To the airport
The rush and worry of getting everything ready to go Bali. Stayed at my sisters place last night, drove down from the country. Daughters first time driving to the city. Couple of hairy parts, found out - little old men walk very slowly crossing the road and sometimes L drivers estimate their arrival on the other side at little faster than they get there, lanes in shopping centre car parks are way too small and that corner we always take at 25kms can be driven around at 60km (but only just).
Things I left at my sisters;
Hot water bottle - always take one to Bali great if it's a bit cold and to put in bed, for headaches and for sore tummies after a bit of Bali belly and cheap enough to leave in Bali.
Scissors for cable ties on suitcase - found this out after we had put them on at airport we didn't have them. Too late to get one, forgot last year as well and very hard to purchase at airport. Ended up buying a manicure set from airport chemist which had a lovely pair of scissors in them, very expensive scissors at $20+. First time we used them to cut through cable ties at Japans airport scissors exploded, one half flying to the left of me the other to the right. Lucky for daughter she had put cable tie on empty part of suitcase and left part with stuff in uncabletied so she could get to her stuff no worries. Purchased a pair at Ubud when we got here and opened suitcase to find other scissors laying on top of clothes.
Sis drove us to the airport no dramas. Got there 7am, 3 hours before. Unfortunately the hotel sis-in-law and niece stayed at overnights shuttle bus to the airport wasn't scheduled to get there until 7.25. By 7.50 starting to panic, everyone on line at checkin had gone through and it was empty. Asked checkin lady latest time to check bags, don't worry 8.30. Others arrive just as anther late bus arrives at 8.10. They'd gone to gate G at airport for Garuda couldn't you swear my sis-in-law is blood related not just marriage related?
Isnt there a lot of stuff to do at the airport before plane lifts off? You need at least 2 -3 hours. Check bags, go to the toilet, have smoke, buy USA dollars for hotel (got these as last year to confusing at hotel converting USA dollars to rupiah then rupiah to Aussie dollars, wore brain out), , get donuts, go through customs (?), go through detectors (first time no one Im travelling with including me has not set off alarms), buy duty free, go to TRS (claim pretty netbook), go to toilet, get drinks for plane and wait.
Great seats on plane 23H & J, 24 H & J these are window and aisle seat very happy, bit worried as to who would sit in I seat but turns out their isn't an I seat, oh the mysteries of flying.
Great flight, movie 'Chameleon something' - looks like a good movie but didn't watch as much too far away from screen and actor kept reading tiny writing on his mobile phone which I could not see. Others impressed by how much food and drink we were given on plane. Sis-in-law so impressed she decided she didn't need one drink spilling it all over us then wiping it up and spilling it again. Found out plane orange juice and vodka not as sticky as I remember it.