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Nov 23
Thu

Turbulent adventure on the flight back – it's getting bumpy.

The vehicle delivery and check at Maui passes quickly and without any problems. Our plane leaves at 6.45 pm. The first stage is about 4 hours to Sydney. After one hour there are air holes. Suddenly, without announcing any turbulences, we're tossed off our seats and the plane goes into free fall more than once. We fear for our lives. Adrenaline. Crying passengers. While the plane falls three times, Ralph and I hold each other, convinced we're going to crash. Then it's quiet again. Andy, the friendly Kiwi next to us, didn't have anybody to hold onto and is very pale now, hoping for a new pilot in Sydney. I have to get a grip on myself before Sydney. I have a feeling of never wanting to go on a plane again and am very conscious of having such a long way ahead of us still.

The following 14.25 hour flight from Sydney to Dubai are straining, it's bumpy the whole way and the experience of falling is still in my mind. My palms get damp every now and then and I can't relax anymore. Fortunately the 6.5 hour flight from Dubai to Dusseldorf is really quiet, almost like hanging out on a sofa. At home our friends give us a call and ask if we'd like to watch a football match on TV with them. Our team are playing. Although we haven't slept for 39 hours, we are still psyched up and accept. We have just arrived, when the jet lag knocks me out. I am covered up and wake up 2 hours later like from a coma, everything is far away. New Zealand is as far away as ever again.

Will I go on a plane again? Of course. To get to New Zealand I'd do just about anything :-)

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