Well the trip started beautifully when I managed to make a mess of my exit from the house and lock Justin and myself in the common garage - hmmm probably need to check the fire codes perhaps. Luckily Nye had a buzzer and was able to extricate us promptly.
Got to the airport and check in was a breeze considering that the A380 was almost full with 650+ passengers. I had been watching and changing seats all day in an effort to get an empty row or at worst an empty seat next to myself. The check in lady blocked off the adjacent seat to make sure it remained empty so I was a happy camper. Flying to me, never seems daunting when I have an empty seat next to me, don't know why just like to have my space.
The A380 is a truly magnificent aeroplane. It seating, comfort and ambience makes every other plane seem worse than ordinary. I write is while waiting t take off but am sure I will feel the same on landing.
My first leg is Sydney Dubai with a four our connection to Rome followed by a short hop to Catania in Sicily. Anyway enough for now as I settle in for sweet dreams and will report more later.
What is it exactly that empowers people to fart anonymously on airplanes. No more need be said in this subject.
I arrive at Dubai airport feeling really great - well nearly. As I arrive and start thinking snout what I may have forgotten I realise that I forgot to change the front door code for Monica, the house/dog carer. At least she had more sense than me. When she arrived last night Ziggy and Bailey greeted her but she couldn't get Bailey outside so couldn't walk them. This morning however she sent her three year old Clare through the doggy door to get Bailey and managed to take the three of them for a walk. - I hope the dogs haven't left a present for her there when she finally does get in!!! Anyway all sorted now after some anxiety on my part.
Anyways with seven hours sleep, no aches or pains I am very relaxed. Dubai airport is an amazing place catering for shoppers like me. I am pleased to report that the only things I bought were a coffee, lemon tart and some macaroons from the French Cafe all of which made me feel great for the next hop to Rome - but I do stop here on the return journey not mention another trip through Dubai in October. I am still 12 hours from final touchdown but feeling I can make it in good shape.
A budget airline is just that – a budget airline. I booked a flight from Rome to Catania with a base cost of €6.16 which, with luggage, taxes fuel surcharge and everything else comes to €40 or $A54.
The part of Rome’s terminal used for this airline (Blue Panorama or Blu-Jet) is pretty ordinary and you need to bus to the plane provided the plane works. Because the seats are not numbered everybody queued up for 40 minutes before boarding time and waited and waited and waited and 15 minutes after the scheduled departure time they announce that the equipment has failed and they have another plane but this will take 45 minutes to organise.
Oh did I mention that budget airlines means announcements are only made in Italian. Anyway I arrive in Catania two hours later which isn’t a disaster as I had an original wait of 3 hours for Robert and Katja’s flight which was now only one hour.
We collect the rental car and arrive at the Mercure Hotel which is excellent. It is well appointed, very comfortable and ultramodern. I work out that it was 30 hours since I left home and with only seven hours sleep it is no wonder I am tired. A medically assisted six hour sleep and I wake up quite invigorated and enjoy a nice Italian breakfast in the rooftop restaurant.
We decide to go to the Archaeological Museum which was exceptionally interesting in bringing a better understanding of the Greek influence on Sicily. We then walk to the old part of town Oritgia where we walk through the fruit, vegetable, fish and delicatessen markets where I have an idea to buy bread, ham, cheese, tomatoes and some strawberries to enjoy a ‘make your own lunch’ on the waterfront. I am guessing it doesn’t come as a shock that I come up with an idea for food but I thought it was a good one. Anyway it was very relaxing and certainly hit the spot.
We head back to the hotel for a few minutes and walk across the road to the Greek Theatre and Archaeological (hmm I have to get used to writing that word) Park after which we enjoy some drinks as the weather, despite showing as 21 degrees a few days before we left seems to be in the late twenties, warm and sunny.
Having walked a lot and got through a lot of sightseeing we spend an hour and half driving to Noto which seemed pretty ordinary but was a good relaxing interlude.
Tonight we are going back to Ortigia to have dinner at a restaurant I found called Regina Lucia which looks interesting – will report later.
Anyway hope everybody is well
Catch you soon
XD
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