I want to wake up in a city that...

The 4 jet engines are working as hard as they can and slowly the huge wings of the 747 curve to lift the almost 400 ton weighing colossus of the ground. New York city, formerly known as New Amsterdam, is on the other side of the big blue. In front of me is the big unknown of 40.000 kilometres, crossing 17 countries. I'm dreading it, but the longing for homesickness got to strong so I am on my way for the 5th time.
My pack-mule arrived a day earlier at the airport of New York and I'm damn curious to find out just how flexible the American authorities are in releasing my companion.

Such a Boeing is, by the way, a beautiful piece of technology that, with a speed of 900 km p/h, at more than 10 km high, skims over the Atlantic Ocean. It drinks quite a mouthful, about 10 tons of fuel per hour (about 12000 litres). At first it seems a lot, but after a few calculations, a jet turns out to be quite economical. The engines have an output of 50% and that is a lot better than the 25% of the average engine of most cars and bikes. Those need about 0,30 litres per hp per hour and jet engines only half of that.
Every hour the jet flies 300 metres higher to compensate the loss of weight due to its enormous fuel expenditure. At that height the outside temperature is 50 degrees Celsius below zero, but you hardly notice that when you look out of the little window.

The o so very Dutch stewardesses of our national pride (KLM) are doing the best they can to satisfy the demanding passenger. In decent blue, far too decent for me, wearing a skirt and skincoloured tights, they come running by with food, drinks and smiles. Flying towards the west, it takes hours before the sun disappears behind the horizon. Under me I see a mass of clouds, the area's with their inevitable fronts, traditionally heading for the coasts of Europe. In this kitchen, the big pan of soup of our uncertain weather is being cooked.
Have a nice summer!

At 21.00 hours I land at JFK airport and the never changing grumbly faces of the American customs officers welcome me warmly in the land of unlimited possibilities.