Somewhere over the Middle East

We find ourselves in a very unusual situation on-board this Boeing 777-300 midway through a 12 hour flight from Singapore to Zurich. The first leg of the journey from Melbourne to Singapore had us sitting in Economy, or Cattle Class, and it was a stark reminder of the reason why people from the northern hemisphere hesitate flying to Australia. It is so confined, cramped and horrendously uncomfortable. This second leg, however, sees us luxuriating in Business Class, thanks to a special cheap price offered by Scenic Cruises, the Amsterdam-to-Budapest cruise company. It was probably the sweetener that persuaded us to do take this holiday. The only other time we’ve ever travelled Business Class was coming home from Turkey in 2009 with an injured left foot, which was funded by travel insurance. It was a flight that I remember little of. This flight, however, will remain memorable.

These seats were just so fantastic, and such a contrast to sitting down the back of the plane. The service and choice of food and wine aside, the mere ability to stretch out and lie down to sleep is an absolute extravagance. We will land in Zurich at 6:00am, shower and breakfast in the Swissair Lounge and be fresh to spend the rest of the day exploring Zurich without that awful drowsy feeling that comes with a sleepless and uncomfortable flight. Then again, you must ask yourself whether it’s worth four times the airfare? Right now, we would have to say “yes”, although we did not pay anywhere near that amount. 

I was lucky to have a window seat, and was fascinated to see what’s below me. It may be night but I could see the lights of civilisation, sometimes a big city with lines of bright lights like arteries coming from a beating heart, and then there were small parcels of lights in the darkness. They must’ve been little villages in the countryside, where farmers live with minimal resources to spend on powering lights. The on-board map told us that we were flying over places that I’ve only heard about in the news – Tehran, Bagdad, Tikrit, Mosul, Aleppo – I wonder what life is like down there battling Islamic fanaticism while I’m ten kilometres above in the lap of luxury. I can’t help but question my good fortune.

I sat on the right-hand side of the plane, and the Big Dipper hung low in the northern sky outside my window. This meant that we’d crossed the equator, and this famous constellation seemed to welcome us to the northern hemisphere, as it’s one that we never see in Australia. We are certainly a long way from home.

In the distance on the horizon were storm clouds that gave us a spectacular light show. Periodic lightning within the cloud created an eerie silhouette; the effect would’ve been perfect in a Pink Floyd concert. It was surely Mother Nature at her extraordinary best.

We can now look forward the clash of Classes on the way home - Business Class to Asia and then Cattle Class to Australia. That very last flight will be a tough one.

Launceston - packed and ready to go.

Although we have travelled to the northern hemisphere before, the excitement and anticipation has still been palpable in these few days leading up to our next departure. I guess every trip is different with regards to destination and time frame, but the trip we embark on tomorrow has us feeling somewhat apprehensive. Not because of the occasional havoc that brainless idiots wish to inflict in some European cities lately, nor the lout that is currently President of the United States who seems to be trying his best to make as many enemies as he can. No, while we’re away our thoughts will be with our daughter who is expecting her first child, and our first grandchild.  Her due date is October 9, which was our original return date from this trip until we made a quick adjustment with our Travel Agent to forgo a few days in Budapest and get home on October 6th. Talk about a BIG YEAR.

It was ten years ago when we went to Europe for the first time and celebrated Anne’s 50^th birthday in a little medieval village in the south of France. On that trip we ticked off quite a few places, and also on subsequent trips since, that we’d always wanted to see. This trip will tick off a few more. We’ll celebrate Anne’s 60^th on the Greek Island of Naxos, recommended to us by our friend Stephanie who has stayed there a few times with husband Tim. We didn’t want to stay on the popular trendy Greek islands like Mykonos or Santorini, as beautiful as they no doubt are, because we want to avoid the tourist crowds.

Then there will be an unusual twist for us, something we have never done before – a cruise. Not on the open sea - we will sail our way down several European rivers from Amsterdam to Budapest on board a luxury boat that seems to be a kilometre long, looking at pictures of it. With fifteen days exploring the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Hungary, we can unpack our suitcases while ticking off some more dream destinations.

The warm northern hemisphere will be welcome relief from what’s been a severely cold winter down south of Doununder. Nonetheless our daughter will be constantly in our minds. She’s healthy and happy, so we’re not worried, but the parental urge will have her first and foremost in our thoughts.