In Lahore. The flight was long and, rather to my annoyance, my seat was one of the bulkhead ones, which are much desired by the longer limbed, and pay a premium for them. I didn’t pay a premium, but the plane was changed so found myself assigned a far more expensive seat than I’d have got. It was bulkhead and aisle, but in the centre rather than the sides of the plane so was constantly used as a passage way by crew and passengers alike, most annoying and while pretending to sleep I kicked a few ankles. Also with the bulkhead you can’t keep your bag with you.
Anyhow, the flight was fine. I was seated next to an elderly woman and beyond her a woman perhaps my age, and they both chatted incessantly and told each other as they parted how good the other was.
On arrival I was out of the airport and in the car within 10 minutes. Time was, getting through immigration in Lahore was the most hideous experience, but it has improved greatly in the last five or ten years, and then of course I had no luggage.
Back at home for a shower, breakfast with my father – joining him in his wholesome but startlingly unhealthy meal of a paratha cooked in desi ghee sprinkled (for him) with honey or (for me) raw sugar.
The trainer arrived at 11 and made me realise all the ways in which my form is not great, so it was a satisfying session. He assured me there was a great deal of improvement since I was last in Lahore and since it does not compute that weight loss is of no interest to me, assured me that I had lost weight and could lose more if I went on a grapefruit diet.
‘Madam your upper body was always fine,’ said he, ‘but madam I am your trainer, I can say, your lower body and (whispered) butt, they are slimmer.’ Great, said I, and his face fell when I admitted that no one had remarked on my slimmer lower body. I shall have to make up a compliment the next time I see him.
Meanwhile, my brother called. He had arrived at the airport in Dubai to catch his flight to Lahore, to find no sign of it on the departure board. Gradually, a whole plane-ful of people coalesced, confused and and wondering, milling by the unmanned counters. Eventually a man appeared who, when asked, simply looked confused and said there was no such flight today as far as he knew. My brother located the airline office and peeped inside to find one man quickly putting away things in the back. ‘No plane today,’ he said, and disappeared. So that was that for the national flag carrier, as it likes to call itself. My brother eventually found another flight on another airline that arrived about 8 hours later. And so we are all here, all but the dead parent.