In Transit

Flying half way round the world is kinda dull.  But I do have a wee bit of free time so a blog post seems in order.  I'm writing this from Dubai airport where I am waiting for my hot stone massage.  I am very pleased that I booked ahead as there are quite a few people being turned away as I sit here typing.  Some of them are none too pleased.  It's a little extravagant but after sitting in cattle class for the best part of a day I need a little spoiling.

I arrived at Auckland airport nice and early (thanks Mum and Maurice for dropping me off) and the departures board status told me to 'Relax'.  Ever obedient, I kicked up my feet in the gate lounge and rested my eyes for a few hours.  Plus points to Auckland airport for surprisingly comfortable seats to lie down on, minus points for no free wifi.

The flight was delayed due to a problem with the seats (one of the air stewards later told us that the plane was four years old and clearly in need of replacement - don't we live in a disposable world??).  My lovely seat with no one next to me was a casualty of the reshuffle and I had instead I had an indian chappy with a pointy elbow and a pertpetual need to go to the toilet.  Oh well, it was only a three hour flight and there was quite a bit of legroom.

Sydney airport transit was quite short but they still made me go through border control again and they made me skull all my water.  Free wifi was nice.

Marcus and his nephew Rodney were my new companions for the 13 hour (!!!) flight to Dubai.  They were on their way to the Ukraine to check out farming techniques (and here I thought men went to the Ukraine to find a wife).  Apparently they have tractors with GPS so that they can plant seeds in between the rows of the previous year's crop.  Marcus was very chatty, but I had to joking threaten to punch him in the face when he started rubbing my shoulder.

* a day later from my hotel room in Athens*

The massage was a good idea, but not as fabulous as I had hoped.  The room was a bit chilly.  But if was nice to be spoilt for an hour and I was able to have a shower afterwards.   Dubai airport is madness.  Crazy full of people and I was glad to leave.  I had a very nice kiwi girl next to me on the the flight to Athens.  Seats were hideously uncomfortable, movies were very difficult to watch but we did have the exit row seats so plenty of leg room.

I have been amazed at how relaxed the customs process is after Australia.  It's a bit of a push to get people to even look at my passport.  Greek customs consisted on the woman stamping my passport and that was it.  No baggage scanning, no questions, no 'where is your return ticket.  Just straight out the door where thankfully Marcella found me straight away and took charge of finding me a coffee (a frappe, served by a woman who was a bit surly until I asked Marcella how to ponounce thank you - Ef - ha - rist-o - and then she came up all smiles.   We caught the blue line of the metro in and changed at Syntagma to the red line to get to the hotel.