This will be the shortest item of our holiday!
After a very pleasant and structured breakfast in the NH hotel, we walk the two minutes back to departures, no need to check-in so straight through security in about two minutes, and another two for immigration. A slight consternation for Husband as the guard cannot find his Tenerife entry stamp. This is soon fixed by showing him our Spanish resident’s identity card and we’re on our way again.
So we set a new record for getting to the lounge – under ten minutes!!
Now we have 45 minutes before boarding, me doing some work and then writing, Husband doing Spanish lessons (which of course I should be too!)
We’ve decided that we approve of Austrian-based transport, everything is super efficient. Our bags are onboard. Within a few minutes of arriving at the gate we’re boarded and snuggling into our seats. Husband quickly dispatches the paperwork.
An unexpected bonus today is complimentary internet, so I’m able to continue today’s narrative. We start by enjoying a couple of glasses of champagne as soon as we board.
Once the flight is airborne more arrives, and then orders are taken for lunch. Husband goes for the European option, I choose the Japanese menu.
We share the same canapés of foie gras and tuna, but I benefit from Husband’s restraint and get two foies!
Then we diverge, he enjoys asparagus mouse and ham salad, I get an awsome collection of Japanese delicacies such as octopus, pickled jellyfish, and stewed chicken. We chose Macon-Charnet to accompany these dishes.
Next he has fillet with morel and Madeira sauce, the beef overcooked for his liking. I’m having halibut with picked vegetables and saikio miso. We enjoy le Moulin Rose de Malescasse with this course.
For pudding we converge again with cheese followed by white chocolate cake, and accompanied by Niepoort Moscstel pudding wine.
During this three hour lunch spectacle we have flown over the Black Sea, Armenia and Georgia, and the Capian Sea. It’s just incredible to experience this geographical extravaganza.
Meanwhile the electronically dimmable windows have tried to convince us to go to sleep – despite the fact that it is 14:45 as I write. Maybe a bit of shut-eye should be observed but NOT YET – I have things to do and with benefit of internet, people to annoy.
I manage a couple of hours of rest if not really sleep, it’s still early evening in Euro-time. My book is fabulous So I’m quite happy, finishing The Martian and then moving back to George Cross one of my favourite pedantic detectives, alongside Ted Darling.
Before long the lights are restored in the cabin and we get to order breakfast – Euro for the Hubster and Japanese for me. We observe that the inflight navigation has failed and we don’t where we are, presumably over Russia or China, we see some humongous cities pass by but no idea which – maybe we’ve toured to them before? Google Maps isn’t working either.
