Yet another sunny day dawned over us in Bolton for our final day in the UK (for this visit). According to the locals we have been very lucky with the weather – apart from 3 rainy days at the start of the Coast to Coast walk, it has been nothing but bright sunny blue skies and warm conditions. Our B&B host in Bolton mentioned that the UK does not do extremes very well and too much rain or too much sun are newsworthy. The number of days without rain was apparently approaching newsworthy.
Our flight home via Hong Kong was scheduled to depart just after midday, although there was some slight confusion when it was suggested we needed to leave after breakfast for the airport. The flight departure time had been read incorrectly with a view that the departure time was just after midnight. When this misunderstanding was corrected our Volkswagen Passat station wagon was loaded up with luggage and we set off for the car rental drop-off point at Manchester airport.
There were a few chores to attend to before boarding. Filling the rental car with fuel is a must, as the rental companies charge exorbitant rates to top up cars that are not full when returned – typically double the regular cost per litre of fuel. We also had to drop the rental car off and have the obligatory inspection of the vehicle to make sure no damage (other than that recorded when we picked up the car) was present. The vehicle was in need of a good clean, but everything else was in order and passed inspection. The vehicle that was dropped off before us had apparently somehow managed to take miles off the vehicle by showing less miles than when it had when picked up. The driver also dashed back a few minutes after drop off to retrieve his wallet that he had left in the vehicle!
A courtesy bus did the rounds of the domestic and international terminal buildings and ran quite regularly. It was not long before the next bus came and we climbed aboard for a lap of the airport. Wendy noted that the drop-off area for vehicles (maximum time allowed 6 minutes) came at a cost of £5 for 5 minutes or £6 for 6. As we have said before, no opportunity seems to have been lost on extracting money from motorists in the UK.
Check-in was a straightforward procedure, with Wendy recording the heaviest piece of luggage (although she was carrying a number of gifts for family back home, so had the biggest bag in order to fit everything in). Next came Christine’s luggage, just a shade over the weight of Chris’s pull-along. We were all under the weight limit, so it was really an academic matter as no extra charges were to be made.
Security screening was more thorough than we are accustomed to in Australia. Our hand luggage was scanned using the familiar large plastic trays that convey bags, jackets, contents of your pockets etc through the scanner. If all is OK the tray (with its contents in) appears for the owner to retrieve and head off to the departure lounges. If there is something that requires closer inspection the tray (with its contents) is directed to security staff who call for the owner to step forward and go through their possessions retrieving the suspicious item(s). Liquids, toothpaste, pawpaw ointment, deodorant and iPads were all deemed suspicious and worthy of further scanning. The staff were courteous and we were eventually reunited with our belongings, minus a deodorant pump pack that would (if full) have exceeded the 100ml limit. It is possibly part of the Manchester landfill by now.
We made our way through the bright lights and shiny trinkets of the duty-free shops before entering into the broader departure area with everything that is found the world over in airports – fast food outlets, upmarket designer accessory shops, souvenir shops and global restaurant brands to name a few. We stopped for a coffee in an Italian restaurant where many seemed to think it was time to enjoy a pint of ale with their early lunch before heading off on a holiday they might never remember.
Our flight to Hong Kong departed on time and, apart from a bit of turbulence over Croatia, all has been plain (or is that plane?) sailing. We landed in Hong Kong pretty much on time and eventually discovered that our AMEX membership wouldn’t get us access to their Criterion Lounge. Apparently our membership was only valid for the lounges in Melbourne and Sydney (who would have known?). Chris had developed a toothache during the flight from Manchester and Wendy was able to book a dental appointment for first thing Monday morning to have the matter dealt with. Our first aid (taken for the walk) was well stocked with painkillers that would get him through until his appointment.
The flight from Hong Kong departed on time for Melbourne. The taxiway out to the runway allowed us to see up close the work going on both within and outside the airport perimeter. More landfill is being spread about to extend the airport facilities, and countless high-rise apartments are being built along the motorway to the airport from Hong Kong Central.
The flight back to Melbourne was not without the turbulence that is typically encountered around the equator and the crossing of Indonesia. Once over Australia, though, the flight was quite smooth: passing to the east of Alice Springs, then following a line through Birdsville, over Innaminka, and on to Mildura before the approach into Melbourne. We landed ahead of schedule just after 10:00pm and were clear of immigration checks and border control inspections without delay.
Christine’s brother Russell had thoughtfully arranged to pick us all up and return us to Chris’s new home (that she had just moved into before we all set off a few weeks ago). It was just after 11:00pm when we arrived – tired, but glad the return flight was now behind us. A cup of tea was welcomed, then Russell headed off, shortly followed by Wendy & Chris (who had an early appointment with a dentist in the morning). It was just after 1:00am when they arrived back home and were quickly off to enjoy a lay-flat bed.