Monday 4th March 2019 - Port Douglas to Melbourne, just!

We were sorry in some ways to be leaving Port Douglas. The hotel had been really comfortable and the staff friendly and helpful, and it was genuinely a relaxed and easy place to stay. However we were also looking forward to the next stage of our trip and meeting up with Viv in Melbourne. An Aussie friend of over 40 years, back in the day when we all 3 of us, plus others that we are still in touch with, worked together at Essex Social Services in Loughton! Viv also played the organ at our wedding so it was very fitting to meet up with her this year.

Our car was due at 10 to collect us, and with an hours drive to Cairns, and final check in at 11.30 we thought the timing was tight. However the driver on the way up had reassured us that it was fine and they normally arrived early anyway. By 10.05 we were a bit nervous and the hotel manager who we were chatting to at the time, offered to phone the company. We were glad he did. They had the date of 04/04/2019, one month later! The hotel immediately called another company who said they could be with us in 5 - 10 minutes. Yes please!! It was nearly 10.30 by the time we were on the move but our driver assured us that as long as there was nothing unforeseen the journey could be done in 50 minutes, but if we thought he was going too fast we were to tell him! We remembered the twisting coastal road from the way up, but still told him we had no real choice but to trust him, and he could trust us to say if he was terrifying the life out of us!

Poor chap. He had only just got home from another run and had no time for anything to eat or drink before he answered our emergency call! He used to be a long distance lorry driver and owns a 1500cc Kawasaki motorbike as well as being a taxi driver now, so is well used to roads! He talked all the way to Cairns, whether this was what he normally does, or whether he was just keeping our minds off whether or not we would make the flight we will never know, but it did the trick! We found out a lot about him which we will keep to ourselves! He was a decent bloke though!

At 11.21 we pulled up outside the arrivals hall, and once we had got our luggage out of the vehicle, said a hasty, but very grateful goodbye, we raced for the check in desk and made it in time! Geoff’s Garmin told him his heart rate was up a bit!! No time for a coffee, just straight to the gate, but we were glad to get on the plane!!

The flight took just 3 hours 30, and we sat next to a lady who was returning to Christchurch. Having been there so recently it was interesting to hear about the earthquakes and the following years from her perspective. No building can now be more than 4 floors high and the building regulations have been strengthened. We didn’t realise that there were going to be legal proceedings taken against some who were involved with the building of the TV centre that collapsed, killing a lot of people.

We arrived in Melbourne on time and were met by Viv, who then drove us to her home on the other side of the city. Our luggage took ages to come off the flight so it was rush hour as we drove and traffic was heavy at times. Once there we met Luther, the dacshund and also Viv‘s lodger who had kindly cooked dinner. It was good to have a home cooked meal!

Melbourne city skyline taken from the car window!