Phew, touch down. For now, at least – just a couple of hours to kill before my connecting flight to Hanoi, and what better way to spend it than in the Cathay Pacific lounge at Hong Kong airport slurping on miso.

Flights always make me feel super-lousy, especially when there’s a grown man sitting behind me sneezing (in a deep, visceral way that an aggressive dog barks) at regular intervals throughout the 11 hour flight. Every time he did it I jumped out of my sit a little bit. Even with earphones on, watching Jeff Bridges, and even with ear-plugs in, thinking of sleep.

Imagine my joy then to get to the lounge canteen and find some steaming vats of miso soup (the perfect replenishment) and some glistening char siu buns (my favourite!) just waiting for me. Swigged down with a can of Perrier (I’m still on the post-India antibiotics) it made for a rather tasty meal, and, representing China and Japan on one plate – a very nice welcome to Asia. But there’s so much more to come!