Ever have one of those days?

(karen)
G'day kids. Just like to share with you what has probably been our most frustrating travel day ever. You know, one of those experiences that sucks at the time but in restrospect makes great blog fodder. It goes a little something like this:

1] Wake up at 4:30 and drive to the airport. Drop me off with all the luggage while Steve goes to the rental company to return the car. But of course the courtesy shuttle don't run this early in the morning so Steve has to run over 2km back to the airport

2] Get in the check-in line behind 100 Koreans on a tour group. Shuffle slowly toward the counter.

3] Get told at the counter that they don't offer plastic bags for our backpacks, but if we'd like, the store across the terminal will do it for $8 a bag. We go, they charge us $10 a bag.

4] Get on the plane, all is well. Get to watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

5] As we approach Sydney, are told by the flight staff that local time is 9:30am. Which is really funny because according to our flight itinerary, we were supposed to land at 8:30am (thus allowing us plenty of time to catch our connection to Tasmania). We find out later that due to the Commonwealth games, which were held in Australia this year, they have postponed daylight savings time by a couple of weeks. Splendid.

6] We arrive at the gate and everyone gets up but no one gets off. Flight staff announces that due to a power outage in the Internation terminal they are unable to fully extend the gangway to the plane. Apparently there is a 6" gap.

7] Power comes back on, 6" gap is bridged and we disembark.

8] Power is off again and the Customs computers are down. Any hopes of catching our connecting flight are dwindling.

9] Customs computers back on; wait in line behind 100 Koreans on a tour group.

10] Baggage system is down. Wait an hour before getting our plastic wrapped bags. We have officially missed our connection.

11] Try to get the shuttle bus to the Domestic Terminal, are told that is costs $4.50 per person. You are #$%&@$* kidding me. Have to go back inside and get some money out to pay for the damned shuttle.

12] Nice people at the Virgin Blue counter are sympathetic to our plight and don't charge us to get on a new flight. Of course, we first have to wait seven hours, then fly to Melbourne, and then fly to Launceston, Tasmania.

13] Wait seven hours. Are told that the plane will be delayed at least half an hour. We have only 15 minutes between connections.

14] Are assured that it is actually the same flight from Sydney to Melbourne, then from Melbourne to Tasmania so no worries about missing another connection. But it's still delayed.

15] Flight finally leaves, and we arrive in Tasmania at 11:30pm (which feels like 2:30am since we're on Auckland time). My eyes feel like they have sand in them.

16] Nice lady from the hostel picks us up at the airport, 10 hours late, and drives us to our home for the next three nights. And we slept, oh, how we slept!