Saída

Departure. I rushed around in the morning completing errands and packing, as my leave starts today. I'm going to South East Asia, mainly for the wedding of a friend from when we both lived in Cambodia, but also to bumble around Bangkok and bits of Cambodia for a few weeks. With the recent work focus on Africa it's been over 18 months since I was in Asia, and I'm very excited to go back for this break.

On the plane I spent a few hours reading important emails languishing since August and tying up some loose ends so I can shut off for the holiday. I also watched Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again. Cher doesn't seem able to move the components of her face these days. But she's still absolutely fabulous.

What's the etiquette for requesting more food on planes? My calorific needs are higher than the 40kg Filipina woman heading home for Christmas, but lower than the Miami dude to my left who had biceps as chunky as the Filipina's torso. I never ask for extra food but I feel like it should be fair game for those still hungry.

I flew with Qatar Airways which, perhaps surprisingly, services Maputo. They were handing out these quaint postcards depicting Qatar of old, to celebrate their National Day which falls this week. It's an excellent airline that I used a lot when I flew often to Asia, as oil wealth means they can undercut competitors. As a nation they are excellent at PR but just below the surface there are serious concerns about treatment of Bangladeshi migrant workers and the ripping up of the coastline to build gigantic ports.