Changi Airport 25th Jan 2010

09.40 Manchester, 05.40 Singapore. Off plane and into terminal for a couple of hours. Next flight leaves at 08.50 and takes around 9 hours and 50 minutes to Auckland. Tried some Singaporean food- a little pastry called 'My Husband's Cake'. A bit weird. We couldn't eat anything else as we had been stuffed with food at breakfast on the flight in. My vegetarian breakfast had vegeburger, mushrooms and baked beans, fresh fruit salad, two rolls, marg, strawberry jam, orange juice and tea and Mother had apple compote with pancakes, a muffin (cake variety, not bread), jam, cream, butter, bread roll, juice, fresh fruit salad, tea and yoghurt! It was astounding we could still walk.
Wonderful night-time views coming in to Singapore; like fairy land with all the lights on the ships in the harbour.
Just taking off now at 09.00 Singapore time. Its 27 degrees centigrade and humid. We visited the butterfly house in the terminal 3 building. It was still a bit dark but we saw some stunning butterflies.
8417 kms to Auckland; time there 14.00.
Arrived a little early at 11.30pm but by the time we had cleared customs and biohazard it was about 1am. Just what you need after a nine and a half hour flight. Luckily Francis spotted us straight away in the arrivals hall. We were then chauffered by Fran to our accommodation at his friend's new house. They have built it with a two bedroomed annex which they are planning to let to paying guests as well as putting up their families. It is very swish. Set the smoke alarm off making some toast for supper, but didn't wake anyone up. Thank goodness. It is now 3 am or 14.07 on 25/1/10 UK time.

The broken nail 24/1/10

Not the best start to the week. Lost all the the nails on my left hand except my thumb nail, but managed to break that off about half way down last night when I was cleaning. Can't take it off because of where it is broken, so the sharp edge has already torn a hole in the very expensive flight socks I bought.
Foggy over the Penines but got to the car park in about an hour and twenty minutes. Arrived at Manchester Airport about 07.25, quick baggage drop and into the departure lounge for 8 a.m. Took off at 09.20 and it is now 10.15 and all they have given us to eat is a packet of peanuts. I'm starving, just as well I don't have a peanut allergy. Don't they realize we've been up since 5 a.m.? Oh, and now they're bringing round booze, the chap in front has taken a beer! Finally got fed at 11.00. Dinner. Looks like they are saving breakfast for the approach to Singapore.
13 hours Manchester to Singapore.
Flying over India at the moment. Air temperature up to -47 degrees centigrade, it was -61 over Poland. Quite strange this long haul flying lark. Been pitch dark for several hours now, since Iran, so it feels like the depths of the night but it's 17.48 in Manchester, 23.18 where we are and its tomorrow in Singapore in the early hours of the morning; 01.50 am. We have about three and a half hours left in flight before we reach Changi Airport.

Nearly there now. We've had a tail wind most of the way although there is now a light headwind of 30km/h; this has pushed us forward and we are due to land at 05.30 Singapore time, 09.30 Manchester time. Never had breakfast at 4 a.m. before, can't say its something I want to do regularily.
Picture taken in the butterfly house at Changi Airport