4.3 billion.

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization global statistics, more than 5,000 air lines, flew more than 3,700,000 flights, carrying in excess of 4.3 billion passengers in 2018.

We flew Qantas in March 2000 when those numbers would have been lower. Still, with numbers like that, some passengers are bound to be unhappy campers. One of those would be me.

Some stories write themselves, others require many rewrites . The first draft of this story was in excess of 8,000 words. I admit, 20 years later I still have an unabated anger issue with all the airline personnel. The story has been shortened considerably to a Reader's Digest condensed format. So read and enjoy, just remember there is much, much, much, much, much more to the story than is written.

In my early teen years, there were two things I looked forward to reading. The seasonal Sears catalogue, and the monthly National Geographic which took it's readers to different places. From half naked African women one month, then next month could be the other side of the world featuring the strange animals of far away places. I eventually found my own half naked women but the exotic animals of Australia would have to wait for another 40 years.

Forty years I had been waiting for this moment, the first step out of my house, headed for Australia. 5 hours later the plane began to taxi away from the Toronto terminal, stopping after only 200 ft. We would sit there for 6 1/2 hours. Only then would we head down the runway, starting the 16 hour non-stop flight to Hawaii. Arriving there in good time we found our connecting flight had been held for 2 hours so that we could continue on our way without delay. Instead of a 5 hour travel break during which we had planned to explore a bit of the island, we were immediately boarded on the plane to begin the 11 hour flight to Sydney. Arrived in Sydney and were directed across the tarmac to a plane waiting to take us on to Melbourne. After sitting in the plane for an hour, engines idling, the two passengers who had wandered off to have supper, were dragged back and escorted aboard. 1 1/2 hours later we stepped out of the Melbourne terminal to begin our 3 months in Australia.

After a marathon 41 continuous hours sitting in planes, with no breaks, just walking was exhausting. We spent the next day at a Ford dealership and bought a 2 year old station wagon. Taking delivery the next day, our first test in driving on the left side of the road was a true challenge. The dealership entered into a 4 lane roundabout with I think 6 -7 roads entering it, several businesses, as well as two tram tracks going through the centre of it. All going in the wrong direction.

For the next 3 months we traveled many roads between Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Cairns.

Our last three days in Australia found us back in Melbourne. We checked in at a local police station to see if we had any outstanding tickets. We had missed more than one red light looking for street names. In some towns they were on poles 20 feet high, in other towns they might be painted on the curbs, some were where we expected them to be, some weren't there at all. About the last thing we did was to sell the car back to the dealership. On the last day we headed to the airport, my lifetime adventure about to come to an end. Just one boarding away from a trip that exceeded any and all of my expectations. Just board a Qantas plane, make a transfer in LA and we're home.

All the errands done, any loose ends attended to, we walked into the terminal and approached the check-in counter.

Let the Fail begin.

We had the same 4 pieces of checked luggage and the same gym bag as carry-on that we had when we flew down. It was 104 degrees outside so we were carrying our winter coats that we had worn when we boarded in Toronto in -10 degrees- we had intended on leaving them in Toronto but had simply forgot at the crucial moment. Remembering the marathon flight down, we had each brought a thick book to read. The checked luggage was weighed and accepted then she said, the gym bag was a third bag and had to be paid for separate.

'No, it's carry-on. We had it on the flight coming down, should be fine'.

'No, your carry-on is the coat over your arm, the book and camera on your shoulder. Hers is coat, book and purse'.

****Now, with 20 years of hindsight I see the problem . This girl was in training - her trainer was standing behind her. This woman had a choice, step forward and correct the trainee (which she should have done) or wait and see how the trainee handled it, which she chose to do.****

First call for boarding found us talking with their supervisor. Calm and rational - 'We have a problem, how can we fix it'?

Last boarding call found us paying the $200 for the extra bag which made us late and the last people to board. They closed the cabin door behind us and the plane was moving before we were seated.

A quick stop in New Zealand then off to LA where we would change planes. Almost home.

In LA we collected our 4 pieces of checked luggage, then watched as the carousel soon became empty without any sign of the gym bag. As we were discussing what to do, we noticed an employee walking towards us across the big, now empty foyer, pushing a hand cart with my lone bag placed in the middle of it. Many items were missing and EVERYTHING remaining in it was damaged. The gym bag had been damaged, so I was given a small suitcase to put the remaining contents in . We filled out a form and proceeded to check-in to get on the plane to Toronto.

'Four pieces of checked luggage and the extra one needed to be paid for,' she said.

'WHAT ??? I paid for it at Melbourne believing that would get it to Toronto.'

'Nope, different airline, you need to pay or leave it here,' she said, pointing to a garbage can. 'Where is your carry-on' ?

"Don't have any, that used to be it." I can't fit that suitcase under the seat - giving me no choice but to pay again, this time for a 1/2 bag of what I know are all broken items. I'm thinking no, not worth it, dump it and go on.

"You don't have any carry-on she said/asked, then that suitcase can go in place of it- no charge."

That was a long quiet flight to Toronto. A perfect trip of my lifetime, the 40 years of careful planning had paid big dividends. One person, or two, depending how you look at it, and all the liars in the months that followed, left a lasting bad memory I can't forget.

For two years I tried to reason with Qantas and finally had to take them to court. From the moment I first was denied the carry-on bag until I had cheque in hand, I was lied to be each and every person who worked for Qantas. All the way up the ladder, everyone was a liar, No exceptions.

The items in any carry-on bag are always specially selected. Maybe meds, or fragile items or irreplaceable items. After the important items were packed, I had found room to pack in 26 insulators. The 22 that now remained in the bag, all were broken. Still haven't been able to replace a couple.

A Failure I could not foresee and was helpless to prevent in any way. I won the court case, in a way. Two years of my life and $750 in expenses for a $1,000 payout.

Our arrival In Toronto came too close to ending the trip as a total disaster. I had already lost the contents of the carry-on bag, and now I'm about to loose the contents of all the suitcases !

As a farmer I am aware of the restrictions on many items coming into a country. In Mid-December, before we left I had called the Department of Agriculture and talked with the powers to be about what I intended to bring back. There were no problems or issues with any of the items.

Well, there was now. Seems when I talked with the guy before Christmas, he missed/ignored the returning in March part, and neglected to inform me that the regulations were changing the first of the year. Many of the treasures I had, were now forbidden. No, I didn't know who I talked to, No I couldn't recall the exact date. We had checked 'yes' to all the questions on the customs form, probably why we had been met with two Agi Inspectors on our arrival. One of these disappeared for over two hours, came back and essentially ' I could keep everything - but just this one time.'

The only item seized, was a bunya pine cone. Picture a pine cone on steroids - bigger than a football, up to 14 inches in diameter, and up to 40 lbs. I never knew anything like that existed, they are so cool. Maybe more than most travelers, I know you can't bring any seeds into the country. The size of those things is truly stunning and the import restriction that it was a seed, simply just did not register.

We drove thousands of miles . Somewhere along the way I was able to acquire this Kangaroosaurus Rex skeleton, a prehistoric meat eating kangaroo. Part Kangaroo, part Dingo, now extinct. This was the one item that gave me the most trouble at customs, and I am still most grateful that the Agi inspector went the extra mile for me. [id=613459011; next episode]