The homecoming did not go as expected.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Instead of the long queues at the e-passport kiosk, there was no wait. Miraculously, the system worked perfectly.
Passengers waiting for their baggage did not crowd the carousel, instead standing back so everyone could see their suitcases come down the ramp. Perhaps, I thought, this was because our flight was from Japan, where etiquette and a clearly marked line keep passengers back from the carousel, preventing the rugby scrum we're used to.
And there was another surprise. A green Nothing To Declare line, something I see at airports around the world but had never before noticed at Sydney.
Not being herded into a cattle race, not being barked at by Border Force, not cringing as officers upped the volume thinking that would make them more comprehensible for non-English speakers, was an unfamiliar delight at Sydney airport.
There was no long queue, no being shunted by luggage trolleys from behind. And the officer who glanced over the declaration even managed a smile before pointing to the exit. Was I hallucinating after the 10-hour overnighter?
After 10 days of pinch-yourself moments in Japan, I was having another arriving back home. For once, returning to Sydney was not the unfriendly ordeal I'd grown to dread. The moment I felt shame at the way we greeted visitors to our wonderful country.
The seamless re-entry on Saturday was short-lived. On Sunday, a nationwide passport system outage plunged our international airports back into chaos. Arriving and departing passengers endured lengthy delays as officers had to revert to manual processing until the glitch was rectified.
Luck had smiled on me on Saturday but it frowned on Sunday when at Central Station I discovered trackwork would disrupt my train trip back down the coast.
After experiencing a range of fast, efficient and scrupulously clean trains in Japan - from suburban, to bullet, to tiny two-car heritage trains - the crowded and stuffy replacement bus came as a shock. So, too, the misinformation at Dapto station where we were to join the train.
We were directed to the opposite platform only to be told when we got there that we'd have to drag our luggage back. "My mistake. Sorry," said the station worker. And after that short journey to where the electrified line stopped, the the rude shock. The connecting diesel train would not leave for another two hours. Not the homecoming I expected.
I'd not intended to write about returning to Australia and the rude shock of Sydney airport - I'd written about that once before.
But when the experience deserves praise, it should be given. I don't know whether it was just good luck this time or whether, finally, notice had been taken of negative feedback and the airport had lifted its game but I'd seen how the welcome to Australia could - indeed, should - be.
As for the trains, we have a lot of catching up to do.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Have you found returning to Australia via Sydney airport an unpleasant experience? If you've been through recently, have you noticed an improvement? Are you embarrassed by the way non-English speaking visitors are treated? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au

SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- Abusers are increasingly turning to smart cars to perpetrate violence and control over their victims, Australia's online safety boss has warned.
- Immigration is on the tip of conservative politicians' lips as a former Howard government minister cautions the Coalition not to lurch to the right to regain voter support.
- Tens of thousands of poker machines will be switched off at dawn in NSW to allow problem gamblers to revive and survive.
THEY SAID IT: "Politeness and caring for each other cannot be a thing of the past." - Peter Frampton
YOU SAID IT: Jenna shared her rules for Christmas gifts for grandchildren designed to deliver more hits than misses.
"My grandkids always seem to have lots under the tree from us," writes Lee. "We both retire this Christmas, so will be joining you in the four pillars of Christmas giving. Except I am also going to give them something to eat."
Maggie remembers one of the best gifts she's given: "Before my grandson's grandfather died four years ago (other side) they spent a lot of time in the farm workshop together. I found the grandfather's tool belt with the property name on it, damaged and discarded, and got it repaired. Best gift ever."
Liz nominates her winning and losing gifts: "Winner: some 30 years ago my then three-year-old daughter asked for a vase, a roll of sticky tape and a basket. She got all three plus a few other bibs and bobs. Loser: one year my dear husband gave me a wooden peg basket that attached to the clothesline. To add insult to injury, he said he was on the way to the jewellery shop when he saw this marvellous thing. There was complete silence from me and our then teenage children. I put it aside and have never spoken of it to him again. He did better the following year."

