Gordens James Bond moment.

We managed a nice skype chat earlier over an hour.
It was a bit noisy as he was in the cafeteria with his pint of very strong beer that cost him just over a pound. I could see him but for some reason my camera this end wasn't working but never mind we have a good catch up which was nice.

Well onto the James Bond moment.

When he was flying from Almaty to Pavlodar. Monday.
He had to be at the airport at 3am for his take off at 5am he got to the checking in desk and was told bus so he went and got on the bus they drive you airside at this airport.
He was in row 6a so he boarded the plane and could see no 6a so he spoke to the stewardess who told him he was on the wrong plane. He had a minute to spare before his flight took off.
The stewardess got out her walkie talkie and there was much talk in Russian. Next thing he knows a mini bus screeches up the tarmac stops at the steps he is told go go go so he does hops into the mini bus and it screeches across the tarmac to the plane he was meant to be on.
He is ushered out of the mini bus and told go go go up the steps of the plane to Pavlodar.
He was in his suit as he was meeting the Director of Education at Pavlodar and he said everyone looked at him as if he was some VIP.

He is finding the customs strange all the teachers are women and not married if you want to marry you have to give up teaching as it is considered to take up to much time to be married and no man will marry you if you want to teach.
He also finds it strange that he is always ushered first through a door the women have to wait and he always sits at the head of the table.

He did get the whole sheeps head eyes and all. He cut off a small bit of the cheek just enough to respect their custom and hospitality and they were satisfied with his effort.

Mark our elsdest did some research apparently the women get the tongue it is a symbol to hold your tongue. The next male or males get the eyes it is a symbol to watch over one another. They drink mostly horse milk but he did manage to get some cows milk today for his cuppa.

The good news is he may be home earlier than expected the end of the month and with no less money than expected. So heres hoping.

Sounds like he is having a good time over there!! Lol at being on the wrong plane, that would probably be me, I wonder who the other passengers thought he was.

So glad that you had a lovely long chat on skype, that must have made you both feel heaps better.

He must be constantly having to be on his guard not to offend the customs in any way, but must indeed find it very strange. As for his James Bond moment, I bet that he enjoyed it in retrospect!

It certainly sounds interesting and exciting for Gordon Lynn , you never know what is going to happen next do you

Oh he is so brave having to respect all those funny customs, it would worry me to death and as for being on the wrong plane I would have needed brown trousers

Always cool in a crisis our Gorden.
Thats why I don't do so well when he isn't around I am like a headless chicken and stressed.

Lol while I love an adventure I really don't think I'd have been able to eat the sheep's head... even part of it.

Tho I would have taken lots of photos and pretended to be impressed

Oh Lordy I can just picture it all there Lynn As for that sheeps head yet again, will he have to suffer this on a nightly basis then??!!! By the time he gets back, he'll have sampled the whole part of it - tell him to go for the eyes next time and be done with it Can you imagine I don't like the sound of that tongue either thanks, the very cheek of it (pardon the pun there lol) expecting us women to hold our tongues!!!!

I bet you were cracked up talking to him tonight weren't you!!!

I dont think tongue or not i could hold my tongue! lol

He won't get anymore sheeps head he has done his duty as guest of honour.

He is finding some of the customs a little strange especially the ones where the women are concerned but also finds it very interesting.

He did wonder if he was actually having a bad dream over the plane incident especially as he had hardly slept since Friday night.