As Smudge says there could be some very spectacular views generated by the strange departure times we used to "enjoy". One of my fondest memories is of crossing Northern Arabia having departed Akronelli bound for Masirah. This, however, was a night into day leg (I cannot for the life of me remember how that was arranged with Akronelli's famously restricted operating hours). Anyway, in the silence above the desert we were listening to a World Service Prom concert - the piece was Holst's Venus and as we listened, the sky was just brightening and there was Venus rising to greet the dawn - absolutely priceless.