What a day or two (or was it three) but we are home

 What a day or two, or was it three, that we have had. Our homeward bound trip started on Tuesday in Padua where it was raining. Our landlady kindly allowed us a late check-out as our plane didn't leave until 7.15 pm. So we set off at 1 pm on the tram which was packed with senior school children. This made getting off with suit cases very difficult.

Being experts at the train system we purchased our tickets to Venice Mestre and found seats by ourselves and stared morosely at the rain running down the windows all the way to Venice. The smile is because Kel is sitting in the seats reserved for old people.

Off the train and onto the pre-paid airport shuttle which took us to Marco Polo Airport. We had quite a lot of time to wait for the check-in desk to open but when it did the young man on the desk seemed unsure how to cope with our four flight changes. He proceeded to label the cases but we noticed that Kel's had two tags and mine had one. A quick phone call and he was happy with his work, but I wasn't so sure.

With still more time to kill we decided to spend the last of our euros on eating an early meal.

There is some very classy shopping at Marco Polo, including this gelati shop.

At last we were on our way, the views of Venice were over the lagoons rather than the inhabited islands.

We were heading north towards Helsinki in Finland and the sunset colours were fabulous. The combination of low sun, clouds and the sea created a spectacular vision.

It was after 11 pm in Helsinki when we arrived and the huge, modern airport was very quiet, so quiet that we didn't know where to go. Looking at their Moomintroll and Santa and huskies decorations we suddenly realised we were running out of time. We had to go through (almost unmarked) passport control and walk a very long way to find our gate. Of course, the plane was running late so we need not have rushed so much. 

It was after 1 am when we departed and the night time sky was so bright, 

the phenomenon of the Midnight Sun.

Arrival into Hong Kong was very foggy with minimal views so we did a couple of selfies with Hong Kong backgrounds - great floral displays and fun mobility transport.

As we were  boarding using their super modern face recognition technology (no paper or phones needed), I was called aside and told that my case had not got on the plane from Helsinki but it would arrive in Melbourne on the 25th. The cause of this problem and my angst was that our original Hong Kong to Melbourne flight had been changed to HK to Sydney where you have to go through Customs then on to Melbourne flying Domestic

Lots more sleep and far superior food on the Qantas A330, fun and attentive staff and a very comfortable journey to Sydney. To our amazement Kel's suitcase was there but customer service confirmed what I had been told in Hong Kong. So off to change to terminal 3 we went with just one case.

But the surprises hadn't ended there ... our plane to Melbourne had been cancelled! We were allocated seats on the next plane and the woman fixing all this told us it was only her second day in the job and she had been given all the hard tasks.

The Sydney - Melbourne flight was very short compared to the previous two, we were amazed to see Kel's case on the carousel, the Qantas customer service was again very organised and assured me that they would deliver my case.

The 901 bus from the airport to Broadmeadows station, the train to Benalla and a friendly pick-up from the station ... and we were home by 2.45 pm. So that was our day or two, or was it three.

We have never experienced such a drama filled trip. As a group in Morocco we had lost luggage, a credit card scam, cash issuing problems, ten cases of COVID, many other medical upsets.  For those who went on to Europe it has not been all smooth sailing either. Time to come home for Rest and Recovery!