It’s always the same the dog gets it. She sees the packed cases and gives us that look – you are leaving aren’t you?

Really she has nothing to be upset about, our daughter will look after her just as we do.

So with that and my favourite person’s one last adjustment to her luggage we are ready to put the tamper proof seal on our one case and we are ready to call for the cab. We use tamper proof seals rather than locks because it means we don’t have a key to lose or to remember a combination.

We are travelling light. Leaving winter behind and heading to the warmth of the northern hemisphere. We don’t normally travel at this time of the year but my favourite person has a health issue that makes it best to be out of the cold. What better excuse could you have to travel to Israel and Europe!

Our check-in is easy and our Lounge Pass is to the Qantas Club where I already have access care of years of work flying. It’s very pleasant and being a late morning the lounge is empty.

Our hour or so wait gives me an opportunity to review a transcript of an interview I conducted a week or so ago. I want to work on this case while I am away as it has been accepted as book chapter for a forthcoming academic book on family business.

We breeze through the final security check except that my favourite person is selected for a full body scan. Only a minor inconvenience and then through the Duty Free store and we are ready to board.

Browsing the entertainment I see a video of a recent concert re-interpreting The Beatles, Sgt Pepper. It was awesome and was perfect to cover lunch before selecting a playlist and another couple of hours study. My Supervisor had suggested a recently published article on a key topic associated with my research.

He was right it was very pertinent. As well as making some notes about the article I updated my Literature Review for a couple of points and thought about how it might be relevant to my Findings.

Yes, I’m at the stage now where I’m starting to make findings. I have some idea where my research will end up. It’s exciting and over the time we are away I am planning to continue my writing.

With the article finished I wondered about a movie. I chose The Favourite – what an interesting movie. Definitely a black comedy and one not to watch with the children! It finished with an hour or so to go of our leg to Hong Kong, so it was back to the playlist and I set about writing the start of this post before reading a book I’d downloaded.

Our Hong Kong stop over is four and half hours after our eight hour flight. Another time where I’m grateful for lounge access. Hanging around in airports is a first world form of torture. The Lounge provides a comfortable seat, wifi access and a shower! Time drags. With the time difference from home, our departure time of 1.10am is 2.40am Adelaide time.

About 40 minutes before our departure we head for the gate. I’m not an airport runner, I like to be organised and at the gate early. I thought I might buy some Burberry’s, a favourite since my favourite person bought some for me many years ago. No luck the Burberry’s store is closed – not unreasonable as it is 12.30am.

Boarding is easy and after a short delay we are on our way. Our flight path takes us across China a place I’ve never been. I have a window seat and the view of the light cloud and lights of a massive Chinese city below is quite amazing, but I’m exhausted so after a light supper it’s sleep. I’ve never been a great sleeper and I’m in awe of the lady in front of me who is snuggled up and asleep less than five minutes after take off. Still I’m happy with the four or so hours I get. Waking up with about five hours left before we get to Tel Aviv.

I’ve clearly lost it as I settle on listening to Cher singing Abba covers as my choice (Clive I know that wouldn’t be on your playlist!). Looking at the flight map it’s easy to see how world tensions play a part in flight paths. Our plane is certainly taking a circuitous route.

The plane has camera and map views and a window in the loo!

As breakfast is served daylight has arrived and there is a pretty amazing view at 38,000 ft. I am not sure what I expected but snow capped peaks wasn’t one of them. Being from a place where it never snows, I find the sight of snow amazing.

I do a last check on getting from the airport to Tel Aviv using a guide book that an interviewee on the Amateur Traveller podcast put together. I also had a read of how to load our travel sim. Seemed pretty straight forward. With that it was back to my book for the last hour or so of the flight.

As we reached 45 minutes from landing, an announcement came over the PA telling us to take our seats and reminding us that all passengers must be seated for the last 30 minutes of the flight. The 30 minute seating rule is an Israeli requirement and we are advised from the flight deck that it must not be breached.

We are landing on the Sabbath. We’d been assured that is not such a big issue for Tel Aviv and that getting to our hotel by taxi should not be an issue, just a bit more expensive. I had a plan for what to do if our room wasn’t ready on arrival, however it wasn’t necessary. We are able to check in and access our room even though it’s only 9 am.

After a chance to freshen up its off to explore a slice of Israel a place I have wanted to visit for many years.