The theory is that I can write this e-mail, save it as a draft, add to it
as we progress eastward, and then send it when I get to Brussels. So, now
we’ll test the theory.
I’m about 2 hours into the 7 1/2 hour flight. According to the display,
we’ve traveled about 1200 miles. We’ll arrive at about 8:30 am Belgium
time, 5 1/2 hours from now.
Dinner is finished and most folks are settling down for the flight. The
diiner started with an appetizer followed by a mushroom and carmalized
onion soup (I had that rather than a salad). I had the “grilled veal chop
enhanced by Mushroom Sauce, presented with creamy Polenta and grilled
Aspragus Spears”. There were other choices, but this was the best of the
bunch. That was followed by an ice cream sundae (with ice cream frozen
harder than a rock). Everything has now been cleaned up and we’re
approaching the coast of New Foundland to start our trip over the Atlantic.
I’m going to make a bathroom stop, get out my laptop, and see what I can do
with the rest of the night. It’s just 6:55 pm in Pocatello. Too early to
catch a few Zzz’s, even if I could sleep on an airplane!
Well, the theory must work. I’ve opened this message back up and can add to
it. Isn’t technology wonderful?
It’s just about 9 pm Pocatello time. We’re just off the southernmost point
of Greenland at 34,000 feet and an airspeed of 651 mph. We’re at 55.52 N
and 40.51 E. We’ve got about 3:15 left to fly. Time’s moving right along. I
can’t change my watch, yet, because Brussels is already on tomorrow and
I’ll screw up the date process in my watch! I’ve got to wait until the day
changes in the watch to tomorrow, then I can move it ahead by eight hours.
The cabin is dark. Only one other passenger appears to be awake. I think
I’ll turn the light off and see if I can doze for a while. The dang sleep
apnea usually prevents me from having any kind of a restful sleep.
Sleeping was certainly a bust. It’s an hour and ten minutes later. We’re
about a half hour from the coast of Ireland and two hours from landing.
Back to my book (after a trip to the toilet).
We’ve just overflown Belfast and in a few minutes will be over Scotland..
It’s 11:10 pm Pocatello time and in an hour we’ll be in Brussels. Breakfast
has been served to those who want it. Most folks up here are still
sleeping. In a few minutes the flight attendants will turn up the lights so
people will get ready to land and disembark.
It took just 25 minutes to cross the channel between Ireland and Scotland
and then fly across all of England. We’re now over the English Channel and
in about ten minutes will be over Europe. Right now we’re about 169 miles
from Brussels. Twenty-eight minutes to landing!
We’ve crossed the coastline of the Neatherlands and have begun our descent.
The sky to the east is a brilliant red. There are some high clouds
otherwise it’s pretty clear. The city lights from Amsterdam are off to the
left. It’s ten to midnight Pocatello time and landing is in 20 minutes.
We’re on the ground in Brussels. It’s 8:12 am (twelve minutes pst midnight
in Pocatello). Welcome to Brussels!
————————–
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld