27th/28th January

It’s all gone remarkably well. I arrived at the airport earlier than necessary as it happened because it was not at all busy. I swept through check-in (the VeriFLY app helps if you can fill it in, which wasn’t possible on the outward journey because my covid test result didn’t give an uploadable code) and security and sat and faffed on the phone until it was time to board. We’re due to land half an hour early. It’s now midnight Atlanta time or 5am in London. I should sleep but I’m not good at more than catnapping on a plane because it’s all so exciting. I love flying. 
Dinner at 10pm/3am was really very palatable. Even the green beans had a crunch and the chicken was good. So was the chocolate mousse. I’ve even had worse coffee. I really can’t fault BA, everything has been excellent. 
I miss my lovely American family. As Plautus said a couple of thousand years ago, fish and company stink after three days. I hope my company didn’t and theirs certainly didn’t. The best possible hosts, though their own circumstances are worrying at present (one family member is about to start stem cell therapy for leukaemia) they graciously included me and yet didn’t dwell on the situation. I know they’re under pressure and admire their grace. 
In addition, I spent time with my longtime blog friend Hey Bartender and had a couple of long chats with Guyana Gyal. 
It was 10 months after my mother died, after a long period of being unwell, that I visited India for the second time. Weeza invited me to accompany her to her friend’s wedding. It was wonderful and healing for me, after a lot of stress and anxiety. I hope that this holiday will be good for me in a similar way. If one is lucky, a break can reset things. 
There’s a long and winding road ahead and I’m blanking thoughts of it for now. But I feel a bit more hopeful. Not that grief has receded, it’s as grinding as ever, but this respite has given me some time to regain a balance. 
I might watch a film until I’m ready to nap. I’ll post this in the morning. Goodnight, darlings. 

I didn’t post it in the morning, of course, that was far too optimistic. I drove back to Reading and then, feeling lonely, drove back home here the same day. I took the required Covid test the next day, which was negative – I’ve travelled all that way, seen lots of people and eaten out most days but didn’t catch it, while more cautious friends and family have.

Since being back, I’ve been sleeping at random times and, though I don’t feel jet lagged, I have no sense of what time of day or night it is. I’ll catch up with blogging, both reading and writing, this week.

Breakfast was not on a par with dinner, by the way. The ‘cheese and tomato croissant’ was a heavy roll filled with a slice of rubbery cheese and a smear of tomato purée. I left most of it but still had indigestion. However, in every other respect British Airways was great, on both legs and I have the utmost respect for all the airport staff, who were exceptional.