Back to the green green grass of home.

That was a very long night. Two flights, one to Doha with a quick change and the second flight back to Johannesburg. We left the condo in K.L at five p.m. and got to our destination ...21 hours later. We use this way of getting home as it is the cheaper way and also the Middle Eastern airlines cannot be faulted for service. The airplanes are great, seating comfortable, and the flight attendants exceptional. What a pleasure.

The best part of the journeys is watching the movies. I may nod off for an hour or two at the most but for the rest, I watch as many movies as possible. I might as well make the most of the looooooong journey.

While waiting to get our flights I love to "people watch" Airports are such melting pots of society. I enjoy seeing the way people dress, the way they chat to each other, the things they do to kill time. The entry of electric devices has changed the way people spend their time waiting. Yesterday, I was particularly annoyed and my husband had to almost tie me down to my chair. Young parents each had their I phones and were busy doing whatever you do on them. Their little girl of between two and three years old was crying and crying and thiin crying changed and increased in decibels. What did the parents do ....absolutely nothing! There were many of us who felt the same discomfort as we caught each other's eye. All that little girl wanted was some attention. It was way beyond her bed time and she needed to be cuddled and calmed down but these selfish parents chose to do nothing. By the time the passengers with children were called to board I was beside myself. The Mother put her phone in her bag, picked up the child and headed to the departure gate. There wasn't another cry or scream just gentle little sobs as the little girl calmed down. Now if this is what is happening in public place what goes on at home. Except maybe, just maybe the couple employ a nanny to take care of their responsibility.

I was reading a suggested list of things to do to to make long journeys easier. One of the suggestions is to remember that the person sitting next to you could be "the stranger who is a friend,you just don't know." The article encourages passengers to chat to the person sitting next to you. I confess that I usually do say a few polite words but I really don't want to be chatting for six hours...remember, I want to watch movies! Last night I was sitting to a young Man from Chennai in India. He had just had his holiday in Malaysia and was returning to work in Doha. He was a most pleasant young man. I became all nervous when he asked me if I was a Christian....I am rather cautious about my answers to these questions. This fellow is a Muslim and is VERY well read on comparitive religions. He asked me whether I am a Jesus Christian or a Mary Christian! I think he has done a little reading on Catholicism. He then started talking about parallels and suggested I should learn more about Moses. By now I was really beginning to sink....oh dear, where are we going with all of this. FORTUNATELY the young Chinese fellow on the other side of my new zealous friend, the stranger, started asking for help in getting his movie device going and I took the gap and got mine going. A lovely young man but we do have to choose our moments a little better. My hubby sitting on the other side of me just gave me an awry smile.

The two journeys went well but it was a great relief and pleasure to arrive back 'ome where the grass is always greener!