Qatar have a plan, sent via Whatsap to us late yesterday.

1. Meet at  Brisbane International Departures at Qatar counter at 12 midday. A bus to pick us up at 10.30. We only found this out at 9.25 this morning. No immigration or customs to get on the plane, obviously our bags will go through security.
2. 3.00pm (4pm NSW time) fly to Sydney, land at International. Get rushed through transit and across to Domestic to meet our plane to Dubbo
3. If we are on time, we hopefully will get our flight to Dubbo at 6.45pm ( NSW time) otherwise we’ll be staying in Sydney tonight.   

It’s a punt by Qatar that this will work. Anyway the whole thing had been exhausting, but we’re nearly there, thankfully I don’t have to go to work tomorrow because I couldn’t. A few days recovery is needed I reckon.

The Uber wad booked to pick us up at 10.30, now we know there’s a bus we cancel it with 2 minutes to spare.

OK, so it’s a bit of a mess, I’m doubtful they will be able to get us to our plane in Sydney in time. The mob in Brisbane are oblivious to what we need in the way of assistance to get us to Domestic and our flight in Sydney, they say talk to the staff in Sydney. We’ll see!

We’re sitting the plane in Brisbane for ages, another major cluster f…. up. I don’t think the issue isn’t  Qatar’s fault, it’s Menzies Aviation who manage the check ins, baggage etc for Qatar, they’ve f….d up the count and now they need to do manual count and check all the bags. They had dribbling staff at the boarding gates who delayed boarding and were so disorganised it wasn’t funny. The Qatar staff on the plane are livid with them, the Captain explained it to us over the pa and I think he’s pretty pissed as well.

Our mates who visited Mecca are on board, and I’m guessing they might start to get a bit annoyed if we don’t get off the ground soon. The 3pm take off is now 3.45 and counting. I’m pretty sure now we’ll be spending the night in Sydney.

It takes until 4.15pm for Menzies to disengage the air bridge, meanwhile we’ve been sitting in the plane for an hour not moving, babies crying, anxiety levels high due to warm air and claustrophobia sitting in a metal can not moving for so long. And I didn’t think it could have got worse than the boarding process!!!!

I’ll post this sitting on the tarmac in Brisbane still waiting for a slot to take off. A mix of, Mother Nature showing who is boss, lack of communication and incompetence has mucked up the end of a good holiday.

Ciao

Pauolo.

Qatar struggled to handle the aftermath of the Sydney storms diversion to Brisbane. Initially the Airport and Borderforce wouldn’t allow us to get off the plane, air con was inhibited it was hot, toilets were backing up and then some Economy passengers  (Aussies with ME heritage and big beards) came out to the door and demanded to leave the plane), they pulled the bully boy, standover tactics, but Qatar staff didn’t quite need security to handle this. To be fair they ( the aggressive ME blokes) were right, we were struggling and should have been allowed out into fresh air and space somewhere while they worked out how to handle it. They then let 1st class and business class off, dawdling out while we’re f…g struggling. Eventually we get off the plane, clear immigration, then wait for our bags for I reckon 2-3 hours, drug sniffer dogs walking around picked up one of the ME bearded bully boys for a drugs of some sort. His teenager looking wife in a burka looked distressed, frankly after seeing their attitude and behaviour I don’t care. He was away from the main group of them, some wearing dish dashes. One guy was in front of us at immigration and he got a bit upset when questioned about where he had been travelling “Mecca man, in Saudia Arabia, don’t youse understand anyfing!!!”

We find out the storm has damaged some sensors plus they can’t return to Sydney because of the 10pm curfew. We’re all tired and cranky, waiting for the carousel to start turning, it takes 2 1/2 hours to get going. Our bags are in the last batch. Qatar staff circulate advising options saying “if you have friends see if they can put you up or book your own accomodation, if you can find it” the line up their help staff is about 50 metres long so we  book the Mantra on Queen St via Agoda to circumvent tge wait (by this time its about 1.30am). As we get into a taxi, the driver – rude bugger wouldn’t even help put the bags in, The Navigator finally gets a call to say they actually don’t have 2 rooms even though we have a booking confirmed and money paid. The taxi driver cracks it big time when we tell him to turn around and go back to the airport, smoke comes off his tyres as he negotiates roundabouts, then stops at International, refuses to get out to help us unload, takes $40 for his trouble, I slam his door so hard his head would have wobbled harder, he then told the taxi coordinator we hadn’t paid him. Lying rude prick, he should have carrying the ME guys, he might have got a clip under the ear.  The Navigator straightens the coordinator out on the facts.

