Happy New Year to everybody and welcome 2016.

The new year was a quiet event for us this time around, at least as quiet as it can be at 10,000 metres above the Persian Gulf.

There was no party and no fanfare. A few on the flight determined to rouse some festive spirit counted in the new year with the traditional count down but it was not a pinch on a ground based celebration.

When 2016 actually happened remains moot. Which time zone should we use, departure, geographic location or destination? In truth it was some fuzzy smeared event which will not really be over until it has occurred everywhere.

Now that it is 2016 every where I can finally say without qualification, Happy New Year.

Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Happy New Year from 10,000 Metres’, 1/100s f/2.8 ISO1600 15mm