The journey from Paraguay to England is a long one. Sometimes it goes smoothly. Sometimes it is a bit of an adventure.

It is now almost exactly one year since I last travelled to England. That last flight was a little complicated.

As always when I fly I travelled into Asuncion the day before my flight. On Monday ready to travel on Tuesday.

This allows for any transport problems that may arise in Paraguay. Additionally the thought of a long flight after three hours on a bus is not a pleasant one. Far better to have a relaxing day and a good nights sleep.

To do this once I arrived in Asuncion I checked into the Hotel Chaco. The hotel I usually use in Asuncion. Centrally located in downtown Asuncion. Moderately priced and very welcoming.

Once settled in I headed out for a relaxing afternoon of sightseeing around central Asuncion and some last minute gift shopping. Then rather than a night on the town a quiet night in my hotel room in front of the television.

Thoroughly recharged I had breakfast in the hotel before checking out. I left my bags there to pick up later and headed once more into the city. After another walk through the sunny streets and a good lunch I headed back to the hotel.

Bags were collected and a taxi organized to take me to the airport. So far things could not have been running smoother.

A short taxi ride and I was at Asuncion Airport . Once I stepped inside the airport terminal it was clear that my good luck had come to an end.

It is normally a very quiet airport with few people around and a couple of hours between flights. What though greeted me was a dense mass of people packed up against the airline check in desk. It was immediately clear there was some sort of problem but now clues as to what that might be.

The queue was going nowhere and eventually word worked its way through the masses that the plane had been cancelled. It appeared that there had been some sort of technical problem with the plane, but nothing more was clear.

The queue was moving at an almost glacial pace as the check in staff were having to check computers and make phone calls to place all the passengers on alternative flights. A process made more complicated by the fact that the majority of the passengers had connecting flights that also needed rebooking.

Eventually I got to the counter. I found myself on the 2AM flight to Sao Paulo. This meant I would miss my connection to London and so was rebooked onto to following days flight. I was though able to check in my bags so would be free of them until I arrived in London.

From the airport everyone was taken back into Asuncion for a few hours in a smart hotel until the various journeys were due to begin once more. The hotel everyone was taken to was the new modern and rather expensive Dazzler Hotel.

Very nice it was, although I would have rather been on a plane. A meal in the restaurant, with a soft drink, was included. That helped pass a little time. The room itself was large and comfortable if a little impersonal as large modern hotels tend to be.

Then at midnight I was back down in reception with all the other hopeful passengers. No airport bus turned up. Some people started to get a little anxious. Then eventually a couple of battered old mini vans pulled up in front of the hotel. Everyone was squeezed inside and back we all went to the airport.

This time there was a plane waiting. Being 2AM there were unsurprisingly not many other passengers. The flight itself was a good one. As flights with Latam always are.

It was still dark when I arrived in Sao Paulo. It was just 4AM so that was to be expected. I strolled through connections and onto the airport terminal that was going to be my home for the day.

The terminal building in Sao Paulo is large and easy to use. Just one big open plan building with seating for the various gates lined out along its sides.

When I got there I had the place almost to myself. No flights were due for hours and few of the shops and restaurants were open.

I knew it was going to be a long day as after arriving at 4AM I was not due to leave until midnight. During the day tried to get a little sleep, but that was not easy. Instead I explored the terminal and soon got to know every last corner.

Two things helped pass the time away. Firstly I fortunately had something to read. Then secondly at the end of the terminal building was a large glass wall. Seated there I looked out onto the runway and could watch planes landing and taking off as everyone else came and went.

During the afternoon the airport slowly got busier as more and more flights took off and landed. Finally my time came and I was able a day late to board my Latam flight from Sao Paulo to London Heathrow.

Another good flight. Well fed and watered and with plenty to choose from in the in flight entertainment system. The only real issue was that I had lost my good seat towards the front of the aircraft and was now stuck right at the back. I was though at least heading unstoppably towards England.

It is a 12 hour flight from Sao Paulo to London so it was early afternoon before I finally landed in an overcast London. From there I thought I was just going to be case I picking up my bags and all would be done. There was though to be one more inconvenience before the journey would finally be over.

As I exited the plane and headed along the corridors towards passport control I found myself to be chosen delayed by customs officials. A single male arriving from Brazil. Hardly the first time I had been stopped. For several minutes they fired daft questions at me before finally letting me carry on on my way.

Through passport control, no problems. Suitcase picked up, no problems.

Then for one last irritation as I passed through customs control one of the officials was there waiting for me. He had decided that I needed some more silly questions. Whilst he did that he took the chance to empty out the suitcase and search through everything.

I had been travelling for several days and knew there was nothing there to find. So I sat myself on his table next to where he was working and left him to it.

Eventually he accepted that he had been wasting everyones time and I was allowed to go. Of course through there was no help with repacking the bags, which I had to do myself.

I stuffed everything back in and headed to the exit before anyone else could think of a reason to delay me.

Finally things again were able to run smoothly. Waiting in Arrivals for me was my friend Neil. Hopefully he had not been stuck there for too long.

Out of the airport building I then headed and into a chilly England. So we were on the road for the very last part of my journey. The drive from London to my parents house in Bedfordsire.

I had left home Monday morning and now Thursday evening I was finally reaching my destination.