Well I’m back in civilization and it is severe culture shock let me tell you! I’m staying at the Grace hotel which is very lovely and in an area called Rosebank. After the wilds, this place really looks like it could be anywhere in the world.
Phil, Jane and I had an uneventful trip back, no difficulty climbing to 9000 ft to clear the mountains and once we turned the corner towards Lanseria we picked up a nice tailwind and had a ground speed of about 120. Pretty speedy for that old bird. Landing in Lanseria however was really hair raising with gusting 30 mph. cross-winds! Huge kudos to Phil for getting us down in one piece!!!
When I got to the hotel I got a look at myself in the mirror and all the vanity held in abeyance came rushing back. The dust that washed out of my hair ran the water brown for at least five minutes!! The pleasure of a LONG HOT shower is a thing of joy. I love roughing it and I love being pampered – each in it’s own time I suppose. When I get to Rome I have a spa day lined up and now I can’t wait. Today has been a reorganization sort of day, repacking my suitcases for urban, chichi Italy instead of safari gear and getting my head into this different space! I had lunch on the hotel terrace and I swear, not a word of a lie, my two waiters names were “Secco” (dry) and “Fungae” (mushroom)! Hows that for the cosmos realigning my sensibilities to Italy?
TTFN