Jonty's Soup

I’m not a fantastic long-distance traveller, I get bored easily, and altitude, however pressurized, and alcohol don’t play well together.  The flight will comprise; sitting with my personal bodyguard and panelist - the massively talented Andy Beaumont - somewhere towards the rear of the plane, attempting to type, scribble, talk, avoid spilling gin and whatever sauce it is they put on the chicken at 30,000 ft, all over our respective laptops and iPads.  

I also intend to not sleep.  Everyone has their own method for counteracting jet lag, and after extensive research travelling both plus and minus hours I’ve come to the conclusion that arriving absolutely shattered, crawling to ones accommodation and collapsing into a sleep deprived coma is the best solution for all involved.  Having said that, the following days always seem to require some flavor of mid-afternoon nap.  I must be judicious with this allotted nap time and not allow it to spill over into a full blown snooze.  There is a fine line.

Enough, of this, let’s have more of the other.  The real reason for flying a few thousand miles in a tin can into the very heart, nay only heart of Liberal (big L) Texas, is to moderate a panel.  Also, and this is very much of secondary import; to hob-nob, chin wag, fat chew and natter with some of the more lucid members of the ‘interactive’ community.  There will also be the opportunity to learn from those who have a longer and perhaps more opinionated view of the various facets of our industry.

My preparation is half done, my packing has fallen at the first fence, my various electronic devices remain uncharged, and I have yet to dig out my fraying passport.  With only 24 hours before take off, what could go wrong?