Our flight was on time and we were quickly seated, jammies handed out and food choices selected. It was an easy flight to Taipei and we both got some sleep. Luckily our layover wasn’t very long and we relaxed in the lounge, no ice cream dramas, before getting our flight to Chiang Mai. We were able to fly TPE-CNX so we didn’t have to deal with another layover in BKK. The plane was smaller and had old style seats but was still comfortable. Another great flying experience with EVA Air in the books.

An easy transfer to the airport and we were on our way BKK-TPE-YVR-YYC… well not really because our flight was delayed. We had lounge access and they had Magnum Ice Cream bars so we were set. When we went to board the plane, Paul’s boarding pass wouldn’t scan and he was taken aside which was concerning. Apparently they saw something in our luggage and wanted it checked so they could sign off.

Our flight to BKK from KL left quite early, so we had to be up at 4 am which is never pleasant. We had checked in online but the KL airport was a bit of a nuthouse. The Air Asia self check-in machines weren’t very user friendly, people weren’t getting their luggage tags and there were larger groups all trying to check-in… staff did their best and in the end we got through. We even had time for coffee! We went and hung out at the gate where the weirdest thing happened.

When making our travel plans in 2023 we had about 6 weeks between dropping off Skippy in Perth and heading back to Canada. We had found the best value for flights was with Air Asia PER-KUL so had booked the flights to depart near the end of March. During our travels in Australia and New Zealand we discussed if we wanted to spend time traveling around Malaysia or would we prefer to settle somewhere for a bit. Not surprisingly, settling somewhere won since we had been on the go for 6 months.

The flight from Christchurch was packed but we arrived as scheduled and moved in the chaos that was Melbourne Airport. The lines to get through customs were really long so it was hard to determine which one to be in. There was a sign saying they were filming an episode of Border Patrol which added to the confusion… for some reason, people were avoiding that line!

Being just after New Year’s it was really, really busy and so we ended up having to book the lunch time ferry. When we got on board we went up top quickly but it was quite windy so we headed down, just as quickly, to find some seats. Smart decision as they closed the top deck due to the wind as soon as we left the port and everyone was scrambling for spots. We managed to get some comfortable seats and even had a bit of a view.

We had an early morning drop off for SPD in Hobart, Sarah was great. Weirdly, we struggled to get an Uber. The first one showed up and drove away because we had “luggage” even though we indicated we had mentioned the luggage when we booked. Apparently a medium sized duffle and two small backpacks is too much for a regular SUV! The next Uber driver was great and we made it with time to head outside for some fresh air and coffee. We met a really nice couple sitting on one of the benches who were returning home to NZ after visiting their son in Tasmania. They gave us lots of suggestions for stops on the North Island. We had also met another couple when returning the van, who happened to be on the same flight, also returning home to New Zealand. The flight wasn’t full, so he came and sat with us for a little, giving us some ideas for stops and their contact info. We had given ourselves almost a month for the North Island portion. Last time was 10 days and we didn’t feel it was enough. The flight was really good and we made it on schedule.

We had a good experience at Melbourne airport, we flew with Virgin Australia who have their own terminal. Check in was easy and we were back by the gate with enough time to grab a coffee. The flight to Hobart was great, short and smooth, grabbed our duffle bag from the luggage carousel and headed off to pick up the van. The dealer for Let’s Go Motorhomes in Hobart is Tassie Motor Shacks who we had dealt with back in 2017. Pick up was great, Sarah was awesome and the van was spotless. Even better, our van was much newer with only 30,000 kms and the cushions were in great shape.

Departure day (September 14) arrived and we were ready… well, we thought we were. Jen drove us to the airport and off we went. The original flight from CNX-SIN was good and we had a surprise when we were given a meal. We had a nice chat with the lady seated in our row; she was on her way to Australia to board a boat and sail along the coast. The landing in Singapore’s Changi Airport was a bit sketchy, it was raining and you could feel the plane when it skidded on touch down. The duffle was checked through, so we were able to head straight to the Aerotel Singapore and check in. Our room was nicer than expected, we had read mixed reviews online, so it was a pleasant surprise and we were glad to escape the bustle of the airport. In the evening, we braved the terminal for a walk to stretch our legs and search out something for dinner.