luck turning

After the torture flight I reached Singers, where I had 20 hours to kill. I stayed in the airport, not even bothering to go through immigration. The whole city's much like the airport anyway, one great big shopping mall (but done with great taste and efficiency). Safe. You can leave your wallet hanging out your back pocket, and leave your bags unattended. There are no thieves, or if there were any you'd recognize them by their missing hands.

I rented a cell in the transit area, initially for 12 hours. A bed and no windows, and nothing to do. Perfect! I did breaths, and yoga, and I dozed. Occasionally I'd go out for fish and rice soup. I could happily have spent a whole week like that. As it was, I extended the room rental for 6 more hours. By checkout time, the next plane was waiting just along the corridor.

I got on the plane feeling almost half human again, and the thing was half empty! Yip-effing-pee! Suddenly the 12 hour flight turns from an ordeal into a luxury.

I colonize a row of seats and order a Singapore Sling. Top right in the picture. Not exactly a man's drink, but tropical and strong.

The Singapore stewardesses are even more radiant than usual, happy to have so few passengers.






After a great lunch and some free booze, I lay down across several seats for a snooze. Reminds me of my old man, who used to get paid to get drunk in the morning and to sleep it off in the hospitality lounge in the afternoon. He worked as a tour guide in a distillery. The ideal job, for him.

Next stop Frankers, where there's a 5 star hotel room booked for me and the cellmate, a treat for us that I'll do a good job of enjoying without her. Two mammoth meals a day included, so I might put back some of the weight recently lost. I must remember I'm eating for two now, with an amoeba to support.

Frankers is a dud town, so once again there should be plenty of time for staying in and doing nothing. If I want movement, there's a gym and a pool. I'm getting some insight into the old dear. When she came over to visit me and the cellmate last century, she and her hubby spent almost the whole time in the hotel, happily practicing their Spanish on the south american chambermaids.

After Frankers, there'll be the romantic week in Salzers, again minus the cellmate but we'll be in daily contact via online Scrabble. Then a train to Munchers, the flight to Edders, where I hope to catch up with various retired folk. Then on to Glazzers, where I'm borrowing a Loch Lomond farmhouse from my former landlord and now dear friend. There, I'll be entertaining a couple I know from New South Cal. They've always wanted to see two things: Loch Lomond, and highland cattle.

At some point there may be some grief, but it's all good.

And eventually I'll have to face the trip to Piddledorf, but by then I should be fighting fit.

By the way, I've found out that the source of Germany's e coli has been traced to a bean sprout factory in Piddledorf. Putting it on the world map at last.


- iPod post