Leaving Beijing - arriving in Adelaide via Kuala Lumpur - 15th/16th and 17th July

So here we are leaving our final stop on this mammoth 91 day adventure travelling around the world to reach our final destination of Adelaide!!!

Now all our flight times have been reasonable along the way, we went for the cheapest flights but also the flights that would suit our itinerary.  But we have a real whopper of a flight time to finish with 1.30am!!!  When we booked the flight from Beijing to Adelaide via Kuala Lumpur we were due to be departing from Beijing at 9.30am on Wednesday 16^th July but our flight was changed back in March time when Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 disappeared, that was our plane!!   Our flight was the return journey MH371 Beijing to Kuala Lumpur whereas the flight disappeared when it was on its journey from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.  So the aircraft had to be changed and then the flight time was changed to 1.30am!!  So to say there are some anxieties surrounding this leg of our journey only by me though as Colin is cool as a cucumber!!

 

 

Our new bag is now full of washing, ewh!!! 

 

Here we are leaving the hotel with our trusty backpacks on a night earlier than planned but atleast we have loads of time to get to the airport as we don’t actually know how long it will take us so we left at 8.30pm

 

Funny pose!!!!

 

Leaving the hotel, good lad the Bell Boy took a photo for us!

 

So we walk out of the hotel and the heavens have opened up but thankfully the Bell Boy has told us that the airport train stops running at 9pm and it would be easier and work out just as much to get a taxi to the airport, coolio as I don’t fancy humfing the suitcases down the subway steps for the final time!!  So we are only standing out at the entrance area waiting for our cab!

 

 

Our final family photo on Beijing soil, thank goodness for that as we all feel pretty minging with people spitting everywhere, lack of soap in the public areas and Amy and I are looking forward to not worrying about when our next nice toilet will be!!!

 

So the bell boy has ordered us a normal car taxi but then this people carrier taxi guy drops someone off and says that we would never fit in a normal cab so he would take us to the airport for 200 yuan £20 and it is supposed to be an hour’s drive so that sounds a bit of a bargain but for his final time Colin haggle’s with the guy and knocks him down to 180 yuan!!  Deal done now let’s get to the airport in comfort, not getting wet and dropped off at the door!!  Luxury!!

 

 

And look the first time using a trolley too, wow real luxury for our final leg of our Big Holiday Adventure!!

 

You might regret taking a trolley now Col as Amy and I are on the travelator and Colin has to walk up the hill as trollies not allowed on the travelators!!! 

 

He has made it to the top Mr Muscles!!

 

China the one and only stickers we found!!!  We put them on Amy’s suitcase whilst we were waiting for check-in to open at 22.30pm.  First time we had arrived and the check-in wasn’t open but we were quite a few hours early!!

 

We have checked in next we need to get to the gates, we were at E gates number 8, two stops on the train.  The train was so noisy it was unreal!!

 

Here we go, gate E8

 

 

We thought we would grab something to eat after getting through security, passport control and the train to the gates but when we arrived at E terminal there was only a small Costa Coffee and Duty Free shop open!!  We were at Terminal 3 which is supposed to be bigger than Terminal 5 at Heathrow so we were surprised at how little was open.  Amy and Colin managed to get a sandwich and muffin from Costa Coffee and I grabbed a nut bar, not what we were expecting but with the length of time it took to get through security we didn’t really have that much time for food anyhow!  Amy is loving having a small trolley to push when we are going round the Duty Free to try and spend our last Yuan.  We got chocolate with the last of the pennies, yummy!!!

 

Pretty designed toilets and look a reassuring sign on the toilet door, sit down toilets, woop woop!!!

 

 

Here we are our aeroplane is outside waiting for us!

 

Now bear in mind it is after midnight, look who is the sleepy one and who isn’t!!!

 

We were sitting apart on this flight, probably the worst flight for me not to be near Colin as I kept on thinking of the what if’s, the maybe’s and holy moly why did we keep the flight with Malaysian Airlines??  The seats were 2,4,2 – Amy and I were on 2 seats in the row with 4 and Colin was across from us in the aisle of the 2 seats.  When we walked onto the flight to take our seats someone was sitting in my seat and someone was sitting in Colin’s seat so the air stewardess was like a real stern mother to them and told them to get back to their original seats.  I liked her at that point but then during the flight when we got a meal she asked whether Amy would like rice with spicy prawn or beef noodles so I asked for rice for Amy as Amy would have just picked at the rice but she refused to give Amy rice as she said it was too spicy for her!!  So in the end I asked for rice and gave Amy my meal as I am never too sure whether the noodles are made with wheat or not!!!  Nothing like having a choice!!  Amy and I were so squished in our seats as the guy next to me had his arms and legs sprawled over part of my seat, the guy in front put his chair all the way back and Amy lay down to sleep on my lap = not very much sleep!!!  We experience some turbulence and in my head that is us doomed, let me off this flight, no likey as where did that plane go and what must the families be feeling, awful!!  So my thoughts are with those families and people that were on the flight the while time!!  I just can’t wait to land and get off this flight!!!

