I'm Home

Home in Australia at last!

We flew out of Yangon at 12.45 pm on Wednesday. Sarah, our travel agent in Brisbane, had rescheduled us as far as Singapore, but from there we had to go onto waiting lists. By the time we got to the airport at Yangon, they had confirmed Michael on the midnight flight to Brisbane, but I was still waiting on three flights- two to Sydney and one to Brisbane.

It felt wonderful to be in Singapore. There was a feeling of freedom there that you just don't get in Myanmar. I found a phone which allowed overseas calls, paid by a swipe of the credit card, and I called Margaret. From $5 a minute in Yangon, the call from Singapore cost just 20 cents a minute. We had tea at McDonalds- it seemed strange to have a whole meal without rice. At one stage an Indian couple walked past speaking their native tongue. I found myself thinking "It's nice to hear familiar words and voices again", even though I couldn't understand a word they were saying!

At 10 minutes before the close of boarding on the Sydney flight we returned to the counter to be told there was no luck with that flight. However, there was a confirmed vacancy on the next flight to Brisbane if I wanted it. "Yes please!" I felt like kissing the lady- but I thought that might be indiscreet! She worked her magic on the computer and printed me a boarding pass. She apologised that she could not get me an aisle or window seat. I told her I'd sit on the toilet all the way to Australia if I had to!

I rang Margaret to tell her the good news. I wasn't sure how I would get home from Brisbane, but Margaret said she would drive to Newcastle and we could meet there. That sounded like a plan, and I could leave the details until I got to Brisbane. I was just happy to know that God had sorted out a flight a day earlier than we had scheduled.

When I went to the gate to board, they were reallocating seats to everyone. I think it may have been because there were a large number of families on the flight and they were trying to keep them together. Anyway, I ended up 15 rows forward from my original place, and with an aisle seat. Not only that, but as I looked up and down the rows, it seemed mine was the only row with a spare seat- so I was able to spread out a little. I felt very favoured!

I had wanted to get some sleep on the plane to Brisbane. I had had interrupted sleep the last two nights and I didn't want to arrive in Australia feeling like something the cat dragged in.
Sadly, it wasn't to be. I tried reading, watching the on-board TV shows (5 episodes of "The Simpsons" and one each of "One Foot in the Grave" and "The Family Guy" would surely send me off). I tried listening to "Enya" (surely the most sleep inducing singer in the world!) and watching the flight statistics (I found myself willing the plane to go to ever higher speed records- I think we managed 1070 km/hr), but the excitement of going home was too much!

We arrived in Brisbane at 6 am and I really did feel and look like a crumpled mess. I was in a city I didn't know and all alone, trying to figure out how to get to Newcastle. I did find a Qantas desk and board indicating a 9 am flight to Newcastle. I decided to grab that. I bought a ticket, checked my bag in, then caught a train to the Domestic Terminal. By 11 am I was at Newcastle Airport, being greeted by Margaret's mother. She took me home where I was able to shower and sleep before the entourage arrived- Margaret, Joshua, Grant and Alex. I was so glad to see them!

My great travel adventure had come to its end. It was a great trip in which we experienced much blessing from the Lord. I'm looking forward to processing all the experiences and find out just how much God has changed my understanding.