It must have been a good half an hour before we took off and quite a few other passengers boarded after us - what an absolute farce and somehow so typically French! I still can't believe they held the plane but I am so, so grateful as it would have been a very costly lunch in the Qatar Lounge had we missed the flight. We will never, ever, use a lounge before security again.
I have finally calmed down and enjoyed a glass of fizz.
It was an older plane and a bit shabby in places but the seats were large and wonderfully comfortable; the only slight niggle being you couldn't put the foot rest up without the seat reclining. But the flight was great, a good choice of food which was delicious and there were enough films to watch if we wanted to, but both of us managed a decent sleep.
The flight attendants all wore saris, of differing colours depending on their seniority; this beautiful lady is Thanuja who looked after us superbly.
We landed around 0500 and having re-read the Australian guy's blog I knew we had to find the transfer desk which we did with a little bit of help. We were then told to clear immigration (we already had our free transit visas) and then go down the escalator to the hotel transfer desk where we had to hand over the accommodation voucher we'd been emailed. The two young men at the desk looked no older than about 12 but clearly knew what they were doing and told us to take a seat nearby and they'd come and get us when our taxi was ready! Wow, sounds like it's all actually going to work
About 10 mins later he came and got us and we went outside for the taxi. It was a beautiful sultry morning and the smells in the air were fabulous; a heady mix of spices, flowers and traffic fumes. The journey to the hotel was only about 10 mins and we were efficiently checked-in and taken to our room which was absolutely huge with a massive bed. As breakfast (free) was being served until 1000 we decided to have a couple of hours sleep before eating yet again and exploring the hotel and grounds.
We were the only Western looking people at breakfast and the food choices were mostly Sri Lankan but there was more than enough for us to enjoy.
The hotel is lovely and I would imagine caters mostly for business travellers. We were the only people around the enormous pool and couldn't resist several short swims as it was the temperature of a bath.
Before long it was lunchtime and although quite honestly neither of us were hungry we managed a small meal just because it was there!
Sunset was around 1800 but shortly before then it began to rain, as I imagine it does most days around the same time. And boy, did it come down!
There was Happy Hour in the bar but it was a rather soulless place with a TV screen showing cricket - what else - so we asked if we could sit outside. We sat under a canopy roof which was, mostly, watertight and sat watching the rain pour down and the water level on the grass rise alarmingly fast.
We were due to be picked up at 2100 and so we visited the restaurant for yet more food. I was intrigued as to what this chef was cooking.
It's called Pani Puri - deep fried, crispy hollow semolina flour balls filled with mashed potato, chopped onions, coriander and served in a tasty sauce. Absolutely delicious so I had 3 and I amazed myself that I was brave enough to try it.
We duly presented ourselves at reception for 2100 but by 2115 there was still no sign of the taxi. We were assured all was in order and that the arrangements were made by the airline so the hotel couldn't help. Several other people were waiting and eventually a coach turned up which then went to a couple of other hotels to pick up (economy) passengers before depositing us at the airport. Luckily we were at the front of the coach and so quickly off, through immigration and into the Serendib Lounge which actually gets quite good reviews. There was a large offering of food which we declined but the choice of wines was limited.
Our plane was waiting to magic us to Melbourne. I checked our air tags and they were showing the cases were only a little way from us so hopefully they've already been loaded.
The flight was pretty much the same as the previous one, although the crew weren't as friendly nor as attentive, mind you it was the middle of the night. We'd pre-ordered our meals on this leg and again they were delicious; we both had a club sandwich firstly and then stuffed chicken for me and cannelloni for Ian.
For what we paid we couldn't fault Sri Lankan Airlines - no it wasn't quite Qatar standard but we enjoyed an all expenses paid mini holiday in Colombo on the way and two very comfortable flights.
Somewhere over Australia and this looks like a tornado.
We arrived into Melbourne just before 1600 hours and went through the automated immigration machine and on to customs. We'd had the customs form to complete on the plane and it said if you were carrying certain items you had to declare them and so we walked to the appropriate area. The customs officer was very nice and we had a laugh about the lack of TV crew (Border Force Australia films there) but when I showed him my list of what we were carrying he was perfectly happy - as we'd thought because it was all commercially prepared and packaged. As we were leaving the area though I could hear this chap talking to someone saying “I didn't ask you if it was "cooked" chicken, I just asked if it was chicken” so I'm guessing someone is in trouble.
I wanted to send a picture to T&J to say we'd arrived but couldn't get far enough back before people came in it.
We're staying overnight in the Holiday Inn which is on the airport complex but unfortunately due to major construction work it was about a 20 min walk. Having dumped our suitcases we went back to the airport to do a recky for the following morning and to see if we could buy wine cheaper than the £25 bottle in the hotel, unfortunately not. On the way back we visited Enterprise Car Rental to check all was in order for the morning and a lovely guy confirmed a VW Polo was waiting for us and showed us a quick way back to our hotel which turned out to be literally across the road.