The adventure has come to an end. I’m up early to prepare for my flight home. It’s been snowing overnight and it’s still snowing now. I’m a little apprehensive. Flights were cancelled on Saturday in similar conditions. At 0600 my taxi arrives to take me to the airport. I’d usually catch the train but I’ve been advised that taxi will probably be the most reliable. It’s dark and snowing and everyone is driving way too fast for my comfort. Best to just not think about it.

We get to the airport in good time. Check-in, border control and security are all smooth. Now it’s just a matter of wait and see. The airline still indicates the flight is on schedule.

We board only a few minutes late, but depart nearly an hour late partly due to the de-icing procedure which takes nearly 20 minutes. There is thick cloud cover and I don’t expect to see anything on this flight. And then, as we’re flying over Turkey, the clouds part and we’re treated to a few hours of dramatic snow dusted mountains and valleys. And in those scenes I see the connection between the snow filled recent past and the blue skies of the near future.

By the way, the windows of the Boeing 777 are the best for taking photos. Flat with little reflection. 

On the flight from Munich I succumb and watch the Mamma Mia sequel. I haven’t yet managed to sit all the way through the original, so I’m not sure how long I will last. But it’s vivaciousness wins me over and delivers a line that I hope will be prophetic: “may the rest of our lives be the best of our lives”. I’m planning for big things to happen this year. Time to get home and get on with it!

And when I land the heat hits me. From 0 to 34 in 24 hours. 

(Title translation: When the clouds separate)

It’s a weird and new experience, being in an airport on Christmas Day. I didn’t know what to expect. It’s quiet. Very quiet. No queues for check-in. No queues for security. I get to the airport around 1840 and before long I’m in the Qantas lounge. Aside from a tree in reception and endless kitsch Christmas music, there’s not really any festive trimmings here. A couple of mince pies are the only gesture in the food area. Not that I’m disappointed, I’m not really hungry right now anyway and I intend to eat on the plane. I was just curious to see what it might be like.

We’re all boarded by 2110 and depart on time at 2150. I have dinner after take off: the delicious butternut almond soup, a festive special of turkey and vegetables, finished with a selection of ice creams. I watch a couple of movies: “Crazy Rich Asians” followed by “Christopher Robin” (a different film to the one I watched on my last trip). I only get through the start of “Christopher Robin” before needing sleep. By this time it’s 0115. I get my usual sleep; 3-4 hours of on-off sleep. It’s the best I’ve come to hope for but welcome all the same. I watch the rest of the film before settling down for a few more hours of on-off sleep. It’s bumpy at times but nothing too disturbing.

By 0800 I’m awake again and spend the next hour quietly lying and thinking. Then breakfast begins at 0930: apple and ginger juice, cereal and an amazing French toast with berries. After freshening up, I spend the last 2 hours of the flight listening to music and watching the flight path. As we approach Doha they open the blinds and I can see the lights of Dubai. Unfortunately, there‘s too much light in the cabin for good photos.

At 0405 (Qatar time) we arrive in Doha on time. There‘s no aero bridge; we board a bus to get to the terminal. I have three hours until my next flight so I sit and relax in the lounge. For the last hour I do some German revision in a book I bought in London. I‘m starting to feel a little tired.

The next flight departs on time at 0755. The plane has Qsuites, so it‘s very comfortable. There don‘t seem to be that many people on the flight. The pilot does his announcement in English and German. I try my best to pick out words. It‘s been hours since my last meal so I enjoy another breakfast: orange juice, Greek yoghurt and scrambled eggs with chicken skewer. I watch a documentary on an English country house (Longleat). Later I watch a German movie, “In the Aisles”, which gives me another opportunity to practise picking out words.

The first flight was nighttime all the way. This flight is daytime. Although my fellow passengers all appear to want to sleep to Munich, I‘m captivated by the views and we have clear sky much of the way. I decide against sleep and don‘t feel too guilty keeping one of my blinds up as the suite doors block much of the light. After a great view of Doha, we pass over oil platforms in the gulf, rugged terrain and snow capped mountains in Iran and Turkey, the Black Sea and cross over into Romania. There are clouds but they clear as we spectacularly fly over part of the Austrian Alps. It‘s an amazing view that then changes to very flat fields on the final approach to Munich.

We land a little early at 1154 (Germany time). The temperature is -1 degree. I make my way to Passport Control. The airport is quite empty but there is already a line up at Passport Control and only a few booths. I make my decision to use my British passport as the EU line seems a bit shorter and seems to be moving marginally faster. But still it is a very slow process. Each person or group takes a couple of minutes to get through. There are questions and some need to provide an electronic finger print. It’s half an hour before I get to the front. I hand over my passport, he checks where I flew in from and I’m through in less than 30 seconds!

From the airport I make my way to the terminal train station and catch the next S8 line to Marienplatz. I get there at about 1345. Google Maps tells me it’s only 350m to the hotel, so I walk. I get a little lost but finally make it there and check in at 1400. I take a nice warm shower to wash all the travel off. It’s still cold outside and I venture out. There are lots of people about but everything is closed due to a public holiday. I forget my beanie and soon feel head freeze. I head back to settle in for the night. I will explore properly tomorrow.

