Sydney to London

Who'd have thought there would be so much to say about a fourteen hour flight?

For starters, the company. My new friend Nick was seated on the top deck, and instead I found myself alongside a man who smelled like the smoking room at Dapto Leagues Club. For the non-locals of Wollongong - it was hazardous to breathe next to him.

He seemed nice enough, although dinner time proved that his eating habits were...loud. But who am I to judge? Maybe he couldn't breathe through his nose, and eating with a lip-smacking cacophony was the result?

My plane partner also carried his bag for the entire duration of the flight. A small, square shoulder bag stayed strapped to him for the whole fourteen hours. While he slept, watched movies, and when he went to the toilet. At first it made me quite nervous - what kind of passenger doesn't take his bag off?! I'd almost forgiven his oddities when he committed the ultimate airplane crime - he farted. Multiple times. My friends, you have not known suffering until the stinking man next to you lets off a smell you can taste, in the confines of a small cabin, with nowhere in which to escape.

The rest of the flight was quite unremarkable, the food about as edible as airplane food gets, and the movies a welcome distraction. As someone who cries in most movies, I was so glad the lights were off as I sobbed my way through "Collateral Beauty".

At Doha I lost Nick, despite attempts to locate him in the lounges. He shall remain the random person I met at Ryan's Open Mic, who happened to be on the same flight as me before he disappeared into the crowd at the airport.

The crowd was concentrated around a giant sculpture of a teddy bear, under a lamp. Admittedly, I didn't do a lot of research before my arrival here. I have no idea of the significance of said bear, although people were lining up to take photos and group selfies in front of it. Nothing like a large, button-eyed bear to greet you in a strange

place.

The next leg of travel was much nicer, as I luxuriated across three whole seats and slept until breakfast. My cousin Robin kindly met me again at Heathrow, and instead of responding to my outstretched arms for a hug, he leaned his 6'3" frame over me and took a photo! Not my most glamorous look, but you don't argue with the family photographer.

London isn't as cold as expected. Spring is beginning to show itself, and I'm looking forward to getting out and exploring now that I'm more settled in. I've had a look (and a vacuum!) over Robin and Andy's new flat, and intend to relax while I'm able. Feeling very lucky to be staying with them again, and of course their two cats as well.

More news soon, hopefully more exciting than the plane trip.