A night flight

After a 3 year Gauteng drought, I was given an opportunity to fly up to Johannesburg for a few days, for work.

Of course, I jumped at the opportunity to travel - here, there, anywhere! And after all this time, air travel still…fascinates me.

Sure, I could do without the queuing, restrictive space and sometimes altitude induced headaches, but I don’t think that I will ever tire of a take off or landing, the wonder of moving between two places so quickly and easily…or the view.

I promised myself when I left Cape Town, that I would keep my phone handy for the return trip. But the stickler in me could not bear the thought of switching the device on mid flight. And the control freak in me just wanted any extra clutter safely tucked into my bag. I even checked a teeny 1,8kg piece of luggage into cargo, instead of storing it over head and saving time later. You know, the tweezer.

Oh but the view!

The pilot called it the sunset flight to Cape Town and I wondered if he was jet lagged. From where I was sitting, it was properly dark already. But then as we got into the air, I saw it.

A still bright, African sunset burning in the distance. Glowing so fiercely that I felt strongly urged to stand tall on my wing side seat in 17C and break into the Circle of Life song from the much loved, Lion King. 

I mean, be-ea-a-utiful. 

The lights mapping out winding major roads and dotting around residential areas. Twinkling like ombre diamonds, waiting to be picked and placed into a ring that would rival the Kruger Rand.

It was breathtaking.

And all I could do was soak it in. Hope that I would have this memory by osmosis, to remind me of this City, the colour palette of the season, the awesomeness of air travel and the growing anticipation of getting home...