After a beautiful couple of days in sunny Cape Town it was time to return to the great British summer.
I was able to secure a 16:00 checkout from the hotel and sat in the lobby reading my book for an hour or so.
I grabbed a cab to the airport and the cabbie told it could be a little slower than normal as it was peak hour. I said I had plenty of time so not to worry. The traffic was slow moving at times but kept moving and I was at the airport searching for the BA check-in desks by 18:00.
There was no queue at the desks and I was processed quickly and directed to the security lines to the side of the BA desks. The queue was short but moved slowly mostly due to disinterested staff too busy chatting to bother keeping things moving. Next up was the emigration check where again I was ushered to the desk of a woman who was having a chat to someone and took her sweet time dealing with my PP and BP.
The BA terraces lounge at CPT was the same rubbishy place it was on my previous visit with mediocre offerings on the food and alcohol front. There was some minestrone soup, sandwiches and the usual healthy snack options of chips (crisps) etc.
Again it was necessary to get a username and password from the front desk in order to use the wifi.
I surfed and drank a scotch and dry whilst waiting as the lounge slowly filled up.
When the lounge occupancy level reached uncomfortable I wandered outside and decided to make some use of my priority pass and went in search of the lounge they use. The lounge was up one level right at the end of the terminal building and had much the same mediocre level of offerings but did enjoy views of the apron and runway.
Closer to the time of my flight I went back down to the gate via a quick visit to the duty free where once again there was compliment of BA crew making last minute purchases.
I waited at the right side of the podium for a while and boarding of passengers with small children started. Whilst waiting an older smartly dressed couple barged their way through the crowds and went up to the podium. They sorted whatever it was they needed doing and then waited in front of the podium.
Boarding F, J and elites started and these two went up to the agent and were let in. Well I suppose that is one way to make sure you are at the front of the queue. My BP and PP were checked and I was on my way down to the aircraft. Only door 2 was being used so there was the usual backing up of people along the ramp.
Flight BA0058 CPT-LHR Seat 1K
Aircraft: 747-400
Departure time: 20:15
On board I was welcomed at the door by name and escorted to my seat. I must admit to a small smile appearing on my face as I walked past Mr and Mrs QueueJumper who were settling in to the front row of premium economy.
At my seat I was told I could place my bag in the locker at the front and was given an amenity kit and asked if I would like PJs. I was asked if I cared for a glass of Champagne before take-off. Well we all know what the answer to that enquiry was.
There was a top up of bubbles again before we pushed back at 20:14.
In a bizarrely weird coincidence I was reading a passage in my novel about an American complaining that they sprayed him on-board his aircraft that was bound for Australia, when the CSD announced that the cabin would be sprayed with an insecticide before take off.
The safety video started and stopped several times whilst we were on the ground and eventually an announcement was made to the crew that a manual demonstration would be made.
Sitting in row 1 is not the easiest of positions to be in to watch a manual demonstration.
We took off at 20:30 and once safely airborne the crew came around with a menu and asked for a drinks order. I went with my bubbly alternative of a scotch and dry and this was soon delivered with some warm nuts.
The person in 2A loudly moaned about how cold it was in the cabin and complained she had already spoken to the crew about this. Of course dear cabin heating on a plane is instantaneous.
I didn’t catch if the captain had announced a flight time but the IFE told me it was going to be 11 hours and 35 minutes. The CSD dropped by and welcomed me on board.
My dinner order was taken; on offer tonight was:
DINNER
STARTERS
Wild Coast crayfish, gravlax and butternut compote with potato and dill salad
Sweetcorn medallion with mushroom salad
Potato and Leek soup
Fresh salad leaves with your choice of balsamic vinaigrette or dill yoghurt dressing
MAIN
Free-range duck confit with kumquat and balsamic jus, sweet potato au gratin, spinach and carrots
Drakensberg trout and West Coast sole roulade in a sweet pepper cream sauce with glazed baby carrots and jasmine rice
Beef fillet mignon with Pinotage rosemary sauce, roasted Kalahari Desert new potatoes, bean cassoulet and broccoli florets
Vegetable terrine with linefish quenelle and shrimp served with tabbouleh salad
BISTRO SELECTION
Tagliatelle pasta with mushroom cream sauce and shaved Parmesan
Seared beef fillet strips and sautéed onions on a baguette
A selection of biscuits
A selection of cheese and fruit
DESSERT
Pistachio strawberry delice with raspberry sauce
Lemon and ginger pudding cake with sauce anglaise
CHEESE PLATE
A selection of cheese
Fresh fruit
BEVERAGES
We offer a selection of the following Twinings Tea:
Teas – English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Mint Humbug, Honeycomb Camomile, Red Berry Fool and Jasmine Pearls
Coffee - Freshly roasted and ground, decaffeinated, espresso or cappuccino
WINES
APERITIF
Kir Royale
A sparkling aperitif combining Crème de Cassis (a blackcurrant liqueur) with Champagne, creating a refreshing cocktail.
CHAMPAGNE
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle, Champagne, France
Grand Siecle is the prestige cuvee of the House of Laurent-Perrier and is named in honour of the ‘Sun King’, Louis XIV, who presided of the an era known as the ‘Grand Siecle’ or ‘Great Century’. At the Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV was the first French King to drink Champagne. This multi-vintage Champagne is created from grapes sourced from 100% Grand Cru vineyards in the twelve most prestigious villages such as Ambonnay, Avize, Cramant and Le Mesnil. The blend is 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay, and only the very best vintages are used. The wine is aged for at least five years on its lees before release in its beautiful replica 17th century bottle. Gold in colour with a delicate bead, this outstanding Champagne features aromas and flavours of honey, almond and freshly baked brioche.
