Is it better to travel hopefully than to arrive?

Christchurch Airport 22 July 2010 10am

I slept right through the night last night without waking at all until the alarm went off. It makes me realize how much Ella disturbs my sleep – I want to get on the bed, I want to go outside, I want to get on back on the bed.

Ella was not at all pleased to be left behind last night with Natalie & Oliver. I’m wondering how Ella will get on long term with Oliver. I expect he will want her to play with him and after 5 minutes she will want to be left alone.

I’m feeling tired already so I wonder how I will feel when I reach Delhi. My excess baggage was worked out on a per piece rate $75 so I didn’t need to make some of the economies I made in packing and I didn’t have to wear my heavy pullover and boots.

It’s overcast in Christchurch with signs of recent showers just as in Wellington.

Singapore 22 July 2010 6:45pm waiting to take off

On NZ time it is past bed time and I still have 5 hours to go. On the plane to Singapore I got the entries part of AEM2 working but there is a basic bug in the results processing screen I can’t locate. The class selection box is not showing any classes.

I tested the new National Bank Visa Debit Card in Singapore. I bought a cookie for 1 Singapore Dollar. The first attempt was a failure and then I realised the green card in my hand was not the Visa Debit card but my old Thoroughbred Visa which had been replaced by a gold card. Duh!

In order to get some exercise I walked from Terminal 3 where the plane from Christchurch landed around to terminal 2 where the flight leaves for Delhi. Dumb me was looking for a flight to Bangalore on the board and there wasn’t one. Just as well or I would have gone to the wrong gate. I had another wee scare as the boarding pass said 6pm and while I was told it would take 35minutes to walk between terminals with stops to window shop, toilet and a 10 minute stop to buy a Dim Sim and a bottle of water it took me over an hour.

I had a seat in the front row of the cabin into Singapore with an empty middle seat so pleanty of leg room. This time the plane is fairly full and the centre seat is in use. Fortunately I requested aisle seats on all flights. This flight is on a 777-300ER and I had to walk through business class to get to economy. The business class looks really comfortable. What a pity the bank isn’t following its own policy to use business class on flights more than 4 hours.

I think I have forgotten to pack a phone charger. I know I got a second one with my new phone I thought was still in my backpack but it isn’t there. I guess I will need to buy one with an Indian plug in Delhi.

On approach to Delhi 22 July 2010 9:07pm local time 2:37am NZ time.

Nearly an hour early but a rough flight across the Andaman Sea. I slept for an hour after dinner and my mouth feels like sandpaper. I’m really nervous. I have never travelled outside of New Zealand except on business where everything is taken care of for you.
I had the Indian meal on the plane. It came with chutney that nearly took the roof off my mouth. Dessert was a Magnum ice cream made in Indonesia. It didn’t taste as creamy to me as the ones in New Zealand. Imagination/prejudice/fact – you choose.