Note
0645 Adelaide --> Perth 0840
1155 Perth -->Singapore 1715
2100 Singapore --> Doha 2345
0135 Doha --> 0710 Copenhagen
Yeah, so that was what was meant to happen. The reality (ongoing) is rather more complicated. This would be the perfect opportunity for me to write a Bruce-style timeline but mine is more of a narrative approach.
Text from Qantas at 5am said the flight was now leaving at 8. No surprises there but we still left home at 0530 'cos we figured check in could be messy and not all the flights would leave simultaneously at 8am. We were a bit worried about making the 1155 conection in Perth with customs and the airport shuttle but were reassured by Qantas staff. However, at about 820 once we had boarded we were informed that because the flight route would take us north of the ash cloud via Ayers Rock, and also take 5 hrs 40, and that because of this some people were leaving the flight so they had to take their bags off, and that this meant there was extra weight available so they were doing extra refueling so we could make it to Perth!
Eventually left at 9am, already aware that we would land after the Singapore flight had left. Getting closer to Perth we were iinformed that the plane had sped up so that we could land before the airport was closed at 1pm. Oh joy!
Of course, Qantas couldn't tell us how long the airport would remain closed, so While Susanne rang Qatar Airways to change our booking Singapore-Doha-Copenhagen to Friday night, I asked Nicole very nicely for a bed and then asked Qantas where my luggage was. Turned out it had made it as far as the international terminal, and was duly retrieved from there. We finally got out of a taxi in Shenton Park about 11 hours after we had left home...and had lunch at 4pm (so I know now what coffee at the Little Pantry is like) and walked around the lake which now actually has water in it.
Presumably we will hear something from Qantas in the morning, and hopefully make it as far as Singapore. So we won't be orienteering in any Danish sand dunes on Friday evening :(
Oh, and we sincerely hope never to have any dealings with Lufthansa again (sure I'll find myself eating my words at some point, but it's the thought that counts)!