Day 1.

I normally leave for an overseas trip in the wee hours of the morning. The Adelaide airport is smaller than the larger hubs and  the A380 plane I travel to the USA in doesn’t regularly make stops there due to the airport size so it’s a 3.00 am start to fly to Melbourne  to catch the plane. But my trip this time is in a different direction, Dubai, Delhi with Emirates and they fly out of my home city Adelaide Dubai direct.

Prior to travel, I had the entire day to do normal things, breakfast with siblings and friends, a little shopping for the troops, last minute packing and  family goodbyes with a big chocolate cake for our resident cake connoisseur 4 year old Ollie.

Amid a flurry of excitement to  attend  the semi final of our state football team game the family bedecked in the colors and garments of their idols left home. They look  out of place in my lounge room in their attire, but they will fit in very well with the 50,000 other attendees.

This lady has 2 hours peace before my driver arrives to takes me to the airport. sigh. !!!

My driver arrived at 7.10 pm and chats for the entire trip to the airport and I learn of his beginnings in life, his childhood and his children’s careers. Captured in comfort as we wind our way down through the hills to the airport I’m a patient participant in his patter.

I love airports and I’m privileged to be able to relax in the airline lounges. I know where to get the best coffee rather than from the automated machine. I could eat a meal, but I chose to catch up on emails and sip coffee with plain cheese and crackers until it’s time to board.

I love watching people, it’s so entertaining. A large crowd gathered at the TV screens watching the football, laughs, cheers and a lot of friendly gesticulation told me that our chosen team was winning. To my surprise many of the people waiting to  board were also wearing their football attire. It nice to see they support their team even if they are leaving the shores, but somehow I don’t think it is understood in the Middle East.

I smiled as I watched a very large proportioned man hold his small energetic daughter. She looked so tiny against his chest, and she was full of life and excitement at the events going on around her, I guess she was maybe 18 months old and the immediate surroundings were a a delight to her. She confidently ran on her tiny legs down the aisle of the gate. Her Mother running behind and Dad sat and took the opportunity to re-dress her small doll. His fingers fumbling with the buttons  on the doll clothes.

As I write this it’s an hour past my normal wake up time, but all around me in the plane are still asleep. Of course it’s still dark and the concave ceiling displays small star like lights in the black giving the impression of a clear starry night some how it’s comforting and it’s another one of those smiling moments as you look up. I took a short walk, chatted to the hostess and blessed my good fortune that I wasn’t in one of those middle seats down the back. People are twisted into un natural shapes as they try to sleep for the 13 hour trip.

Still suffering the after effects of a week of asthma and I have to cough occasionally which if find really annoying and embarrassing. I hate people coughing around me, so I try to stifle the urge and that’s uncomfortable too.

I watched TV for a few hours, a documentary on the Bolshoi Ballet, another on on how to live a vegetarian life… (no not for me) and a documentary on Beatrice  Potter. It was an interesting journey.

But as I write this I’m now in my room and ready for sleep. It’s been a little hard to get inspiration for my art when the body is rebelling against the time change… but tomorrow it will be different.