Tja …

19. 3. 17:45 Brnik Ledeni čaj 3,10 €. Tatovi! Še zadnje priprave – naložim IrfanView iz spleta (hvala našim letališkim mojstrom za prost Internet) in preberem pošto. Poslati je ne morem – pojma nimam, zakaj. 18:40 Vkrcavanje točno po načrtu. CanadAir Regional Jet 200, sicer majhna zadevica, a nas je še manj – borih 16 potnikov. Vse bi nas lahko pospravili v poslovni razred. Rogljiček (ma res mini) in mala flaška vode.

March 19th 17:45 Airport Ljubljana Ice tea costs 3,10 €. Thieves! Finishing touches – I’m downloading IrfanView (thanks to free WiFi at our airport) and reading mail. I can’t send any – something is not working. No idea what. 18:40 Boarding as planned. CanadAir Regional Jet 200 , small plane but almost empty. 16 passengers only, they could put us all into business class. Mini croissant and small bottle of water.

18:50 Monakovo Zamenjati moram terminal, kar pomeni, da moram ven iz varovanega območja, skozi krasno osrednjo halo in še enkrat skozi rentgen. Valjda moram zato vrečt ostanke vode stran. Nova me stane 1,70 €. Tatovi! Spotoma si nakupim še tiste Fisherman’s Friende, ki jih pri nas težko najdeš. Prvi test: Ekstra sveži limonovo-mentolovi so dobri in res sveži. 20:10 Let v Dubai preložen iz 21:40 na 23:15 :( Še dobro, da imam v Dubaiu tri ure pavze med letoma. Prižgem Kindla (The Bridge of Birds) in se pripravim na tri ure čakanja … 21:40 Kličejo “Mr. Gabrijel"-a k okencu. Še dobro, da sem že navajen maličenja mojega priimka in sem trznil na poziv. Pa se je izkazalo, da so samo hoteli videti mojo vizo. Postanem lačen in grem na sendvič. Olivna ciabatta z mozarrelo in paradižnikom, njam! 23:00 Končal The Bridge of Birds. Odlična! 23:13 Vkrcavanje, končno! Airbus 340-500. Kar velika zadeva z razporeditvijo zicov 2-4-2. Sedim pri oknu, da bom lahko fotografiral luno – menda bo danes še posebej velika – in Dubai pred pristankom. Na zaslonu pred mano je na voljo nekaj deset filmov, pa razne serije in glasba. Raje poslušam MP3. Luna je res svetla. Dobili dekco in povštrček, copatke sem pa sam prinesel. 00:37 Že dvajset minut svinjsko dobro diši po hrani. 00:47 Polnočno kosilo. Rakci, odličen piščanec s še bolj odlično omako in dobrimi njoki, mangova krema. Pa kruh z maslom. Počutim se kot Hobit. In pazi to – dobil sem kovinski pribor! Bravo Emirati! 04:13 Bedno spal, nikakor ne uspem naštimati kolen v udoben položaj. Še ena ura leta. Poslušam Glassa – Koyaanisqatsi in Powaaquatsi. Poskušam malo fotografirat, pa je Dubai v megli :( 05:13 Pristanek! Lokalni čas je 08:13.

18:50 Munich Terminal change. I have to leave the secure area, pass through the (beautiful) central hall and go through the security checkpoint again. Of course I have to throw water away. New bottle costs 1,70 €. Thieves! While I’m spending money as crazy I also but few sorts of Fisherman’s Friends that are not readily available in Slovenia. First test: Extra fresh citrus menthol kind is tasty and fresh. 20:10 Dubai flight delayed from 21:40 to 23:15 :( Luckily my Dubai stop would be three hours long. Started up my Kindle (The Bridge of Birds), getting  ready for three hour wait … They are looking for “Mr. Gabrijel” on the PA system. Luckily I know how they like to mangle my surname. Nothing special, they only wanted to check my visa. Sandwich time – olive ciabatta with mozarella and tomato. Excellent! 23:00 Finished The Bridge of Birds. Recommended! 23:13 Finally we are boarding! Airbus 340-500, quite big plane with 2-4-2 seat distribution. I have a window seat and I’ll try to photograph the moon – it should be really bright today – and Dubai from the air. The screen before me offers from many movies, series and video spots but I stick with my MP3. Moon is really bright. They gave me pillow and blankie and I brought my own slippers. 00:37 Excellent food smell is bombarding my nose for the past 20 minutes. 00:47 Midnight lunch. Shrimps, excellent chicken with excellent sauce and good gnochi, mango desert, bread with butter. I feel like a Hobbit. Surprise – they gave us metal utensils. 04:13 Can’t sleep well. Can’t find a good position for my knees. One more hour to go. Listening to Glass – Koyaanisqatsi and Powaaquatsi. I’m trying to take some aerial pictures but Dubai is wrapped in a fog. 05:13 Touchdown! Local time 08:13

