A painful let go , part 2

Somehow we get our luggage to check in . Leroy has to push a trolley with 3 full suitcases and a backpack on . He pushes the trolley whilst leaning sideways so he can see the path ahead of him . I follow behind to shield him from the pack of rushing travellers . It’s funny how your body language changes when you sense tension . Tex pouts his mouth and puts his hand to his head , Emma’s all business , Leroy’s oblivious and I’m trying to exude an all cool approach , leaning back , smiling like this is a totally normal day . The check in is going smoothly . Some of the heaviest luggage is comfortably under weight . All 12 bags are on the conveyor belt but our guy looks across to myself and the boys , walks to his supervisor , his other colleague and then starts pointing back at us . Oh o, they’re onto us . He comes back to his desk , walks out into the thoroughfare and starts counting our carry on luggage . We can’t take it on the plane . We must check 1 piece in . We’ve already paid $600 for excess luggage and will have to pay another $200 to have 1 bag smaller than a back pack checked in . Emma protests strongly . Qantas management holds firm , we either check the bag in , leave it here or take luggage off the conveyor belt and reconfigure the bags , all whilst people wait behind us . They squeeze the $200 out of us . To rub salt into the wound an hour later at the boarding gate they announce that they are willing to check in extra carry on luggage free of charge , but it’s too late for us . $200 extorted . Thank you Qantas .

Once aboard the flight there’s little reminiscing. It’s bunker down , have a beer , watch a movie and please let me sleep . We are exhausted . In fact the flight is pretty good for a long haul 15 hour transit . Flying Qantas is nearly as good as it gets for my experience , it’s just that their customer service off the plane leaves a lot to be desired .We get to Sydney with all four of us achieving various levels off success sleeping , but we all got something . I reckon I got close to 3 hours , which is as good as it gets for me . It hasn’t been that way in the past . Taxiing at the gate then seems to stall . We wait and wait some more ,and then an announcement from the pilot alerts everyone that there’s a delay in parking the plane because the disembarking platform used to exit the plane is actually stuck in our parking spot and they are struggling to move it . In fact they can’t move it , a giant fucking trolley holds us on the plane . Geezus ! We’ve got a connecting flight to catch , like many on the plane . Tension rises , kids are crying , people are fidgeting , looking around with locked jaws . There’s small spot fires ready to ignite . We need to get off this fucking plane now! But we can’t . The pilot gets back on the microphone after half an hour and explains that we are stuck for sometime . The engine has been shut down and we are now blocking two aircraft along side of us from leaving for takeoff . The pilot lets out an exaggerated exhale at the end of his announcement . He’s pissed too . We would sit on the tarmac for an extra hour and half after flying 15 hours . Many of us have missed our connecting flights . After landing at 850 am we reach customs at 1050 am and the joint is a fucking ants nest with multiple international flights all funnelled into one space . Our 11am connect to Melbourne is a distant memory .

International travel is a privilege, but fuck it can be gruelling, especially when only one minor thing can create a snowball effect in the negative . It got worse when we got to the luggage carousel . Because of the delays there were 6 incoming flights all collecting baggage simultaneously. I happened to be alongside an air hostess from British Airways who informs me this is the worst she’s ever seen Sydney airport . She surmises it’s the post pandemic travel coupled with the near end to school holidays. The modest air conditioning was quickly overwhelmed with body heat and BO . It was like trying to navigate Christmas shopping in Costco with no air conditioning . We were all covered in sweat , beaten to a pulp in full zombie mode .. but wait there’s more . We wait an extra 40 minutes for the surfboards to clear oversized luggage . Now we can leave … sort of .

“ Ummm , I can get you on a 4pm flight “ , the Qantas employee advises us . It’s 1230 by this stage “ . Whatever , just get me to the lounge so I can sit down and sulk . “ . There were actually 3 seats available on the 1 pm plane , 53 people from our flight got on it , but the surfboard delay became crucial . We missed by 1 seat . Emma hates those surfboards . By this time it almost became funny , even when waiting to book in for our connecting flight there were delays as the conveyor belt moving the luggage kept stalling and broke down . The Qantas staff were noticeably agitated and sweaty . Security check before the bus ? Yep that too , our bag was pulled apart . Emma was on the edge of exploding as she repacked the bags .All four of us , Leroy included couldn’t look sideways at each other without breaking into petty argument .

We finally get out of Melbourne at 6 pm and on the road with our driver carrying our whole life belongings to a new home . It’s a typical steely grey Melbourne day , it actually wasn’t we are told but a cool change had swept in with our arrival . Not a word is spoken on the 80 minute drive to Mornington. We should be buoyant , relieved to finally be heading back home . No , it’s the pain , it’s finally kicking in . We are not going back , this is final . It’s 8 pm on Saturday night , 29 hours in transit later we are finally back in Mornington .

The hurt is deep . I write this with a lump in my throat Its a somber first night in our new place . Tex is noticeably upset . it’s hit me harder than I ever thought it would . It’ll take a long time to get over . We are grateful for the experience we’ve lived . We’ll miss Hermosa Beach and more importantly the friends we’ve made . We’ll see you again and in person too . We thank you from the bottom our heart …… I guess it’s time to move on