Leaving Doha

Leaving Doha.

Khuzestan, Iran

Khuzestan, Iran

Khuzestan, Iran

Khuzestan, Iran

Kermanshah, Iran

Kurdistan, Iraq

West Azerbaijan

Varna, Romania

Giurgiu, Romania

Olt, Romania

Admont, Austria

Unterach am Attersee, Austria

Bad Ischl, Austria

Salzburg, Austria

Bavaria

Bavaria

Approaching Munich

Munich Airport

0430 (LONDON TIME) It‘s been a slightly disturbed sleep but that‘s usual when I need to head off early. I probably don’t need to be up this early but I like to give myself plenty of contingency when travelling. Also, it‘s part of my Timezone adjustment plan. I figure it should make sleeping on the plane a little easier when it‘s time to do so.

0500 I check the status of the Heathrow Express. Last night there were delays due to a signal fault. But this morning, everything is OK. I was thinking of walking to Waterloo and then catching the Bakerloo line to Paddington. But I have a suspicion that there will be stairs and that will be awkward with all my bags. I decide on a taxi instead.

0555 The taxi arrives. As we make our way to Paddington station we cross over the Waterloo Bridge. It‘s still dark and London is shrouded in mist again.

0610 We arrive at Paddington. The fare is £18.

0618 I’m on the Heathrow Express.

0625 We depart for the airport.

0640 The train arrives at Heathrow Terminal 2.

0648 I catch the shuttle train to Heathrow Terminal 4.

0650 We’re at Heathrow Terminal 4 and I make my way to departures. There’s no-one in the queue, so check-in is quick. My blue suitcase is now 24kg. I check in my other bag too. Not sure how heavy it is.

0715 I go through the fast track security. Curiously, I don’t need to go through UK customs and there’s no need to show my British passport again. That’s not what I was expecting. My flight has my AUS passport as that’s the one they requested when I originally checked-in in Adelaide.

I wander through duty free. The urge to purchase is strong. But I really don’t need anything. I resist.

0730 I get to the lounge. It’s very grey outside. It will be a couple of hours before I eat on the plane so I sit down and order eggs benedict.

0812 We’ve boarded.

0859 We pull away.

0920 Flight QR1, LHR-DOH, A380-800, Seat 14A. The A380 always feels so cumbersome as it starts to taxi. You wonder how it’s ever going to take off. There is thick cloud as we depart.

1030 Breakfast #2. I go for a light option; fresh fruit followed by oats and blueberries and a cardamon chai.

1100 It’s quite clear over Germany at first, then it gets cloudy.

1140 Mountains are poking through the cloud cover as we fly over Austria.

I decide against sleep on this flight. It’s still so light and I’m not tired. I review the text from my blog that I will use in my travel book.

1240 I saw some things in the on board duty free magazine on the way over that I’m interested in. One is a set of noise cancelling ear plugs. The other is a plug adaptor with USB ports all in one that has just the right combination of features. I haven’t seen either quite as good anywhere else. I decide to purchase them but the flight attendant tells me they no longer take MasterCard. What? I’m disappointed and try to think what I may be able to do for the next leg. Later the attendant returns. She has double checked and they DO still take MasterCard afterall. Yay!

1330 I have a light snack of gnocchi in spinach and blue cheese sauce. Delicious!

I don’t feel like any alcohol and that should help my sleep on the next flight.

1350 I connect to the WiFi to check my emails - because I can.

I don’t watch anything on this flight. I just have the flight tracker on. As with my last UK trip, this leg back home seems to go really quickly.

1425 I glance outside and there’s a perfect and bright moon hovering just above the clouds. I try to get a photo but the windows on the A380 are deep and distort the photo.

1823 (DOHA TIME) We land in Doha. I only have just over an hour until my next flight. I head into the lounge and have a piece of cake while charging my new ear plugs. The lounge is very quiet.

2000 We’ve boarded the final flight. I really notice all the Australian accents.

2046 Flight QR914, DOH-ADL, A350-900, Seat 2K.

I have some dinner to start with. Tomato soup, chicken pate quinelle and malai kofta. All very nice.

I watch “Life of the Party”. Nothing too demanding and it’s a bit of a chuckle. Just right for winding down.

2110 It’s a little bumpy as we leave Doha but settles down.

2306 I try to settle down for sleep after donning my flight PJs.

0430 I’ve given sleep a good go. I’ve managed to grab a good 4-5 hours of interrupted sleep. That’s good for me. It’s been a little bumpy at times but mainly OK. The time in Adelaide now is midday so I think I should start rousing. I watch the rear camera feed from the plane. We’re gently floating over a clear Indian Ocean.

0530 Time to freshen up.

There are very few movies available that I want to watch. I settle on “Ocean’s 8”. It’s good.

0620 Breakfast. I have greek yoghurt with fruit compote followed by cheese omelette.

I realise that I’ve been clenching my jaw for most of the flight. It’s sore.

I watch the flight camera as we approach Adelaide.

