Last week we went to Bali. I didn't want to go but our friends were renewing their wedding vows so off we went. FFS.
At first things went pretty well and we were having a good time, then the volcano erupted and it all went south from there. FFS.
We were due to fly out Saturday. Not FFS.
Friday I slipped over and hurt my knee. FFS.
I slipped on some wet tiles and cracked my knee cap right on the corner of a step. FFS.
It really, really hurt. FFS.
Eljay had slipped over first and I was going to get him when I slipped over. FFS.
Tiger was at the pool swimming with Chai, so I had to get myself and Eljay back into the hotel room and then get hold of Tiger. FFS.
Poor Eljay was crying because he'd hurt himself and I could barely walk. FFS.
It took me three phone calls to get hold of Tiger. FFS.
I called reception and they gave me the number for the pool bar. I called that number but it was the beach bar not the pool bar. FFS.
They gave me the number for the pool bar who then couldn't find Tiger. FFS.
I don't know how that's possible, he was the only big bald guy staying at the hotel. FFS.
Eventually they found him and he came back to the room to rescue me. Not FFS.
The next day my knee seemed okay and we were going home anyway, so I didn't bother seeking medical treatment. There's no way I'd let a Bali Dr near me anyhow.
Bali hates my knees. Last time we were in Bali I slipped getting in to the shower and tore my anterior medial ligament. This time I thought I'd go one better. FFS.
Saturday we were due to fly out when we received a text message saying our flight had been cancelled. FFS.
It was rescheduled for Sunday and we were able to keep our hotel room so we weren't too bothered. FFS.
That night Chai woke up crying because he had a sore ear. FFS.
We gave him some panadol and he went back to sleep. The next morning he said his ear was okay. Not FFS.
Earlier in the week Eljay had developed a rash all over his legs, groin and feet. FFS.
Sunday I noticed that it was blistering and was also on his hands, then he started saying his mouth was sore too. FFS.
He had hand, foot and mouth disease. FFS.
We were going home so I made a Dr's appointment for both boys and we packed up and headed to the airport. Not FFS.
We'd checked in our luggage, got our boarding passes, gone through immigration/customs, bought our duty free and were sitting down having lunch when Tiger got a SMS saying our flight was cancelled. FFS.
I checked the flight list and our flight was still showing as departing, so I headed to the boarding gate. There was no-one there. FFS.
I couldn't find anyone from Jetstar. FFS.
We headed back to customs and they told us we had to go back to the check-in counter. FFS.
When we got to the check in counter we found our luggage sitting there unattended and one of the suitcases was open. FFS.
The Jetstar staff couldn't give us any information and when we asked for help with a taxi or hotel they said it was beyond their control and they couldn't help with that either. FFS.
We headed back to our hotel and thankfully they still had a room for us. Not FFS.
That night Chai woke up again with a sore ear. FFS.
He'd also got a cold and his eyes were getting a bit sore and crusty. FFS.
Poor baby.
Eljay's mouth was getting worse. He was waking up every few hours crying cause of the pain. Panadol wasn't helping. FFS.
With no information from Jetstar about when we'd be flying, we didn't know what to do. Trying to phone them was impossible. They either didn't answer the phone or it was engaged. We got through once and the hotel receptionist accidentally cut us off then we couldn't get through again. FFS.
I just wanted to get home. Both my babies were sick, my crohn's was rumbling and I'd run out of my asthma preventer so my asthma was getting worse (not helped at all by the ash cloud making it quite dusty). FFS.
Every time our flight was cancelled it was rescheduled for the next day, but we wouldn't get notification of that until between 10 and 11pm, so Tiger was staying awake and then making the necessary arrangements. FFS.
He eventually managed to get through to Jetstar and explained that we needed to get home because the boys were sick, I'd run out of my asthma medicine and my Crohn's was rumbling, so they put us on the medical priority list. Not FFS.
Our Monday flight was cancelled and we were rebooked for Tuesday. Tuesday we headed to the airport, checked in, got through customs and were sitting down, about to get some lunch when you guessed it, our flight was cancelled. FFS.
They cancelled three flights at once so when we got back to the check in desk it was chaos. FFS.
They wanted to talk to the medical evacuation people one by one, so Tiger lined up whilst I looked for our suitcases. FFS.
We were waiting there for three hours. FFS.
Luggage was being bought out three or four at a time on trolleys so it was an hour and a half before I found our suitcases. FFS.
We finally got out of there. This time we'd been clever enough to reserve our hotel room, so once again we headed back to the hotel. FFS.
My knee was getting worse and worse, not helped by having to lug suitcases and children around. FFS.
Jetstar assured us that we'd be flying out the next day so at 7am we headed to the airport for the third time. FFS.
After the two other airport visits we weren't expecting to fly, but amazingly we did and we finally arrived home Wednesday evening, four days later than planned. FFS.
We were lucky to get home when we did, we have friends who are still stuck and they've received no contact from Jetstar so don't know when they'll be getting home. Other friends were flown to Darwin and are now stranded in Darwin because Jetstar didn't arrange a connecting flight. FFS.
Getting stuck on holidays sounds like fun, but in reality it's not. Aside from work/school commitments, it costs money. We have travel insurance but couldn't claim until we got back to Australia, so all the extra expenses came out of our pocket. We were lucky that we had the funds available, I feel very sorry for those people who don't have the spare cash to cover their expenses until they get home.
Yesterday we finally got to see the Dr. Eljay is on the tail end of hand, foot and mouth so he's fine. Poor Chai has the worst ear infection the Dr has ever seen. FFS.
He showed me and all I could see is red and puss. The poor boy, it must be so painful and he hasn't said a word. FFS.
I've been asking him how his ear is and every time he's said it's fine. Clearly it isn't. FFS.
As for my knee, I'm waiting on x-ray results that I'll get today. The Dr thinks that I fractured my patella (knee cap). FFS.
If I have I'm in a world of trouble. FFS.
I'll have to wear a knee brace for six weeks so won't be able to drive. FFS.
That's just not going to work, the public transport here is crap so I need to drive. FFS.
Fingers crossed I get good news and it isn't fractured.