The Finnish connection

I’m writing this approximately one hour out of Seoul, at the end of a pleasant but very sleepless flight from Helsinki. I know from experience that today is going to suck donkey balls from a jet-lag perspective, so it’s going to be caffeine and excitement all the way.

We flew via Helsinki and I have to say the service on board both flights was top notch. We were on a new Airbus A350 from Heathrow to Helsinki and it was gorgeous – not something I usually say about planes. I’m not an aviation geek, but it was smooth and almost silent all the way over. (The only thing that detracted from my experience was the exceptional and overpowering stench of BO emanating from the woman across the aisle from me. It wafted over every time she moved around – and I know I wasn’t the only person who would smell it!)

The business class seats were just fantastic and I even managed a snooze.

Which is just as well, as I’ve been awake since leaving Helsinki on the second leg of the flight. By my reckoning, the key stats are:

• 2.25 films watched
• 2 podcasts listened to
• 0.25 of a tv show watched
• 2 delicious ‘Blue Sky’ champagne cocktails necked
• 0 hours of sleep…

Anyway, it was all done in the comfort of the business class cabin, so I’m not going to complain. I’m just going to collapse into a hotel bed far too early later today.

We have a passport control to navigate, a bus connection to get right and a hotel check-in to complete. Right now, with my lack of sleep, that feels like an absolute mission. But let’s see how we get on.