Back into Brisbane International airport and back to the help line we find Qatar staff actually have 2 rooms at a hotel, everyone settles down, things are very brittle by this stage.  We line up in the 70m taxi line again and finally get a nice taxi driver, to a nice hotel in Fortitude Valley, and are in bed not really sleeping at about 2.30 -3am.

Qatar send WhatsAp messages but today still no sign of flights back to Dubbo. At least we’re not in a drowned plane in Botany Bay. Qatar staff have been helpful and calm, just not enough of them in Brisbane to handle this chaos.

Breakfast is lovely, although we’re in QLD, hardly Australia in my opinion, the world feels a little better this morning. Adversity sometimes teaches you things about what’s important.

I reckon we won’t get back to Dubbo until tomorrow as more storms are forecast for Sydney today. Mother Nature, we’re in you’re hands!

Ciao from Brisbane

Pauolo

Standard long haul flight of 15 hours, sleep, movie, music, cramps in limbs from lack of movement, twisting and trying to get comfortable enough to squeeze in a few hours sleep.

Then we get to Sydney, earlier than expected, but it’s cloudy, raining and big storm clouds, no vision at all. Anyway you have to trust these planes and pilots, but I’m thinking this feels a little scary as the screen map shows us heading over Botany Bay, but all I can see is a white, odd glimpse of the ground then all of a sudden the engines are screaming and we’re into a steep climb. He pulled out of the the landing, the passengers are very quiet. Some underwear changes are probably needed after that. The captain comes on the pa and tells us he aborted the landing due to the storm being very heavy and unpredictable and hopefully we’d land soon. There is a distinct heavy storm band right over the city. We’re now over the Northern beaches and he comes on again and says its too dangerous to land in Sydney and we need refuel so we’re off to Brisbane,xthen hopefully the storm will have abated in Sydney and we’ll fly back there.

I was talking to the head steward ( nice Philipino guy) and he says this rarely happens. He said these planes are so large and stable that you know when they are shaking like this one was that the storm was bad.

Brisbane is clear as a bell, the plan is a 20 minute refuel then back to Sydney. One of the toilets is blocked so there is a line up for the middle lot of loos. I reckon the scare in Sydney might have filled the tanks a bit

Ciao from Brisbane International Airport

Pauolo

At 4.45am the black BMW Uber arrives early in via S. Maria del Pianto, we’re ready to go.

We scoot out to Fumicino Terminal 3, at up to 150km/ hour, he’s working his phone, driving one handed, overtaking other speeding cars, I think he’s been on the F1 circuit. We’re in Qatar checking in half an hour early.

Problem – The Navigators new handbags give her a heart attack, they ( Qatar staff) tell her she has 3 carry on bags and she is advised she can only take 2. F….k she swears under her breath. But shes not leaving the bags and she has no room in her heaving with shopping backpack so I graciously suggest my bag may fit them in and it’s the only option as the other 3 big bags have already disappeared down the conveyer belt of no return. The bags fit, she settles, and I did suggest, under fear of a death threat, that I mentioned this as a potential issue last night. Her response was blase, because she usually gets away with things by giving opposition the ” stink eye” Anyway problem solved, we move on, don’t we Pauolo!

Security and immigration is easy, then the long wait for our gate at Fumicino.

The short flight (5 hours) to Doha is without incident. Then , a coffee break with a  4 hour wait for the long haul to Sydney leaving at 8.40pm Doha time.

Doha airport is busy, full of transiting travellers, working class navies, cleaners etc in grey, women in burkas, sheiky looking dudes with heavily manscaped faces in long white robes with ropes around their heads and officious looking staff in maroon suits carrying walkie talkies, saying ” breaker breaker, big dog is on the move” or words to that effect in Arabic.

At Gate 13, there are Aussies like us waiting. No doubt looking forward to being home in their own beds soon.

That’s it for now, Day 29 we’ll be back in Australia.

