(and our luggage is, too!)

It’s not that we were surprised to find our luggage arrived in Macau at the same time as we did, more that we’d not have been surprised if it hadn’t…if you get my drift.  Because, checking in at Heathrow this morning and taking the advice offered by the Macau Ferry company to check bags right through, we encountered a little local difficulty.  Seems that the check in clerk had never done this before, wasn’t sure if it was possible and then, having ascertained that it was, was unsure about how to do it.  At one point her check in desk was littered with bag tags, some printed in error, some printed wrongly and some were wasted because the printer decided to fool around.  All credit to her, however, for conducting the whole process with good humour and a great deal of patience.

Imagine our surprise, a twelve hour flight later, to find a young man waiting at the door of the aircraft to take us to the ferry check in.  What service!  We handed over our four baggage receipts and they confirmed receipt of the luggage and exchanged them for four of their own.  We spent a peaceful hour waiting for our ferry to be called making great use of the free wifi!

This is such a busy operation.  not only is there a regular hydrofoil service to Macau, there are other operations to mainland China, to several destinations in Hong Kong and this is a well used corner of the airport.

All is clearly signed, though, and we had no problem knowing exactly what to do – just like catching an onward flight, really.

The pier was accessed by means of a shuttle train, again, clearly signed and very user friendly.

However, by the time we reached the gate where our hydrofoil waited, it was clear that it wasn’t going to make the 5pm departure time.  Indeed, it was almost half past before we were on our way.

Of course, our stomachs had no idea of what meal was coming next – we’d eaten dinner on the plane last night and breakfast just before we arrived at 3pm HK time.  As a result, the rather strange tray of bland food handed to us on the ferry pretty much hit to spot! (with the possible exception of the rather watery sweet bean curd which both of us tried and gave up on after a couple of spoonfuls!)

We arrived in Macau around 6.15pm, as the sun was setting.  A charming young man from our hotel was there to meet us and most importantly, so was our luggage!

It was a bit of a bunfight to collect it, but the fact that it was there at all was wonderful!  Bravo British Airways check in staff!

So here we are in our beautiful Macau hotel.  We’ve enjoyed a lively and very sociable dinner with our friends Jane and Allan, who arrived a couple of hours before us.  Though we are all tired, we’re not sleepy and I just had to take a photograph of the beautiful “dress” which stands by the lifts in the foyer.  Made of china from two different dynastic eras (sorry, I was told but have forgotten!) it’s worthy of some close-ups and more details, which I promise will follow.

For now, though, enough to say “we’re here” and “let the fun begin”!