Tuesday, 21 July 2009

Saturday 18th July


Finally.... on our way!

Although our Quantas flight was booked for 1.10pm, we left at 7am - wanted plenty of time to get there, check in and have breakfast. Unfortunately, it all started rather badly when I realised that I'd forgotten to print out the car parking details and had to go back. At 7.30am we began our journey. All went swimmingly until we were flagged down by a police car whose job it was to slow traffic in advance of a nasty accident. We spent a good 3/4 hour doing about 20 miles per hour but still arrived at Heathrow in plenty of time.

We checked in our baggage but realised that the seats allocated had place Judy 5 rows in front of us. Not only that, she was wedged between two teenagers who unsurprisingly sank into their ipods throughout the journey. Poor Jude - I think it was a very uneventful flight for her.

Following a VERY dodgy landing (apparently Hong Kong had suffered from very bad weather that morning and there was talk of diverting us via Singapore), we landed and made our way through the many bureaucratic check points. We gave up putting our passports away as there was yet another check point hiding around the next corner. We then prepared to the 5 hour wait for the internal flight. Southern China Airlines was excellent - clean and well equipped plane and very friendly flight attendants. No sooner had we taken off and had a coffee, we were preparing to land.

Thankfully, our guide Michael was waiting for us at Guangzhou Airport with a mini bus and escorted three completely exhausted but excited English people to the Victory Hotel.

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