We arrived in Singapore just after midnight, and I took the train to change terminals, and the travelator to get along the corridors, and as I arrived at the departure gate, they were announciung the boarding of the plane to Melborune - a very tight turnaround. I just hoped my baggage and Alphorn would make the transfer from one plane to another. If the flight to Melbourne runs to schedule, it will be my quickest ever trip from Paris to Melbourne at just 21 hours.

Well, the flight ran a bit ahead of schedule and so we were departing the plane in Melbourne just before 6pm. The automated passport check got us through Customs very quickly, so all we had to do now was wait for the baggage, and hope that it made the second leg of the flight. After a short, but nervous, wait at the baggage carousel, my backpack arrived. So it was now off to the oversized baggage collection point, where several other people were also waiting. And we waited, and waited, and then some items appeared through a hole in the wall, and we waited some more for ours. I started to wonder whether my backpack had made it, but not the Alphorn. So I went to check with Baggage Control, for myself and the others still waiting, and was told that the oversized baggage sometimes comes in fits and starts. So I went back and waited some more. And about 30 minutes after collecting my backpack, the last of the oversized baggage arrived, including the Alphorn. Phew!

Now I had to go through baggage customs control. Since the Alphorn is made of wood, I had declared it on my customs form, and had to go through the slower customs gate. But after I got there and explained what I was carrying, the officer just asked if I was carrying any foodstuffs, and when I said no she directed me immediately to the final exit doors. And now I had arrived in Melbourne!!

I was being collected by Vicki from the band, but when I got to the arrivals waiting area, I couldn't see her. I thought that maybe she had been delayed by traffic, so I just waited. But after about 20 minutes I was starting to worry a bit. So I gave her a call on my mobile, and was surprised when she answered immediately (so she wasn't still driving). I asked her where she was, and she said "in the Arrivals Hall". After several back and forth questions and answers, I realised that she was standing about 5 metres from me, facing the other direction. So I kept talking, and walked up and tapped her on the shoulder. Her reaction was great!

After a two hour drive, during which we talked continuously, catching up on stories from both sides of the globe, we arrived at her house in Taggerty and I said goodbye to her and took over driving for the last part of my trip home (all of about 2 kms). I was not surprised by the number and size of the potholes in our entrance road, given the wet winter that we had been hearing about in Victoria. But I was relieved to get inside, turn the electric blanket on, and enjoy some horizontal sleep.

Next morning, I knew I was home when I went out the back door and was welcomed by our two black alpacas, Magnet and Ravioli. Having not been shorn for two years they were looking a bit fluffy and a bit inquisitive about who this stranger was. But when I heard the magpies singing their morning song, I knew I was back home.

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