 

So we all come off the flight absolutely goosed so we decide to head to the transit hotel and book a room for 7 hours to get our heads down as tonight is another overnight flight!!

 

Bizarrely the transit hotel doesn’t have family rooms or rollaway beds so it is a king size bed or 2 single beds which would mean renting 2 rooms, eh king sized bed will do the trick!!!

 

Perfect sleep, we set our alarms just in case we slept over our allotted time but Colin and I woke before our alarms and Amy slept longer.  Perfect we all feel more refreshed now, we opened the curtains and look at our view, wave to the pilot ha ha!!

 

Slept and showered = more refreshed and able to tackle another overnight flight!!

 

Thumbs up Col!!

 

So we had walked past the reflexology and massage place on the way to the hotel, Colin doesn’t fancy it but my back has been needing a massage for a bit so I go for some pampering.  Well I say pampering but I am used to remedial/sports massages in the Isle of Man to keep my back ticking over so I have opted for reflexology and a back, neck and shoulder massage.  See you guys in an hour!!

 

Colin and Amy go and explore the terminal building, oh look they found my favourite shop J

 

Seemingly a lady from the Chocolate Shop took a shine to Amy and Jemima!!

 

I think Amy is loving pushing this trolley around!!!

 

Here I am, wow that wasn’t relaxing it was sore on my muscles but I always have to have a no pain no gain motto when it comes to massages and my back, but on the positive side my back feels much better now so let’s hope I’m not too sore tomorrow!!

 

We stopped for a Tiger local beer £7 though so only one and then we carry on for a wander around!  The only sit down restaurant other than noodles and fish restaurant was Burger King, well Burger King it is then for lunch, tea or whatever meal we are on!!

 

Cool beer bottle

 

Awh Jemima is sleeping!

 

Jemima woke up quickly when she saw the sign for Chocolate Wonderland!!

 

 

We thought we would park ourselves near the gate and wait a few hours using the free wifi.  Amy is HYPER!!! 

 

Crazy looney toon!!!

 

That is one really excited, hyper face!!!

 

Last holiday selfie!!  Colin it was supposed to be a nice face not a scared one, eeeek your right we are scared now!!!

Shaky hands from giggling!!!

 

So we are sitting there for ages when our time is close to boarding so we thought there was a big queue to get into the gate and through security we would wait until the queue went down and then we would go through security but as we go to the gate we realise that flight is going to Sydney not Adelaide.  We go and check the screens and the gate number has been changed so we bomb it over to another gate and wait for security there

 

 

 

Amy is speeding through the airport!!

 

 

We were first in the queue for security as there were no seats to sit down on!  We get through security and then head into to wait for boarding.  There has been a delay and change of gates due to technical issues with the aeroplane and now because of the 3 changes of gates there is a delay for the crew and passengers to arrive!!  We have seats at the gate but I just can’t sit down I’m too nervous and pacing.  It certainly is a flight or fight response – run away as this is really, really real what we are doing or run on the aeroplane and embrace our new life fully, you know it would be the latter option!!!

 

Family pic in front of our aeroplane

 

 

Now we have time to sit (or stand in my case) to reflect on our journey and look at all Amy’s stickers on her case, WOW that is impressive Amy!

 

Keeping Amy and myself entertained now!!

 

Limbo, Limbo, Limbo!!!  Jemima do you still have your cruise belly as I don't think Jemima can get under the aeroplane ha ha!!

 

Better be decent staff on this flight and give us the option of meal that we would like this time!!

 

Here we are all sitting together for our last leg of the mammoth journey we have just been on, yippee!!

 

So the Immigration forms come out and eeeeeeeeek look at that box we need to cross A – Migrating permanently to Australia, holy moly we are yes but I’m just not sure I can cross it!!!

 

Colin does the crosses for us!!!  There was some turbulence en route but it was manageable as we were all sitting together and we had done the flight that I was dreading the most the Beijing to Kuala Lumpur so all good now!!!

 

WE HAVE ARRIVED IN ADELAIDE!!!!   The sun was shining on the sign behind us but it says Adelaide Airport, woop woop!!!

 

We arrived at 7am, all our bags arrived we have been so lucky that we haven’t had any issues with our bags being lost.  So here we are just waiting for 8am to call the hire car company to come and collect us!!!

The next part of the journey will continue .........