1638 (ADELAIDE TIME) We land a little early.

I have declared my walking boots as I did lots of walking through fields. They give them a quick clean and return them.

1820 I’m sitting at home with some comfort TV on. Now the transition from traveller Ian back to homebody Ian begins again. Home feels strange and unfamiliar. It feels like a long time since I’ve been here.

As usual, I like to reflect at the end of an adventure. Here’s some of what I think this time (in no particular order):

• I didn’t experience any jet lag at all on the way over. That’s unusual. Maybe it was because I was able to sleep quiet well on the plane?

• I packed a lot, but I used most of it this time.

• I’m feeling a little over carrying all my luggage on trains. I should think twice about doing that so much next time.

• My iPhone is sometimes a better choice for taking photos, depending on the situation. It’s OK to swap between the two.

• It’s generally better to under expose a photo than over expose, particularly for getting rich colours. I found myself being guided less by the light meter and more by judgement.

• Don’t be afraid of using high ISO on the camera. It can be very useful when used sparingly.

• Even just 3 weeks away feels like a decent amount of time.

• At the end of every holiday I resolve to live life more fully when I get home. I think it’s the space that allows me to appreciate the potential of life more fully. Then work tends to consume me and I forget.

• I came up with some really good workflows for managing my photos and updating my blog. I was worried about storage, but all the photos (3,500+) and edits used up just under half of the iPad storage.

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My final photo tally is just over 3,500. Here’s the day by day breakdown. 

0200 (ADELAIDE TIME) Time for bed. The first 3 hours I sleep quite deeply for an hour at a time. After that it gets bumpy and I’m just drifting on the edge of sleep. At times it’s REALLY bumpy; strap in! Generally the cabin temperature is good. Cool. I can crank up my air vent if I want and this is good for sleeping.

0800 For the last hour of rest I listen to my iPod. I bought lots of music before I left and it’s nice to lay quietly and discover. Albums include Singularity (Jon Hopkins), Soyuz (Gazpacho), Colour Bomb (Colour Bomb), In a Desperate Moment (The Kite String Tangle), re:member (Olafur Arnolds), Boy Afraid (Saro).

0900 Time for some breakfast. I would have held off a bit longer but most of the other passengers are starting to eat and the aroma is too tempting. I don’t want too much and settle for apple and ginger juice followed by scrambled eggs and crushed avocado. The food on this flight has been outstanding; the best airline food I’ve had.

I look at the flight tracker and get another little buzz.

The flight has onboard WiFi so I get the complimentary 30 min. The connection is quite good and I get my updates and email. The bank has put a hold on one of my credit cards due to a transaction. Luckily its not one of the cards I’m travelling with and it’s a legitimate transaction. I will sort it out when I get to Doha.

0950 After brushing my teeth and freshening up, I sit back to listen to more of my new music. I feel VERY relaxed.

1114 The lights come on and we commence our descent. The flight attendant who took care of me for most of the flight was so delightful. She was just very friendly without being intrusive.

0420 (DOHA TIME) We land in Doha and it’s still dark. The airport is huge and nicer than I remember. I SO want to take some photos but dare not here. Doesn’t feel right. It’s 24 degrees but it must be humid because I’m sweating already. I wander around the duty free. On the plane I saw an ad for noise cancelling ear plugs. Sounds like a great idea but I don’t find any.

There’s a really mesmerising massive digital artwork on one of the walls. People walking towards and then away from the viewer and disappearing into the desert haze.

0450 I make my way to the business lounge.

0509 I call the bank to sort out my credit card. They don’t have a record of my UK trip either. Might be my mistake but I’m glad I fixed it in case they do the same to any of the cards I DO need.

0550 I’m feeling hungry again. I guess breakfast was a few hours ago. There is a dining area but I don’t want a full blown meal. I wander around and discover there are stations with various treats around the lounge. I find some savoury treats followed by mini pastries and a coffee. That’s enough to fill the gap.

0644 The lounge was almost deserted when I arrived. Now it’s light, there are people everywhere.

0745 Time to go to the departure gate.

0818 Flight QR7, B777-300ER, Seat 1K. I’m on board. This plane is fitted with Q-Suites. Every seat is essentially a mini-suite, with door. Fancy! So much room and storage. Because of the configuration, I‘m sitting backward. It feels a little odd. We‘re delayed on the tarmac due to air traffic.

0910 Departed. The developments we pass over on the way out are spectacular. So much luxury construction.

I‘m feeling a little tired but still quite fresh.

0930 I watch a movie; “The Shape of Water”. The main meal on this flight is breakfast. What the heck; I order carrot juice, Greek yoghurt with granola and scrambled eggs with chicken skewer.

1030 Flying over some very dramatic and barren landscape. We fly over a circular city; I think it is Erbil. It looks unusually shaped in its context.

1130 We‘re crossing over the border into Turkey.

1140 I try to get some more sleep.

1300 I wake up! I managed to get to sleep quite easily and slept very solidly. I could probably sleep longer but feel refreshed enough and want to keep retraining my body clock. I ask for a coffee. It comes with some delicious stem ginger cookies.

