As the sun rises over London — viewed from BA flight 9119 — the flash of the wingtip lights illuminates the light fog and the pink glow of morning warms the horizon. With all the chatting among new business friends, I’ve slept maybe an hour, blanket over my head in the surprisingly comfortable economy class seat.

We land in heavy winds, the 777 more like a ship in large seas than a smooth jumbojet … but the Captain sets it down perfectly, to scattered applause.

My colleagues go on to a morning event, free hotel, and more networking. I’m a bit jealous, as I scheduled a bit too tightly and must stat in the airport for my connecting flight to Bangalore in 5 hours. (The big question is if I can talk my way into the supposedly fab BA Heathrow lounge?)

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Four hours. That’s how long I’ve got until it’s time to wake up and begin this journey in earnest.

April is 7 of the 11 hours to London, probably asleep over the north pole right about now, and I’m up in LA sleeping in her old bed, closer to LAX and my 7am flight to Chicago.

Since I haven’t written for so long, I guess a bit of catching up is in order: By blind chance — or more likely divine fate — I met my soulmate about a year ago. (And when I say ’soulmate’. I’m not just trying to be romantic … we are like the same person split at birth and reunited decades later.) In August, after dating a whole 8 months, we realized that there’s no stopping the freight train of fate and got engaged.

Fast-forward a few months, and I become the lucky recipient of a British Airways “Face of Opportunity” promotional ticket anywhere in the world they fly. (Thank you, BA!!)

I chose India in order to develop a website that has been germinating in my mind (purpose: to change the way peoe give to charities an improve 1 million lives and more per year… more later on that.) And, so in just a few hours I begin the trip: first to Chicago (thanks, Crista, for the ride!!), then onto London, another 10.5 hours to Bangalore, and then a domestic flight (Indian domestic, should I be concerned?) to Kerala District, in the south.

I’m tired, but excited, wondering how I’ll weather the 30-something hours in the air, looking forward to working on the website along the way. I’ll post as we have Internet (why does the iPhone believe that word should be capitalized?), maybe even talking my little Luddite into a post here or there also. Next stop … Chicago, and our chartered 747 networking flight.