Setting in at home.
Case unpacked.
Sadly, most purchases put away.
That is sad.
The trip is really over when all those purchases spread out for all to see, presents given, all fade into little slots in your house.

I have figured out that you get about half a day before the euphoria fades and reality kicks in.
You are home.
The adventure has finished.
Memories remain.
But ...
You had such an amazing, amazing time.
You want to be back there and do it all again.
Now.

We left the Dossi Dossi Hotel and our huge, amazing room in Istanbul at 10am on the shuttle.
With Robyn, Steve and Phyllis.
We said our goodbyes as we offloaded out of the shuttle as we thought we would go our separate ways in the huge airport.
Emily found the gate for our Singapore Airlines flight and had done the Internet Check-In so we were able to join the very short queue.
Robyn, Steve and Phyllis joined the longer queue.
No problem with our luggage.
Mine 29 kg
Emily's 24kg

Bit of chocolate shopping and down to the gate.
Flight was good.
10 hours and even though we both took a Valium, no sleep.
Think because we took off at 1.35pm, middle of the day, not tired yet.
Watched movies.
The ear phones were not good so very hard to hear the movies.

Landed in Singapore and had a laugh that we recognised sights.
We found the lovely bridge over the fish pond and sat there waiting for our flight.
We had a 3 hour wait.
Flight was leaving at 7.45am Singapore time.
That was 3.45am Istanbul time.
We were very tired.

Then onto our gate, sitting, waiting, slightly punch-drunk.
Onto the plane.
7 hour flight to Melbourne.
We both slept about 5 hours.

Landed in a Melbourne 45 minutes early.
Easy walking through customs and passport control.
Rang Daryl.
He was there already.
4.45pm Monday 7th September.
Emily bought Campari for Mim Duty Free.
And then out the gate to see both Mum and Daryl there to meet us!

Drove Emily home to Northcote.
Very, very emotional.
We had just spent the past 3 weeks together on the best holiday ever!
Lots of hugs.
And back into the car to Berwick.
Dropped Mum at Fiddler's Green.
Then back to The Folly.
Thank you, Daryl.
Huge effort from Geelong and back.

Dash barking in the passage.
What a welcome!
Talked and laughed with Eliza, Ash and Kim around the table in the kitchen.
Dash and Bella look wonderful.
( Bella did ignore me for a while but once on my lap on the couch in The Folly, lots of purring.)

Great nights sleep.
I love a bed!