Return of the Paperback

I was on a plane this week. Ok not unusual I do work for a pilot training academy however this time I was on a trip to Sydney for meetings. I like to think I am an organised traveller and my overnight case is usually half packed ready to go. I also hate being late for anything. I would prefer to sit and wait rather than feel rushed. So my trip was off to a good start when we pulled into the bus stop as the bus was reversing out. Caught it just in time!

Onto the plane in good time due to depart at 8.30am. At 9.15 we were still sitting on the runway waiting to take off when it was announced we would be returning to the terminal to take a sick passenger back and to refuel (we had sat there so long we would not have enough fuel to get to Sydney). So taxi back through all the runways to then wait for the passengers bags to be found. Another wait while we were allocated another spot for takeoff. Finally we left Melbourne at 10.15am and arrived in Sydney at 11.30.

During this time you are instructed to turn off mobile phones and all electronic devices. Now I have embraced the paperless way of life with glee and I have all my books on a kindle and a lot on my iPad. It took me about 10 minutes to read the inflight magazine and I was then left with 2 hours of staring at the inside of a plane (I didn’t even have a piece of paper to write notes and ideas on). Usually I have no problem turning off my electric gadgets and I enjoy the short times when I am forced to become incommunicado however 2 hours without reading something was frustrating to say the least. Needless to say I am buying a paperback book and a notepad for my trip back today and will keep them in my overnight bag for a ‘just in case’.

Sydney however is always lovely to visit and a walk around the harbour after lunch brought me to the Australian icons of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.