gehenna - in an emergency when ATC ask questions they don't expect a reply unless its an executive instruction, we understand the workload in the cockpit is huge and know that no reply means too busy to talk. They offered a change of frequency or stay with me as in some situations crew are too busy to make the change at the time of asking, so its an "I'd like you to go to approach as they're better to handle you right now (ie they have radar) but if you want to stay with me for the time then thats ok."
I think that both crew and ATC worked excellently and that there isn't much to pick out as "learning points", well done to all involved.