On the Road Again

I am in my second (third?) home--Traders Hotel in Dubai. It is a definite sign that I am traveling too much when the people at the hotel know you by sight and call to you by name. Not that I mind the excellent service, but it is a bit unnerving. Several of them even remembered that I was in town en route to Spain to meet the family.

I saw an interesting sight today flying over southern Iran. There in a sea of reddish-brown terrain (appeared to be sandy) arose a single towering peak that was jet black. It was beautiful.

When I flew back to Kabul last week, I enjoyed the smoothest landing ever--the transition from flying to on the ground was absolutely seamless. That crew was not working today. The plane, apparently so recently purchased on eBay it didn't even have an airline name or tail numbers painted on its fuselage, was a real treat. My favorite part (the toilet brush in the open--and sloshing--bowl of bleach in the bathroom was a close second) was the 'security door' between the passengers and the flight crew. Seems the handle and locking mechanism was broken, so every time the steward needed to bring in the next round of chai for the pilots--you're going to love this--he took the demonstration seat belt, hooked the male end of the fastener between the door and the jam, wedged it in there nice and tight, and yanked. The first time, I must admit, I was a bit alarmed to see someone breaking into the cockpit. After that I just laughed. I had a great view of the whole thing too, as I took an earlier flight and found a seat in first class (read: no difference other than a glass of mango juice). It was worth the extra couple of pesos because it got me into Dubai about 7-8 hours earlier. And, that is 7-8 hours that I can get the Kabul dust worked out of my lungs so the family doesn't think that I have taken up smoking. It has been pretty dusty of late, so there is a bit of Kabul that I am exporting as an unwanted souvenir in my lungs.

About eight hours to go before I take off for Zurich on my way to Spain. I can't wait.