Somewhere Over Iran at 37,000 feet

I took off Saturday around 2pm Eastern from RDU, made it to DC, and was lucky enough to be quick to the Lufthansa counter to change my seats to the bulkhead or exit row for both legs coming up. Unfortunately on the first leg I had 2 other guys, all over 6’4” who had the same idea and we were all stuck in the same row. We were flanked on the left by four women traveling with 3 babies - and they were howling like crazy. The babies, I mean, not the women. No one got much sleep - you’d think that after 6 or 7 hours of screaming a kid would have lost his voice but noooo. Read most of “A Pilot’s Wife” on this flight; a plane crash/relationship story which might not be good in-flight entertainment for most people away from their spouses for an extended period of time. Enjoyed the story myself, though. Tried to sleep some, but was not too successful, perhaps managing 2 or 3 hours total.

Despite the fact that it was 8 AM local time, I had a Wessebier and hot cheese pretzel in the “Black Forest” snack bar in the Frankfurt airport - I’m pretty sure that Mehnoush and I ate here once too. Not nearly as good as Gabi’s mom’s breakfast the time that Scott Lynch and I had a long layover and were invited to their home here. Oh well, it was after midnight to me, and everyone else was drinking beer too - gotta love Germany for that! Started Herman Hesse’s Siddartha classic in the airport after finishing the first book.

The next leg was significantly more comfortable - not to mention interesting! This time I had a real exit row so could extend my legs. The weather was absolutely crystal clear once we were clear of Europe - crossing over Turkey and Iraq and Iran was absolutely stellar! The sun was just setting as we flew over the mountains in southeast Turkey or western Iran (I am guessing here, since the flight computer wasn’t on at this time displaying position - when it did turn on, it looked like we were near Tabriz. Anyway, the peaks and valleys were totally buried in snow, and the setting sun lit them on fire with that clear pink red of high altitude sunsets. I kept thinking “oh, missed that, should have gotten the cameras” and continued to think this for almost a half-hour as so many mountains rolled by below. I *really* wish I had gotten up to get it, but I kept thinking that it would end soon and I didn't want to get up and waste the chance to see it.

As darkness was setting in, we could see a long, thin, lake (I *think* it was too small to actually be the Caspian) with a single large mountain poking up on what should be the North end, on the east side. It would be interesting to do some terrain modeling to see if I can figure out where this actually was. It was truly beautiful to see. In this area, single lights were visible here and there in the valleys, with the occasional cluster of a community shining more brightly. Just as the last of the twilight disappeared completely, the moon rose, full and yellow and in another hour or so, I believe I saw the lights of Tehran away to the north - it was a huge city, anyway.

Finished Siddartha; found it to be a very interesting book written in the 1920’s - the story of the son of a Brahmin in India living at the time of the Gautama Buddah and how his life flows while seeking enlightenment. I assume it’s pure fiction, but it’s main conclusion is that attainment of Nirvana will come from within and not based on mindlessly following rituals or just doing as clerics, mystics, or priests say. One has to assume responsibility for one’s own nirvana, an external advisor cannot do it for you. Naturally, it takes our main character all his life to discover this, after trying every path first he finally listens to a river as it points out that there is no past and no future - the water is flowing, yet is everywhere at once. A fairly quick and easy read; may take longer to digest! Starting on Straub/King “Talisman” next - switch to horror from real literature, quite a shock to the system!