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Published: April 10th 2014
I am en route to Istanbul and 2014's Major Event, which will be broadcast to you slightly delayed via this website. But barring any mishaps, let's see if I can finish sooner than I finished Africa's blog!
Having friends who work for Virgin Atlantic, I tend to fly them most frequently and therefore haven't ever been to Heathrow's Terminal 5 which is solely British Airways (I think). After a few minutes of panic at the check in desk when I was told the flight was 'grossly overbooked' (I hadn't been able to check in online) and the relief at my carry on backpack full of gluten free products (more on that later) and camera equipment being allowed as hand luggage, I was on the move. The computerised boarding card check prior to security was fast and easy to use; everyone in front of me was actually prepared for the X-ray machines with laptops, liquids and coats in hand (possibly in response to the staff member loudly repeating the request) and then I came across Gordon Ramsay's wonderful Plane Food.
Having survived the flight from Sydney to London on nothing much more than fruit only a fortnight ago (every meal on the gluten free diet was seafood based which is unfortunately not something I eat), I had been keen to pick up food in the airport. And here was a marvellous concept: a three course picnic meal for £12.95. I don't know if you've ever had to eat a gluten free meal on a plane before but I guarantee I've never been offered a salami and mozzarella antipasti, a beetroot and goat cheese salad and ... Okay, fruit salad for dessert. But it came with yoghurt!
Whilst at home in Melbourne, I did all the required blood tests and now have a lifetime membership as a coeliac. It's been several years since I was told I was gluten intolerant in New York and avoided the 'big' things like bread and pasta but didn't worry too much about soy sauce and desserts. Now I've been told not to 'smell wheat, breathe wheat or even think about wheat. Forever'. Yay. Not.
But, I feel much better and am more in tune with my stomach, knowing very quickly if I've accidentally eaten something wrong. In preparation for this trip, I've packed corn pasta, GF pita bread and wraps (both sadly have short shelf lives so they won't last long), rice flakes, fruit and nut bars and a couple of oh-my-God-there's-absolutely-nothing-I-can-eat emergency packets of soup. My hand luggage definitely weighs more than the 15kg I checked in.
So. This trip. It wasn't on the radar until Suse, our legendary driver from the Africa trip, emailed us and said she was thinking of putting together a trip. Several quickly showed interest but in the end, it was Talbot, Nat and I that joined.
Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan (which I hope to be able to spell without the spell checker by the time I leave there), back into Kazakhstan, the Altai region of Russia, Mongolia and finishing in Beijing, China on August 1. Epic is not a word I think I've ever used but this trip is sure to live up to it.
With the gin and tonic I found myself asking for and a window seat I didn't expect (after a game of musical chairs so couples could sit together), I'll spare you anymore rambling until I actually see some sights and sites worth rambling about.
One last helpful tip: be gentle with your Plane Food and hold it horizontally as intended. Otherwise you may end up arriving at your destination covered in a fragrant but ill-placed vinaigrette...
Very, very last note. Thanks to the flight tracker, I've found a place in Austria called Bad Aussee. As what I hope is a good Aussie, I'd like to go there!
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Jen
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Have an amazing trip! I\'m looking forward to all of your updates and adventures! Travel well xx