Chinese revellers

Once more back in Bangkok, it was now Sunday evening, and the flight to Hong Kong was delayed with engineers working on the aircraft outside the terminal windows. We were informed that we would be off very soon, but it was several hours before we were finally seated and ready for takeoff.

A large number of the passengers were Chinese men returning from a package pleasure tour, many of them were already merry after the prolonged stay in the precincts of the open terminal bar. We had only taxied to the end of the runway, when it was announced that we would return to the terminal to correct a further malfunction, but we were advised that we would not be disembarking, and so we sat with the onboard air conditioning barely coping for a further hour or so. Eventually we were airborne, the captain with infinite wisdom announced that as we had suffered considerable inconvenience, the drink trolleys would dispense free drinks on the hop back to Hong Kong.

By the time we landed same five hours late it was after midnight and the tired airport staff were faced with processing a large number of well inebriated Chinese, some of whom were being carried by their friends. Consequently we were just waved through customs which suited me fine, as I had a collection of orchid plants which, in the normal way of things, would have been quarantined. However, my passport was stamped and I was waved through without fuss.