I had assumed with Indian relations with Pakistan being so strained that we would fly around it, but no, we came straight across Pakistan and turned away from the Straits of Hormuz towards Muscat, over the Gulf of Oman - to avoid Iranian airspace I am guessing. Over on the other side of the straits the politics and lifestyle are far less onerous. After the real bumpy take off, that is exactly what I want! I had flown over this region coming in to Singapore, but I have a better view today, if I get an approach in Dubai with a few views I will take some shots... I told myself to prepare - but when push came to shove, I found out the battery was almost dry... :)
The first hour of this flight was truly awful, the first 25 mins the worst. A storm was blowing in to Delhi right at the end of the runway and we flew into it, apart from the usual up down hard turbulence the plane was battered a lot from side to side as well. I took another tranq as I really thought this could be it, and looking around, I was not the only one...
Over an hour into this 3 hr 40 min flight it started to become more normal, the pilot never spoke once about it or anything else....weird that. This was a Singapore Airlines code share ticket, it is actualy on Air India.
I have to say it is bizarre on this planet - I fly over the place where Osama hangs out in the hills, the Taliban shoot westerners and torture them and I am eating a chicken korma with spicy aloo vegetables right above it.
Looking out over the dry parched land below, you have to wonder why they do it themselves, and of course, while they wonder, I don't want them firing any rockets at us.
The dry desert....
Crossing the Gulf of Oman - this feature in Pakistan is called Gwadar and as an oil complex was bought and paid for by China. This is very close to the Iranian border. The rocky features above become part of the African rift valley too.
Coming down in the Emirate of Dubai.
Landing in Dubai...
Sand everywhere!
And cars.
I am tranquilizerd (my new word) quite well up here, having found a loophole I think I can use to cover me if questioned. The law in the UAE changed for many drugs with tourits. But these pockets of rocking and swaying are very disconcerting. All I can see is wreckage.... I threw away my travel sickness pills thinking they could be banned and would get some there. I really needed them on this flight.
The map shows us entering the middle east area over Oman, which is great. If I had time I would have gone diving there. Sweeping up the northern coast above many oil tankers and then if we can clip below the srait, we are pretty much there !
OK, am landed, at the hotel at crashing at 630pm as I am too tranqd for anything - I am tired!
Good Night.
- BlogPressed from my iPad. Click on picture for larger image and gallery.
