Mumbai Take 2

I've been up non-stop (well not counting a few hours of dozing on the plane en route) for about 30 hours now, so I'm just trying to stay up a little longer to make a proper night's sleep tonight and try to trick Jetlag into passing me by. Tomorrow I have to get a car at 10.45am to go to the office.

I left yesterday afternoon, on a bouncy BA shuttle to LHR. Alas they wouldn't check my bag through (unlike last time) so I had to go through the rigmarole of waiting for my bag, going through the Underground tunnel then queueing for check in. As I travelled Premiere Class I got to skip most of the queues, including an astonishing 10deep/200m long one for security at LHR Terminal 3. Avoid that area at about 7pm on weekdays, I think. Lots of big intercontinental flights leaving at once, probably.

Anyway, once I'd passed into the hands of Jet Airways, the trip became much more pleasurable. Sybaritic.

I had a sociable seat partner (Mike from Stirling, works for some finance company, travels to Mumbai quarterly) who is doing a similarly crazy 3-day visit (actually his is crazier as he comes back on Thursday night, I at least have a night's sleep before the return journey on Friday) who liked hill walking and talked about his wife's rules for letting him out on the hills (one day a month, unless she gets to go too). Anyway, he stopped talking when the lights were dimmed, and I managed to get a few hours official doze. I changed into the inflight pyjamas, which were very comfortable ( I was tempted to pinch them but resisted the urge). I watched a film (the Break Up) which was moderately entertaining, if unrealistic (fabulous apartment in Chicago funded by jobs as a tour guide and an assistant in an art gallery) and had Beautiful People looking Beautiful.

The plane arrived beautifully on time, I was early off the plane and (for once!) so was my baggage. I found my driver (from the hotel) without any problems and about 30 mins after the plane touched down, I was checking into my room. Whew. I have a welcome letter from the hotel which informs me that I get free stuff. Like Internet access, apparently. And Happy Hours at The Club until 9pm nightly (food, drink = supper). And 4 free bits of laundry. I'll have to think about that. Probably will prioritise cold weather kit, for the return leg.

Then I went to the office for a few hours (3) to get ready for training tomorrow, and get all the tedious (not really!) reunions with old friends out of the way. I have brought with me bribes of Shortbread and Tunnock's Tea Cakes, so I'm guaranteed to have a stream of visitors into the training room tomorrow!

I stopped off at the local supermarket (Haiko's) on the way home for supplies to take home, made a phone call (I love Skype!) and then availed myself of the freebies in the Club Lounge for Happy Hour. hic. And now it's probably time to sleep. (20h40)