...I while away my last traveling hours at the Shanghai airport, buying some souvenirs, a mango puff (delicious) and some stuff in Starbucks (luckily my card works here this time!)
...I marvel at why Chinese people would put "Mind your head" warning signs next to escalator handrails, some 4 m above the ground level, where no head would ever or indeed should ever find itself
...I board the plane to Paris, freezing my ass off in the waiting line at the gate. Some funny guy kept the door open and it's freezing outside.
...despite the temperature it's beautiful and sunny outside. Clear, spotless weather. We take off. Suddenly I spot a beautiful bridge from the air. The bridge seems to break off in the middle of a body of water, there's nothing there on the other side. Oh wait, yes. Yes there is. I just didn't see it because of the smog.
...while extracting some chargers from the bag in the overhead compartment, a heavy speaker slips out of the backpack and almost hits an appalled and terrified French lady on the seat below. O-la-la!
...we take over 15 minutes to fly over Shanghai. It's huge!
...I am given some exotic Chinese foodstuffs for lunch as my row is quite far behind and by the time they get to me they run out of Euro food
...I while the time away looking out the window - there's some impressive snow covered mountain ranges down there in Mongolia and later on - Russia!
...I get hungry as meals are spread apart many hours. While on a casual trip to the bathroom I discover some unusual activity in the back of the plane - people coming and going. It turns out the attendants have laid out a large tray of snacks for people to munch on. Drinks are there too. I even get an ice cream!
...we make it to Paris and I find Krzysiek waiting for me at arrivals. After a small misunderstanding concerning the exit gate at the parking lot we are in Paris traffic on the beltway. Then it's wine, bread, cheese and cake time at his apartment and a lot of catching up!
...I finally board the train to Brussels, tired like seldom before and from the Midi station - home!!! Off to plan the next trip to New Zealand! I have to go back!!!