Epic

The screen in the seat in front of me shows a curved line from IAD (Washington) to JHB (Johannesburg). The line touches West Africa, somewhere below Mauritania, but then quickly goes back over blue, the Atlantic Ocean. Now the screen switches to numbers. Height: 10,073 meters, Outside temperature: -47 Degrees, Ground speed: 905 km. Distance traveled: 4064 kilometers, Distance to destination: 9160 km, Time to destination: 10.26. Time at destination: 04.37 hours AM, Time of arrival: 02.57 hours PM. This is an epic journey.

About 15 hours of flying time, from start to landing, in one go from Washington DC to Johannesburg, from winter to summer, from North America to South Africa, from here to there, from far to far. A marvel of engineering, an Airbus 340-300e, South African Airlines: chapeaux! Now trying to have body, mind and spirit traveling at the same pace while I am moved.

- written Tuesday 28 Oct over the Atlantic Ocean -