.
So here I am on Sunday morning Doha time in a 4 star hotel in Doha where the temperature is about 40 degrees waiting for the connecting flight at 7.00 pm. Fortunately I am ok and will be on my way home again after a rest….
It was a big day yesterday but I managed to get through it ok. The challenge of international flights really put me to the test!
Hopefully the next blog will occur when I get home and see my family… I will miss my granddaughters birthday tomorrow unfortunately but have rung her to with her a great day….happy 9th birthday Ally!
The picture below is the bike box…. Hopefully it will meet me in Melbourne in one piece!!!