1310 We‘re flying over Bucharest. There is quite thick cloud with occasional clear patches.

1330 I take advantage of the quiet in the cabin to go freshen up and change my t-shirt; avoid the landing rush.

1350 All the flight it‘s been really smooth. Now, over Hungary, it suddenly gets really bumpy.

1415 The cloud briefly clears over the Czech Republic.

1437 It’s clearer over Germany. We fly over Coburg.

1510 I get excited as I catch my first glimpse of the English Channel.

1540 We’re tracking the Thames inland. From my calculation, London will be on the left side of the plane but I’m sitting on the right. Then we change direction and before I know it we’re flying slowly right over the centre of the city. The plane banks at just the right time to see everything. It’s a clear day and the view is amazing!

1250 (UK TIME) We’ve landed. I’ve been to London many times and this one of the first it hasn’t been drizzling on arrival.

1315 I make my way to border control. The UK passport queue is empty and I go through the electronic gates just like a local. Cool. Of course, my fellow business class passengers get to luggage at the same time thanks to their fast track passes, but it’s the principle!

1330 I need to catch the train to terminal 2 so I can catch the Heathrow Express. The next one is 18 min away.

1404 I’m on the Heathrow Express. Next stop London.

1416 I arrive at Paddington station and need to catch the tube to get to Euston. First the Bakerloo line (southbound) to Oxford Circus, then the Victoria line (northbound) to Euston. I had been nervous that it might be tricky changing trains with all my luggage but it all goes pretty smoothly with only a couple of stairs.

I instantly recognise all the sights and sounds of the underground and the trains. Aside from the “city” smells, there’s a distinct smell to the trains here.

1440 I get to Euston in plenty of time for my train to Manchester. There’s a lounge where I can get a drink and snack while I wait.

1600 We depart for Manchester. Nearly there now and I can fully relax. You’ve done well Ian.

1815 The train arrives in Manchester. I was starting to vague out by the end of the trip. The hotel is within sight of the train station so I walk. There are lots of people out. It’s dark but still early. Tonight is just a bed to recover before continuing to my final destination tomorrow morning. I think I’ll head to bed super early, after a lovely shower.

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1530 (ADELAIDE TIME) I leave work. It’s been a productive day and went quite quickly. Much quicker than the last few. It has felt like this trip would never get here. It’s been a warm day, and I’m so glad to be heading to cooler weather.

1600 There’s no rush to get to the airport so I relax at home for a little while. I finish packing and tidy up the house, turning off the power etc.

1830 Time to get to the airport. The taxi is here and it’s clean drive there.

1900 Check-in goes quickly and the queue for screening is short. My check-in luggage is only 19 kg. Seems much more. I go to the Qantas lounge to wait for my flight. Time to indulge in a quick snack of spicy pasta and a holiday champagne.

2050 Time to go through customs. It’s very fast too.

2115 Flight QR915, A350-900, Seat 2K. I’ve boarded. I feel very calm and relaxed already. But curiously, I only feel mildly excited. I think it hasn’t sunk in that I’m finally on holidays. Then a glimpse of the flight tracker gives me a quick buzz and I know it’s real.

It will be a 14 hr flight tonight. My plan is to try to get some quality sleep. I decide to avoid alcohol and I’ve brought valerian tablets that should help settle me.

I start by watching a movie. “Goodbye Christopher Robin” looks like a good place to start. The flight is a little bumpy for the first half hour out of Adelaide.

2245 They start preparing for dinner. I choose the creamy pumpkin soup, Arabic chicken kofta, warm orange semolina pudding. As they set my table they place a small electronic tea light; it sounds tacky but was actually lovely. The meal is delicious, especially the soup.

2351 I’m trying to delay sleep to align with my destination, so I watch another movie. This time “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society”. It had been given an R rating but I have no idea why.

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In September 2017, Emily and I travelled to Berlin for 10 days. The main reason was to see Moderat play their "last show in a long time". I had been to Berlin before and knew I would want to return. It was Emily's first time. And it was our first overseas adventure together since our initial father and daughter adventure in 2010.

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Flying out of Doha at night was amazing. I had a fantastic view of Doha in all it's sparkly glittery glory. I tried taking pictures on my phone but they don't do it any justice. Had I realised what to expect I would have left my good camera out of my bag. 

By the time we departed I was really hungry so I had dinner; a lovely beef salad followed by lamb loin. Both were exceptional.

The plan was then to try and get some sleep.  Unfortunately, towards the end of dinner the turbulence started. At times it was pretty bad, though not the worst I've encountered. But it was relentless and we continued to bump along for nearly 5 hours. I managed to doze on and off but it wasn't a refreshing sleep. It should do until tonight though.

After I had given up on getting any more sleep I watched my first and only movie for this trip home - "Hidden Figures"  - a great movie. Then a nice breakfast of bircher muesli followed by scrambled eggs.

Now, I'm writing this entry as we speed across the Great Australian Bight only an hour from home.

