Having landed at Changi, my first thought was to visit the butterfly garden. Unfortunately, given it was gone 9pm, they were all asleep. I thought that maybe there’d be moths but, if there were, they were hiding. Mind you, it was very dark (and humid) so anything could have been hiding in the trees.
Disappointed, I wandered off to the lounge, which was pretty full. Though, given my flight wasn’t leaving for three hours, I assumed the crowds would gradually thin. Which they did.
In the lounge, there’s a beer delivery machine, very like a coffee machine. You place a glass and press a button. The glass is tilted up and filled with Tiger beer. As I was walking back to my seat, second or third beer in hand, a chap asked me how I’d got it. I explained, saying it was like a coffee machine. The woman he was with claimed he’d be better off if it was coffee.
I discovered that the men’s toilets in the lounge feature a hand held cold water bidet thing. I found it most refreshing. It was almost like being in Japan.
A number of beers and bowls of nuts later, I wandered down to the gate, went through the usual security and passport checks then boarded the plane. I approached a rather jolly looking chap at boarding. He gave a big, warm hello to which I replied with a “Hej, hej!” which he answered with an unexpected “Hej Mr Sweden!” Unexpected and pleasant.
I remained on the plane for the next 13 hours but, of course, because I was going east to west, it was still Friday when I woke up from my fully reclined bed, having slept comfortably for about eight of those hours.
I was, as usual, very impressed by the crew. Though not with the masks they continue to wear. Masks are now optional for the passengers, however, all the flight attendants working for Singapore Air still wore them, which I thought was a bit sad. It’s also irritating when the only way you can recognise the females is by their eyeshadow. And the males by their hair styles.
One thing the masks have shown me is how much I depend on lip reading and facial expressions to understand people with accents. It saddens me that I have to ask them to repeat things.
After a very satisfying sleep and delicious breakfast of glass noodles with squid and prawns…
…we landed at Heathrow, where, of course, it was raining. And humid. Still, by the time Chris dropped me off at home, the rain had stopped and the sun even made a brief appearance.
Of course, the girls went mental when they saw me though, as I explained to Anja, they react the same if I’ve been gone for four hours let along four weeks. Actually, I think I was more thrilled to see them than vice versa.
Anja took them for a walk while I went into Farnham to shop. Upon my return, she’d gone. I unpacked and did a few loads of washing ahead of Mirinda’s arrival early tomorrow morning.
All in all, it was a pretty pain free and comfortable journey home. I really can see why Mirinda prefers business class.
In the meanwhilst, spare a thought for the poor bastard in seat 21K who works for PAG and didn’t stop working on his laptop, even during approach and landing. I think he needs a life.
He also had a problem with the noodles, which were delicious. He was clearly a loser.
