I'm actually here!!!
As many of you regulars will know I have had a few trials & tribulations in the last couple of days but I am finally sitting in our Emerald suite at the Villa Puri Ayu :-)
Although I'd decided that I wasn't going to start celebrating until the plane was actually in the air with me on it, the stress of the previous 28 hours had me sitting in the bar at Perth airport downing a couple of glasses of wine in quick succession! This came after I'd already relieved a little stress in the duty free shop of course :-)
Flew out on Garuda at 5.00pm yesterday & had a great flight, arriving 20 mins ahead of schedule. I must say that it was a bit strange flying on my own for the first time in more than 8 years (but strange in a good way!!). I read a book on my Kindle, watched a great movie & had a vodka with dinner. All without being by a child, husband or elderly mother-in-law. It was sheer bliss & very welcome after the hectic week I'd had culminating in near disaster on Tuesday!
I was a bit worried that the arrivals hall would be packed & the queues for Immigration long as there were quite a few planes lined up on the tarmac but lady luck stayed with me & there were no queues at all. I was in the 2nd last row of the plane, was one of the first off as they opened up both front & rear exits.
We landed at 8.20pm & by 9.00pm I was in a taxi on my way to Villa Puri Ayu and my family :-) I arrived at the hotel 9.30pm, stopped at the restaurant to order some Sate Ayam & headed to our suite. I wasn't expecting to find my 5yo daughter awake & waiting for me but as soon as I walked through the door she was launching herself at me, screaming "Mummy, Mummy, you're here. I love you I love you I love you!!". Hubby was equally as pleased to see me if a little less vocal :-)
Miss 5 is covered in mozzie bites on her face & neck as Dad didn't think about using the repellant I'd packed. Oh well. He also didn't think about chilling the little soft-packs of wine I'd stashed in the luggage with the Christmas presents. Oh well, a vodka and lychee juice it is instead then!
(Here's a tip for those who can't do without their wine in Bali. Check out Howling Wolves (Margaret River winery) website for their "wolf packs". They are a single servce soft pack of wine (kind of like the squeezy packs of yoghurt you can buy for toddlers) with a plastic screw top lid. A case of 24 will cost $85 with free delivery. I packed a dozen or so in with our Christmas presents with no problem. Now I will be able to enjoy a glass of wine or two with meals (something I really miss while in Bali).
Heading off now to change money, sort out a SIM card & stock up on supplies at Hardies (hubby was supposed to do this yesterday but being a man all he bought was beer & Pringles LOL)