Travelling with crossed fingers

Sat 20 Feb 2016 - Hobart to Bangkok

Keith and Libby dropped us at the airport and we said our farewells, all promising to keep in touch. The flight from Hobart to Melbourne was uneventful and as we’d been unable to check ourselves all the way through to Bangkok we had to collect our bags at Melbourne, change terminals and find the new check-on desk, which is where things got interesting!

At the checkin the young girl, who was being monitored by a mentor, found a note on her screen asking for our onward travel details. ‘We don’t have any’ we proudly said, explaining our plans to spontaneously cross into Cambodia in a week or two as the fancy takes us. However, it turns out that the Thai immigration service requires all airlines to see an onward travel ticket before allowing passengers to board. Somewhat deflated we sought advice on what to do and were directed to a flight shop in the airport concourse.

Hot footing it to the shop we discussed our options with Alix, the calm and very helpful young lady at the counter. After first exploring flights to Cambodia we had the inspiration of booking a flight to Sri Lanka in a couple of months, which means we’ll have to return to Bangkok but that’s not such a big issue and we got a good deal on the tickets. 

Back at check in we were now issued with our boarding passes and enquired about the in flight meal arrangements. Although Jetstar are an economy airline we were travelling business class so we were expecting food but the check in girl, although unsure, told us otherwise and recommended we ate in the airport. So we duly found a burger place (good healthy Thai food from now on we promise) then went to our departure gate. With a short while before boarding and free internet access we did some research on Cambodian visa requirements and double checked the Thai policy. Horror of horrors the Thai information stated that if you are travel using a 30 day visa waiver, which we were, you need to have proof of onward passage within the 30 days! With boarding commenced we frantically searched for a means of booking a bus ticket and after reading several travel sites found a link to a third party agent. Hastily visiting the site, identifying the appropriate bus route and picking a date in a few days we set about booking but with Yvonne monitoring the rapidly diminishing boarding queue and the site requesting all sorts of personal information over an insecure link Glenn aborted and we boarded to take our chances with the Thai authorities.

Once on the plane we were greeted by the very friendly business class crew, given a boarding drink (Champagne at last!) and passed a menu to select our hot dinner and snack supper from. We looked at each other in disbelief and while Glenn fumed Yvonne calmly explained our situation and asked if we could have our snack now and cooked meal later. The obliging young man checked with his supervisor, confirmed that would be ok and took our order (Glenn - it’s moments like this I know why I married Yvonne).

After a great flight with comfy seats, good films, wonderful crew, tasty food and an endless supply of tea we arrived at Bangkok to take our chances at the immigration desk. We sailed through (although we had our excuses and a number of contingency plans at the ready), Yvonne admitting afterwards she had been sweating profusely. Then it was on to find the station, catch the train, leave by the correct exit, navigate our way through the hot hectic streets to the hotel, shower and crash at what was 2am Aussie time.