פֿאַרעפֿנטלעכט: 26.10.2018
23.10.2018
Finally, the time has come! Today we are driving towards Frankfurt around 1:00 p.m. We have plenty of time because we have booked a guesthouse in Sossenheim for tonight. So we are not bothered by the usual traffic jams on the A81. The accommodation is not that special, but it's okay for one night. The food is good.
After breakfast, we only drive 2.5 km to FRA-Eschborn to the parking garage, where we park our car for the next 5 weeks. We take the shuttle to the airport comfortably.
Singapore Airlines takes us comfortably to Singapore with an Airbus A380. We made no mistake with this airline. The service is great and we start the flight with a glass of champagne. After nearly 12 hours we land on time. Now it's time to stretch our legs because we still have a five-hour connecting flight to Perth. It's a 20-minute walk to our departure gate on the huge airport, which is just right for us. Therefore, we do without the Skytrain. Fortunately, we also have nearly 3 hours until our next flight. Luckily, we can stay in the transit area.
25.10.2018
Done! We arrive in Perth around 3:30 p.m. But that's enough now! Now we have to wait in the long queue at the immigration counter and then go through the baggage control again. It is strictly forbidden to bring in any food, plants, etc. Some people have to open their luggage, but ours is only X-rayed.
We have booked a room at the "Country Comfort" hotel near the airport with shuttle service for two nights. We organized an Australian SIM card at home so that we can make calls in the hotel. But unfortunately it doesn't work! What now? Gerhard asks for help at a coffee stand. He borrows a cell phone and can make the call. It doesn't take long for the shuttle to pick us up. Beforehand, we get some cash from the ATM.
The hotel has rooms that are quite comfortably furnished. Just at the entrance there is a small kitchenette with a microwave, kettle and dishes. Especially "important" (not for us) is a large flat screen TV. The bathroom is a bit old-fashioned. There is also a small terrace. The complex has a pool. The staff is very nice.
Not much happened today after the long journey. While rummaging in his backpack, Gerhard finds a small piece of cheese from breakfast in Sossenheim. So he smuggled food after all and no one noticed.
26.10.2018
Today is still meant for relaxation. After a nearly sleepless night, the four of us meet for breakfast. The buffet is quite good and offers a rich selection.
We are still a bit affected by the 6-hour time difference. Gisela and Günther arrived around 1:30 a.m. From now on, we will continue together.
In the morning, we discuss our further activities on our terrace and then the two men set off by taxi to pick up our rental car at Hertz. They come back with a fairly new Toyota Prado, a sturdy 4-wheel drive with a powerful diesel engine. With this car, we should be able to drive safely anywhere. Gerhard and Günther are both beaming with joy.
Briefing
We take the rest of the day relaxed. After drinking coffee on the terrace, we take a first "test drive" into the city. But we are only stuck in traffic and can't find a parking space. So we go back to the hotel. We have dinner in a Chinese restaurant.