Thank god for duty-free Baileys

Sunday 22nd June

Well, the flight was about as exciting as I thought it would be. There was a baby in the row in front of us, fortunately, she was quite advanced for her age and liked waving back so we got on very well. At one point she waved at the entire plane and most of the passengers waved back.

Didn't get much reading done. Mainly because I had two new books to speed me on my journey - fairest, byGail Carson Levine (she wrote Ella Enchanted, that was that Drew Barrymore movie, wasn't it? - that's not a bad movie to watch if there's nothing else on) - anyway, it was a nice easy read, a take on Snow White, and I finished it neatly between Bangalore and Singapore. I'd also decided to go back and read the earlier books in the McCall Smith Scotland St series, of which The world according to Bertie was the most recent. I bought 44 Scotland St, as part of my MG Rd shopping extravaganza on Saturday. Which feels like a long time ago, now. In any case, I put the read book in my backpack, and the unread book in my handbag, whilst waiting at Changi, and pulled out the new one after we took off. Only to discover that I had not purchased 44 Scotland St, but had in fact purchased The world according to Bertie. Again. So, I looked at it when I bought it, looked at it when I had packed it the night before, and looked at it again when I swapped books over between flights. But didn't notice it until I actually went to read it. I gave it to the rather surprised lady sitting next to me on the plane...

So having returned to Melbourne, having waited for the luggage jam to be cleared so we could get our luggage, by which time the customs line had swelled to an hour-long wait, and having finally reached home several hours after actually landing (and, as usual, having to explain to the cab driver where the Flemington Rd off-ramp is) - I'm making sure the essentials of tv and internet are set up, trying to figure out what to take to work tomorrow, and enjoying a late supper of duty-free Baileys. Aaaahhh...

After The Fact Mind Boggler Of The Day:

Ah, joy...

Saturday 21st June

Ah well, I knew it wouldn't be that simple. Having arrived too late last night to do the suit-fitting thing, we turned up at the tailor first thing this morning (11.30) (after yet another uninspiring breakfast at the Sepia Residency). Needs some fine-tuning, come back at four...

Duly turned up at 4 (having done laps of MG Rd trying to get last-minute stuff for people, as my original plan was sold out when I got there...) - then waited for an hour and a half... Trousers could use some small adjustments, but I guess they will be happening in Australia!

Rushed (such as it is possible in Bangalore peak hour) back to the hotel to bathe and encourage my new suits to fit into my suitcase.

The suits were so big and heavy (in a good-quality kind of way), I was not sure I'd be able to get my suitcase packed, let alone checked in in a hassle-free manner. So I madly rushed around throwing out cheap stuff, eg my Nivea face-cream and almost-finished Dove body-wash, tipping out my shampoo, etc, in an effort not to pay a vast amount per kilo of cheap stuff I could have thrown out, if you see what I mean.

Surprisingly, the zip-out extension on my suitcase works in a mysteriously good way. If I have trouble closing the suitcase, I unzip the extension, close and zip the suitcase, and then I am able to re-zip the extension down again. And managed it with multiple suit contents. Heh, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves here - it still has to arrive in Melbourne!

Weighed in at 25 kilos, and they let it through, so all was well. And didn't weigh my carry-on luggage, which was even weller, there are a few weight-causing books stashed therein. Still, I could always go for Plan B on the backpack, which is to remove my laptop and slightly heavy powercord and pull the "I'm allowed a laptop as a separate item" line.

Have to admit I was feeling slightly sorry to be leaving Bangalore - having spent the previous two weeks travelling around, it felt a bit like coming home yesterday, what with all the familiar shops on MG Rd, which is about all I know of it. And I was beginning to recognise the approach to the Vintage Sepia.

Flight was about as exciting as a five-hour midnight flight can be. Large meal served at 1am, Bangalore time. Stiflingly hot during the allocated sleep period. Must find out why they make it so hot, is it just to make babies cry and adults grumpy? Something orchestrated by the hosties union, so they can prove they earn their pay?

Anyway, as a grand finale to the flight, the person sitting in front of me saw fit to throw up all over the aisle during landing. Not much you can say to that really. Adult. Sick bag in seat pocket in front of him. Chooses not to use it, but instead to share his fortune (and 1am dinner) with the rest of the plane. Perhaps he was in cahoots with the hosties union.

So now for a few hours of browsing Changi Airport (having realised that though I have time to go shopping in Singapore proper, probably not much will be open at 6am on a Sunday) - whilst looking forward to a nice long day-time flight back to Melbourne. With, I feel compelled to say, probably the crappest lineup of movies I've seen on a plane for a long time. Might have to dig out some of those weight-causing books from my backpack...

Hey there, Ganesh!

Friday 20th June

Ok, now I'm not even sure what month it is.

Went to check out - it had been raining since breakfast, and the place was steaming. Really. I'd been out of the aircon for about 10 mins and it was like I'd jumped into the swimming pool. And I really wished I could.

Flight was at 1.30, so took the 11.30 resort shuttle to the airport, to arrive at 12.30, in good time. But Ganesh had other ideas - the flight had been rescheduled to 5pm, which meant I had a bit of a wait. They'd tried to call me a number of times over the previous days, but couldn't get through. Because the travel agent had not only given them a non-existent contact number for me, but one which bore no relation whatsoever to mine. So apart from a couple of poorly-placed hotels (which I probably should have checked out a bit more closely before agreeing to), the only real problem I had with the travel agency has been an inability on their part to communicate vital phone numbers. Oh, and actually send through all the travel vouchers at once...

Anyway, the airport was also steamy, so it was a particularly pleasant experience. However, I had the thought of the bottle of port to look forward to in the evening (the resort accidentally gave me an extra bottle when I changed rooms). However, airport regulations had other ideas. I wasn't allowed to take it on the flight. I didn't really mind, after all, I didn't pay for it, but I couldn't really get a good reason from them. Something to do with it being a bottle. And / or alcohol. Anyway, the port stayed in Goa.

Eventually arrived in Bangalore, realised it was too late to go collect my suits from the tailor, so hopefully they will be in good shape by tomorrow... And in my weakened state, I signed a deal with the devil... I agreed to go to the tourist shops tomorrow with my driver. Arg, I hate those guys! Mind you, once I pick up my suits, and do a bit more shopping, I don't really have any plans.

Driver says the weather has cooled down over the past few weeks. It's averaging about 30, now...

Discovered to my joy that the Vintage Residency provides free wi-fi, so after spending about an hour trying to sort out the settings, but bolstered by a fresh lime soda, a pile of grilled chicken sandwiches and some halwa (my new most-favourite-dessert ever), I perservered, and managed to get access...

Oh, yeah. And I checked in online and gave myself aisle seats. Couldn't print out my boarding passes, the hotel doesn't have a printing facility, but hopefully I should arrive in good enough time to claim my rightful place(s).

So a nice, late start tomorrow, and, as well as free wi-fi, the sepia queen also has 24hr check-in/-out. That means that because I checked in after 8pm tonight, I can check out at 7pm tomorrow, time enough to come back and bathe before hitting the airport for the long and glorious trip home.

Bug On A Mirror Of The Day: