Day 354
PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
GOING HOME!!!!
It was just as well we went to Canberra because we were so tired after travelling there and back..and walking around Canberra, that we combatted any sleep worries we may have had in anticipation of our trip home.
As it was we had to hang around the Bungalow in Manly because the girl hadn't arrived at the office at the time she said she would! We wanted to collect our $100 deposit for the parking permit so we rang her mobile and she ended up getting there eventually!
We were a bit late getting to the airport because we also had to drop off our hire car at the Thrifty Office, pay the bill..blah blah blah...and then check in. We finally left at 12.40pm. Half an hour late.
Our flight home, scheduled to leave at 12.10pm, took 5 hours flying time (3415km) and it started feeling like a trip home from Sydney!!!! We arrived at 3.45pm at the Domestic Airport in Perth.
We turned our clocks back 2 hours. For the first time in a year my wrist watch matched the time on my mobile phone. I hadn't altered the mobile phone time the whole time we were away so i'd always know what time it was at 'home'. (That helped when i messaged home!!)
We had 'acclimatised' to Australia..and just felt like we'd been away for a holiday...
That is..until we actually arrived at the Perth Airport!!!
I kept asking Greg what happens when you arrive at the Domestic Airport - Do we have to go through Customs etc? I'd forgotten what happeend..but had a niggling feeling it was different!
So..when we disembarked from the plane..and headed down the gangway....we were intently listening to the loud speaker saying if there are any fruit, vegetables, seeds, etcetc in our luggage, including any food given on the plane, they had to be declared or put into the quarratine bins as we left the gangplank.
I was thinking about what we had in our luggage, apricots from Sydney...when all of a sudden i heard a raucous. It was our 'welcoming party'!!!!!
I heard, "There they are!" and looked up to a sea of familiar faces..and the comment, 'you're supposed to be happy!"
It didn't take long to get a smile on my face that couldn't be wiped off as we saw family and friends. My mum was the first i saw..her hair! And Alena. I headed for mum while Greg headed for Alena to have that huge hug we'd missed for a year! I didn't want to let mum go...it was SO good to be home!
My friend Jilly had "You're back" helium balloons which made us stand out from the crowd..and i'm sure alterted the people to tell us to 'please move'! We seemed to be getting in the way of everyone!!! She had tears...and when i wiped my face i could feel mine.
Bob was guarding the luggage on the trolley as we were reuniting with everyone...and Yvonne stood there looking stunning! (She'd lost 18kg!!)
As we moved through the arrival's hall to our luggage i spotted my sissy Annie there..and Greg's Dad and Margie...
BLISS.
We all stood talking for a while while the customs guy checked our apricots in our luggage (!) and declared them "OK" and then finally dispersed to save on the cost of parking and headed back to mum's.
It seemed so surreal.
As we drove home along Mounts Bay Road..and looked at the most beautiful and familiar Narrow's Bridge...i thought...
It's good to be finally home.
We drove past our house...and saw it was 'still there'. We bought Amberley Chenin Blanc and Madfish Red wine to celebrate over dinner and spent the night at Mum's..with Annie and Alena and Aiden. Rob came over (my brother) and we felt so glad we could just 'be still' for a while!
We slept listening to Tweedledum (our budgie that has adopted grandma!) and awoke to the morning calls of the local crows.
Yes, we're home!
And we're happy to be here.
