under another sun

Alarms bleeping this morning in our room. Although I'd not slept well and nor had Lorraine. Up and dressed, and carried our cases quietly out of Las Casas de la Juderia, and into the street. Just gone seven in the morning, but Cordoba still sleepy and cool. We walked to the station, through the park and the occasional violet carpet of Jacaranda tree petals.  Our baggage scanned again in the station, and soon we were zooming off to Seville again. The trains leave exactly on time, and arrive exactly on time too. We arrived at the station at 8:40 and our flight was 9:50 so we didn't hang about. We zoomed outside, and fortunately found a taxi driver who agreed to drive us, despite Lorraine greeting him with 'adios!' Into the airport, and I felt very relieved that we were all sorted and through security with time to spare. Lorraine and I bought some Iberian ham and cheese rolls, and then boarded our plane. We were at the back row crammed into the twitching tail, despite th...

Woke up on time, as I had remembered to set my alarm. James, who had morphed into a guardian angel last night, had arranged for everyone to have a wakeup call in the morning too. Up and dressed, and downstairs for a large breakfast. I was personally feeling fairly dreadful, having only had a few hours sleep and way too much to drink. These things are a matter of degrees, however, as some of the team had only been back at the hotel for a couple of hours. James went up to Dan's room and physically dragged him into the shower, to get him up. Cars arranged to take us to the airport. Snow on the ground. I was in the need of a good deal of water. The flight, from my perspective, abominable. Hungover, exhausted, too hot and as a consequence very edgy. Worst moment was going to the toilet, standing there noticing how much weight I had put on in the last few week, and then getting several searing chest pains. I looked into the mirror and thought, this is how it ends. I always knew it woul...

Bucking and plunging Up early in the splendid Ritz Carlton to pack in a frenzy. Outside, the sky blue and the Chicago skyscrapers glittering. Checked out, and met Toby and Romy in the luxurious lobby for a sad goodbye. Then off in a yellow taxi to O'Hare airport. The friendly driver asking us where we were from. When we said England, he repeated the word as if he'd never heard of it. O'Hare not my favourite airport, and the United Airlines check in a shambles, but the flight to Toronto fine, despite rude cabin crew and inter-passenger bickering. Last time I was there on a business trip, I had to argue for 45 minutes before I was let onto the plane, as they had lost my booking. At Toronto a beer and some small grub, before catching the Thomas Cook flight to England. Something rather nice about being called mate by the steward, and the cabin crew almost stereotypically gay, and the Irish head stewardess making the whole plane laugh as she talked to us over the PA. The flight ...

Pea soup and venison stew Fog update - according to the BA website it looks like my flight to Japan will be happening tomorrow. My flight is BA0005. I have reserved my window seat in advance and it has bags of legroom. For it is a fact that if I stare anxiously out of the window, wringing my hands and muttering prayers under my breath, this is the main contributor to the safety of all on board. Not that they thank you for it, especially the ones sitting next to you. I have Lord of the Rings on my iPod and loads of drugs so all should be well. Typically, this is the most protracted amount of fog I have ever experienced. Brings to mind London's old pea soupers in which it was impossible to see a pickpocket held in front of your face. Those were the early industrial days where smoking chimneys turned London's fog into a dense noxious smog. This inspired Monet in his painting of the Houses of Parliament, not to mention Jack the Ripper. Popped up the road to give young Klaudia and ...