Wednesday 17 January 2018

Jkt1

The flight from LHW to SIN was uneventful. I declined the supper, having had Nanny's roast beef for lunch, and a decent tea in the Heathrow lounge (although I did have the satay skewers!). Watched a film - the second Kingsman one, which was even more far-fetched than the first - read for a little while, although not for long as I realised that battery conservation was the order of the day due to bringing a duff charger lead, and then turned in.

Slept reasonably well, albeit a little fitfully, but got a decent rest, and was up in time for breakfast and dozing whilst listening to music before arrival at Changi. We were a little late in, so not much time at the airport (enough for a trip to an electronics store for a new cable, and a quick pit-stop in the lounge) before on to the next flight. Read my book until the battery gave up (no obvious sign of a charger point in or around the chair) so listened to music for the rest of the way. My nano playlist hasn't changed in years, and mostly has music that only I like listening to, but in amongst its 400 song shuffle, something came on that I don't remember ever hearing before, or even choosing for the playlist in the first place. It was a song by Jason Mraz called Details in the Fabric, and it was lovely.

It made me cry a little bit.



If that wasn't enough, again of 400 or so songs on shuffle, the next one that popped up was Michael Jackson singing You are not alone.

You are not alone
I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart.

That made me cry a little bit more.

By now we were coming in to land, so I did a reasonable job of composing myself and thought that any redness of eyes was probably excusable by the length of the journey and the confusion over time zone. Getting through Jakarta airport was a simple exercise - a had a valid visa this time around - and we were collected and off into the city.

Straight to the Royal Kitchen for dinner with the PD before checking in to our regular hotel. Exchanged messages with home but didn't manage to speak as N was at the garage with the car. Slept ok until waking up at about 4am, feeling fairly hot, as I hadn't thought to set the air-con before getting in to bed. Had a very clear recollection of what I'd been dreaming about just before waking. N and I had been out shopping, in a clearly invented place, but a well to do gift shop in a well to do cathedral town. I'd found a rather nice 2018 diary, hand-made paper, lots of pictures, lots of gardening, lots or recipes, and I remember very clearly saying to N what a lovely Christmas present it would make for Mum - something to put all of her appointments in, and to look forward to the year ahead.

I didn't find the dream, or the remembering of it, all that upsetting, maybe even strangely comforting. Make of that what you will.

Anyway, back to sleep pretty much up to the alarm, and off to the office for the day.