So we arrived at the airport after an uneventful ride out and a fairly relaxed day. I had a good nap so was raring to go. We found our way up to the check in area only to see the usual massive line of people. As we were waiting one of the staff was removing a trolley and I signaled to her that I would like it. She saw the cane and bingo, we're lining up in the business class line, which was empty, and served by the next available person.
This is when the fun started, we checked in the baggage of one suitcase leaving us with my back pack and medical bag, both of which are over weight, plus Lorraine's back pack and the overweight souvenir case. After taking the checked luggage they then wanted to weigh our other bags. Lorraine stepped in immediately and pointed to my medical bag saying that I needed it in flight in case of emergency. So then they wanted to check it really did have medical gear (it has a big first aid symbol both sides to make it clear). No problem, I open it up show them each section and explain what is in the bag, yes I have a CPAP machine, no I will not be using it in flight; that's just a mess of paperwork you don't want to even try to get done. It has to be lodged 2 weeks before the flights, then they can refuse it, its easier to just turn up and state you are not using it and you are not checking it because there is no guarantee of delivery. However, you should have a doctor's letter, I do, experience has taught me this, I get at least one for each journey leg and then two more signed. I laminate two to create a pocket, keep the rest inside the pocket so I can leave them with an original if need be. They start to scan the letter (English is not their first language), so they begin to ask lots of questions, then they see the oximeter listed, with the explanation of what it is and is for, they immediately panic thinking its an oxygen tank, I reassure them it is just for measuring blood oxygen levels, so after a lengthy exchange they completely forget to weigh any other items and we are sent on our way. But not before being asked if I would like a wheelchair transfer, I politely declined, they also told me to wait in the priority seating area at the boarding gate. At the boarding gate and this is the only airport I have seen it, they have marked priority seating for disabled, parents with young children and the infirm. Normally you have to ask to board early, Narita they encourage it, a definite plus.
So after the check in, more shopping for souvenirs to use up the last of the paper and notes we have as much as we can. Some water for hydration, though Qantas supplied plenty on board. Boarding was late by about 45 minutes, not a worry, they made up 30 minutes in the air so we were only 15 minutes behind time. Boarding was simple except I accidentally sat in the wrong place. When I checked in online I took the aisle seat on the right knowing it had plenty of room, they changed our seating so I had the aisle on the left. Not a bad thing since I did get to see the rising sun and get some pictures (see below). But the leg room would have been nice as well. I've also realised sitting at the back of the plane is best. We never get up immediately preferring to wait for the plane to clear, so if you're going to wait, no reason to be at the front. And at the back less people come down to the open areas and the toilets so you always have room for stretching and never wait long for the toilet.
They served free alcohol, so I had two Jameson's neat. Food both meals (dinner and breakfast) was excellent. It was a mostly uneventful flight. Qantas are an excellent airline, I'd still pick Singapore though as my first choice, they were faultless in every way.
From the time of landing (6:10am) to getting home was 1 hour 15 minutes. Australian processing is awesome. You can scan your e-passport for a ticket which you then use for the rest of the process. Facial scanning is automatic, you collect your luggage, then its customs. We usually declare something inconsequential, in this case processed green tea known as Matcha. The declaration lines are usually the shortest and quickest in Australia. They still screen you to ask what you are declaring, customs officer just looked at us when we said we were not sure if we had to declare it and said, "no worries, that's fine, you can go straight through". That was it, no lines for the taxis, so we were away, no traffic, home in about 30 minutes.
I only took some photos out of the plane for the trip home. I saw no need to take any others, an airport is an airport. The shots you see are just before the sun has cracked the horizon. I took them from a seat in the middle of the plane looking across a passenger slightly back from me through her window using a zoom of between 220mm and 250mm, aperture was set around 6.2, ISO 6400, and shutter speed of 1/60~1/100 of a second, the window was also quite dirty. Given the above, I am more than happy to have grabbed those shots as they are.
Photos
2018-04-08 - Sunrise at 12,000 metres
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