Brisbane Airport lights up with family reunions

No more Facetime. No more WhatsApp. No more explaining why nana can’t visit. Emotional family reunions were all around this week at Brisbane International. READ THE HEARTWARMING TALES HERE

As the international arrivals doors slide open, Carly and Daniel Oosthuizen spy their grandparents and take off as fast as their little legs can carry them, throwing themselves into open arms.

It’s been a long three years since Henrita Oosthuizen held her UK-based grandchildren and the feeling of giving the six- and three-year-olds a big, squishy cuddle is “exhilarating”.

No more Facetime. No more WhatsApp. No more trying to explain to two little kids that she can’t come to visit them because of a global pandemic.

Their emotional reunion this week at Brisbane’s international airport captured an early glimpse at the thousands of pre-Christmas arrivals expected over the next fortnight in time for the big day.

“Talking to a child on the screen and telling them I can’t come to your house, not tomorrow, not next month, not next year, it’s devastating,” says Henrita.

Henrita (Gradma) gets first ever hugs of Grace (18 months), with Renier Oosthuizen (Grandpa) during their long awaited Airport Reunion at Brisbane International Airport. Photo Steve Pohlner

While her husband, Renier, managed to visit his son and daughter-in-law, Paul-David and Melissa Oosthuizen and the kids in the UK earlier this year, Henrita could not. Daniel was only two-months-old the last time she saw him, back before Covid filtered across the world, back when the plan was to visit them in England at least once a year.

“Oh my goodness,” says Henrita, “a little piece of my heart was missing, walking around somewhere, I was not feeling whole.

“Family is important,” she says, beaming and snuggling into Carly. “What do we take with us? It’s family and relationships. Money can’t buy family. Money can’t buy love.”

But as heartwarming as it is, this is only the beginning of their family reunion. The granddaughter Henrita has never met, seven-month-old Grace, is on another plane with her mum.

Melissa did not get her required Covid vaccination in time to meet visa conditions to enter the US, so while Paul-David, Carly and Daniel flew via Los Angeles, Melissa is still to make her way through customs with Grace after flying via Singapore.

As they wait, and Uncle Renier Jnr mucks about with Daniel, Henrita and Carly are working out what they’ll do when they get home to the Sunshine Coast, where Carly was born.

“What are we going to do? Are we going to colour in, are we going to play with playdough?” Henrita asks. Carly considers this for a moment before deciding on playdough. Then Henrita suggests: “What about a swim, go to the beach?” Carly claps and cheers. That’s the winner.

One of their other plans is putting up the Christmas tree, a joyous job the grandparents have left until Carly, Daniel and Grace arrived. Christmas will be about doing “as less as possible for as long as possible”, says Henrita.

The Oosthuizen family reunion. Photo: Steve Pohlner

“We’ll be in the pool, have a big lunch; so eat, swim and just be merry and go to church.” Paul-David and Melissa plan to have the two younger kids christened while they’re here for a six-week holiday.

Henrita’s not sure what will be on the menu for Christmas because Paul-David, who has been running a tech business in Surrey since 2018, is a good cook and it’s up to him. “I’ll be playing with the grandchildren,” she says, laughing.

“I can’t wait to meet Grace,” she says, peering at the doors to see if there’s any movement. “Tell me about Grace, Carly. Will I love her as much as you?”

Carly nods, assuring her that she will. Then, the doors open and Carly and Daniel catch a glimpse of their Mum and sister and off they run, hurtling up the corridor to greet them.

Henrita and Renier are not far behind. Melissa smiles, exchanges kisses, then unbuckles the baby carrier and hands Grace over to her grandma for the first time.

Henrita holds her for a long, long time, unwilling to let her go, not even to wipe away the tear trickling down her face.

Cousins’ Christmas: Alais Cox (left) from Ferny Grove, meets cousins from France, L to R, Chloe Bird and Jeanne Gadenne. Photo: Steve Pohlner

At the other end of the waiting area, 15-year-old Alais Cox is almost wearing a hole in the tiles as she bounces on the spot and paces, waiting for her cousin, Jeanne Gadenne, 17, and best friend, Chloe Bird, 18, to arrive.

“It’s like I can’t even breathe,” Alais says, still bouncing. “I’m so excited: I just want them to experience Australia. I want to show them every special thing of Australia, everything that makes Australia. It’s just so magical here.”

Alais has only lived in Australia, in the Brisbane suburb of Ferny Hills, for six months, after her Toowoomba-born father, James, and French mother, Caroline, decided to move down under.

“We were supposed to come to spend Christmas in Australia when we lived in France but then Covid happened and we couldn’t come so we decided to come and live here,” Alais says.

Adds Caroline: “My husband spent 19 years in France so I decided it was time to come here.

“Alais was really sad because (the girls) all see each other during French Christmas and it didn’t look like they could come but now they are coming and she’s like, ‘Yaaay,” says Caroline, smiling at her excited daughter. “All the borders are open, and that’s so great. We can plan trips now.”

Alais Cox. Photo Steve Pohlner

Like the Oosthuizens, the Coxes have two planes to wait on. Caroline’s parents, Benoit and Alice Colmet-Daage, are flying in from France just after the teenage girls arrive.

“It’s going to be a great, whole family Christmas reunion,” says Alais. “So exciting.” There’ll be smoked salmon and oysters because “my grandma loves oysters”.

Alais still hasn’t taken her eyes off the arrivals door. She watches, she paces, she bounces. She jokes about scaring her friends with spiders “because they’re everywhere here”.

It’s James who picks the girls out of the crowd first. But it’s Alais who dashes down the corridor, launching herself at Chloe, then Jeanne, before gathering them both up in a long embrace.

As her parents wait for the Colmet-Daages, Alais leads her girlfriends toward the train station, chatting all the way, keen to show them her new “magical” home. And, no doubt, a few scary spiders.