Yep the DipidyDoo gang is (almost) back together, though not quite overseas, but for the first time in 2 years and 6 months, we’ve jumped on a plane and flown somewhere to go orienteering (it’s been a year since the last major carnival in Australia, but we drove to that one).  This time we’re in southern Queensland, too many driving days from home.  Ian is minding the fort.

The whole of Australia apparently collectively decided that Easter was the time to finally fly again, and like a gigantic and over-excited swarm of bees, the entire population has mobbed the airports. All week we’d been hearing media reports of chaos – tales of 2 hour queues, no staff, lost baggage and cancelled flights.  Had we made the right decision?  There was only one way to find out.

Heeding all the advice, we planned to arrive 2 hours before departure, and we girded ourselves for interminable waits to check in and clear security. On the long hike from T1 to T4 (Jetstar has moved), we passed a TV news reporter and cameraman, no doubt looking to drag out the horror stories for another day.  But the weren’t going to get much mileage this morning – we walked straight up to a baggage kiosk, printed our tags, and weighed and dropped off the bags. No queue at all. Bemused by our speed, we headed for security. “This’ll be the bottleneck” we thought.  As we approached, a staff member waved us straight through to the near-empty tray dispenser.  “Don’t bother taking out your laptops” they told us. There was a small delay while they faffed around with the body scanners, but we were through in almost no time.  Fifteen minutes after arriving, we were sitting at a table airside, twiddling our thumbs and wondering what to do for the next 105 minutes (which turned out to be even longer after the late arrival and delayed departure of our plane).

Finally after a short walk across the tarmac, with the heady smell of jet fuel in our nostrils, we were on board.  Ah, it all came flooding back – the thrill of elbowing out someone else from your overhead locker, squeezing into a space made for a species half the size of humans, and reciting the safety briefing word for word (although now they also remind you to wear your mask -helpfully advising you to remove it if you need to use the oxygen mask).  “Cabin crew arm doors and cross check”.  The gentle shake as you push back.  The roll out to the runway.  The feeling of the engines straining hard against the brakes as they build up power.  Then the release, and the genuine excitement of accelerating down the runway, and finally – lift off!

Then you realise that your seat is the most uncomfortable thing you’ve ever sat in, the kid behind is screaming, and you are a prisoner in a narrow tube of metal, hurtling through the sky.  Ah, flying – how much have I missed you?  Turns out, not much.

After landing, we quickly picked up luggage and our rental car.  Stops for shopping and lunch in inner Brisbane. A slow drive through the ‘burbs, the freeway traffic being much the same as what you’d get on any Melbourne freeway on a weekday afternoon.  Finally we left the city behind, and headed towards Esk.  We turned north towards Somerset Dam, in fast fading light.  The sunset was spectacular over the water, a promise of good weather to come – a relief after all the flooding that Queensland has endured.

It was dark by the time we reached the tiny village of Somerset Dam, and finding our house was a bit challenging.  Eventually we figured it out, and are now comfortably settled after a VERY long day.

The orienteering starts tomorrow.