Originally posted from Hong Kong as a single page, this update was split into multiple parts (see related articles) for the sake of reducing the loading time due to the images involved…

First time through the security in airports following the September 11th terrorist actions in New York. Certainly has changed! We watched one guy walk through the X-ray machine, removing various layers of clothing before he finally got through on his 11th attempt without setting the metal detectors off.
We had heard that Cathay Pacific was a nicer airline than average to fly on, and after going on Qantas, American, Iberian and British Airways, it certainly was a good flight. Little TV screens in each seat back, even in the economy class. We even got first class food from one of the flight attendants when we got to chatting - pretty good tucker up front of the plane!

One strange fellow was a guy who, about 6 hours into the flight, came up and asked us if we had a lighter. We told him we did not and reminded him that he was not allowed to smoke on board. He said he was not intending to - he just had to “burn something”. We got a little concerned at that point and went to inform the staff - nothing like a guy wanting to burn something on a plane, is there!??!

Turns out he had had a little too much cognac to drink and he wanted to melt some wires of his laptop together since he was trying to repair it… Oh, but of course! Anyway, he was convinced by the staff to wait until he got back down to the ground before lighting a flame…

Categories: Travel, Odyssey 2001