Christmas ‘down under’
Happy Christmas to all our readers!
Avoca Beach - New South Wales
It’s Boxing Day 2012. I’m writing this from Avoca Beach, north of Sydney in New South Wales, where we (six adults and six children aged from five months to six years) are staying over Christmas. We’re enjoying the use of a friend’s spacious home, a short drive from the beach.
Today’s weather has been a mix of hot sun, clouds and occasional rain showers. After a scorching hot Christmas Eve, which we spent cooling off at Avoca’s lovely beach, Christmas Day was a complete washout weatherwise, with thunderstorms and heavy persistent rain all day. We couldn’t even walk off our splendid Christmas dinner.
We flew out to Sydney with Singapore Airlines on the A380 – our first time on this amazing plane. We arrived in good time at Heathrow Terminal 3, but then had to queue for over two and half hours before we even reached security. It was an absolute nightmare with no announcements, explanations or apologies for what was happening.
Queuing at T3 Heathrow on 11 Dec
The line snaked down corridors, along and above the arrivals hall – we had to walk half way across the car park bridge to join the end of the queue. It was an absolute nightmare and we were seriously worried about missing our flight. It was particularly awful for families with babies and young children forced to queue down airless low roofed corridors and up and down stairs. When we finally made it airside, our flight was boarding and we had to rush straight to the gate. No time for a browse around the shops for gifts. Considering we pay the highest rate of Airport Passenger Duty in Europe, why are passengers subjected to this? And why has flying from the UK become such an increasingly unpleasant ordeal?
We’re spending a month with family in Oz and found the run up to Christmas more laid back and far less frenetic than at home. We’re staying at Bondi Junction, which has a great assortment of shops including a Westfield mall within walking distance, so buying gifts has been a doddle even if the prices are triple the UK cost.