Over the clouds...

While everyone else is unwrapping gifts under the Christmas tree on December 24, 2024, I'm boarding a plane and, in a way, also fulfilling a gift for myself.

The first flight goes to Dubai; the plane is packed, and I spend the 6 hours writing in my journal and listening to podcasts. I also need to explore this airplane a bit; there’s a staircase and a fountain at the top. I’m not sure what that’s for, but I’ve never flown this long before, so they must know what they’re doing..

Since time flies while I write (hey, who caught that clever pun??), I arrive before my mind fully registers that I’m actually on my way to the other side of the world.

In Dubai, I do find some Christmas decorations, but no real Dubai chocolate. Luckily, I only have to wait 2 hours for my connecting flight. And even more fortunate, on the second plane, the seats next to me remain empty, so both Penguin and Sheep have their own seats when my legs aren’t propped up.

I land in Sydney at 10:30 PM, and although everything is upside down, it somehow all feels right.