One step at a time ...

Well my European trip is one step closer to reality with the arrival of my plane tickets, nowadays of course it is just a piece of paper printed from your garden variety laser printer and not one of those multi-coupon things. The Luddite in me thinks it's a bit too simple for something you paid so much for, but I reckon e-tickets are a godsend. You can't lose them and you can make multiple copies ...

Anyway, the aviation enthusiast in me wanted to fly as many airlines, visit as many airports and experience as many aircraft types as possible. Still, the practical idiot in me dictated that long layovers in Bahrain or wherever isn't a great idea. Still, I even entertained the idea of the Finnair ticket that allowed four different carriers (and aircraft type!) on each longhaul leg. Would have loved to fly a 777, MD11, A340 and 747 in the same trip.

Alas, I'm flying Speedbird, too good a deal in its premium economy cabin to pass up. And it'll be on the now familiar Kangaroo Route workhorse, the 747-400, passing through the now familiar Singapore and London Heathrow airports. Ah well, you gotta save money somehow ...

Just over a month to take-off now, still nothing other than the plane ticket organised. Well, I have 2 nights booked in a hotel at Roubaix, but that's about it.