If I didn't know by now - now I really know why I never wanted to be, never would be, never could be and never shall be a political correspondent. Don't get me wrong - delightful people to a man and woman and all of them very helpful to me during a completely surreal 'day with T Blair'.
 
It all began early this morning with us being herded aboard the coach to Islamabad airport with half the city apparently cordoned off to let our coach through. Quick security, then onto the plane  where many of the normal rules of using mobiles, seatbelts etc are simply ignored in favour of offering Bloody Marys all round. It's not even 9am - but when in Islamabad, do as British Airways VIP flights do...
 
Still no sign of Mr Blair. But eventually we take off. Presume he's aboard. Seating for at least 150 plus I would say and around 50 aboard including, presumably, the PM.
 
Still very relaxed though as the one-to-one interviews with all broadcasters are - pretty much - assured. I mean, these spin doctors wouldn't lie, now would they?
 
A couple of near coach crashes later and we're at the press conference with Pakistan's military leader - come on, he's no President in any meaningful sense - and PM (Prime Minister). Much talk of co-operation from TB and how all the security probs are really the Afghans' fault from PM (Pervez Musharraf).
 
On the flight back from Lahore to Islamabad Tom Kelly, TB's press wallah, reels off a screed of highly selective stats to show how much the Brits are doing to help in Afghansitan and ignores a whole load of rather bigger stats showing the security situation there is worse than it's been since the invasion. He tells the hacks how many schools have been opened. He does not tell them what President Karzai says: 100,000 fewer kids are in school than last year.
 
No mention of the upward spiral of military action on both NATO and Taliban sides, and no mention either that opium production's gone up 160% in the British sector, Helmand Province.
 
It blends perfectly with Tony Blair's assessment of life in Afghanistan - both of them perfectly reasonable till you go to Afghanistan, see for yourself and speak to the Afghans themselves.
 
Sandwich boxes from the Islamabad Marriott are handed out en route to the mosque which TB duly visits. With the food comes the news that the all-but-promised interviews will not happen "because the schedule has overrun". Well, fancy that now? So basically the entire point of me joining this jamboree has been, er, pointless.
 
Much disgruntlement among the hacks who say Blair just doesn't care, he's on his way out, yesterday's man etc. Stories duly exchanged about how he used to give interviews all over the shop - now you have to be Blue Peter or some such.
 
Please - take me back to Afghanistan and that old thing of going out and getting stories instead of praying, relying, schmoozing and hoping for the next hand-out, photo-op or - god forbid! - proper grown-up interview!