Monday 4th Feb - Day 1

Got no sleep !

It's not a good idea to stay awake before an early morning flight, but that's what happened. Whether it was excitment, trepidation or fear that kept me up I don't know. I washed and changed.

Got a lift to the airport at 5:30am. Everything was, not surprisingly, quiet at Birmingham International airport and check in went smoothly.

As I sat in the departure lounge, I wondered what/who I might/would miss while I was away. Whatever the answer, it's too late to worry about now.

The questions about luggage, itinerary and what to take were all academic now. I would have to make do with what I had in my bags and let the rest take care of itself.

I got to my seat early and wondered if I would be happy with the person I sat next to. It didn't occur to me they might be concerned about the same thing until there was somebody in situ. Her name was Joanne; she was dressed as to be accustomed to sitting in first class, so I thought, and spoke in Italian to some fellow passengers. At first I tried to go to sleep, so as not to do a Mr Bean and embarass myself scatterring a packet of salted peanuts on the floor or something. After a short while, we both seemed to be smiling at the same thing - business class passengers in the same type of seat as us, immediately in front, who were receiving newspapers to read, etc. Was it too late to upgrade ? I asked Joanne.

Time went by very quickly as we began to talk. Formerly an air hostess herself, she now owned her own business and was on route back home to Italy after visiting relatives in England. If everyone I meet on my trip is going to be as amiable and interesting as Joanne then it will have been a really good trip.

The plane landed in Zurich. I made my way across a very modern and spacious looking airport to Gate 8 where my next flight would take me to Delhi in about 50 minutes time.

My 7/8 hour flight to Delhi went smoothly. I slept most of the way. When I got off the plane in Delhi it was around midnight. I looked forward to catching my flight to Amritsar. Delhi airport is in the middle of rebuilding - someting that seems to be quite common in India.