It's not me, I swear

I am totally ready and completely organised. Plan - be at the airport earlier than necessary.

Not in the plan - stand for 20 minutes on the footpath watching the little car on my uber app spin wildly in circles going from 5 minutes to 8 minutes to 4 minutes to 8 minutes away. Still, I don't panic because I am sooo organised. I laugh heartily and exchange pleasantries with strollers walking their dogs, because I have all the time in the world.

Harry from Uber calls. Can't get through, roads are blocked for a fun run. I offer a range of alternative routes to try. 10 minutes later I call for an update - no good. Rightio then, down to the basement to collect the car. Leave the bags at the front door for expediency, will pick them up on the way out.

Also not in the plan - my auto gate thingy doesn't connect with the sensor and I've given my swipe to Kim who is house sitting. Of course that happens. I'm stuck in the basement. It's early on a Sunday morning - 😥 the panic starts to creep in. I spend half an hour fiddling with the door thingy, running up and down stairs, ringing neighbours, knocking on doors - to no avail. I call Qantas and tell them I will be running late, which is enormously disappointing because it's not often I am sooo organised to start with.

I call Rosie. Score! She's fabulous, comes down and swipes me out. I'm on my way. I zoom out, take the fastest route to the airport that isn't blocked and I'm going to make it for 90 minutes before my flight! Fist pumping ensues, whoot whoot resounds throughout the car.

15 minutes in it dawns on me - my dive bag and clothes bag are standing on the footpath outside my house. I have forgotten them in the basement fiasco. I call Rosie and she kindly takes my bags inside while I work out options. I hightail it to the Qantas desk and explain my situation. No, you can't board the plane and send for your bags later. Yes, you can get on the plane with no luggage, it won't be viewed as suspicious that you're taking a 3 week overseas holiday without so much as a spare pair of undies 🤔. The flight closes in 25 minutes.

Back to the long suffering Rosie. We agree that she should call a taxi and try for my bags making it in time, although at this stage getting on the plane with just my camera backpack is looking attractive. The taxi arrives with 2 minutes to spare. The fine Qantas staff rush me through and give me express cards for various queues. Phew, made it! 👍 ✈️

I know what this looks like to those of you who have travelled with me literally or virtually in the past. But I maintain that this was totally out of my hands - well, except the bag thing, but you can see how that could happen to anyone...

Cheers to the wonderful Rosie who, apart from just being an all around great neighbour, is a world weary traveller and just the right person to have in your corner for a travel predicament 😘. I'm sorry to get your adrenaline pumping and give you a workout first thing on Sunday morning but I'll bet you were sharp as for Bridge 😉.

I'm off now to enjoy a fantastically strong Bloody Mary and put on my full length, white, hospital grade DVT stockings, because I am nothing if not a style icon 🍹.