Stage 2

 I’ve never travelled this way before but believe you me it is worth every penny!  Quiet, peaceful and extremely comfortable. This is why I have worked forever  even, if only once,  I can travel this way!   Not first class but so much more wonderful than usual in economy. Sheer unadulterated bliss and so much more to  me than any spa  could ever do!  The sheer joy of being able to extend my legs, plonk away on my beloved mac and listen  to Sheherazade on iPod. What more could a body want?………..obviously an age thing!!!

I looked out of the window at 2.52pm UK  time  and the sun was brilliant  but, within just 5  mins it had become so  dark  and I mean pitch black as if someone had turned off the light!....a very dark, frosty, moonless night in the Crook with  no Grangemouth flame reflecting in  the night sky.

Where was I at this particular moment in time with still 7h 21 mins to go to Hong Kong?  Isn’t technology wonderful? A quick zap on the zapper and here I am 33,000 feet in the air, outside temp -76F,   south and east of Moscow and north of Kharkov flying towards Nizhniy Novgorod   and  Yekaterinburg  - is this the same  wonderful, frozen, place that Omar Sharif went to in Doctor Zhivago with Tonya first and then Lara? -  then turning southwards  to Bukhara. What fascinating, imaginative  sounding places! I wonder what lives people are experiencing below me?

By 3.15pm our time  the whole cabin was pitch black and I was the only one plonking away on my laptop! There were only 3 screens that I could see live with folks watching whatever and everyone else bedded down……for the night???  I know you need to try to adapt your body clock but within 20 mins…….?  I was amazed at the conformity of man! There was only one other woman within sight and she, like me,  was plonking away on her machine. Are we women so different to men?    Maybe that’s a stupid question to which, of course, we all have an answer!

Have watched 2 films "Morning Glory"  with the still very gorgeous Harrison Ford who plays an extremely grumpy older man………..You need to see this character Jim…… you and he would enjoy a one-upmanship conversation!  Pell Jones will understand what I mean! Started to watch The Social Network, the Facebook story but funnily enough it’s not capturing my attention, hence some blog notes although can’t get on-line live.  Am really enjoying this part of my adventure.

Maybe will bed down now at 3.55pm UK time….we’ll see?

Will post  whenever a live connection. Closing north east  of Astrachan!  Mmmmmm but not zzzzzzz! 


Posting this in Hong Kong airport as I await next flight...another 10 hours!

A New Adventure - Where to Now?

Planning a trip is nearly as much fun as doing it! The excitement is in the anticipation of new places, meeting new people and new experiences. Crossing to the other side of the world from Edinburgh, via London and Hong Kong to Sydney for the first time, especially to meet up with Blair, is such a great thought. Interesting to think of how I use to plan trips 40+ years ago, even 10 years ago was somewhat different to now. I must  quickly add that I won't be staying in any tents as we used to  40+ years ago! Being able to see where you are going on the web in no way detracts from that wonderful feeling of exhilaration, the excitement of being in a new place for the first time.