The time is 0205. Cathay Pacific announces the boarding of Flight CX383 to Zurich. Could all passengers please form a 1km long queue while you await boarding. One of our crew will visit you in your queue to check your passport and see if you look like who you think you are. I’m sorry Sir, your long hair, cap and eyes look different – is this really you? Oh wait, it’s past 2.00am and you have been sitting around the airport partaking of beverages. OK, we will stamp your boarding pass and pretend it’s you.

Patrice and Suzanne, I’m sorry we have had a change of plan and you have been reallocated different seats. No Suzanne, you are not upgraded to Business Class, you are now relegated to the last row of the cabin. Geez, that past life is really catching up with you.

Just as the plane door closes a lovely old lady from Shanghai comes hobbling along the plane and sits next to us. She changes into her slippers and settles in. But wait – the hostess is coming past with a bag full of something and she hasn’t got whatever is in on offer. Ok, she got one – an eye mask, really. We three musketeers didn’t need an aye mask – new eyes maybe. You know the ones, the ones that are fresh and have eyeballs in the right place.

Kirsteen managed wine, Patrice managed food, and Suzanne managed a doze off.

Patrice had to wave as we passed Ulaanbattar in Mongolia – Gordon (friend) is there working in the mines. Yay Gordon, I’ve now visited. Haha.

Its a long flight across land but we are not allowed to look at the land. Apparently we have to sleep!!

It seems to be that no matter what time you take a long haul flight the crew think you must shut the window shades as soon as possible. Maybe they are tricking us that it really is nighttime outside.

We found just the place for those who trick us – Morons!

Eventually after movies, photography tutorials and some forty winks we were allowed to open our window shades. Not that that would stop Patrice – it was quite fun putting the pillow against the window and having a wee peek. We even managed to match up the plane view (above) with the towns.

Hoping on this leg of the journey that Kirsteen and Patrice get to the see the same sunset/sunrise. After all on the first leg Kirsteen had her own gorgeous sunrise.

No sunrise or sunset on this flight.

Breakfast was a wake up call at 0630am – what do you mean it’s 6.30am – we were meant land by now. Oh yeah – that was before the delay!

Shortly ladies and gentlemen we will be landing in Zurich. Blah, blah… oh yeah, it takes 5 minutes to announce in German and 1 minute in English.

Off the plane, and into Duty Free. We are now stocked up for the first 6 nights.

Coffee…. that will help!

Off to find the train to Lucerne. Patrice has the SBB (Swiss train) app on her phone (of course). What a bonus that turned out to be. The queue for the tickets from the SBB counter was about half a kilometre long! There was a self service kiosk but that was so difficult to navigate.

Lucerne to follow…