So, my flight was delayed no big deal, right?. I didn’t mind too much as I had done all that I needed to do, paid my excess baggage fees and claimed my tax back. So I waited. I used their meal vouchers to buy crappy food from one of a handful of eateries, and I made friends with the girls in the chocolate shop. There wasn’t much else to do.

Our plane had an electrical fault that was being seen to, parts didn’t work so new parts were fetched, and 5 hours after our intended departure time we finally boarded the aircraft. The A380 is as nice as economy flying comes and the empty space next to me was much appreciated. I play with the very familiar in-flight entertainment system (which Massive designed, before I worked there) and wait. The dreaded announcement comes - we aren’t going to take off. It is almost 11pm, curfew in Sydney airport. Our application to break curfew had been denied, the crew knew and boarded the plane regardless. So we sit, angry and waiting for customs paperwork to be completed. Over an hour after boarding we are let off the plane into an airport empty but for the construction work, reeking of paint thinner. Two Qantas staff process us on to busses (another hour) that take us to hotels, The Observatory Hotel for business class while economy gets slammed into Novotel Darling Harbour.

I’m pushy and get checked in quickly, but it is still 1:30am before I get to bed. Qantas have been very hazy about our departure time for the morning, but very vocal about the free breakfast that we will get in our hotel. Hooray.

My alarm going off was a rude shock. Waking to a grey Sydney day, overlooking the ass-end of tourstville, when I should be in Singapore. The much trumpeted breakfast is a measly buffet, pre-cooked eggs, and a toaster that makes the de-packaged Helga’s merely warm. In a final indignity, the Maitre d’ lets me know that my group is seated on the far side of the buffet. I see my fellow passengers dotted around the restaurant but sit where I’m told and choke down my ‘just right’ and weak, warm coffee, and am soon joined by a hoopla of bogans, the men in Valvoline shirts, the women in fake nails and mini-skirts. My group. Thanks.

Back to the airport, my bags weigh less today but the Qantas lady looks cynically at me and says “well, what did you do with it then?”. Apparently my payment can’t be refunded and I am too tired to bring up the fact that the flight is half empty I have had my holiday cut short and my bags weigh less today. So I take their meal voucher and spend every penny of it.

Soon enough we are in the air, despite another delay and I watch movies, eat (much much more than I should) and sleep across three seats. Despite your technical glitches, you are a lovely plane Mr. A380.

To top off a lovely experience with a great airline, the crew’s bags are offloaded first, 15 minutes before the paying passengers.

Qantas, $50 worth of meal vouchers and a free night in a hotel is not enough compensation for the pain that you put us through. If we had been shipped to hotels earlier instead of boarding the doomed flight every one of the passengers would have got a good nights sleep and not be as angry as they are now. Me? I’m pissed off, glad to have left Australia and annoyed that I am a Qantas frequent flyer. I don’t blame you for the electrical fault in the plane, I am happy that you place our safety first, but I am angry at the way your crew handled the situation.

Now I play the waiting game for a response to my complaint. The ball is in your court, Qantas.

Furthermore, Sydney Airport - why are you so lame? Seriously, no free internet? Less than 10 food outlets past customs? What an unpleasant place to spend hours waiting. If I had had access to internet then I would have been able to let my hotel in Singapore know that my plane had been cancelled, and I would have been happy to hang out for the hours that we had to wait.

Landing in Singapore was delightful. Internet, food, enough seats for everyone. Oh my! The difference between Singapore and Sydney airports is like the difference between Sydney and Lismore airports. In case you’ve never been, Lismore airport doesn’t even have a baggage carousel, just a roller door that is lifted when the bags are ready.

Anyway, I’m tired, obviously, and need a little sleep before enjoying some more Singapore then checking out and catching the train to KL. Sad to be leaving Singapore so quickly, I blame Qantas.

Delicious lunch, lovely company, haemorrhaging money picking up those few last things. I need a sleep and a holiday.

More pictures of fire, I swear I’m not a pyromaniac. Today was busy and beers and catching up with friends. More saying goodbye, really. I tell people my plans and I sound like a bad actor reading from a script. It is all just words, now.

The closer I get to leaving, the less I am thinking about the actuality being gone. Maybe I’m scared, but even if I’m hiding from the future, at least I’m learning to live in the moment. And enjoying saying goodbye to everyone. This rendang at Jimbaran was particularly delicious.

What an amazing evening. Cooking for 30 strangers. Everyone made friends and it was ever-so well received. Though really the intense high of the first dinner was missing, replaced with a happy mellow, like heroin.