When you see a swan take flight from a grassy bank, soaring as though she is a bird God made to rule the skies, then land gracefully unto the lake's waters, breaking the shimmery surface, to brake her airborne speed, to be where she does rule, you know you have just witnessed nature's most amazing grace. It can take your breath away. It can make you realize you never knew true gracefulness. It can break the latest rendition you saw of that ballet phenomenon into a rude parody of His truth.

It happened to me. In Stratford-upon-Avon. The most poetic place on earth. And the swan gave me a performance before I was prepared for it. Overwhelmed, I spent a good deal of my layover trip to Birmingham, seated by the lake, on a park bench, occasionally accompanied by the lake's feathered residents.

Who waddled up near me, sat down and somewhat kept me company. A thousand muses moved me, a thousand poems I could write. No wonder Shakespeare was born there. Created and procreated there. There is something in the air that makes you just want to express yourself. In words. In ways.

And yes, I managed to find Shakespeare's cottage and stood still in silence as I absorbed the essence of the man I shared a challenged relationship with for many years while I pursued education. I got lost however, trying to find Hathaway's cottage, which the locals tell me is not too far away but as I let my feet take charge and my mind take leave in the wonder of the place, I wandered too far off the beaten track.

No matter though. Stratford is a place for book-lovers. The stores sell books up to more than half off the published rate! I went crazy book shopping and later DVD shopping (note: Raihan NEVER buys fake DVDs anymore coz her past experiences with fake DVDs, years ago, left her traumatized beyond help.). Bought meself four titles, Scarface (special Edition with deleted scenes), Trainspotting (CLASSIC!!) and two newly-released Friends DVDs with the first 8 episodes of the 10th season! The only thing that kept me from buying a book and video library's worth is the idea of a super heavy suitcase,which I have to physically pay dearly for as the crew hotel, which is called The Swan's Nest, is themed in really old-English style and does not believe in lifts. And I am on the second floor,as luck would have it.

Oh and the hotel has names for ALL its rooms. MY room is called Ruff. Then there's Spotted Flycatcher, Woodchuck, Orly ....it's so quaint, everything. So different from London. London is modern. Stratford-upon-Avon is what you would call Old English, blissfully lost somewhere in the past. It's an hour away from the Birmingham Airport so I believe there is a special reason Emirates chose this place as our rest area. Coz most of the chosen areas in other countries are near the airport. I think they really want us to unwind and absorb serenity here. Lose the hectic city life for a bit. Well, I'm all for it. I left Birmingham, happy and sated. It was almost magical.

Will be putting up the pics in Fotopages real soon. I gotta settle my bills online first, reply to some E-mails my mom sent me and then get ready for my Muscat turnaround which I shall operate with Azim (FINALLY, a flight with him!)

Got a good June roster, although no New Yorks yet. Two London Heathrows, a Zurich trip (my FIRST TIME!) and a Karachi turnaround then I'm GOING HOME FOR LEAVE! Maybe I might convince my friend (who got TWO New York flights rostered) to swap with one of my Londons. My mom cakap, tulah, suka London sangatkan......hehehe.

Oh well,Alhamdullilah...He has given me opportunites to experience things I never thought I would before. And to think I was so down one time, a long time ago, that I nearly lost faith in myself and in Him. Syukur Alhamdullilah. He never allowed that to happen.

So Singapore, come June 21st, watch out. I'm going home and I'm gonna paint the town red.

Now I'm just gonna go figure out which shade of red that's gonna be.