| I recalled my first flight as a teenager | | | | leave London in the late afternoon flying |
| leaving one country for another to continue | | | | west ward toward New York, you would |
| my education. The excitement of foreign | | | | experience a prolonged twilight period. It's |
| adventures was mixed with the sadness of | | | | as if you were racing after the sun, never |
| leaving my family. As the plane took off and | | | | quite catching up as it drops into its nest |
| the northern coast of South America dropped | | | | in the west, leaving you to sleep or gaze |
| below the horizon, I remember brushing a | | | | hypnotically in its spell. Another yawn as I |
| small tear off my cheek, yet smiling at the | | | | glanced again at the clouds. There weren't |
| glorious possibilities of exploring a new, | | | | many of them, but they appeared to come to |
| fascinating and sometimes frightening world. | | | | life changing shapes and evolving into new, |
| It would be years before I would see my | | | | intriguing forms, ever so slowly, ever so |
| family again. I don't sleep much on airplanes | | | | peacefully as we sailed overhead.Here was one |
| and I read very little when up in the air. | | | | that resembled a giraffe,long neck, spots and |
| High above the clouds enveloped in this | | | | all stood out against the pale blue sky. And |
| meditative environment, I much prefer to | | | | over there, another cloud took the shape of |
| reflect on the nature of reality, to | | | | an acacia tree,complimenting the giraffe on |
| philosophize and luxuriate alone in my | | | | the African landscape. Lower and somewhat |
| thoughts. Today was no different as I | | | | farther to my right was one shaped like a car |
| reflected on the past week. Indeed it was a | | | | - a Volkswagen beetle no less. |
| grueling one. My body's bio-clock was | | | | |
| indecisively choosing among time zones across | | | | Lecturer, entrepreneur and MBA business |
| three continents, but my mind, at ease on an | | | | consultant, John Harricharan is the author of |
| uncrowded flight, was drifting among the | | | | the award-winning book, "When You Can Walk on |
| clouds of yesterday and tomorrow. Yawning, I | | | | Water, Take the Boat. |
| glanced through the window again. If you | | | | |