Initially we played about with the gadgets on the seats, set up playlists and movies to watch for later and then it dawned on us - we are going all the way around the world!
The food on the airplane was delicious with a fillet steak for me and roast pork for Paul, together with a few glasses of wine, and a cheesecake for dessert a siesta was in order.
After explaining to the elderly woman sitting next to him several times over that she needed to wear a seat belt due to the turbulence Paul gave in and we both tried to get some shut eye. The woman then needed some help putting ear phones on her head.
Unfortunately, as always seems to happen when we board any plane we were surrounded by children of varying ages and seriously incapable parents. Hampered by several screaming children, ( and I mean really screaming with temper tantrums) we eventually drowned their noise out by putting on our earphones as loud as possible - only to be awakened by the elderly lady who was desperately trying to work out how to undo her seat belt - oh the irony!
After another round of meals - I think it was breakfast this time - we had arrived into Singapore.
We had a scary moment when we flew through some storms and the plane dropped substantially but apart from that we landed into a very hot and humid, immaculately organised country with an aerial view of the central business district and all of the large cargo vessels waiting to come into port from the surrounding islands.
The minute we arrived into the Singapore we felt like we were so welcome, but we knew that everything was so different from home. The airport was spotless, with piped relaxing music.There was a butterfly garden, a spa lounge, designer gift shops and people all telling us to take the tourist free bus around the city.
The only fault I can note was that we had to pay to have a shower and couldn't find the free massage chairs. Due to the time difference, we had arrived at 8am when in fact to us it was nearly one in the morning and all we wanted to do was sleep.
We booked into a lounge where there was a buffet style service, a place to curl up on a sofa although you should take care not to expose your feet to other guests - and large luxurious showers. We stayed there for 5 hours and then made our way to the organised tour.
Singapore was a very lush, green organised and ordered city with more construction work in progress that I have ever seen. I think it is a country that has not encountered the economic crisis as yet or is completely in denial!
Any way - we visited an ancient Chinese temple and piled back onto the bus to return to the airport terminal. The humidity was in excess of 90% and was unbearable so it was great to be back into an air condition environment.
We set off from Singapore at the local time of 9pm, to us we had lost a night of sleep and gained a day. The flight from Singapore to Melbourne should take 8 hours so we could get some sleep and have a bite to eat.
As before the food in flight was very impressive and the constant supply of soft drinks and wine made the flight very comfortable.
Fortunately ( or so we thought) our luck was in, as of the 200 or so Korean school kids (that made the most unbelievable noise on mass) only one was in our section of the plane and as it turned out he spoke very good English and remarked he was more relived than ever to be on his own. We were so tired we slept and woke up just as we could see land below and the sun rising.
At Melbourne Airport we managed to get through immigration without a hitch, our bags had arrived and the drunken lady who had tried to take my seat when I went to the toilet, and who then stroked the drugs dog just before approaching customs was arrested.
We got through biological control, and customs control without having to empty our bags and have our shoes cleaned and we were out and in shock - we are in Australia!!!
how fantastic it all sounds.Hurry up and find another internet cafe .I want to read more!Ann/Mum
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