Hello again, beautiful souls,
If you thought the Bali adventure ended when we left the hotel, think again! Because our Bali adventure wouldn't be complete without a dramatic journey home, would it? Buckle up, this one’s a bumpy ride!
Our transfer to the airport was scheduled for 2pm, but when we left the villa at 1pm for checkout, our driver was already there waiting in reception.....seems he was keen. This might sound like great service but, in reality, it just meant we lost an extra hour of sunshine we could have spent lounging by the pool.
Annoying? Yes! And looking back now, definitely a sign of things to come!
The journey to the airport was meant to take an hour and 14 minutes, but Bali had one last surprise for us: traffic. And a lot of it. All the congestion around Sanur meant we didn’t arrive until almost 3pm, (that's 7am UK time)
After checking in and making it through Indonesia’s intense security process, we had a little wander around duty free. We picked up a bottle of Arak, Bali’s traditional rice liquor that can range from 40% to 50% alcohol. It’s not for the faint-hearted! It's used in celebrations and ceremonies and basically Bali’s answer to moonshine. We figured it was worth bringing home, if only for the storytelling potential....but I don't think I'll be having any.
Beyond that, the shops were the usual very overpriced tourist fare. I was briefly drawn to some tiny bottles of Aura, Chakra, and Space Cleansers, until I did the currency conversion and realised they were £15 a bottle. Back on the shelf they went. Spiritual balance is one thing, but financial balance is another.
We grabbed a bite to eat and made our way to the gate around 5:45pm, ready for our 6:55pm flight. And that’s when things started to unravel.
Half an hour after settling in, an announcement came: our flight was delayed until 7:30pm. Ok, not too bad, the pilot could probably make that time up....but then it was pushed to 8:30pm and by this point, we knew there was no chance of making our connecting flight in Doha. Then came 9:30pm. Then 10:45pm. Then 11:30pm.......
Every time the announcement came, we sighed a little deeper, slumped a little lower in our seats, and tried to keep calm in the madness. We were told there was a technical issue with the plane and that engineers were working on it. Food vouchers were handed out, then later staff came round offering bottles of water. Although tired and frustrated, most passengers were understanding.
There were, however, a few exceptions. One young woman with a toddler was not having it. Arms flailing, voice rising, she demanded they “fix it immediately” because apparently, that’s how engineering works. At one point, security was called to have a word with her. Another, an American woman loudly insisted they put us all in a hotel for the night, which, while a nice thought, wasn’t exactly realistic, and she wasn't giving up! She was shouting it at the top of her voice for at least an hour, in her own personal protest that nobody else joined
Personally, I’d rather leave late in a plane that’s thoroughly checked than board one that’s about to fall apart mid-air, so we patiently waited.
Eventually, we finally boarded at 1am. By this time, we’d been awake since 6am....19 hours! and 12 of them in transit already, and we still had two flights to go! But, once settled I found myself reflecting on the travel problems and miscommunication we've encountered throughout this trip and a thought suddenly occurred to me..... I made a mental note to check it out once I had WiFi again (more on this later)
Nine hours later, we landed in Doha at 6am local time, where we were greeted by a group of Qatar Airways staff holding signs for various connecting flights. We quickly found the one for Manchester and were handed new boarding passes. However, instead of letting us check the departure board to confirm flight details, we were ushered straight through to security.....and if airport security in Indonesia is strict, it's nothing compared to Doha.
Despite already passing through security in Bali, any and all liquids had to go. Unlike other airports where they might pull you aside, in Doha, if your bag so much as looks at them funny, it’s getting searched. As I entered the lane, I realised liquids needed to go at an empty liquid drop off station to double check my bag for anything that might cause an issue. I’d been throwing bottles of water in there left, right, and centre when a security officer immediately appeared saying “No stopping! Keep moving!” and ushering me on
There was no one behind me. No queue. Just me. And yet, I was rushed forward like I was holding up a national emergency.
So, naturally, my bag was flagged. And because stress makes me useless, I had no idea what had triggered it. I was searched, Jason’s tray was taken aside, and in the chaos, I left my small crossbody bag, containing my phone, passport, and glasses, on the conveyor belt.
Luckily, another passenger spotted it and handed it to me before I even realised I didn’t have it. Had I lost that bag... well, let’s not even go there. Lesson learned: Doha Airport security is not the place to lose your focus.
Finally through security, barely, we checked our flight time, which was still hours away. We freshened up, wandered around aimlessly in a jet-lagged zombie state, and grabbed a caffeine fix to boost our energy and try to stay functional. Then I remembered I needed to check out my little insight earlier.
I connected to WiFi and did a quick Google search, and my suspicion was confirmed. Mercury has been in retrograde since the start of our trip!
For anyone unfamiliar, Mercury Retrograde is an astrological period notorious for causing travel delays, miscommunication, and general chaos. Considering the delays, shuttle disasters, missed connections, and now this, it all made sense. Thanks, Mercury!
Eventually, it was time to board our newly allocated connecting flight.....seven hours and 45 minutes to Manchester. And just to add a final touch of joy, we weren’t even seated together, despite paying for specific seats. During the flight the turbulence was relentless, and by the time we landed, we were well and truly done.
Thankfully, Jason had booked Fast Track Immigration....only £5 each and worth every penny....so while the rest of the flight stood in a massive queue, we walked straight through. Our bags appeared without any issue and all that was left was to collect the car and drive home, exhausted beyond belief but finally back in the UK.
Stopping off at Tesco on the way for a few essentials, the cold hit me like a freight train. After two weeks of tropical heat, I’d forgotten just how cold home was before we left ......it felt brutal!
Finally putting the key in the door and stepping in, we both just wanted to collapse in a heap and sleep but realised that would probably just add to our problems when our body clocks are still in Bali time, eight hours ahead. The best thing to combat the jet lag and re-adjust is to try and push through to the bedtime of the zone you're currently in, so after a coffee, we unpacked and started the washing process. I finally sat down to write this update around 8pm Sunday, but I was really struggling to keep my eyes open..... If I could just try and get to 9pm before giving in to the tiredness, I might have a chance!
A little postscript. I didn’t make it! I actually fell asleep writing this update. I had managed to get to the end and was at the point of scrolling through checking for typos and adding bits here and there when I kept startling myself, falling forward, head nodding… you know the drill. I admitted defeat, saved my work, and allowed myself to succumb to the tiredness.
Only problem is, I’m now wide awake, and it’s only 3:40am… or a late rise of 10:30am to my Bali body clock!
With love and hugs
Jayne