22.05.07 - Man Overboard!

Dear friends and family, there is something that I need to share with you. I am in Cape Town. I understand that this may bring a guffaw from your mouth, but it is the truth. If you do not believe me I shall put you in touch with my good father FunGuy who drove me to Heathrow at 6am on Tuesday 22nd May with the sole intention of ensuring that I finally walked out of sight into the departures lounge. I am certain that I heard a loud sigh of relief coming from his direction, no doubt as he realised that he now had a spare room, a Mini with a fat exhaust and that running out of milk and bread is a thing of the past!

Fluttering SHAKES confusion THRILL excitement.... this may sound like the effect of the first tequila of the night, but actually these were a few of the feelings that were running through me as I wandered aimlessly around Heathrow. I was shaking like a leaf (nothing to do with the lack of sleep for 24 hours or the vast vat of coffee my father bought for me)... so I felt that a BLOODY MARY at the seafood bar was needed. I was right.

But the shakes did not go as I sat at Gate 29. So I felt it brewing... the ipod came out... and I had an Oscar Peterson Moment. As 'the jazz' pumped through my ears I chuckled at the irony of the situation I was in. It is like being in a no mans land. And then I realised how miserable everyone looked as they waited to board the plane. Well... if only Oscar could brighten their souls as was mine.

Sorry dad... you were wrong about there being a goat sitting next to me on my 10.50 Qatar flight. Graham is a retired bricky from Wiltshire with large ears and a belly to match who liked to talk sporadically about random points of interest that popped into his head. I cannot confirm that they were interesting because I could not understand a word he was saying, but of course being a polite young chap I attempted to look as though I was hanging on his every word.

At this point I need to thank dear Lucy Reber. Having followed her recommendation I found myself with a copy of the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, and in the hope that Graham may be content to sit quietly with a can of Heineken I started to turn the pages.... and read them. If you have ever read this book you will realize how poignant it seemed... it set butterflies loose in my stomach and a brought a tear to my eye. Lets just say that I have overcome the four obstacles that Mr Coelho lists. Thank you so much Lucy!

So after a change in Doha I found myself next to a new traveling companion called Pat. Pat has lived in Cape Town for 27 years, but there is no doubt that she has Manchester running through her veins. It is the night now, so we get to work on the g&t and red wine while everyone else falls to sleep. Can I just say that Qatar Airways is fantastic.... so friendly, they keep on serving meals to remind us what time of day it is and the booze is free.

At the end of the day I am up in the clouds far away.... I am sure that most of you will see this as being quite normal for me. However I assure you that this is the first time that I have been strapped in between two wings somewhere over Africa with a Pat on one side of me, a gin and tonic in front of me and Peggy Lee stretching her vocal chords in my ears.......