I just had to check something on Google maps and I must admit I had a *sigh* moment when it opened on London, where I last used it. No point getting all emotional about it though. Time to get back and live life in my Australian home again for a while.

My flight was at 9:15am. As I don't like risking a missed flight I intended to get there early. I had set my alarm for 5:30am but was already awake at 5:00am. That was actually nice because it gave me a little time to enjoy the London skyline for one last time. It was a beautiful clear morning. 

A little while after taking that shot I noticed a hot air baloon gracefully floating across the city. I also managed to get a better shot to give a sense of just how magnificent the view appears in the context of the room. 

When I spoke to the doorman last night about booking a taxi he gave me a tip that there are treats on the reception level in the morning for people who need to head out before breakfast is served. He was right. I grabbed myself a yummy muesli slice which kept me going until I got to the airport.

I decided to only get a taxi to Paddington Station and then catch the Heathrow Express from there. I figured it would be the quickest route and it was. It nearly took 1/2 hour to get to Paddington but then it was only 15min train journey to the airport. 

After check-in I was able to go through the fast track security before heading to the Qatar lounge. They were serving breakfast.

We boarded only a little late but the plane stayed at the gate for a while due to traffic in the airport. We finished up leaving about 1/2 hour late but made most of that up. 

Since I'd only just had breakfast I decided not to have anything straight away on the plan. Because of their dine any time service I could choose to have something a bit later. 

The sky was clear over England and later of Europe. That's new for me. I think the last trip was cloudy all the way. 

As usual there was a little sadness as we crossed the English Channel but not as much as last year. Maybe I'm just getting used to this relationship I have formed with my homeland. 

I spent quite a bit of time sorting through my photos. Not only did it pass the time very well, but it was a great way to reminisce. 

A couple of hours into the flight I decided to have some lunch. 

I chose the goat's cheese salad followed by the chicken kapsa. Both were delicious and filling.  I decided to leave dessert for later.

After a nice meal like that (and a couple of champagnes after take off) I was sleepy and had a nap for an hour.  Then it was dessert time. I had the cheesecake followed by a nice chai (but forgot to take a photo). 

After some more photo sorting it was time to descend. The flight was 6.5 hours long but it went incredibly quickly. I have a couple of hours before the flight to Adelaide so I'm sitting in the lounge in Doha. The lounge is massive with different areas. I'm in the "blue" area. 

It's funny, but only a couple of weeks into my holiday it had felt like I had been in the UK for ages. The last week in particular seemed like a lifetime away from Adelaide. Then the moment I stepped on the plane and into the familiarity of my seat it seemed like the holiday had all happened in an instant.

But I know differently and will hold onto that feeling of drawn out absence for as long as I possibly can.

This is the story of how I got to England.

I chose to fly with Qatar mainly because they have one of the fastest routes to London. But I'd also read good things about their product. And after last year's splurge in business class, I couldn't talk myself out of doing it again.  

The flight departed Adelaide at 10:30 pm, so already it was a different experience. Working all day knowing you would fly overseas that night was exciting - lucky I had a fairly busy day ahead to distract me. However, when the time came to go home I found myself in a bit of limbo as there was no point getting to the airport too early. 

When I got there and through the automated and much faster customs, the plane was patiently waiting. 

In the prior months I'd flown interstate for work a few times and each time this flight was waiting, teasing me. Now it was my turn to get onboard.

It's an A350 and I'd never flown on one before. They are very slick, inside and out. There are no compartments above the middle seats in business class, giving it an open, airy feeling. I had selected a seat by the window.

The controls allowed me to morph the seat in almost any way imaginable.

Along with a set of un-glamorous but very comfy PJs, I received an amenities pack with face mist, moisturiser, lip balm, eye mask, ear plugs and socks. 

Soon after take off they offered us dinner. Although, with Qatar, they have a dine anytime service which means you can request anything off the menu at any time throughout the flight. It's a great idea, though sometimes it's nice just to be fed. 

I chose the snapper. 

I decided to force myself to stay awake for a few hours. I would be a 13 hour flight and I wanted to start adjusting to London time. I watched a couple of movies: Arrival and La La Land. Enjoyed both, but in very different ways. 

When bed time came I got into my (roomy XL sized) PJs and settled down. With eye mask and ear plugs I managed to get 3-4 hours of interrupted sleep which is a major achievement for me. The seat folded down was really comfortable and the cabin had a good temperature for sleeping. I was happy with that. 

A few hours out from Doha (in Qatar) I opened the blind as the sun started to rise. At first the sky and clouds were all soft pastel blues and white but closer to Doha the bright orange sun cut through the clouds. 

I only had a short stopover in Doha. Just enough time to freshen up in the lounge and take in some more water. While waiting to board my second flight (an A380) I noticed the hazy skyline of Doha in the distance. 

The second flight was shorter, only 6 hours.

It was a breakfast service and by this time I was ravenous.  

I chose the greek yoghurt followed by the scrambled edges. 

Even though it was a daytime flight, most of the cabin seemed to want to sleep. I resisted as part of my body clock reset strategy, though eventually I felt obliged to close my blind. Apart from some snow capped mountains over the middle east, there was thick cloud the rest of the way so I didn't really miss out. 

