Setting off on the big adventure.

Hi there. This log is our travel diary of a three month trip to Australia and New Zealand, which we had spent two years planning and preparing for. We hope you enjoy the story of our adventure which took us from our home in Gozo (Maltese islands) to many parts in and around Australasia.

From the outset, our mission statement and wish list for this trip included:

(i) A two part trip around Australasia, part one being based on following the 2017/18 Ashes cricket series and living in city centre/CBD Australian cities; and part two constituting a detailed self-drive road trip of the North and South islands of New Zealand. Two entirely different parts to one story but both based in the same part of the world.

(ii) To encourage, enjoy and live the sport we love;

(iii) To see sights and sounds that we have never experienced before;

(iv) To relax and let go of everyday life and living;

(v) To explore beyond our usual boundaries;

(vi) To maximise the potential of this once in a lifetime experience.

So let’s see how we got on……

NADUR (GOZO)

PART ONE – Bound for Australia.
Saturday 18 November, 13.00hrs

And so the day finally arrived for us to start our three month adventure down under to follow the Ashes cricket series (between England and Australia of course), combined with some serious holiday time and sightseeing. My husband Danny and I had been working on this travel plan for about two years and it felt amazing that we were actually on our way!

We left our home in Nadur (Gozo) at around 13.00, when we were picked up in a taxi by our friends John and Mary (John drives a local taxi in Malta so a perfect choice). We headed across to Malta on the ferry and then drove on to the airport, in time for the 16.55 flight to London Heathrow. This was to be our first scheduled stop en route to

Australia. We checked the bags in on good time, with no excess luggage thankfully, and headed for the Hard Rock café airside to enjoy a couple of drinks prior to take off.

We arrived on time at around 19.30 into London Heathrow and checked into our overnight accommodation at the Terminal 4 Premier Inn, via a most impressive covered walkway, involving just a short walk from the Arrivals lounge through to the Hotel reception. After depositing our luggage in our room, still aboard its airport trolley, we headed to the bar for a light supper and drinks, which was very enjoyable amongst the excitement of the start of our trip. Next morning we had a 5am start to head to Terminal 2 for the first leg of our trip, boarding a 09.15 flight to Singapore which should take around 13 hours in total. Looking forward to flying business class long haul for the first time ever!

Sunday 19 November, 05.00hrs

As scheduled, we were up, showered and out of the hotel before 6am and making our way over to Terminal 2 at the airport, which took about thirty minutes by train and then walking. We found the business class check in at Singapore Airlines and received a great welcome by the team there, very cheery at this time of the morning! With the checked baggage offloaded, and out of our hands until we get to Brisbane, we headed to the Krisflyer (business) airport lounge for breakfast pre-flight and plenty of coffee. Great facilities in the SA lounge, quite luxurious.

We boarded into our very comfortable and spacious ‘pods’ and at 09.15 we were in the air for our thirteen hour flight to Singapore. Here we go! Plentiful drinks, gorgeous food, huge entertainment choices and the luxury of flatbed sleeping, what a difference to economy. Worth every penny.

Just short of our scheduled thirteen hours, we land into Singapore Changi airport at 06.00 local time. We haven’t really slept because to our UK body clocks it was a ‘day flight’ so hopefully we will sleep on the next leg! We disembark the flight and head for the Changi business lounge for yet more coffee and food! Thank heavens our checked baggage is being taken care of until we arrive to collect it in Brisbane. Now we have three hours to kill until we board our flight to Brisbane so we stay in the Singapore Air business lounge and try to relax before the next flight. Definitely getting a bit tired now.

Monday 20th November, 09.30hrs

We board our next flight at around 09.30 local time in Singapore, and again settle into our pods for the slightly shorter eight hour flight to Brisbane. We have boarded an older plane this time, which is not quite as polished as the first one but no complaints. They offer a somewhat reduced service as this flight is not technically classed as long haul so less food and drink options but still perfectly adequate, and so we try to sleep. I fold my seat down into a bed, and Dan stays

upright to sleep, but we both just doze fitfully and end up watching films instead because even in the pods, it is still difficult to get comfortable to sleep and we did experience a fair amount of turbulence for most of the flight. At 19.15 local time Australia we finally, and thankfully, land into Brisbane airport.

We've made it in one piece to Australia! Delighted to be here. We experience an easy transit through the airport and immigration, and are soon into a taxi to the Brisbane Marriott hotel, our home for the next ten days. On arrival the concierge and staff could not have been more helpful and we were very impressed with the hotel, its service and staff and our lovely high floor deluxe bedroom. The concierge helps us to our room, gives us a brief rundown on the area with maps and leaves us to it. Having not had any alcoholic drinks at all since leaving London, we head down to the bar and climb wearily on to a bar stool for a couple of nightcaps before finally heading to a proper bed. Now to prepare for some decent sleep and try to head off any onslaught of the dreaded jet lag.