the trip home

Well, that would've been a strange note to end on...magic knickers! But the blog isn't ending just yet so everyone can keep up with Jumping Jack Flash and his growth spurts. I just won't be posting as often. Now that we're home there seem to be all sorts of things to occupy me (JACK!!!!) and a certain Christmas fair in Cootamundra in November to prepare for (more about that later).
The trip from Heathrow was the one we'd been dreading as it's a long one especially with Jack but we were flying at night so we thought that might work better (ie Jack would be asleep).
Heathrow was ugly and crowded as always. We had to go through security and had all sorts of fun with liquids (apparently baby food is classified as a liquid and I know the end results can be hazardous). They obviously employ the world's slowest people to supervise this part of the proceedings, hoping that people will get impatient and freak out. "HERE ARE MY EXPLOSIVES JUST HURRY UP!!!"
This guy certainly was s- l- o- w and I don't think he was deriving a lot of satisfaction from his job. So I tasted the foods, but not the bum cream (phew) and we were on our way. Well almost because S had to take off his boots and get them scanned. I think he only had to do this because some English security cougar wanted to see him bend over. Then she said she'd like to smack his bum. Actually she said it a couple of times. I though this was funny but I could tell under all that hair that S was blushing.
We hung out in the airport for awhile (meaning Jack flirted with all females in his immediate vicinity) then we boarded the plane. We were seated next to a lovely couple from Perth with their little boy. They were taking him to India for a head shaving ceremony which is what happens to hindu boys when they turn one. He and Jack shared toys and books for awhile (Jack took a real shine to his mum and went quite off me - harumph!). Jack started getting tired but all the lights were on and that big screen with the map was right above his head and very distracting. Like a baby discotheque. He was getting tetchy (so were we) but then when they finally switched off the screen at ten pm he fell asleep as if by magic.
I watched some movies as I found it hard to sleep. I was amazed at the people around us who just ate and ate continuously for most of the flight. It was like being at the movies in Wagga.
We arrived at Singapore feeling tired and frazzled but okay. As we were waiting for the stroller to reappear I saw a woman yelling at her son, "Stop hitting your brother on the head...I don't know where you learnt to do that!" as she smacked him on the head.
We headed to customs where it seemed to take forever to get anywhere in the queues. Possibly it wasn't actually too long but they were doing rehearsals for a big ceremony the next day to open terminal 3 and so we got to hear speeches and special presentations over and over with all of us jetlagged tourists clapping in a lacklustre fashion. It was quite bizarre.