Goodbye to Doha – وداعا للدوحة

Pauolo

It’s an interesting apartment. A bit run down. But a 5 minute walk to Campo de Fiori so well located. The taps drip, the 2nd bedroom is made for pygmies, and the steps up to it are difficult, skinny and a bit claustrophobic. Beds are ok, pillows are crap. The cutlery drawer is missing its front. But it’s a roof over our heads.

The plan today? There is none really, a last look around the markets, cap shopping for me, maybe check out the Pantheon (my favourite building anywhere) and Piaza Navonna, and maybe Trevi Fountain.

First stop is Campo de Fiori, Fruit salad cup, The Navigator does some shopping with Simone and I find my cap man  and buy a wooden cap.

Piaza Navonna is a hive of activity, restoration of the fountains is under way, they are white and experts are chipping calcium off the Bernini masterpieces.

The Pantheon is busy, you have to pay €5 now to get in but it’s absolutely worth it, it’s a fantastic building. For a building thats well over 2000 years old  hss been plundered for stone and other things, it holds its age well. Trevi has workmen and fences around it buts it’s white and cleaner. I’m guessing all for the Pope’s jubilee year next year when Italy will but fuller than a Catholic school.

Lunch is a little restaurant in a quiet piaza then back home via the Leonardo da Vinci museum for a rest.

Tonight a short walk over Trastavere and a light dinner in a Cafe near our apartment.

Arrividerci Roma, we leave here early in the morning, Uber is booked for 5am to get us to Fumicino Airport. We’ll be back  in Dubbo Monday about 10am

Pauolo

My favourite hat stall in Campo de Fiori

Early start to tidy up this morning. Guilia is coming at 9am to sort out the tourist tax and the taxi is coming at 9.30am to get us to Camucia train station.

And, it’s raining. And it’s cold. We’ve been lucky with the weather, even though it’s been cool/cold we haven’t seen rain since Valencia and Barcelona. We still haven’t needed many clothes, just 2 pairs of jeans and layers of long sleeve tops, polar fleece and puffer jackets with a scarf and beanie for when it’s really chilly.

Francesco arrives on time, nice black merc mini bus, €25 later we’re at Camucia train station having a coffee. Also waiting are 2 groups of Anericans, some just doing a day trip to Rome. The train doesn’t have many passengers, it’s warm and there’s no scrabble for seats. Hallelujah!

Rome Termini train station is busy, we come into an outside platform and have to walk a mile for a taxi. Our Taxi is expensive but gets us to the Jewish Quarter where our apartment is. There’s a reminder of WWII horrors in the paving outside our front door, 6 Jews from this street who were killed in Auswitz in 1943 have plaques in the pavers.

We drop our bags and head to Campo de Fiori for a look and and a snack. It’s stalls are closing down, I’ll come back tomorrow to see if my hat man is here. The Navigator is shoe hunting, so we wander over the Tiber River to The Trastavere area, no luck she has a place in mind but it’s a 20 minute walk so I opt out of walking and wander the streets. Rome is still humming along. She buys 2 pairs of shoes, then dinner is at a pasta speciality restaurant Osteria de Fortunata. The pasta is pretty special, then home for a rest.

Pauolo

Tomorrow is our last day, Saturday we fly.

Ciao Bella from Roma

Pauolo

Campo de Fiori tonight. Tge original Roman flower markets, one of my favourite areas in Rome

We decide that we’ll go on a Tuscany run today, to Pienza and then back to Montepulciano for lunch. Then home to Cortona.

The country side is all versions of green and plenty of versions of brown with ploughed fields in various stages of getting ready for crops to go in. It’s the Tuscany of the paintings and photos, pencil pine avenues up to stone villa’s, olive trees and shedding grape vines, the sun is out but a biting cool breeze takes the warmth out of the day.

The Mechanic is driving again, and driving well, a few moments of panic on skinny roads with Italian would be rally drivers doing twice the speed limit. There are speed cameras everywhere, and the limit changes regularly from 30 to 50 to 70. You only get over 70 if you’re on a freeway or 130 on an autostrada.

Tomorrow morning we leave for Rome before we fly out early Saturday morning.

I’m looking forward to getting home next week and staying still, roomy hot showers, my own chair, driving my own car and having a coffee at 179 Darling St with Dave and John.

Ciao for now

Pauolo

The piaza, the breeze is cool and the sun on the steps of the Communale warms me up. The others are walking up to the basilica Santa Margarita. I’m feeling a little short of breath, others might say lazy, however I decide to loiter downtown and drink coffee. There are very few people out and about, mostly American accents, and locals.

