Venerdì, 14 Febbraio
San Francisco - Frankfurt
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No idea what time it is. It sure feels like way past midnight with the surroundings of the plane a pitch black. It might still be afternoon in San Francisco but we have long left the city by the bay. The only thing illuminating the dark nothingness is the moon’s pale reflection onto the tip of the wing.

I wonder why I always end up sitting right past the wing. Granted a 747’s wing spans at least 5 rows but the section that I am in alone has 43. No idea how many more towards the back. This is as far as I can see squeezed into the seat like I deserve to be punished. I miss you.

The kind elderly French man stuck in the center seat to my left asks if I’m all right. I guess it’s apparent that I am not. Saying good-bye is such a painful thing to do. Maintain decorum. The first and only time I ever read that expression was in a company Christmas party invite. Maintain decorum. Absurd.

Time to Destination: 6:38. Distance to Destination: 3692 miles. Ground Speed: 585 mph. Flughöhe: 10.100 m. Aussentemperatur: - 55 C. Zeit am Zielort: 3:53. Time to return to the metric system.

For the past five weeks I had been so occupied with organizing the move that the thought of my departure didn’t really sink in. Clearly a coach class seat in full fluorescent lighting is not the place to do some catching up. Note to self: Distraction is a first-aid remedy. Good thing they are showing the movie next.

The photo above is from a series I took last time returning to San Francisco – long after all electronic devices were supposed to be switched off. Amazing how the city just turns into this map of tiny grey squares amidst fewer but larger areas of green. I’ve always wanted to get a topological map of San Francisco so its steep hills would come as no surprise when getting around. Somehow I never did. I am tempted to circle the location of my apartment on the photograph but it’s no longer my apartment. Pointless. Bye-bye San Francisco good-bye.

Italian for the day: “Ci vediamo in Italia.” (We will see each other in Italy.)