At the height of the Vietnam war in the early 70s, we used to use a route to HKG that took us due east over head Da Nang or Qui Nonh in the centre of the country in the middle of the night. At 37,000', there were no missiles that could get up to us. It seemed remarkable flying with passengers over a Vietnam in full war mode in the dark and seeing it lit up with white flashes from horizon to horizon, and the ring of lights around Da Nang, the giant airbase. Now we fly over all parts of Afghanistan.