Michele (pronounced Michael)  from Hill Town Tours is booked for the ride to the train tomorrow morning. Enzo made an error, but I’m guessing he may not do it again, he has been great in the past. I think he either forgot or ditched us for a bigger job, anyway it’s water under the bridge now.

The Visitors Centre is closed, I can’t complete my one job for The Navigator, to get a local map to replace the one she lost.

The others come back down the hill, and The Mechanic takes the keys and he pilots us to Castiglione del Lago. The only mistakes are mine as defacto navigator, the real Navigator sits in the back seat, mostly quietly. CDL is like a ghost town, one cafe/ restaurant open, no shops nothing.

So we drive, sorry The Mechanic drives, to Passignini on the other side of the lake, it’s quiet but we find a little place open for a late lunch. The low sun over the lake makes for some dramatic photos.

The drive back gives The Mechanic some bum clenching moments but he does well and gets us safely back to the free carpark without a scratch on the car. There may be some marks on his underdaks though, it’s tight driving up the mountain to Cortona.

Dinner tonight is a Trattoria Dardano, simpler food than last night. We met a family from Sacramento in the USA sitting at the next table, Kevin and Sue and their daughter Megan. Their first time in Italy and they are blown away, if the travel they mostly go to South Korea where Sue is originally from. However they have a fish and chip shop and it’s hard to get away. One the pleasures of travel is meeting new and interesting people.

Ciao Bella from Cortona

Pauolo

The view from our patio this morning

We take the Toyota CHR hybrid for run to Panicale in Umbria. It’s scary, I haven’t driven in Italy for a few years, the first part is it’s all weird, not sure where the edge of the road is, nor the mirror. But you get better as you drive more, and it’s as requested an automatic. I nearly had a nervous breakdown driving a manual around these hills and skinny roads the first time we hired a car years ago. No more manuals!

At Panicale we have a coffee and some food, then overland up hill down dale to Orvietto to check it out. Had some struggles with the toll booth but my fault, I didn’t get the car close enough to the machine and then couldn’t get out to fix my error. I needed help. The Navigator and The Mechanic came to the rescue.

Orvietto was so so, same stuff as other hill towns, tourists, school kids hitting you up for money, but it does have an interesting history. It’s not a walled town because it is surrounded by cliffs pretty much. But the cafes, restaurants and craft shops look very similar to other places. We parked in a 30 minute car space at the train station and got the funicular up the hill/ cliff. No fines when we get back!

We scoot back the autostrada for the cost of a €5.90 toll and get back up the hill and into a free carpark at Cortona without bending the Toyota. A miracle.

Dinner tonight is a Ristorante La Loggetta above Piaza dela Republica. It’s a bit more expensive than we usually do for dinner but the food is good. Some Americans are sitting beside us, not wanting to spend more than €200 on a bottle of wine! Good to hear their economy is fairing well with Donald back in the driver’s seat.

Ciao da una cittadina collinare toscana

Pauolo

Today is The Mechanics 40th birthday. He arrived into the world just after his brother, just after midnight 40 years ago in 1984. Unfortunately only The Mechanic is here with us, his brother is here in spirit. So, we’re celebrating it today in a Tuscan hill town, with a small dinner tonight.

It’s a slow start to the day, one of our quieter days. The view over the lake and Camucia from our patio makes it hard to leave, but we do. The Navigator is on a mission.

A brass band plays through via Nationale, we’re not sure why. The peace and errant pedestrians are kept in line by a stylish female copper in tight pants with a big gun.

This place is very wanderable ( new word?) Pizza on out patio in the sun for lunch. A chill afternoon then The Mechanic and I go to meet the beautiful Laura ( a local contact we met at the Bar in Nessun Dorma restaurant here many years ago) to pick up our hire car. A stylish little Toyota plug in hybrid, I hope it knows what side of the road its meant to be on!

Then it’s to dinner at La Dolce Maria for his birthday dinner. Paola makes a beautiful dinner and a rich chocolate birthday cafe. Bravo Paola. Her husband doesn’t say a word but distributes food and beaming smiles.

Tomorrow we’re driving to Orvietto and a few other places.

Ciao from Cortona

Pauolo