Hong Kong - the long way round

Our trip got off to an amusing start, when the young lady at the Adelaide Airport Hungry Jacks asked John if he was eligible for a seniors card!! 

As our fortnight of malfunctions followed us on to the plane, we were quite relieved to arrive in Melbourne safely.  Our horror fortnight at home started semi-power failure, a gas supply malfunction, a water supply issue, an overheating car engine and a mangled lawn mower.  I was a bit reluctant to get on the plane under the circumstances.  Then our friendly pilot came over the PA to tell us the engine starting system was not functioning properly so he’d have to do a ‘non-standard’ start, which was achieved by starting one engine and then getting the other to start from that one.  I ask myself why he had to tell us that.  Sometimes ignorance really is bliss!  Anyway, we got in the air and then found that the in-flight entertainment system was not working.  After several reboots, it finally got going when we were almost in Melbourne.  After a brief stopover in the transit area, we were on our way again with fingers crossed.

The next leg, from Melbourne to Hong Kong was on the same dodgy plane – another ‘non-standard’ start.  But the flight was as smooth as can be and we touched down in Hong Kong on time and in one piece.  We had a taste of rather unhelpful customer service when checking in to the Airport Hotel which had been booked for us by Cathay Pacific.  Half an hour for a basic check in!  If we offered that kind of service at work, we’d be rightfully sacked.

So it’s been a long day, but the excitement is starting to set in. We’ll be in Japan tomorrow and the adventure will begin!