Both flights landed on time and a fast track pass from Qatar Airways saw me through customs in no time.  From there I took the Piccadilly line into London, then the high speed rail to Ashford.

The moment I got on the first train it almost felt as if I had never left. It was a comforting feeling of familiarity. Both train journeys took about 1.5 hours in total. 

I chose Ashford as my first destination because of its central location in Kent. It would make a good base. I wasn't quite sure how far it would be to the hotel and it was drizzling a little, so I decided on a taxi. The hotel is nice but nothing special.  

I had intended to head down to the restaurant for dinner but as it got closer to 6:00 I felt myself fading. I decided to head straight to bed instead and was out cold the moment my head hit the pillow. 

The flight from Adelaide to Doha was brilliant. Great service, great food and I slept a bit. Just waiting in the lounge before boarding my London flight. I'll write a proper post with all the details when I get to my hotel tonight.  

I'm in Singapore after the longest leg of my journey home. It got off to a smooth start and on time. Heathrow was busy. Check out the line up. 

There was only light cloud so I had a good view as we flew over south east England. 

Before crossing the coast.  

As before, the food was amazing. As if I don't have enough excess weight to lose! 

I watched a couple of movies (The Dressmaker and How to Be Single) before trying to get some sleep. This was the first time I tried out folding the seat down to a flat bed. It was really comfortable and I certainly rested for a few hours but I don't think I got any sleep. Just too much noise or movement. The last few hours of the flight were a little bumpy too which didn't help. 

They woke us a couple of hours before Singapore for breakfast. After more delicious food I was able to get out my proper camera and catch some of the sunrise.

And the lights of Singapore as we approached. 

I had time for one more movie so I watched The Danish Girl. Glad I finally got to see it.  

So I've got about 14 hours to wait around in Singapore before boarding the final flight home. Time to freshen up and maybe read the book I bought at Heathrow.  

Today is the end of my Scandinavian adventure. All of it has been great, but the train trip to Bergen and the fjord cruise are the highlights. My flight to London departed at 7:10am so I had to be up early ... and miss the buffet breakfast which was really good yesterday! Oh well, the perils of travel. 

The flight took 2 hours and I managed to snap a few pictures along the way. These are of the fjords as we left. 

This is a HUGE wind farm off the English coast. I think it was near the Thames estuary. 

And then here are some pictures of the landscape as we approached Gatwick. 

I sat next to a young American couple on the plane. Although we didn't say anything on the flight we had a good chat as we trekked our way to border control. They had an 8 hour stopover in London before heading on to Ireland. They were excited about seeing what they could fit in. 

On the train to Bergen I also chatted with an older Australian couple from Victoria. They are part way through a mammoth European adventure. They got off the train before me at Flam. I wasn't sure of their plans after that. Well today as I approached the queue to border control they were in the line immediately ahead of me! They are a lovely couple and it was nice to see them again. 

I had another restless sleep last night. I can feel my body fighting something. I think the combination of getting frozen on the canal cruise and my difficulty in getting the right temperature at night has done it. But I'm battling on and I won't let that stop me. 

I was up early so I could get myself to the airport with plenty of time. I thought of catching the train back to the airport but decided a taxi was much simpler. At the airport, check in and bag drop were all self-service and efficient. Though I was nervous that I'd scanned my bag correctly until it confirmed my flight number. 

I had a bit of time to wait so I wandered the massive array of shops and bought a nice t-shirt I saw. 

The flight boarded on time and was almost full. I few Norwiegen Airlines and interestingly everything said was in English first and so was their magazine. The flight went smoothly and I managed to get a shot of the islands below Stockholm and some of the terrain on our approach to the airport. 

I took the express train into the city. It was easy to organise and really comfortable. At that time of the day (around midday) it was almost empty. Once in the city I decided to brave the metro to get to the apartment. It took a fair bit of working out to get the right ticket and the right line but I made it without hitch. 

By now I was definitely sensing a different vibe in Stockholm to Copenhagen. I don't know if it's the areas I travelled today or just me having man-flu sensitivity, but the energy wasn't what I was expecting.  I didn't feel as welcome as I had in Copenhagen. We'll see if that is the same in the next few days. Maybe I just need to let go of any preconcieved ideas I have of the place. 

The apartment hotel was easy to find and check-in. It's a bit more basic than the last two places I've stayed though. Perfectly nice, but a bit more budget. 

The weather was good when I got here so I decided to head out straight away. The old town (Gamla Stan) was on my list to see so I thought that would be an easy choice. I could take the metro there directly. 

It's very much an old town with winding streets and picturesque alleys. But it was full of people. I guess it's a key tourist destination. Taking photos was awkward. Either people were headed towards me all the time or the combination of light and shadow made it difficult to get the light balance right. I took many shots but most were duds. Here are the ones I am most happy with.

I was surprised at how rapidly one of the rivers was flowing. 

A couple of signs caught my eye.  

