We left Brisbane and had a good, if not long flight. Got off at Heathrow and started making our way to immigration and baggage. On a long escalator I fell backwards, knocking my wife over backwards as well. Two lucky things were that 1: we were only a few steps up and 2: someone had the prescence of mind to press the stop button. I ended up with escalator shaped cuts on my head and back and my wife had a cut elbow and bruises. We were taken in seperate ambulances to Hillingdon, where we discharged ourselves after several hours of waiting around. We got a taxi to Hertz at Heathrow where we got some funny looks as I was covered in blood.

The people at Heathrow were really good. After the paramedic turned up on a push bike :-) and we were taken to hospital, we were told not to worry about our cases as they would send them on. So we didn't need to go through imigration and pick up our bags. They were delivered to our friends place in Crawley the next day.

We had an uneventful few days until my wife decided to throw herself down a flight of stairs at our friends house. She now looks and feels like she's done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson. She's improving, but has to attend Redhill hospital on the 19th of June for a check up.

We had four days on a narrow boat with another couple… what a disaster. It was a 48 footer four berth. Ok for four midgets, but not for adults. The weather was horrible and we took the boat back a day early. This was good because the hire car wouldn't start when we went to go home!!!

We now have another two weeks or so to try and keep out of trouble.

We'll be glad to get home.

Here endeth the saga.

Welcome to the UK Peter.

At least we aren't blessed with Taipans and Banana-picking backpackers!

Would it be tempting fate to stay "Stay safe"?

Hi Peter,

I wish you and your wife a safe return to taipans and backpackers in sunny Queensland!

Gwiwer said

Welcome to the UK Peter.

At least we aren't blessed with Taipans and Banana-picking backpackers!

Would it be tempting fate to stay "Stay safe"?

From “Post #290,287”, 9th June 2024, 7:15 am

Ha ha. I'm tempted to stay indoors until we go home. :-)

Claus Ellef said

Hi Peter,

I wish you and your wife a safe return to taipans and backpackers in sunny Queensland!

From “Post #290,288”, 9th June 2024, 12:08 pm

Trust me when I say that I'm looking forward to it.

Talk about unlucky Pete  

Just hope things get better.




Ed

Thanks Ed.

Don't buy a lottery ticket then Peter, you may win !!  

Yes. I'll have to use my head. :-)

Safe trip home Pete, much nicer here in sunny, but bloody cold at the moment, Queensland.

Thanks John. Looking forward to getting back to Bribie Island.

We're back!  Hired a narrow boat, rained nearly the whole time. Found that everywhere we went was crowded, heavy traffic, standard of driving was down the tube. Sun came out for the last two days. In all honesty we're really glad to be back.

Sounds like things didn't get any better Pete

It's a shame, but it makes going home feel better.


Ed

Yep. I've never wanted to get home like I did this time. Home sweet home was never more true.

Welcome back to the lucky country Pete.
I reckon we should send every kid overseas for a year to 2 or 3 different countries as soon as they finish high school so they can gain an appreciation of how lucky we are and what we need to protect.
And I don,t mind the government paying for it.

Thanks John. It was one of those things where everything that could go wrong, did. Still glad to be back. I think, that trips back to the old dart are off the agenda for the forseeable.

I'm just doing some catching up Pete - so sorry to hear of all your troubles in UK.  Hopefully, you'll be able to put it all behind you now you're home and won't miss the old country at all …………..

You mentioned the weather - I think (everyone going to UK mentions the weather - it's obligatory) !  Believe it or not, I think UK has had a better summer so far than we have here in south west France.  It's by far the worst summer I've experienced this century and, talking to my kids in UK, it seems either they're used to rubbish weather or it is indeed better over there.

Sorry also to hear about the narrow boat disaster.  The canals are not the best place to spend a wet holiday unless you're around 18 - 20 and just cruising from pub to pub but 4 adults in a 48 footer - wow, cozy or what !!

You'll be glad to be home and your days will be lengthening now - just like our nights are !!!!

 

Thanks, Peter. Good to hear from you. Cosy is one way of describing a 48 footer. I have a few more ways. :-) I like winter here in Qld. It's usually dry with clear skies and not too cold. As for missing the old country, we've been here for almost 50 years now and I think that at long last I've got it out of my system… we'll see.