The tropics & family beckon...and I won't get lost

In three weeks time (I depart 27th April) I will fly out of Tamworth (an hour's drive north of here) to Sydney (airport delay there for a while) then Sydney to Brisbane (another airport delay for connecting flight) [we don't like to rush things here in Oz], then Brisbane to Townsville. From the time I leave my driveway to entering my daughter's driveway in Townsville I estimate I will have been in transit 10 hours.  It can be awfully complicated flying around this nation when one lives regionally or rurally. And I have to fly Qantas the whole way - yes, have to. If I had chosen to save a few $$$ and change carrier for a particular leg of the journey for instance, it would very likely mean I would have to collect luggage at Sydney airport and then check in again.
And that isn't going to happen, not now - not ever.

The Strand, Townsville,  overlooking Cleveland Bay with Magnetic Island in the background   (20min Ferry ride)

I never did tell you about my experience at the Sydney airport when I flew over to Perth to join my friends there for a reunion did I?  Hmmm, I become somewhat stressed just thinking about it.

Well here's the short version. Tamworth to Sydney, lovely. Landed, and the cutest little bus you ever saw collected us country mugs right from the plane and drove us around to the terminal to depart for Perth. How nice I thought.  Like a proverbial sheep I followed the mob into the Terminal and looked around for those flight screens that would tell me which departure Gate to head for (took an age to find them because they had changed the location and style of them compared to 8 or so years ago when I was last there) Blood pressure up only half a notch.  Up 3 notches when it became obvious to me there was no mention of my flight to Perth. None. Like z.e.r.o.  Cabin shoulder bag was really causing me some grief by now.  It was heavy. I was breaking out in perspiration and, I. don't. do. sweat.  I walked for what seemed miles looking at every screen I could find and /or something which would indicate I hadn't been transported to LaLa or GaGa land. But no, still the same thing.  Blood pressure was nearly off the scale by this stage when, there! close by, was my about-to-be HERO - a gun-toting security guard with a kindly face - whom I practically fell upon in tears. ( A slight exaggeration but you're feeling my relief I'm sure)  I had 30 minutes left according to my itinerary. I had already been walking around in circles for 40 minutes!  I wasn't even in the right terminal.  What airport has domestic flights leaving from different terminals???!! Sheesh.  Who can believe this!  I had to walk more miles (with my own personal guide, who did not offer to carry my heavy, (but not over the limit cabin bag) (probably because of my verbal tirade) to Terminal 3 (exclusively for Qantas.) (Yes of course it said Terminal 3 on my Itinerary, but there was nothing to say that the 'cutest little bus you ever saw' hadn't dropped us off at Terminal 3!!!) Finally got on to my flight, fell into my window seat, (perspiring profusely, so I was not amused) which apparently wasn't my seat because this bloke leaned over and asked me to get out of his seat! Honestly, the young whipper-snapper just leaned over and said curtly "you're. in. my. seat." I recall thinking be that as it may but I'm not moving - not in this lifetime anyway  - and suggested in a raspy,whispered tone that he take my seat behind me.  He did. Smart fella. V.e.r.y. wise man. There was not one part of my look that he didn't get. He did not bump me from behind, nor use his little fold down table in anything but a gentle manner, nor did he pull on the back of my seat when he got up and down (numerous times) to go to the loo.  He was not only smart and wise, he was obviously well-trained.

I'm wised up this time. I know I have to leave from Terminal 3, and I even found a mud map of the airport and I know where the walkway is located connecting the two terminals now. No flies on this girl this  trip. A scaled down version of the map is in my purse (if I need to refer to it)   Oh yes.
Preparation is the name of this game.

My post is starting to ramble so you don't want to know how when departing Perth I got completely entangled in that Qantas dispute, the one where every plane in the fleet was grounded here and around the world. No,no we won't go there.  Not today...............

Townsville, my home town. CBD, the Esplanade and Marina with Castle Hill in the background.
My youngest daughter runs up that hill for fun and fitness.  She would love to partake in a famous marathon.

From our little rural town/village in the Upper Hunter to Townsville in North Queensland is a distance of 1,781 kms
and would take 21 hours of non-stop driving to get there.

I will be spending quality time with my two daughters and their husbands, my one grandson and catching up with other family members and old friends.  My daughters and I are going to enjoy a girl's week-end away further north at Cairns where we'll be staying at the Hilton on the beach front.  I did wonder why we were travelling quite so far for this sojourn (4-5 hour drive) but have since learned that Cairns has this amazing store that Townsville doesn't.  Well then, that makes it perfectly understandable.

I am hoping to also spend a few days over at Maggie Island on my own, to just switch off and recharge my batteries.  Maggie is a favourite with the locals and surprisingly its never really taken off as a huge touristy place. Its more like another suburb of Townsville but in a very laid back, slow-paced, island way. It is a true jewel in the ocean.  Lots of memories (all good) over there for me.  The perfect place to contemplate the joys and complexities that life holds.

I am going to enjoy posting on the blog (thank goodness for laptops) (and with all my own photos, as I detest having to resort to using public domain photos as I have in this post) and showing you some of the tropics through my lens!! I'm hoping to be posting much more often than usual as I'd like it to be a kind of diary/pictorial of my time away. And naturally I will keep up with what's happening in your world on your Blog! I always look forward to that.

Be kind to yourselves, and until Silent Sunday (ahem) - I'll just enjoy following you!