The Long Haul

Christchurch, NZ – Sydney, Australia – Abu Dhabi, UAE – Dublin, Ireland  - Prestwick, Scotland

Long haul flights are a killer.  There really isn’t anything nice to say about them.  Cramped seats, packaged food, swollen ankles & insomnia.   At least the three stopovers in Sydney, Abu Dhabi & Dublin provided a little diversion therapy, as did the three Irish women I met on the flight over.  In true Irish friendliness, I parted company with them at Dublin with their names & phone numbers in hand.   

Abu Dhabi Airport

You may be wondering why we were ‘stopping over in Dublin’, when all along I’ve been preparing you all for my trip to Ireland.  That’s because I’m heading to Scotland & England first for a quick catch up with friends before flying back to Ireland to tour there for the month of March.

The 5hr stopover at Dublin Airport was a real test of our endurance levels as by this stage our eyelids were seriously determined to shut & shut permanently.  Even the Airports free WiFi to check mail & catch up on my blog couldn't delay the inevitable slumber.

It was a short Ryanair flight to Prestwick, Scotland where, there to meet us was my distant cousin waving a rugby union scarf with the words "Scotland – New Zealand" blazoned across it.  What a trooper!

After quick introductions [because I’d never met my cousin before now] & a brief catch up back at her house, sleep could no longer be delayed & came easily once my head hit the pillow.  After waking up at 0700 Saturday morning [NZT], it was now Monday lunchtime [NZT].  I was looking forward to at least 8 hours sleep, but by 3.00am, I was wide awake & wanting a cup of tea.

With only one day to recover when I return to work after the same long haul flight home in 6 weeks time, I wonder now if spending every last minute of my available annual leave travelling around Ireland, instead of stopping over somewhere for a night en route home, may be pushing my endurance levels just a little too far.