The life of a grown-up

So here I am, sat in the year 2015, a grown-up.  When I was about eight, I had a vision of what I'd look like as a grown woman. I was getting out of a car, beside a semi detached house, I was wearing a buff-coloured suit and I had short hair. Today, I'm sat on a plane, sporting a navy suit jacket with print pants,  a short haircut. I don't own a car though I do have a cute house I describe as a "workers terrace built of stone ". As an eight year old, I didn't envisage kids and I'm not even sure I desired a husband - read into that what you will.
I feel the most adult when I'm travelling for business. Maybe it's because someone thought my presence in a far off land important enough to pay for it, maybe it's because films and TV teach us that business travellers are wise, or worthy. Maybe it's because it's just one way to play at being grown-up.

Grown-ups get to drink on rooftop bars

I've learned a few things travelling overseas with work
- Colloquialisms and humour don't travel. I have a different way of speaking when I'm in an international scenario and it seems to work. It was telling,  at the end if a few days in Delhi, once I'd finished the project meetings and I sat at dinner with my UK colleagues. I could hear my voice and my language change. I had taken off the verbal suit and was in my jeans after a long wait.
-On airlines,  you pay more by increments to have your feet closer to 180 degrees and eat from a china plate.
- Business class hotel rooms are worth it for long trips. The strain of being away from your comfort zone, your loved ones and familiarity, is well ameliorated by plush furnishings,  willing staff and free fizzy wine. I hope whoever you work for appreciates this.
- A firm handshake and a warm smile is always a good starting point
- Put a belt on any outfit and it'll look more formal. Believe it or not, it took me til this year to learn this one!
- If people believe in you, you can wing it. I used to say this to young waiting staff in my employ,  when they were nervous about serving high -stakes customers.  "you're the one dressed as a waiter,  they will belive in you ".  That holds true for radiologists, pilots, gardeners, whatever. Confirmation bias at its most reassuring.
- you work harder then you want to, and sacrifice things you don't want to. You make up for this by chucking your earnings at hobbies and holidays, which make you smile wider than you thought you would, and bring you close to people you needed to meet.

Grown-ups spend a fair bit of time sat on transport 

Fellrunner in dreadmill enjoyment shocker

Trapped indoors, like a hawk in a cage. Working in Beijing and staying at a nice hotel with a well equipped gym. I promised myself to exercise daily on this trip, if not only to mitigate the intake of roast duck, biscuits and meaty buns. 

The dreadmill beckoned and I shuddered, thinking about the last time I was here, staring at the metres on the clock, willing them up to 5k…is this only 2k…?? Hell. pure hell, thinking only about how long there still was to stay on the machine, and constantly checking my form, my footstrike, my posture....spiral of madness . As I packed for the trip, inspiration struck and I dug my dusty iPod mini out of the drawer. Since I took to the hills, listening to music as I run has become anathema but now it’s saved me.

My workouts have been song-driven. Two days ago it was a song pyramid. Start at marathon pace and dial up the numbers on the dreaded dial a few each time a new song comes on, until top gear was reached, then dialling down with each song. Today it was song intervals, starting steady and then up to 5k pace every other song. Indie-rock and electro-bubble have made the dreadmill less dreadful. Royksopp and Depeche Mode and Kavinsky and Foals keep me running, relax my shoulders and my face. Every time I start to hate it, the jetlag creeping up in my chest, I remind myself , Askwith-like, that if I can’t do this, how am I supposed to complete an English Champs A Long next weekend with jetlag.

It’s so warm here though. Drenching with sweat in a most unbecoming manner. I think I sweated a part of my soul out today, the part which likes warm showers. I’m sure I’ll find some lovely salty food later on.