The journey home sucked. We had to get a taxi straight from the gig (still damp with sweat) and rush for our aeroplane. That was fine, we are used to travelling after gigs but here's a list of what really made the trip home suck:
1. When we got there we were told we had to pay extra due to restrictions on the number of 'pieces' (luggage) we could take. Now I'm not sure about how this works. If one goes on holiday with 2 suitcases and returns with the same 2 suitcases, why should one have to pay extra to take their own stuff home?
2. We had shrink wrapped (like industrial cling film, I hadn't used it before this tour so getting that vocabulary out the way) our guitars and suitcases together. When we went to over-sized baggage it turned out I had left a lighter in my bass case (sorry guys). We had to unwrap both guitars delicately (we used all the wrap and had to recycle) to take out a lighter THAT DIDN'T EVEN WORK. Following this we went for a celebratory cigar and I nearly burnt my eyebrows off with the lighter I'd taken through hand luggage. Nice logic bro.
3. Security checks took ages. Planes stop boarding 10 minutes before departure. We got there 9 minutes before. Thank fuck they saw us sprinting to the gate or I would probably still be in China right now.
4. On the Air China flight to Vienna Matt (for the first time I think, ever) had some plane food. Don't get the beef on Air China flights. Yourself and a large minority of the plane will be taking turns to throw up in sick bags, as well as admiring the grey plastic walls of the less than glamorous loo.
5. We had a 10 hour transfer in Vienna. We created a game called Handysack, wasted a notebook on making paper aeroplanes and added to our celebrity poo-names list (Kim Kardashibum, George WC Push, Bowl-wreck Obama, Harry Piles of Bum Direction etc). It all sounds like fun and games but I shall re-itterate; 10 hours.
6. When we got back to the UK one of our flight cases had lost a lid in transit. Flight cases are stupid money and what use is a box if you can't close it?
It's great to be home, I love China but have to say it felt so good to see cars drive on the left side, hear English voices and just generally not feel clueless about where I was.
