Day 1 - 28 February 2019 Melbourne to Vienna 

Some of you may have been aware that my flight to Europe was scheduled to depart from Tullamarine at 6.00am (that’s six o’clock in the morning!) which meant having to be at the airport at 3.00am which meant getting picked up at 2.00am! Anyway my limousine arrived at a bit before 2.00 and I was at the airport at 2.45. The Emirates check in was open and using my Business Class priority bags were promptly dropped off. However security and immigration didn’t open until 4.00 so I had an hour to kill with nothing open, couldn’t even get a coffee or a beer!

 (And before you all start to shout ‘capitalist pig dog’ travelling business class, I am doing it on frequent flyer points, so there).

It took a little while to clear security and immigration and I was a little concerned that I wouldn’t get a chance to experience the Emirates business class lounge. Anyway the travel gods smiled on me and I had time for a glass of Verve and a little sausage and hash browns.

So I am typing this somewhere over the Indian Ocean at nearly 35,000 feet travelling at 580mph (946kmh or mach 8.1) with an outside temperature of -40c. I have had breakfast on the plane and for those of you who are interested I had scrambled egg with truffle served with a potato scone, hot smoked salmon and roasted cherry tomatoes accompanied by fresh fruit and yoghurt. I am now about to decide what I will have for my lunch. (Flashy, I had a V&T down the back of the plane, a couple of the flight attendants asked after you.)

After a 3 hour stopover in Dubai my anticipated time of arrival in Vienna is 8.00pm this evening. Of course there was much excitement with the crossing of the equator. Fortunately the clouds cleared and we were able to see the equator spanning the globe far below us.

Sitting at the airport at Dubai waiting for my connecting flight to Vienna and watching the trains coming and going to and from the airport station and wondering why it is going to take 10 years for Victoria to get a train to and from Tullamarine. As you can see, I am a bit bored.

On the flight from Dubai to Vienna, late afternoon early evening. Flying near some interesting places, Basra, Baghad, Mosul etc. The mountains to the north east have snow on them, not sure what mountain range it is, will check it out once I’ve got wi fi. Just about to serve dinner, seems like I have been eating and drinking all day, and there is nothing wrong with that, you might say.

Safely arrived in Vienna at about 8.00pm, a little bit knackered, crikey it is a long way.  Why didnt Captain Cook discover somewhere a bit closer to Europe?

And before anybody starts whinging, photos will be on their way shortly.