Away

I’m not in Sydney.  I’m down in Adelaide.  I’ve gone away all by myself.  But I won’t be lonely.  I’m attending a blogging conference; my first one!  And some of the bloggers attending the conference are known to me.  I’ve been communicating with them via our blogs but we’ve never met and we’re looking forward to the opportunity this conference is giving us to get together.

I did tell everyone in my family I was going away for three days.  I promise you I did.  I even made sure the house was clean, the fridge and pantry were stocked and all laundry had been washed, sorted and put away.  This morning I went into Archie’s room to say ‘goodbye’.  ‘See you later, Archie.  Can you make sure the dogs have plenty of water and they like a liver treat before they go to bed and you’ll find them in the cupboard under the pantry, okay?’

And Archie was lying in bed struggling to open his eyes and he looked at me all confused and said, ‘Where are you going?’


‘I’m going to Adelaide’.

‘How long for?’

‘Three days.  I’ll be back Sunday night’.

‘Well what are we going to do for food’.  And that made me smile.  He’s missing me already.

‘You will remember that last night I cooked two roast chickens and we only ate one?  Well you can reheat the one we didn’t eat for your dinner tonight.  There are containers of beef curry with quinoa in the fridge that you can take to uni and there’s plenty of eggs and bread and juice for your breakfast.  Best of British’.

He looked rather stunned.  He’s not used to me bundying off-duty.  He’ll have an interesting few days I’m sure.

I had the misfortune of traveling to Adelaide via Jetstar, a budget airline.  Traveling with a budget airline is not enjoyable.  From the moment I stepped into the terminal I saw red flags.  People were everywhere, mostly in long lines queuing to check their bags.  I found the end of the impossibly long line and half an hour later I managed to reach the head of the queue.

15 Minutes of queuing and I’m progressing towards the orange marker that is the official start of the queue

Then I had to go through security and was singled out for one of those bomb scans because I have that look about me.

Then over the loud speaker came the news that the flight was being delayed by half an hour.  Then it was announced that due to a strong head wind the flight would take two hours instead of 90 minutes.  Then we had to queue to board the plane with so many others I wondered if they had over-sold the seats.

This is how we used to board planes back in the 70’s

I was wedged beside the window in a row of three  and so hemmed in by the two enormous people next to me that I had no way of getting out.  I would have to practise bladder control.  Then there was an announcement that due to heavy flight traffic we would have to queue for our turn to use the runway.  We sat for 30 minutes without moving.

With no leg room, that is how close the tray table is.

It was a relief to finally be in the air.  Internet wasn’t available during the flight, there was no in-house entertainment and the cafe menu was lean as in there was little to choose from.

Well…they’re gluten free!

Never mind; things could be worse; I could be at home making sure everyone had enough to eat.

So now I’m in a little studio apartment in the heart of Adelaide city about to head out for dinner to meat a dozen bloggers ahead of tomorrow’s Eat Drink Blog Conference.  It should be fun.

And I’ll be keeping you ‘posted’!

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Comments

  1. Cool! I didn’t know you’d gone, have a wonderful time! xx

  2. Hi! I would love to go to one of these conferences…but not via jetstar, that’s for sure! I feel claustrophobic just reading about it! But I bet is going to be worthy. About the dialogue between Archie and you… I feel so identified! 😉
    Have lots of fun!

  3. Charlie, I’m wishing you the very best of times at the conference! Sounds like we “prep” our families in the same manner before going away — fridge stocked, last minute instructions. 😉 Hope you avoid the bomb scan on the way back! During my recent trip, my knees were flagged on the scan (yes, my KNEES) so they had to pat them down. Such fun.

  4. Have a wonderful time dear Charlie, and let me say once again you are so nice mother, and wife, they are lucky to have you. You are thinking of everything. Thank you, love, nia

  5. You poor thing…

  6. What a lousy flight …. but I imagine you’ll have a great time. Hi to all from me!

  7. What a terrific conference. That sounds like great fun! Enjoy.

  8. OMG I didn’t know you were going to the Eat Drink Blog conference either 🙂 WOO HOO! So excited and happy to see you again so soon ~ i thought we wouldn’t meet each other again till next year when I visited Melbourne hehe! xox

  9. Well, after that flight, things can only get better, right? Enjoy. I am sure you will be more appreciated upon your arrival home.

  10. I’m so excited for you! And also interested to hear just how your family manages without you there. 😛

  11. Love the picture of the back of the seat in front of you. LOL! I have been in that middle tiny seat and it makes you pray a bit. Have a blast at the conference!!

  12. Except for the travel, with which I can sympathize, what a fun break for you! And to go to a conference and meet fellow bloggers and unite with blogging friends. I dream that one day I can entice some of you to come to San Miguel, which is truly a beautiful place to visit and to live in.

  13. Have a wonderful time at the conference, my dear! And hey, at least your flight took off. Hurricane Sandy cancelled my first flight to Thunder Bay the other day! (It wasn’t the worst thing, at least the rescheduled flight meant I didn’t have to get up at 5am 😉 )

  14. I am so jealous … Hope you have a fabulous time 🙂

  15. Oooh, have fun, Charlie!!!

  16. Enjoy your 3 day break.

  17. *Wailing.. I’m just so jealous, have I told you how jealous I am? How much I’d long to be off on a food blogging conference to meet friends from online?! One day we should all plan to meet at the same one.. somewhere in Italy! Have fun!!

