The last day - October 5th 2013.  The flight was due to leave at 7.45pm and we had booked the cab to pick us up at the apartment so we would get to the airport in plenty of time to check in, drop our bags and get through security.

So, we had about 4 hours to spare after we moved out of the apartment at 11 am.  Here is Dad and me just after we closed the door for the last time.

It was a very hot day - probably about 85 F or more. Mum and Dad were worried about the weight of the suitcases with all the sneakers and clothes we had bought - and the truckload of chocolates!  We decided to walk up the road to the shopping mall to see if we could find a bigger suitcase. And we did, at a shop called.........

...and here is us at the airport sorting out all the stuff in the suitcases.

Before going to the airport we spent an hour or so in the park near our apartment - Pine Lake. It was lovely and cool in the shade of the tall eucalyptus trees.

The flight home was delayed. For a while we were excited before we left. The airline told us that the plane had been over-booked and they wanted volunteers to stay an extra day. The airline would pay for the hotel AND give each person a free flight anywhere in the world (except Australia) at any time in the next 18 months.  We hesitated a second or two and then said....................YES!

We had to go through security and go to the boarding gate and wait.

At last they called out three names ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... not ours! Then they told us they had chosen some others. What a disappointment!! :-(

Anyway, after a long flight home, there was Matthew's uncle waiting for us to take us home again.

By (a very tired) Hester, with a bit of help from Dad!

THE END