One of the best parts of a trip is the preparation, it can last for months with ideas being tested as kit’s gathered and the suitcase fills. As a child I always loved the part in western movies where the goody goes into the gun shop to chose his weapon for the showdown.

After farewells which brought a lump to my throat, 2 years of lockdown were left behind as BA6364 roared its way eastwards through low rainclouds, piercing the grey blanket that’s covered the UK these past few weeks and soaring into bright sunshine and blue skies.

The beauty of the alps and the Adriatic coast catapulted me away from the small Essex town that has become all too familiar…

… into a different world where illuminated oil tankers line up in the Gulf of Oman waiting to fill up. I couldn’t help but think all those lights would be even better if they were flashing like the “deccies” back home.

So far so good; the carefully crafted plan seems to be working and the next four weeks look like they’ll be out there, way out there. Just need to tool up with a 250.