We're off!

At last the trip has started. Michelle drove me to the airport. Checking in was so painless. My bag was checked through to London in under three minutes! We left Wellington in a blustery wind with the customary buffeting of the aeroplane which Wellingtonians would hardly have noticed. For most of the journey the land and sea were obscured by clouds looking like vast expanses of snow cut through in places by channels like those produced by an icebreaker in the Antarctic. A fortuitous gap in the clouds revealed a classic example of diffraction (of ocean waves) (http://www.ngsir.netfirms.com/englishhtm/Diffraction.htm) round a headland near Raglan.
A stocking up of the whiskey supply and a Burger King chicken burger and chips washed down by a Sassy Red helped pass the time before boarding the 'plane to Hong Kong. This leg of the trip, in darkness was uneventful. I had the usual difficulty getting any sleep so was glad to arrive in HK.
We were quickly shuffled up into the waiting area which, at 6 in the morning was shut. Slowly the place opened up at the same time as it got light outside to reveal an airport surrounded by hills wreathed in haze which never lifted while we were there. A quick meal of noodles Japanese style (well I had to spend some of my HK dollars!!) and it was off again. it was at this point that my decision to opt for an aisle seat for the overnight leg backfired. Now we were to fly over China and Russia and I was stuck two seats away from the window. Still the trips down to the back of the 'plane to look through the window gave me some useful exercise. The flight over China revealed a vast area of what looked like desert. We then encountered a very mountainous area which I would think would run to the south west into the Himalaya region. Russia revealed vast plains covered in snow with some evidence of settlements. It brought to mind the Siberian Gulags. What a dreadful place to be sent to. I saw a lovely example of ox-bow lakes adjacent to a meandering river. (http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupDownloadFile.asp?file=21606)
In the meantime I watched the odd movie or TV programme and chatted to the couple from Liverpool in the seats beside me. They had been out to see their son who had arrived in NZ with his family only a few months earlier. I managed to get some sleep on this leg of the trip but was brassed off when I found I had nodded off during the time we flew over Moscow. Even at 11,000 metres I would have liked to have had a look.
Arrival at Heathrow was painless and I was very soon through the formalities to be greeted by Sarah and my friends Norman and June. Sarah stayed on at Heathrow to see Marzena off on her trip back to NZ (Craig will be pleased!!) and I went over to Norman and June's place. Sarah caught up with us and we stayed for dinner. It was good to arrive at Sarah's flat. Anthony soon arrived looking fit and well. I was pleased at this stage not to have fallen asleep and soon went off to bed.