Tasmania is a long way from Copenhagen.

16,321 km to be precise.

Our departure day started early, just before 5 am as Khaleesi demanded her breakfast. She was on our bed cuddled up and regular as clockwork, she whinges. She got fed.

I pottered around enjoying my cappuccino, doing the wordle, checking the BBC.

Just before sunrise we took Khaleesi for her final walk before the dreaded kennel drop off. The kennels are fine, it’s Khaleesi’s human parents that are the problem.

The tide was rising fast, but there was enough beach for us to get down to the Forth River easily.

With Khaleesi safely secured at the kennels and my emotions back in check, we balanced the bags weights.

We can check in 72 kg. We have additional limits as I have lifetime Qantas Club membership. This was purchased when my four children were young to try and save on airport food costs, and have somewhere to rest with them in transit. You cannot buy them anymore.

We are at 74 kg. So adjustments occur with our carry on bags, hoping they round down instead of up we head off to the airport courtesy of our neighbour Brian, with Maggie coming out to give us a hug.

Luggage checked in without issue. He rounded up!

The leg to Melbourne is short. Just over an hour. Our last view of our homelands, looking out to Mount Roland.

A fuzzy view of our home town Turners Beach. The beach in the middle section is our home beach where we walked Khaleesi hours earlier.

Descending in Melbourne we had a good view of the city and Port Philip Bay.

I lived in Melbourne for nine years but think the traffic would drive me batty now. I’ve had it too good living in quiet Turners Beach

A six hour wait in Melbourne tested us.

I used the opportunity to finalise emails, chatting with my friend Pauline, FaceTime with Hannah and Willow, finally doing my work out of office message for my mobile, eating food I did it need in the Qantas Club…..oh still three more hours to go!

It is a 14 hour flight to Dubai plus the 45 min before as we were amongst the first boarded in our section of aircraft.

Did I sleep? I drowsed. I watched the timely Conclave movie, a documentary about Led Zeppelin, played Who wants to be a millionaire learning that New Zealand has three official languages. Who knew! I said two.

We are now in Dubai arriving at 5.15 am and then had to walk a few km to change to C concourse for our next flight, weaving around the plethora of alcohol, jewellery, perfume shops vying for your $.

We are happily ensconced in a smaller Emirates lounge near our gate. This is not our plane but our direct view. Lots of A380’s here.

This is the departure board near where we are seated. Departures only in the next three hours. We are on the 8.20 am Copenhagen flight.

Food is as always fresh and attractive. Tony came back with a chocolate millionaires tart first round. The picture below is a section of the cold foods.

I said earlier I would not succumb to any of their small Turkish pastries. I failed.

Is 6 am too early for ice cream? Asking for a friend 🙈🤣. We’ve both said we are not but we still have another 45 min here in the lounge.

The lounges are decorated in Arabic themes. They are clean, comfortable and functional. Go to the loo and three women are waiting to clean the cubicles after each and every use.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mum’s out there and soon to be mums including Shani and Erica. Giving both an extra hug. Exciting times ahead. ❣️

Take care and we will touch base from Denmark. 🇩🇰