A little while after Paul was born and after much consideration we decided to return to Australia. Everything looked like it would be easy and straight forward until they said: Me, Linda and Laura were free to return but Paul had to emigrate. We were thrown into a panic but it turned out to be just a formality. He could not re-enter because he had never been there in the first place.

It was really hard telling the family but when we did my mum said that she was sure we would be heading back to Australia.

As it turned out 8 years later both my mum and dad and Linda’s mum and stepfather ended up emigrating and joining us in Rockingham.

The trip was almost a rerun of 1978. We visited our friends for a few days in London, then we flew to Hong Kong.

I had two cousin living there. We stayed at the HK WMCA Hotel at the harbour front in Kowloon. We had a few eventful and enjoyable days, but as Linda went to check with the airline that everything was okay they told her that since we had not reconfirmed our flight our seats have been reallocated. They had not told us we had to reconfirm and given our plans from booking had not changed we believed we were already confirmed. They said sorry. When I arrived at the airline they said there was nothing they could do.

After the initial shock I said okay book us on the next flight. They said that’s in a weeks time. I frantically tried to work out our money and knew accommodation would be difficult as everything had been booked up. Then we were told that flight was booked, the next available flight is in two weeks. We were in shock. My cousins place was single accommodation. After much discussion they said you can go to the airport because there may be a cancellation.

Next day at the airport after waiting in the queue for two hours and as the check in gate was closing I was told there was space. I was so relieved. They took our passport details and were entering the information when the power to the computers dropped out. By the time the power came back on people who had missed the check in had arrived and we were again bumped.

I told the airline staff that we have nowhere to stay and we can’t get a flight for two weeks. She went on the computer and then said “are you prepared to be rerouted through Singapore?” I said yes. How much extra will that cost me? Nothing. And you will arrive in Australia only two hours after your original flight arrival time. I was so relieved, but I then wondered why they had not told me the day before and saved me and Linda heart ache. Anyway all’s well that ends well