I was feeling a bit rough so I decided to head back to the apartment via the supermarket. The closest one to the apartment is huge and it was bewildering trying to find my way around. But you do some guesswork and figure it out. 

I want to head out early in the morning. My plan is to head back to Gamla Stan and take more shots when there are fewer people and more even lighting conditions. I'm hoping I don't feel any worse tomorrow.

Today I leave London for my little Scandinavian adventure. The sky in London is beautiful and blue this morning. Would have been great for photos. Oh well.  I'll be back. I got myself organised fairly quickly. My plan was to get a taxi to St Pancras station then the train to Luton Airport for my flight.

Once again, the taxi driver was very amiable and talkative. Such a nice experience. My primary reason for catching he train was for the scenery. If I took a taxi all the way I figured I'd probably only see motorway. Once at the station it took a bit of figuring out but I got to the platform and boarded my train. At first the view was just the usual inner city landscape, but then it opened up to wide fields and small towns. 

At Luton Airport Parkway we needed to change to a shuttle bus to get to the airport. Trying to get my back onto the luggage rack in the bus was a challenge but I got there with a little help. At the bag drop counter I discovered my bag was just on 20kg which is my limit for these short flights. The books I've bought already have really added to the weight.  

I was at the airport early so had just about an hour to wait. I'd rather be at the airport early than have to worry about missing a flight. But it did remind me that flying in the middle of the day wastes so much of the day. If I had flown later I would have been able to do something in London in the morning.  While waiting for my flight I reflected on how I was about to immerse myself in non-English speaking lands again. I haven't done that for an extended period since my trip in 2013.

The flight up was a bit bumpy. The plane was an A319 and its noises were unfamiliar to me. I have to confess it was a bit unnerving. But eventually it settled down and I got a good view of some rain in the distance then some English countryside.

Somewhere around the North Sea or Denmark we crossed these islands. 

Before crossing the island where Copenhagen is. 

The airport is huge and I took ages just to walk to the exit and through passport check. As with leaving Australia and entering the UK I seemed to draw some extra attention that warranted a little "interrogation". Just specific questions about what I was planning to do and why I was there. Not everyone appeared to get these questions. I guess a middle aged man travelling all that way on his own on holiday might not be common?

Eventually I was reunited with my bag and any lingering concerns about flying with easyJet were dispelled. Despite some bad ratings I've had a great experience with them both times.

As with London, I decided to catch the train into central Copenhagen and then a taxi to the apartment hotel. Of course this time was trickier due to language but I made it without hitch. The trains seem much roomier than the English trains and very new. It only took about 15 minutes and before long I was in a taxi. I managed to communicate the address to the driver successfully only to discover his English was as good as mine.  Another very amiable and talkative driver too. I had been told that most people here speak English well and that certainly seems to be the case so far.

I'm staying in an apartment hotel which means I've got a bit more space and facilities to make my own breakfast and meals if I want. But there's also a restaurant and bar too. 

The weather in Copenhagen was grey, about 6 degrees and damp. By this time it was around 4:30 so after checking in I rushed to get some warmer clothes on and head out to explore.

Right next to the hotel is Kastallet which appears to have been an old fortification but is now mainly a public space with barracks in the centre. 

As in London, I came across trees in blossom. 

After exploring the grounds I walked towards some docks and came across this incredibly intricate sculpture.  

Nearby I noticed dragons at the top of the light poles. Later, at dinner, I would notice dragons in a different design on other light poles. Must have some significance. I will investigate.

By now it was nearly 6:30pm and I was starting to get hungry. So I headed back. On the way, I came across this family. 

There's a supermarket on the corner of the hotel's block so I popped in for breakfast supplies. With a little guesswork I (hopefully) managed to work out the fat and sugar content labels in order to make some healthy choices (and I successfully resisted the muesli with chocolate pieces)

Dinner in the hotel restaurant was in order before a relatively early night. 

Some things I noticed on my flight: 

• In business class the attendants always address you by your name. 
• There are individual linen towels in the business class bathroom. 
• When I went to the toilet at the front of the plane I discovered it was next to the stairs down to the lower deck. The stairs are quite wide and it reminds you just how massive these planes are. 
• I enjoyed the flight so much that I kept thinking that landing would be the end of the adventure. But then I would remind myself that landing is just the beginning! 

Last night, after some dinner in the lounge, I went to the transit hotel to sleep. You can book rooms for 6 hour slots. When I arrived the receptionist advised that they are doing maintenance work hotel and that the power might go off between 2:00 and 5:00. And that, if it did, the emergency light would come on in my room - but not to panic! He gave me an extra hour for free for the inconvenience.

Well, at 2:00 the power did go off and the emergency light did come on. Not bright enough to keep me awake but bright enough to be annoying. I managed to avoid the light and get back to sleep before the power eventually came back on and the light went off (back to front, I know). The room was fine though, perfect for my needs with a nice bathroom. 

I checked out at 5:00 and made it to the lounge which was quiet but not empty. I got myself some breakfast.  

Hardly a soul around. 

On the way to the buffet I saw the headlines about Prince's untimely death. Couldn't believe it. What's going on this year?

