UK 2.0: Index

UK 2.0, being a Chronicles of my travels in UK, Prague and Vienna in November 2009

1. The UWE Graduation Ceremony in Bristol Cathedral (link)

2. London (link)

3. Scotland
3.1 Flight: Bristol - Edinburgh (link)

3.2 Edinburgh - Day 1 (link)
3.3 Edinburgh - Holyrood (link)


3.4 Timberbush 1 - Hamish (link)
3.5 Timberbush 2 - The Highlands (link)
3.6 Timberbush 3 - Glen Coe (link)
3.7 Timberbush 4 - Fort Williams & Ben Nevis (link)
3.8 Timberbush 5 - Urquhart Castle (link)
3.9 Timberbush 6 - Loch Ness (link)

3.10 Edinburgh - Day 3 - Glasgow (link)

3.11 Edinburgh - Day 4 - Beach (link)
3.12 Edinburgh - Day 4 - Castle (link)

3.13 Flight: Edinburgh - Bristol (link)

4. Brighton (link)

5. Prague and Vienna (Wien)
5.1 Flight: Bristol - Prague (link)

5.2 Prague - Day 1 (link)

5.3 Train: Prague - Vienna (link)

5.4 Wien - Day 1 (link)
5.5 Wien - Nights of Christmas Markets (link)

5.6 Wien - Day 2 The New (link)
5.7 Wien - Day 2 Vineyard of Nußdorf (link)

5.8 Train: Vienna - Prague (link)

5.9 Prague - Day 2 Evening (link)
5.10 Prague - Day 3 (link)

5.11 Flight: Prague - Bristol (link)

6. Bristol - The Farewell (link)

7. The Flights
7.1 Flight: Dubai - London - Pt1 (link)
7.2 Flight: Dubai - London - Pt2 (link)
7.3 Flight: Dubai - London - Pt3 (link)

7.4 Flight: the Homecoming (link)

8. Index (back to top)
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UK 2.0: Flight: the Homecoming

Do not walk outside this area. So we were told. Our eyes can always go further than our feet.

This is the end of UK 2.0 chronicles.

A conclusion to an obsession on the last day of the year, I might say. These entries and pictures, however naive or doe eye, will be stories and experiences I can remember and re-live one day when my eyes are too dim and my legs too frail to cross the oceans and the continents. In recalling, I might be filled with gratitude for the unfathomable kindness and generosity and beauty and majesty I have had a blessedness to encounter on this good Earth. Everything contained within this blog are gifts. Gifts from people dear to me. Gifts from people I never know, who sculpted the lands and crafted the things that touched my soul. Gifts from one who has seen all these things and more, even before the genesis of time.

Merry Christmas and Happy 2010.
May we always seek and never fail to find peace and goodwill, that is unto all.

UK 2.0: Flight: Dubai - London - Pt3

Clouds are like you and me. They come in every shape, form and size.

Under these clouds were so many famous European Cities, if only we could catch a glimpse of them. The light path definitely stray very near to both Budapest, Vienna and Prague.

Some clouds were so dense and even that you get the illusion of being able to walk on them. This solid white mass should be able to support a stampeding herd of Diplodocus with T-rexes in hot pursuit, no? What joy it would be if we could roll and frolic on these clouds.

After a small reprieve for the land below to see the sun, a halo fell on reappearing carpets.

We were over half-way now and the gentle descend began.

I was very thrilled to see our shadow falling squarely in the halo. The Good Lord must have blessed this flight.

Down through the clouds we went.

Ah, English lands! A dear sight I have not behold since Malaysia's National Day. London from above. Emirates Stadium (Arsenal) can be seen below.

More skylines in the heart of London. We did pass Tower Bridge, but I wasn't quick enough to shoot it.

A bend on the Thames revealed many familiar landmarks of London. The Eye remained the most eye catching one. From there, you can easily trace Trafalgar Square and the the other areas of Greater London.

The Buckingham Palace.

Some suburbs, lots of cars and Heathrow.

We were finally there, after a 14 hour flight with 3 hours stopover at Dubai.

UK 2.0: Flight: Dubai - London - Pt2

Having just being impressed by the work of man. Planet Earth gave her rebuttal. Awe was the word to describe the experience. It was like having the adrenaline rush of being hit by a rocket freshly launch from the pad. Let my inadequate words be few. Behold for yourself the grandeur of creation!

See the white pinnacles rising through the clouds in the distance. This was so out of the familiar Earth that I know, I would believe you if you tell me I'm on another planet now.

I am not sure if these impressive snow caped peaks and unbroken mountain chains were from Iran, but I'm inclinded to believe so, having recalled seeing Tabrīz on the 'Airshow' sometime. As the chain grew gentler, lines appeared. I could not tell if this was a river or a road. The latter was definitely a road.

We passed through more shorelines, probably the Black Sea and veered near Istanbul. The Black Sea would be the last major body of water we would see until we have crossed all of continental Europe.

More major cities would pass under us.

David Attenborough narrated in the 'Seasonal Forest' episode of BBC's acclaimed Planet Earth series of how the leafs' autumn transfiguration was visible from even from space. This bronze groove testified to his claims.

Once we hit continental Europe, clouds began to roll in. The white woolen carpet stretched like an unbroken blanket over the whole Europe.

Clouds will be the main theme of Pt3.