Firstly when I started this post it was 9/11 and so respect to all those people who suffered some loss in some way 10 years ago. 10 years" don't seem like it does it....
An early morning start and after a coffee I was airport bound. I checked in and my bag that was going in to the main haul but as it passed through the sensor machine the alarm starting going off, the orange light started spinning and a siren was blurting out and the following words followed " please sir, could you go to the luggage room where your bag is awaiting a security check. " This is all I need" when I arrived the officials asked me if I had packed the bag myself and had I left it at any time. Jesus" I packed the bag yesterday all apart from the wash bag. Yes of course I had left it alone, it had been alone in the room in Yangkou, it was alone on the bus, it was alone in the hotel room in Shanghai! but i didn't admit this. it was then when I realised that any one could have planted anything in to my bag. I just hoped that this was a random check, it wasn't and they went straight to a certain location in my bag with their electronic scanning machines and then they pulled out a black plastic bag which was mine, they asked is this your's sir ? I replied yes and then they opened the bag and pulled out my zippo lighter, "phew" they advised me that this wasn't allowed in my luggage but I explained it was empty and that there was no fuel inside. They spoke in Chinese with each other and then granted it to go back though the scanning machine, again the machine started alarming, this time deodorant, this I could do without. After the 3rd attempt they allowed my bag though. I boarded my Virgin Atlantic flight and take off was swift. We had been flying for 10 minutes and we were still climbing when the plane began to shake violently from side to side, the seat belt sign hadn't been was switched off and the turbulence was horrendous. Shortly after the female captain pilot made an announcement. All was fine but 30 minutes later the plane began to shake from side to side and then dropping and banging, another patch of turbulence and this time the captain advised we were about to go through a rather bad patch of turbulence due to a tropical storm and then asked the cabin crew to take to their seats on safety grounds. This wasn't nice, not nice at all but we got through it and over in to Mongolia. The 12 hour flight passed and I was back in an overcast London. I had just enough time to get a few things done over the next few days including getting a replacement SLR as my own camera was being sent off to the Canon centre in Colchester. The next few days were hectic and as I boarded my TAP flight to Lisbon I felt in need of a break. arrival in Lisbon was hot, sunny with a clear blue sky above. I had to overnight here as I taking the first morning flight out from Lisbon to Terceira Island, Azores. Upon my travels from Yangkou to Terceira via, Rudong, Shanghai and London I found myself listening to my iPod on shuffle mode and forgot I had this classic tune by Rose Royce " wishing on a star" a lot of people have done a lot of cover versions of Rose Royce tracks and none more than " Love don't live here anymore" but I really do like Paul Wellar's version.. Check them both out:
I have seen a fair few bands and solo artists live over the years both in the UK and overseas but "Weller" really is a great performer live. Listen to the you tube clip below with headphones for that perfect surround sound feel.
