Auntie's Aussie Visit

Already more than half way through Auntie's visit downunder and I am yet to put pen to paper - shame on me!  However, I shall now try my best to right such a terrible wrong and give you a little insight to the first four weeks of her historic visit.

No-one could say that this visit was going to be anything but eventful - and I mean full of events.  The morning of Auntie's arrival was certainly not straightforward.  But first let me regress to the day before - that being the day we travelled from Toowoomba to Boronia Heights to stay the night with Bro and wife to ease the travel to the airport since Auntie's ETA was 6.40 am and it's a two and half hour journey from home to the airport.  And a jolly good thing we did make the trip the day before because when we arrived at Bro's the speedy sporty Astra just died on the front lawn. RACQ assistance was extremely quick in responding to my cry for help but only to tell us he couldn't really help as the alternator had given up the ghost and we had only been running of battery power for most of our trip from home!  Great - 4.45pm the day before going to the airport - thank goodness for a kind-hearted Bro who knew a mechanic was only five minutes walk away - and lo and behold he actually had an alternator for our model Astra. Of course, wouldn't be fixed until midday the next day but at least we could borrow Nellie's motor to collect Auntie at 6.40am.

Rising bright (well not so bright really) and early (yes, very, very, early) we headed off to the airport at 5.50am to avoid the start of the peak hour traffic, only to find we were driving into early morning fog!!  Wonderful start to the day.  Very pleased with ourselves we arrived at the airport at 6.35am only to discover - yep you guessed it - flight delayed.  But not just delayed for 30 or 40 minutes - delayed FOUR HOURS!!!!!  As we all know, airport parking fees are astronomical and four hours  was not long enough for us to return to Bro's but too damn long to stay parked, so we headed off to DFO to get some breakfast and free parking (must mention here though, DFO car park does not open its gates until 9am, so we parked at the Village and stretched our breakfast time).  Asking the question re the delay, information provided - "an elderly lady was taken ill and the aircraft diverted to allow her to be taken off" - are we now more than anxious? - darn right we are, especially as it approached 11.30am and still no sign of Auntie through customs.  Then she appeared and Mrs R. cried with relief.

              

Although that first day was full of anxiety, it was also full of love and hugs with a short reunion at Bro's house with Mr and Mrs G. and part of their family making a short trip from their holiday site on the Gold Coast. The car was ready by 1pm, and after a lovely lunch, short reunion, and fond good-byes we took Auntie away from the city and planted her in the beautiful rural surrounds of the 'Rayward Resort'.  So endeth the first day of a ten week visit.  EVENTFUL or EVENT FULL, not quite sure.