Making some notes while I am en route from Abu Dhabi to Chicago. (In Chicago I will make a connection to Washington D.C.)
Was able to upgrade to Business Class. So lovely to have room, be able to stretch
out, get meals and extra service. Little
goodie bag awaits with a pillow, blanket for later when you want to have the
seat lie flat, travel size amenities that include toothbrush, the smallest tube
of toothpaste I’ve ever seen, lotion, and lip balm. Oh, and socks and a face mask.
Etihad Airlines (based in Abu Dhabi) lets you bid on an
upgrade if there are available seats. When you go
to the site to bid, it gives you a minimum and a maximum Dirham range. I offered the lowest amount, and got an
upgrade! Cool beans. I could see why when I got on the plane …
lots of empty seats in business class.
There’s a map to show our route, and where we are now. The under-the-plane camera isn’t working; the
one on the nose of the plane is. Not much to see with the latter.
I’m at a window.
Sun-side, so it’s a little warm right now, but loving the view too much
to close the windows.
Oh, a little bumpy at times, like just now when I’m typing,
but each time it was passed quickly. For those of you who know me best, it’s
“look at me, no Xanax!” I’m too tired
and too ready for a visit to the States and to see Tim, that turbulence that
would have stressed me out earlier isn’t bothering me.
Back to the window … lots of desert for awhile … we are
going north, a little northwest, up and over to the southern tip of Greenland
and then back down again. Right now I
look at the map we are flying over what looks to be eastern side of
Turkey. Map doesn’t show the names of
these mountains, but I dug for my camera quickly when I saw them:
Can see some huge peaks way off in the distance to the west. We have flown over Saudi Arabia, passing near
Kuwait. Could see some tiny little fires on the ground, which I presume are flames at oil sites. Then we started to
come into an area that had more farmland, and that was near Baghdad … have to
say it was a slightly odd feeling to look out and see that, after the years in
the news and the war. Now it’s green
mountains, sometimes rugged, with areas of snow. Little hamlets dotting the
mountains, with windy roads, rivers, a lake here and there.
About to cross over the Black Sea. What’s that you say? A photo would be nice?
Here you go:
It's huge and goes on and on.
Postscript: Caught my connection in Chicago, and customs was a breeze. Quick flight (just short of two hours) to Washington D.C.) ... certainly felt quick after 14 hours from Abu Dhabi to Chicago.
SO great to see Tim !
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