The Journey...

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Well - what can I say .... it was long!
Slightly delayed leaving Birmingham (plane late arriving) - but a smooth takeoff, flight and landing into Dubai (7 hours).

I had ensured I was well prepared for the flight... complete with earplugs and eye-mask (in the hope I may be able to sleep). However, in typical style - I made a fool of myself... first of all dropping one of the ear-plugs (never to be seen again) - then the eye-mask pinged off my head, over the back of the seat, into the lap of the sleeping passenger behind me.... Oh dear! I didn't attempt to retrieve it.

Dubai airport is absolutely amazing - it is vast! We taxi'd from the runway to the terminal for about ten minutes... then when we disembarked had to walk almost a mile to get to security checks. Everything is absolutely spotlesss, air conditioned and open-planned (complete with water features, ponds, waterfalls and green areas). As we left Dubai we were able to see the whole of the airport building which must be at-least two miles long. Vast!

Once on-board at Dubai, our take off was delayed as they asked for three passengers to give up their seats for 3 waiting customers who "must travel urgently".... after an hour and a half we were on our way - but not impressed as the "important passengers" were Emirates crew!

Dubai to Sydney was longest stretch - and after four hours it felt like we had been flying forever (total flight 13 hours). However - we made it - and I think I spotted the Sydney Harbour bridge as we flew in to land. Airport much smaller than I imagined it would be - but only had time to explore for an hour before back on board again.

Sydney to Christchurch (3 hours) - and the time flew by. However - as we started our descent into Christchurch things got a bit bumpy.... The Pilot told us that Christchurch was warm, but gusty winds - he wasn't wrong. We must have got to less than 1,000 ft when our first landing was aborted... Mum didnt help at this point by saying "I still can't see the runway".... I was turning a vivid shade of green, and considered reaching for the sick bag as we climbed back steeply into the air. After circling (and a jaunty angle!) the City we began our second descent... total silence from all on board (I believe the man in front was praying) - until we finally skidded onto the runway as the wind tried to take us elsewhere..... Don't want to repeat another landing like that!

On the whole - Emirates are to be highly commended - the service and food has been excellent on all three flights.

Mum has become quite the expert on airport security... following her hip replacements she has an amazing ability to set-off the security alarms as she walks through. Birmingham was amusing - as she was frisked and metal-detected for possible devices, and the same at Dubai. On arriving at Christchurch, Mum spotted a "nice young man" and started preparing her speach about the complexities of hip replacements... much to her disgust - he took one look and waved her straight through.

So - let the fun begin - and on to Christchurch.

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