Day 54 + 55 - Flight back home

Since I had returned the car with a full tank around 10, the long day probably started around 7 in the morning. As described in the blog, I was stuck in traffic for quite a while. However, I took a little detour as I wanted to drive over the Harbour Bridge. It was really beautiful, even though I couldn't stop. But the view from the bridge gives a glimpse of a more beautiful city than the parts of the city I have seen so far.

Since I got the car in Christchurch, there has been one thing that has been bothering me, and it sounds trivial: refueling! There must be a trick, but for me, the nozzle jumps to 'Tank is full' with the slightest pressure. That's why I've been very happy that in New Zealand, it's common for gas station attendants to fill up the tank. And of course, not today. Well, after paying 4 times in between, the tank was finally full! The return was not a problem, and then it was time to wait. Waiting for 21:15, when boarding for the flight to Dubai begins, but it was only 09:45. That was a long day!

I took the opportunity to dry my tent over a railing. After preparing the rest of my supplies in my camp stove on a meadow in front of the main building of the airport, I went to drop off my bags. And once again, I had a bit of luck. The checked baggage weighed 31.6 kilograms. But this time, the Emirates lady didn't really care. If they do this for everyone, they're losing a lot of money, but I'm fine with it. I also went through security checks without any problems. When I checked my bag afterwards and stored my valuables, I found 3 zip ties and a pocket knife that I had used to secure the bike. With a slightly uneasy feeling, I handed it over to a security officer, who was quite surprised. But he took it with good humor and thanked me for it! Great reaction!

The flight to Dubai was much more turbulent and longer (including an extra hour in the airspace above Dubai) than the outbound flight, and even the onward flight to Frankfurt was delayed by almost 2 hours. After almost 40 hours of travel, I was relieved when I landed in Frankfurt. I hope the jet lag is as minimal as it was on the outbound flight, because now the 'normal' life begins again. (See 'Conclusion of the travel blog')