9/8/07...I think! Somewhere near the equator...I think!

So got to Heathrow okay and am waiting in the largest departure lounge ever. This place has Harrods, Hamleys, Kurt Geiger, Chanel and a lamborghini parked in the middle of it all. It was a serious exercise in will power not to empty my bank account there and then.

Then my gate is announced, there is a 20 minute walk to get there! Seriously! Did get a chance to see my plane on the way down. It looked sturdy enough to carry me and my fat bum to Auckland via Hong Kong. Then a few last minute phone calls before I boarded.

Got to my seat, window seat as requested. Luckily there was a spare seat between me and Juan, the 18 year old Spanish school leaver, who had little interest in going to uni but was wanting to improve his English whilst in NZ for 6 weeks. Suffice to say his English was already better than my Spanish. We had plenty of room to spread out and the entertainment system was awesome. An on demand service loaded with movies and amongst other things several episodes of CSI and classic All Blacks rugby matches. Watched them the whole way. Particularly enjoyed England getting demolished in 2004, watched it over and over again.

I managed to survive to Hong Kong. Plane food is really that bad.

However my excitement to see all that HK airport, the best in the world, had to offer was dampened as I left the plane and walked along the RBS sponsored gangway. For a horrible second I though I was back in Scotland. They really are taking over the world! It makes me glad I bank with them or is it them banking with me!

What I saw of Hong Kong looked very nice if a little misty. The new airport is very shiny with lots of shops, some of which sold the wierdest things. Have you seen chinese porn? It was a brief stop and soon I was back on the plane, Juan at my side!!!!!!!!