Sydney - Singapore - Heathrow
What's to be said? I was the person involved in the first funny incident of the tour. I got to the airport to check in, and suddenly had a thought that perhaps I hadn't switched the iron off before leaving home! Having checked in, I jumped in a taxi, got home, found the iron switched off, and then headed back to the airport; $35 later, I felt like quite the fool!
Not much else to report from checkin, except that one Francis Dorman was late to arrive!
Knowing how much choristers enjoy the odd drink, most adjourned to the Catalina bar for a few pre-flight beverages.
The Nowickis with Keryn, Robert Bailey-Hughes in the background.
Mark Stubley being told by Dr. Jane that champagne really does contain alcohol, and isn't, as he thought, a substitute for red cordial.
We then went through Customs, Airport Security (where I was selected to undergo a random explosives and explosives residue search by some scrubber from Blacktown with luminescent lime-coloured nails), followed by Duty Free shopping, which some chose to take advantage of.
I purchased some herbal sleeping tablets from the chemist (more on that later), and we then moved to our boarding gate where we encountered a ladyboy!
Me paporm po yu!
David, Owen, Terry and Doug at the gate lounge.
We then boarded our flight to Singapore. Sam organised for myself, Mark, Danny and Sam to be seated together for this leg of the trip. Some of the highlights:
* Mark asking the hostess for a gin and tonic, which he managed to put away in less than 1 minute.
* Mark then asking for a "strong" gin and tonic, which he then downed in about the same time.
* Mark asking for a third gin and tonic, in the manner the previous was created!
* All of the above occuring within about 5 minutes.
* Playing the in-flight trivia game, and making up purile four letter words for our contestant names.
* Mark ordering repeated drinks for the four of us, and then being glared at by the hostess, and told "No, I come back in half hour!"
* A family of three, travelling to our right (with what appeared to be a slightly handicapped boy), being turned on and yelled at by the woman in front who "couldn't take it any more. I want you MOVED!"
We disembarked at Changi Airport in Singapore, finding nothing much to do but wonder around in a daze. After all, it was about 1am Sydney time, and I'd had little sleep, if any. I found a nice pizza place to get some food and drink, so I was happy. One thing I noticed while I was there, was that everything was spotlessly clean. The toilets had attendants to hand you a towel after you'd washed your hands, and they'd then clean the basin you had just used. Amazing!
Pizza place in Changi Airport
A very tired Helen with Julia Pitt-Owen, ordering pizza.
Weird waiting lounge, bathed in blue light - Changi Airport
We then re-boarded our plane to continue on to Heathrow, but this wasn't without incident. Robyn Bailey-Hughes became a victim of an overbooked flight, and had to wait for the next one. We boarded the aeroplane, then had to wait for one hour at the gate, while they unloaded the baggage of people that couldn't travel on the flight, as there were "too many babies on board" (?!). Finally, we had liftoff from 98%-humidity-with-rain Singapore.
The next leg was completed in total darkness. On the first leg of the trip, I figured I would test out the potency of the sleeping tablets. Bottle instructions give the required dosage of 1 tablet, taken one hour before desired sleep. I took one tablet at the gate lounge at Sydney, and it had no effect. In Singapore, I took two tablets - still no effect. On the plane, I took another 3 tablets (now 6 in total), which finally worked and I dropped off for about 2 hours! By the time we arrived at Heathrow, I was very tired, having been awake for 22 of the last 24 hours. The only memorable incident to report on this leg was me knocking half a can of Coke all over myself in my seat. Luckily, most of it was caught in the blanket that was covering me, so I wasn't too wet and sticky.
We touched down half an hour late at Heathrow.
Sue enjoying a pastry in the Arrivals lounge at Heathrow.
Marie-Alma, Keryn, Francis and Jane, trying to figure out where the hell they are on the Tube map.
Not much else to report from checkin, except that one Francis Dorman was late to arrive!
Knowing how much choristers enjoy the odd drink, most adjourned to the Catalina bar for a few pre-flight beverages.
The Nowickis with Keryn, Robert Bailey-Hughes in the background.
Mark Stubley being told by Dr. Jane that champagne really does contain alcohol, and isn't, as he thought, a substitute for red cordial.
We then went through Customs, Airport Security (where I was selected to undergo a random explosives and explosives residue search by some scrubber from Blacktown with luminescent lime-coloured nails), followed by Duty Free shopping, which some chose to take advantage of.
I purchased some herbal sleeping tablets from the chemist (more on that later), and we then moved to our boarding gate where we encountered a ladyboy!
Me paporm po yu!
David, Owen, Terry and Doug at the gate lounge.
We then boarded our flight to Singapore. Sam organised for myself, Mark, Danny and Sam to be seated together for this leg of the trip. Some of the highlights:
* Mark asking the hostess for a gin and tonic, which he managed to put away in less than 1 minute.
* Mark then asking for a "strong" gin and tonic, which he then downed in about the same time.
* Mark asking for a third gin and tonic, in the manner the previous was created!
* All of the above occuring within about 5 minutes.
* Playing the in-flight trivia game, and making up purile four letter words for our contestant names.
* Mark ordering repeated drinks for the four of us, and then being glared at by the hostess, and told "No, I come back in half hour!"
* A family of three, travelling to our right (with what appeared to be a slightly handicapped boy), being turned on and yelled at by the woman in front who "couldn't take it any more. I want you MOVED!"
We disembarked at Changi Airport in Singapore, finding nothing much to do but wonder around in a daze. After all, it was about 1am Sydney time, and I'd had little sleep, if any. I found a nice pizza place to get some food and drink, so I was happy. One thing I noticed while I was there, was that everything was spotlessly clean. The toilets had attendants to hand you a towel after you'd washed your hands, and they'd then clean the basin you had just used. Amazing!
Pizza place in Changi Airport
A very tired Helen with Julia Pitt-Owen, ordering pizza.
Weird waiting lounge, bathed in blue light - Changi Airport
We then re-boarded our plane to continue on to Heathrow, but this wasn't without incident. Robyn Bailey-Hughes became a victim of an overbooked flight, and had to wait for the next one. We boarded the aeroplane, then had to wait for one hour at the gate, while they unloaded the baggage of people that couldn't travel on the flight, as there were "too many babies on board" (?!). Finally, we had liftoff from 98%-humidity-with-rain Singapore.
The next leg was completed in total darkness. On the first leg of the trip, I figured I would test out the potency of the sleeping tablets. Bottle instructions give the required dosage of 1 tablet, taken one hour before desired sleep. I took one tablet at the gate lounge at Sydney, and it had no effect. In Singapore, I took two tablets - still no effect. On the plane, I took another 3 tablets (now 6 in total), which finally worked and I dropped off for about 2 hours! By the time we arrived at Heathrow, I was very tired, having been awake for 22 of the last 24 hours. The only memorable incident to report on this leg was me knocking half a can of Coke all over myself in my seat. Luckily, most of it was caught in the blanket that was covering me, so I wasn't too wet and sticky.
We touched down half an hour late at Heathrow.
Sue enjoying a pastry in the Arrivals lounge at Heathrow.
Marie-Alma, Keryn, Francis and Jane, trying to figure out where the hell they are on the Tube map.
posted by Daniel at 8:40 pm
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