  18. How exciting my friend I heard of this conference and wish I could be there too! Have a blast and I hope to hear all about it 🙂

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

  19. Oh I would so have love to have gone to the conference but my blog wasn’t quite old enough yet. Hopefully next year! Enjoy a lovely independent weekend, meeting wonderful like minded people! Can’t wait to read all about it!

  20. Have fun at the conference! I bet you will have a blast! 🙂

  21. I’ve never been to any conference before and I look forward to reading your updates! Ii wonder if you will meet anyone that I know there. Have a great time!!! (and a little envious of 3 kids-free days!)

  22. Things could be worse…..hahahahhaa!!!!

    I am off to India later this month for a month, and my hubby is already cribbing about it everyday. Missing me already….mmm, I like that.

    I hope you have a fabulous time Charlie. I envy you. I wish I could meet up with some blogger friends too.

  23. Now that the worst of the trip is behind you, here on in everything will be just fabulous, have a blast, looking forward to reading all about the conference.

  24. Sounds like it will be a great conference – have fun!!

  25. Sometimes, Charlie, the worst flights lead to the best of holidays. I hope that’s the case here. Have a great time getting to know your blogging buddies.

  26. Sugar, Charlie, I thought I had accidentally turned on THAT TV show re a certain budget airline: not at all sure why I am laughing – but how come they have any passengers 😀 ! The on-ground activities should be very enjoyable tho’! Best of British!!!!

  27. How exciting! Have fun!

  28. Eat/Drink Blog Conference??? Oh, Man! Have a good time for me!

  29. Magnolia Verandah says:

    Oh I would have loved to have been on a plane to this conference. Have a great time and keep us all posted!

  30. Well, talk about a slow start to your blogging weekend. It will all be worth it when you get to meet everybody. Have fun! Looking forward to all the news and pics.
    🙂 Mandy

  31. How exciting! I’m looking forward to hearing about the conference (although from the title of your next post I am a little concerned!) and hope you have a lovely break. I have never flown with Jetstar but did have a 30 minute runway queuing experience when coming back from Brisbane to Perth on Virgin the other week. I was unimpressed with it too – especially as I am sure the queue is because they didn’t get us boarded on time and thus missed their allocated take off slot!

  32. Ah i so wished I could join you guys!! (unfair unfair unfair) =P Lucky you! I bet you must be so excited, I d definitely be. I am always over excited meeting up with blogger friends (wait that only happened once).

    I thought Indian airways sucked but sounds like they are not that bad at the end. Except… What were the air hostesses like? The youngest staff in Indian airlines is 45 and they all wear Saris, they look at you as if they dont get paid more then 20 dollars a month. In contrast Kingfisher airlines got those young 16 year old makeup mini skirt would like to be model girls, walking like ballerinas around and talking pitch high.

    ^.^

  33. Sounds like a blast Charlie, I wish I lived near you I would have loved to attend. We flew on two budget airlines while in Europe and both were OK. Fortunately the flights were short. I can hardly wait to see what you get up to at this conference.

  34. What an adventure; I’m just back from the bach and catching up as I can’t read blogs very easily on dialup. I never want to fly Jetstar, ever, no matter how cheap they are, as I keep hearing stories like this and worse.

  35. How ghastly! We had part of our 30-hour flight back from Italy on Austrian Air and it was horrible too. It was one of the old planes with no room at all and for a 12-hour stretch. The food was bad and the hostesses disappeared after they served food never to be seen again. A least your flight was short and your destination well worth it. I bet you have a ball with all those other bloggers. I wish I was with you.

  36. Jet star doesn’t come to Canberra, I’m guessing thats no great loss! I hope at least the conference was wonderful given the crappy flight and accommodation 🙁

  37. Sounds like an adventure. I’ve gotten to dislike flying because of the lines and cramped quarters. Still, beats driving sometimes.

  38. I thought all of that was just normally part of flying! Not necessarily because of a budget airline! I always check in via Internet before I leave home! For the return tip you will have to seek out skinny food bloggers and check in electronically together 🙂

  39. After seeing just how tall you are I don’t know how you squeezed into those tiny seats. I hope the trip home on Qantas was a little more bearable!

  40. I hope you had a great time! Can’t wait to hear about it. 🙂

  41. How fun for you…once you get there!! The travel sounds like most travel these days. I think you really have to be “geared up” to be excited for what’s waiting, because the process of “getting there” is no longer fun at all! You are so good to have made great provisions for your family. I know they miss you when you’re not there to keep things humming. Can’t wait to hear about your conference. I’m so glad you went! 🙂

  42. Hope you have a great conference! Sounds like you have the family all set though I’m sure they will miss you at mealtimes and otherwise 🙂

  43. It looks like you booked a Saturday morning flight with Jetstar? Avoid like the plague! Especially if you’re flying from Sydney airport! :-O!!!

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