Saturday 25th March at 10am saw the bride and I relaxing in the departure lounge at the Port Hedland International Airport. We actually do live on the airport so we take our luggage over and book in at Skywest Airlines about 9.30am and then take the vehicle home and lock up. Its about a 5 minute jalan jalan from home to the terminal which is no hassle at all even if the temperature is climbing past 39°C on its way to about 42°C. We just know that no matter what the weather in Bali is like it will be as glorious as always, come rain or shine. Even though today begins our, I think, 39th trip to Bali over the last 25 years, the same excited anticipation is with us and is as strong as ever. Every Saturday a Skywest Fokker 100 twin jet departs Perth as a domestic flight and transits Karratha setting down domestic passengers there and embarking international passengers for the onwards 30 minute leg to Port Hedland, where it uplifts more passengers and converts to an international flight. We board Foxtrot November Juliet at 10.45am and taxi out, becoming airborne off runway 14 right on time at 11am. Once airborne we bank left and set a course of 002° over the crystal blue coastal waters of Port Hedland, direct to Bali and commence climbing to a cruising level of 35000ft, about 10500 metres. The very attentive and excellent cabin crew are busy catering to each individuals every needs and are also serving pre lunch drinks. The Duchess opts for an apple juice while I wrap my claws around a bitterly cold tinnie of Carlton Mid Strength, which disappeared into the dark recesses of my engine room without so much as even touching the sides. I swear that the cabin attendants are mind readers for no sooner had my now empty can come to rest on the tray table when this angel of mercy appeared at my side and echoed the thoughts that were running around in what purports to be my brain 'would you care for another, Bob?' To this I smile and politely reply 'Yes please. I mean is the Pope Catholic or are the Kennedys gun shy?' My magazine now replenished I relax back into the most comfortable 34 inch pitch of the Fokkers seats. Out to the right is the Rowley Shoals and they are so clear and seem so close that one imagines that they are just at arms length. Almost touchable! The plane breezes along over endless fields of cotton wool clouds and all is tranquil and this little mobile part of the world is at peace. No sooner had the lunch tucker been devoured and the cabin crew cleaned up when we began our descent into Ngurah Rai. Just a short 1 hour and 50 minutes after we departed Port Hedland we touch down in Bali.