Wallamble

So the trip home…

After a very smooth fabulous trip – we should have known there would be a hiccup somewhere!

Our flight was delayed two hours in total – but of course they gave us updates in 15 minute increments.

To start with – the airline couldn’t sit us together and told us not to worry, the air crew would help us on board. So we boarded our very late flight and our very grumpy crew did nothing to help. The other passengers refused to move and so whilst Lachie and I were sitting across an aisle from each other, Eli was in another row. Certainly not ideal. We were not off to a good start.

So our super cheap flight had us flying home via Dallas. Yes Dallas, Texas. We were meant to have two and three quarter hours in Dallas. However, as our flight was delayed we ended up having less than an hour to:

• get off the plane – we were towards the back unfortuneately. We had suggested to the air hostess that anyone with a connecting flight should be allowed off first. She agreed but then did nothing about it when it was time to get off.
• get through immigration.
• find our bags
• get through customs
• check our bags back in
• change terminals (yes you read that right – change terminals!)
• get back through security
• find our new gate
• get dinner (thank you Golden Arches for coming through in a time of need yet again – speedy, hot & a crowd pleaser!)
• go back to our gate and board our flight.

Eli & Lachie were little champions.
I gave them the challenge – and they ran and ran and ran and charmed people and ran – and we made it.

Eli & Lachie got home thinking they’d had a last minute adventure.
I got home needing another holiday 🙂

To put the icing on the cake, there just happened to be baby turtles hatching on the beach out in front of our hotel whilst we were there.

The survival rate of a baby turtle running into the ocean in broad daylight is dismal. So, the lifeguards on the beach collect up the turtles that hatch during daylight and release them at dusk.

We were super lucky and got to help them.
Lachie named his Hoggle.
Eli named hers Seaweed.
Bianca named hers Speedy.
Unfortunately we couldn’t use a flash as it puts the baby turtles off and so you can’t see them running into the ocean…but we know they our guys are little fighters and made it all the way!

We even got to help on two occasions whilst we were there!!!

We gave them lots of good advice (like: Run your little heart out and then SWIM SWIM SWIM!!!) and hope to see them when we’re snorkeling one day!!!

It was a simply amazing experience!

Well done Lachie!
He swam all the way across the deep pool (14 feet deep!), went off the 5 meter diving board (with no goggles – oops!) and went down each slide on his own. He made it and is now a qualified Maplewood Deep Water Swimmer! Now everyone in the family is allowed down the slides & off the diving boards 🙂

The celebration ice-cream was the icing on a fabulous afternoon 🙂