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Going home
Today is the 25th of April and finally my flight homeward will start today. Five days ago the removal service picked up my stuff and stores it in Christchurch until a ship to England will leave. John is not here anymore because I asked him to stay away, we said goodbye yesterday evening and that was just what I could handle. I got up at 5 am. The shuttle service will pick me up at 5.45 am to take me to the airport, time enough to have a shower and drink my last two Cappuccinos in Dunedin. I wanted to have breakfast at Dunedin airport. But that was an incorrect planning at all. When I arrived at the airport nobody was at the check in counter. Okay, no breakfast I had to look after my luggage. Finally somebody appeared at 7.30 am. Starting time for the flight was 8 o’clock. But when I saw the aircraft I knew why I had no breakfast. It was one of the smallest Air New Zealand owns. The flight to Christchurch was rough as expected. The first time ever since I am traveling with airplanes I felt sick. Arrived in Christchurch I had to change my New Zealand Dollars into Euros and a few Singapore Dollars for my overnight stopover in Singapore. What a nice feeling, Euros again in my hand. Now it was time to get my breakfast, only the English breakfast Kiwi-variation was available. Okay better than nothing at all. Then it was time to go through the security and after a short waiting period to enter the plane to Singapore. It is really surprising how medical staff always finds each other. Next to me sat a doctor and his wife (both from England) and we had something to talk about. Short after the start, we had not even reach the New Zealand Alps, we had turbulences again. This time the plane fell down a few hundred meters not only once twice. Some of the passengers screamed. But I felt totally calm. I was on my way back home what should happen to me, surely nothing bad. It went on with the turbulences until we had crossed Australia and to eat and drink became quite difficult. But it did not matter; the airline-plastic-food is not very exciting anyway. When we reach the ocean between Australia and Indonesia it became calmer. Then the typical jump over the equator and we landed in Singapore. Singapore airport is really a beautiful airport. Filled with plants everywhere and quite warm (I thought). After I had passed the immigration I looked for the service counter from Singapore Airlines to get information about the hotel I would stay and the shuttle service. Here I got a sticker so the bus driver could recognize his passengers (strange system….but it works). When the bus driver picked us up I went outside for the first time and I realized, the airport was cold down by air condition. I felt like running against a wall, it was still that hot - more than 30° - at 6.30 pm. As my hotel was the last on the list I had a wee sightseeing tour for free. After I check in I only wanted a shower, something to eat and sleep. But it seemed like that had to wait. The first room I entered smelled awful after cigarettes and I had to go down to the reception again and asked for another one. Then finally I could have my shower and my food. Original Chinese food what a difference to the Chinese food in New Zealand (it seems every food in New Zealand has an extra layer of fat or sugar). After I had my meal there was no time anymore for a little walk so I went to bed. I was really tired and it was dark anyway…..
Actually I wanted to get up early to see at least the surroundings of the hotel but when I opened my eyes and look at the window there were water drops on the glass. It was raining and rain in Singapore means not just a light soft rain like we use to in Europe it pours. So I decided to sleep a bit longer. When the bus arrived to take me to the airport it stopped raining but it was still real hot. IN the bus the air condition was turned on full power - real cold. So I got up to take my cardigan and while I did that I must have murmured something in German because as I said Good Morning to the only other person in bus he answered in German. It turn out that Bernd (that's his name) not only were German he also comes from a small town close to Hamburg - it is really a small world. Arrived at the airport I still needed the boarding pass for the flight from Frankfurt to Hamburg (I don't know why they can't do it in NZ) so I asked for it at the check in. The steward there also me if want to check in my bag also. Of course I wanted, to travel just with a handbag is every women dream but I bought some things at the duty free shop so far to traveling with just a handbag. When the plane started the weather was still cloudy and while we went up suddenly a flash hit the windows next to me. This time I got frighten that was a bit to close and of course the flight went on the same as yesterday - turbulences all over. The weather cleared after we had cross India. See a photo about what I saw when the cloud finally got thinner
The rest of the flight went on calm; we were going over mainland now. When we arrived in Frankfurt the sun was just going down what a beautiful welcome. Of course I had to pass the security control on my way to the connection flight to Hamburg. And yes, I am definitely back in Germany the alarm went on. I don't know why but the only country in the world where I cause an alarm is in Germany not in NZ, not at Heathrow or Edinburg. And another thing showed me that I was back in civilization. The mobiles were used until the last second and were switched on again before the aircraft even reach the park position. Nevertheless it was good to be back at home. My friend Thekla picked me up from the airport and drove me home to my Mums and brothers place. She had to, because she took me to the airport two years ago.
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