tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38849125.post6634360699808188418..comments2023-04-16T05:46:47.885-07:00Comments on Dorien Grey and Me: Arrivaderci, RomaDorien Greyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02368404433503621343noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38849125.post-8784878355052730472011-04-14T17:41:30.147-07:002011-04-14T17:41:30.147-07:00Nicely put, Nigel. No matter how wonderful other p...Nicely put, Nigel. No matter how wonderful other parts of the world may be, as Dorothy says in the Wizard of Oz (The Wizard of Australia?) "There's no place like home."Dorien Greyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02368404433503621343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38849125.post-53455544665540398892011-04-14T17:16:45.634-07:002011-04-14T17:16:45.634-07:00Your feeling of homecoming is exactly what I feel ...Your feeling of homecoming is exactly what I feel as I get closer to Oz.<br /><br />London Heathrow, then the plane flies north over Scandinavia and Russia. Wake up and below is desert, wrinkled mountains, dried-up watercourses. Pakistan? Afghanistan? Then down the Straits of Malacca (such a romantic name!), Thailand and Malaysia on our left, every hour bringing us closer to home.<br /><br />Singapore. So efficient. So dull. New crew, and it's early evening local time but I'm bushed. But home is ... just over the next ridge.<br /><br />Over the Indonesian archipelago, then OZ landfall, somewhere over northern Oz; more desert. But invisible. No lights, it's empty. <br /><br />Early morning. Brekkie! <br /><br />Then below I see a recognisable shape -- the town Of Kyneton which has a crooked high street -- and 20 minutes later the jumbo jet starts its descent into Melbourne.<br /><br />5 am, local time. But the customs and immigration people are the usual friendly Ozzies, and it's lovely to hear the accent again.<br /><br />And my lady is waiting for me outside customs, and at home the little dogs leap and cavort with happiness.<br /><br />Home.Nigelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01359175138808226219noreply@blogger.com