Dubai Seveda sem moral spet skozi security in sem spet ostal brez flaše. Ampak tukaj ne dobim nove – imajo ure in telefone in fotoaparate in cigarete in šale in muziko, vode pa ne. 06:00 (vztrajam pri svoji časovni coni) Vkrcavanje. Boeing 777-300, še večja zverina od Airbusa, s stoli 3-4-3. Tokrat sedim ob prehodu, kar je kul, ker lahko raztegnem levo (problematično) nogo. TV ima dvesto filmov in ogromno serij, jaz pa raje poslušam Glassa in berem The Story of the Stone (nadaljevanje The Bridge of Birds). 07:34 Zmanjkalo Powaaquatsija, štartam Naqoyquatsi. 09.00 Kosilo. Spet se počutim kot Hobit. 09:35 –quatsi trilogije mi je zmanjkalo, štartam Tri Toykeats. Naprej High Standards, ker priredba Bowiejevega Starmana odkida. 12:10 Malica – vegi zavitek in pomarančni sokec. 13:47 (20:47 po lokalnem času) Pristanek. Gledam na zemljevidu, kje sem, in se počutim čisto nerealno.

Dubai. Of course I have to pass security check again and now I don’t have my water bottle anymore. Plus I can’t find any shop selling water. They have everything else though – watches and telephones and tobacco and photo equipment and music and … 06:00 (Keeping to my timezone.) Boarding. Boeing 777-300, even bigger than the Airbus, with seat distribution 3-4-5. This time I’m sitting by the aisle so I can stretch my left (troublesome) leg. TV has 200 movies and series but I’m staying with my MP3 (still Glass) and reading The Story of the Stone (sequel to The Bridge of Birds). 07:34 Powaaquatsi has ended, continuing with Naqoyquatsi. 09:00 Lunch. I feel like Hobbit again. 09:35 End of –quatsi trilogy, starting Trio Toykeats. High Standards album because their Starman rocks. 12:30 Snack – vegi wrap and orange juice. 13:47 (20:47 local time) Touchdown. I’m checking my position on the map and I’m feeling completely surreal.

Singapur Še enkrat standardna zgodba – voda je 2 €, pa takoj jo moram spit, ker imajo na vhodu v čakalnico postavljen rentgen in je ne morem nesti s sabo. Uh, kako sovražim te neumnosti, ki prav nič ne izboljšajo varnosti potnikov! Trdijo, da imajo zastonj javni WiFi, pa jim ne dela :( Škoda. 15:03 Vkrcavanje. Vrnem se v isti avion, ki so ga medtem napolnili z gorivom in mu zamenjali posadko. Je pa zdaj letalo skoraj prazno – imam tri stole zase, pred mano in za mano pa ni nikogar. Odlično! Uf, še 7 ur leta. 16:00 (približno) Prečkamo ekvator. 16:30 Večerja. 17:12 Končal The Story of the Stone. Tudi dobra. Zdaj bom poskusil malo zaspat – po lokalnem času smo že čez polnoč. Na stropu imamo zvezde. 20:04 Buden (sem pa spal nekaj ur). Še 2222 km. Z vetrom v rep trenutno šibamo 1051 km/h. Polnim prenosnik. 20:50 Zajtrk. Rogljiček, maslo, marmelada, pomarančni sok. 21:08 Še malo čez 1000 km. Začnem brat Eight Skilled Gentlemen (nadaljevanje The Story of the Stone). 22:00 Krožimo pred letališem. 22:51 Pristanek! Avstralija iz zraka je lepa, podobna Sloveniji.

Singapore Old story – 2 € for a bottle of water and I have to drink it immediately because there’s security check before the gate. I so hate this security theatre that does nothing to improve our safety! There’s supposed to be a public WiFi but it’s not working :( 15:03 Boarding. I’m returning to the same airplane, now refueled and with new cabin crew. The plane is now almost empty – I have three seats for myself and there’s nobody sitting before me or behind me. 7 more hours of flying time! 16:00 (approx) Equator crossing. 16:30 Dinner. 17:12 Finished The Story of the Stone. Also good. Now I’ll try to catch some sleep. It’s over midnight by the local time. There are stars on the ceiling. 20:04 Can’t sleep anymore. 2222 km to go. With a nice tail wind we’re making 1051 km/h. I’m charging my notebook. 20:50 Breakfast. Croissant, butter, jam, orange juice. 21:08 1000 km (and a little extra) to go. Reading Eight Skilled Gentlemen (sequel to The Story of the Stone). 22:00 We are circling before the airport :( 22:51 Landing! Australia looks nice from the air, similar to Slovenia.