Airplane 2

Alas, our visit to the UK is over. We are slightly more confident about our return journey, for Mae's food intake at least, as we know we have to be prepared this time, especially as Mae has dropped a breastfeed while we've been away and is eating proper meals now so I can't just rely on the boob if all else fails.

So I make a job-lot of cheese on toast, cooled and cut into fingers (not messy, easy for her to hold, we know she likes it). We also arm ourselves with rice cakes, breadsticks and organic carrot "cake" bars. The outward journey taught us that Cathay Pacific serve a pasta option with every meal that isn't breakfast and an omelette with every one that is; two things she can eat once the cheesy toast runs out - hurrah!



I had also thought that there would be fresh fruit with each meal, but I quickly realise that was because I was a vegetarian on the way out. Airlines assume vego means vegan-health-freak-on-a-diet, and so the meals come with loads of salad and fruit. But I am a normal person for the return and am saddened by the lack of fruity goodness we can share with Mae.

The air hostesses are brill though, on one leg they find a banana from somewhere (I saw the steward furkling in her handbag only moments before it arrived) and on another, a kind lady embezzles a lovely fruit platter from business class for us, complete with Mae's fave: watermelon!

So once again, she managed an almost respectable food intake over the 24hr flight. Now here's hoping for a vaguely respectable return to schedule over the coming days - I've got a feeling I'm going to be feeding her lamb chops at 2am as her body clock stays firmly on Greenwich Mean Time.

Bonus video: she doesn't always eat what's on offer, especially when there are shiny things around!

Learnings:

• Take as much food with you as you can on an aeroplane