After some downloading my photos it was time to head to the gate to board my chariot. I've been on an A380 a few times already but always economy.

Business class is upstairs. I spent a bit of time getting to know my home for the next 14 hours. So many little compartments. The seats are HUGE - more like a 2 seater.  

By the time we departed it was 9:00, so once we were up in the air it was time for breakfast number 2. 

The French toast was delicious.  

Nicely full, I settled in to some movies. First was Bridge of Spies followed by Star Wars VII - finally got around to seeing it. 

Most of the people in the cabin appeared to want to sleep all the way to London so I felt obliged to keep my shade down for a lot of the trip. But I still managed to get glimpses of the journey from time to time and a long stretch at meals.  The terrain began with islands and meandering rivers.

When I looked down after watching Star Wars in noticed a vast expanse of wilderness. It reminded me very much of the terrain in the movie except someone had changed the colour palette from sandy brown to dusty grey.  

Slowly I noticed the natural curves of erosion make way to the angular lines of civilisation.  Then, when we reached Afghanistan it changed again and I began to see snow capped mountains that got more populous as we reached Georgia. They looked as if they had been dusted with icing sugar.

I gazed for ages as we crossed into the Black Sea and tracked along the northern coast of Turkey. 

Somewhere in that time was lunch. I had the chicken. The dessert was particularly delicious.  

Rum Baba.  

There was thick cloud as we reached Europe, so nothing to see for the last couple of hours. Hoping to see some English countryside I watched eagerly when we crossed the English Channel but it was just thick white cloud until just before the airport.  After being in a holding pattern for a couple of loops we landed only a little after schedule. 

The weather in London was cold, grey and wet. But I didn't mind at all. It was just great to be back here.

It would have been rush hour and my original plan was to catch the tube to the hotel. I was anxious that would be difficult/stressful so I decided to catch the Heathrow Express to Paddington then a taxi to the hotel. A much better option. The taxi driver was SO talkative. 

The hotel room is lovely with a view of Kensington High Street.

In an effort to reset my body clock I resisted the temptation to fall straight into bed. Instead, I was brave (for me) and ventured down to the restaurant alone. The food and service were excellent. I had Asparagus Gnocchi and Seared Tuna followed by a small Lemon Soufflé.  

This will only be a short post. We're currently flying over Afghanistan. The plane has Wi-Fi and I couldn't resist the temptation to post something in flight.  

Midway between Kabul and Kandahar.  

The lounge at Changi airport has 1 piano song. On continuous loop. Over and over again. Time to put my headphones on.  

I'm sitting in the KrisFlyer lounge at Changi airport after the first leg of my flight to London. It's been an ultra smooth journey so far. You see, when I booked the flights there was a sale and I decided to treat myself to business class. And what a difference it makes. But I'm getting ahead of myself. 

I was up early after a restless sleep last night. Em and Ash stayed at my place last night so I had my breakfast on the balcony as the light started to come up so I didn't disturb them too much. The taxi was early but it meant I got to the airport and through customs quickly.

We boarded on time. I'm not sure about the rest of the plane but business class was only about 1/4 full. I had no one else in my row at all. I promised Anna I would provide all the details of the flight, so here goes.

The seat was super comfortable. 

More leg room than you could ever wish for. 

We got a pack with slippers, socks and an eye mask but I didn't bother taking a picture (sorry Anna).  

The chair was electronically controlled - once I worked it out! 

After a glass or two of champagne I started by watching The Lady in the Van. Great movie. Then it was time for lunch. 

The menu. 

Delicious. 

This was SO good! 

The Brie was the best.  

As lovely as the meal and service was, I little part of me almost missed the fun of discovering the usual tray of compartmentalised, and sometimes ambiguous, items. Not complaining though.  

Shortly after lunch we crossed the WA coast and left Australia.  

Shortly after passing over the coast I noticed at least 22 tankers of some type anchored off shore. They looked odd all grouped together but then I noticed many more around Indonesia and Singapore.  

I was feeling tired (from doing nothing) so I reclined and listed to music for most of the rest of the trip. The flying conditions were perfect with a very smooth flight. 

An hour before landing it was time for more food. I didn't need it but how could I refuse. 

Smoked turkey focaccia with sweet potato chips. 

After landing, I spent a little time wandering around the terminal getting my bearings. While I was syncing photos from my phone a couple wandered near. The lady had a selfie stick and was taking photos/video of herself in every imaginable direction and pose, including while sitting on an unattended buggy. It was hilarious to watch.

I'm going to hang around the lounge for a while and grab something to eat. It's 5:30pm now and my next flight isn't until 9:00am tomorrow. I've booked a room in the airport hotel to grab a bit of sleep then I'll come back to the lounge before my flight.

Last night sleeping in a different bed. Last hotel check-out. Last airport check-in. Last flight. Almost, the last blog post.

My flight isn't until 7:15 pm so I'm going to hang around the hotel until the latest possible time. I'll still have a few hours to kill at the airport but that's OK.

It's funny, but after the flights to or from London, Vancouver and New York, an 8 hour flight home doesn't seem that long at all.