Manchester - Cairo

2 hours down, 2 and half to go apparently. Slightly more appealing than the original 5 hours 15 minutes as scheduled although it will inevitably result in more waiting around in Cairo. The usual advantage of being an able-bodied man travelling alone kicked in again at the check-in desk when the assistant kindly made me one of the team giving me a window seat next to the emergency exit door above the wing. Although the tray folding out of the arm is less convenient, the extra leg room I'm always thankful for. Fingers crossed she's done the same on the flight to Dammam too.

Don't think me stupid or ignorant but as daft as it sounds I was suprised when I eventually made my way to the terminal gate to find myself completely outnumbered by muslim men and women talking arabic (I assume). I know what your thinking and I was expecting it obviously. I guess just discovering it for the first time, especially before I'd even left the UK kind of hit home exactly where my destination is.

Initially, despite my advantageous seating position, I was sat next to by a large coloured lady who, after initially attempting to dispell the air hostesses wishes for her to stow her hang luggage in the overhead locker and eventually being forced to give in, proceeded to take up now only her own seat but a decent portion of the personal space both myself and my travel companion on her other side would probably have considered our own up until that point. Thankfully no sooner had the seat belt signs gone out she was up and dissappeared toward the back of the plane with her box of nuts (Stu would have loved her!). Since then we've not seen her and the pair of us have had the added advantage again of using her seat to store our belongings too - winner! 

I think this plane is the first experience of a feeling that no doubt I will have for my entire duration certainly in Saudi - that I'm not in Kansas anymore. Or at least I am not a guest within a community whose cultural practices are the norm rather than my own. In flight manuals, seat back notices and the captains announcements all in Arabic with English translations afterward. It's all getting pretty real now.

I've decided not to bother with the film. Looks like it's whatever Pixars latest offering may be but I don't recognise it. The Boeing 737-800 apparently doesn't come kitted out with screens in the back of the seat giving each individual the option of what to watch and when like longer haul carriers. I have half a dozen films on the ipad but as yet haven't resorted to them yet. The Economist I brought with me doesn't use up valuable battery life so I'll stick with that for the time being or until the intelligent vocabulary begins to outstretch my ability to concentrate enough to decipher what they mean.

Dinner has just been served. The choice of fish or beef effectively rendered me without a choice but despite the beef itself being somewhat old and tough the stew it was in was lovely. I've always found airline food more appealing than most though, I've no idea why. The coffee left something to be desired however. I hope it's got more to do with being on a plane than anything but I suspect perhaps it is the one of the first things I may have to get used to. I thought I'd try it black as no milk seemed to accompany it but in the end had to resort to the powdered creamer to make it drinkable. Make of that what you will...

We seem to be approaching sunset now although my ipad tells me it's still only 15:43. I might try and get some sleep though doubt I'll succeed. Failing that it'll be back to the Economist for a bit and a film as a last resort.