Zero more sleeps

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The day has finally arrived. Zero more sleeps.

I had written a count down on the calendar much to my daughter disgust.

She really didn't want to move. But the school is too expensive, so it's time to move on.

Six years in Nanjing, China where finally up.

Goodbyes are really odd. With some people you shed a tear but the fact is that once you have loved in a foreign country, as an expat you meet so many people and the world becomes a smaller place.

We have started making plans to meet up with friends in Amsterdam and Germany and then we have friends that will be in Italy around Christmas.

Sounds like fun times ahead.



Now this flight to get out of China and start this new life hasn't been so smooth.

Flights out of Nanjing are usually always delayed and mine wasn't any different.

The problem was that I had a connecting flight and if I missed that who knew. They where different airlines so they couldn't promise anything. The option was miss the connection and then who knows where that would take me or board an earlier flight which was delayed and maybe my luggage might not make it.

With this move I kept all of my good clothing and all of the last minute shopping and ah, yes it was in the check on luggage.

I had to get that flight. The sooner I arrived in Italy the quicker I can start the paperwork for the container to arrive.

Ok so I checked in the luggage and usually I take a picture of my luggage but this time I didn't have time. I raced off threw the security check and just made it to the gate as it was boarding. The flight went well until it came to the luggage claim. I asked the lady. She replied, "Yes, yes. Here." She took my boarding card spelt out my name and for a moment there I thought it had all worked out perfectly.

The conveyer belt stopped. I went back to the girl and then she said, "Sorry, sorry come with me." So off we went to lost and found to report the missing bag.

Filled out the form and I had a number to call when I arrived in Venice.

Luckily catching the earlier plane I arrived an hour early.

Went to the checkin counter. First the line was very long so I asked the enquiry counter what I was to do about the lost luggage.

He said very calmly, " You have two options. Either you wait for your luggage or you get on the flight?"

Great. I thought. The most important things of my life are in this bag. Do I wait for it or keep moving? I decided to keep moving.

Waited in line and finally arrived at the counter.

"Do you have luggage?" She asked.

"Well, I do have luggage but it is lost? So what will happen to it? If it arrives in time will it join me on the flight?"

She screwed up her face and her answer was, "Probably not. Because it's a different airline they should send it directly to your final destination."

I was relieved, sort of.

I then cleared customs and the security check.

Boarding was at 00:15. The time was 00:11 and I still needed to change money and get to the gate.

Four minutes. Plenty of time..... Money took 5 minutes a quick toilet stop and the plane was boarding just as I arrived. Perfect.

On the plane I ended up with a seat with the more leg room. Perfect. But.....

The lady next to me was complaining of a migraine and she couldn't breath.

They almost removed her from the flight. It was an eight hour flight and they where worried she wouldn't make it. They gave her panadol and they kept her monitored. I held her hand for most of the flight. She kept saying that she wanted to get home. Rwanda. 7 hours into the flight things became slowly worse. Out came the oxygen and they took her blood pressure and monitored her heart. They telephoned a doctor and they verdict was to give her a strong sedative.

She fell asleep very quickly. We said our good buys and I had to head off to my next flight only to find out that it was delayed by two hours.

Woohoooo. What next? Business class upgrade? Let's just wait and see.

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