Heading home

After the dream lounge it was a relief to find I didn't have to retrace my journey through endless terminals/trains as my gate was in the same one as the lounge - a fair walk but... Overnight to Sydney. My upgrade request didn't eventuate but I did get an empty seat next to me - I'll take this!! In answer to Theo's question re what is HK like since the clamp down - I picked up no tension or extra security. It was very much Hong Kong but with significantly less bright young things in suits (the throngs of expats) and tourists who weren't from China. Admittedly I wasn't on the Levels on Friday night (I am too old and it was too cold) but I was out late Friday arvo in Central and I would have expected more expats. No obvious nationalist signage or flags etc but the China Daily had Xi on the front page every day even though he had nothing to say! The place was heaving though so the economy looks ok. As all overnight flights seem to be an exercise on seeing how cold they can get the temperature - I was pleased to have my new puffer jacket close to hand - winner! The plane was quite early into SYD but we had to do some circle work due to congestion. That congestion carried over into the terminal. There are now literally hundreds of e kiosks - and they were needed. The nothing to declare exit had a queue that snaked back and forth around the carousels - the 6 declare exits had about 3 people going through? After about an hour boarded the direct flight to CNS - luckily flying over the unfortunate disaster that was Alfred. Won the seat lottery again - they were making much of it being a completely full flight and it was - except for the middle seat next to me. Bliss!Read more