WHITE
Meursault Les Clous 2008, Bouchard Pere Et Fils, Burgundy, France
Meursault lies at the heart of the golden triangle of Burgundy where the greatest white Burgundies are produced and the house of Bouchard Pere Et Fils can date its history back to 1731. The vineyard of Les Clous is situated on marl soils with an eastern exposure, and the grapes are vinified and aged in oak barrels for ten months, giving additional complexity to the wine. This opulent Les Clous features ripe apple and citrus flavours with a mineral note and integrated toasty oak on the finish.
Prinz Von Hessen Dachsfilet Riesling Qualitatswein 2008, Rheingau, Germany
Silver Medal in Decanter 2010 Wine Awards and International Wine Challenge 2010
The venerable wine estate of Pinz Von Hessen is located in the legendary wine village of Johannisberg in the Rheingau region. Dachsfilet is a fascinating and mildly controversial wine, being vinified in the style of a red wine with the juice partly fermented on the skins of the grapes to give more body and texture. The grapes are sourced from the finest part, the filet, of the Winkeler Dachsberg (Badger’s Mountain), hence the name Dachsfilet. The wine has a lovely texture, with a hint of sweetness allied to citrus and peach fruit and some mineral complexity. A delicious aperitif and a good match for seafood, ham and lightly spiced vegetarian dishes.
Le Soula Blanc 2007, VDP Des Cotes Catalanes, France
This unique wine is made from an intriguing blend of Roussillon white grapes, Marsanne, Roussane, Grenache Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Rolle (Vermentino) by star winemaker Gerard Gauby in the steeply elevated vineyards of the Pyranees. This is a wine of great character and purity, which Jancis Robinson, MW, has described as a cross between a particularly fine Chassagne-Montrachet and a full-bodied dry Mosel. Le Soula Blanc has long been acclaimed in France, where it is listed on many Michelin-starred wine list, and last year became only the second Languedoc-Roussillon domaine to be awarded two stars in La Revue du Vin de France’s annual guide to the best wines of France. Rated 89/90 points by The Wine Advocate this is an outstanding food wine which matches a variety of dishes from seafood and poultry to spicy options and creamy cheese.
RED
Chateau Camensac 2005, 5eme Grand Cru Classe Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, France
The delightful 18th century manor house of Camensac is situated to the west of St. Julien in the commune of Saint-Laurent-Medoc where the vineyards lie on elevated, well drained gravel croupes and comprise of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot with an average age of thirty-five years. The property was owned from 1964 by the Forner family, owners of Marques de Caceres in Rioja, who invested heavily in the estate before its subsequent purchase un 2005 by Jean Merlaut and Celine Villars-Foubet, who have continued the improvements. The 2005 vintage in Bordeaux is widely regarded as excellent and an early contender for vintage of the century. Camensac is a great success in tis outstanding vintage, showing rich berry fruit aromas and flavours with complex cedar and tobacco overtones allied to a ripe tannic structure.
Molnar Family Poseidon’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008, Carneros, California
Gold Medal in 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Nicholas Molnar, the founder of the Molnar Family Vineyards, began buying land in the Napa region during the 1960’s following his escape from Communist Hungary in 1956. The ‘Poseidon’s Vineyard’, planted in 1973 lies at the confluence of Carneros Creek and the Napa Rivera at the northern edge of the San Francisco Bay where the maritime influence produces the perfect microclimate for Pinot Noir. This is a wonderful example of this grape which features a lovely velvety texture together with a melange of ripe, red fruit flavours and hints of earth and loam that tell the story of the wine’s terrior. Winner of a Gold medal in the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and rated 90 points by Robert Parker, this wine is unusually good with meaty fish dishes and game.
Mullineux Syrah 2009, Swartland, South Africa
Five-Star Platter Guide
This young winery, a key part of the ‘Swartland Revolution’ is run by the charismatic husband and wife team of Chris and Andrea Mullineux; only last year they achieved a notable hat-trick when three of their wines were rated five stars by the Platter Guide. Their 2009 Syrah was sourced from six different parcels of wines in Swartland representing very different terroirs. The winery uses as little intervention as possible in the winemaking; so indigenous yeasts, skin maceration, some whole bunch fermentation and oak aging for eleven months in French oak barrels, and there you have it – a Syrah to rival the finest Rhone. This wine has been widely critically acclaimed, including a rating of 92 points from Neal Martin of the Wine Advocate, and is a fine match for red meat dishes, game and pasta.
DESSERT
Vinde Constance 2006, Constantia, South Africa
Five-Star Platter Guide
In the 18th and 19th centuries ‘the sweet luscious and excellent wine of Constantia’ was recognised as one of the great wines of the world, taken into exile by Napoleon and enjoyed by such disparate historical figures as Bismark, Charles Dickens and Baudelaire. Since it resurgence in 1980 it seems that its time has come again. Amber in colour with perfumed tropical fruit aromas, it features raisined Muscat flavours with pineapple and mango nuances on the palate and a fine balancing acidity. It is a delicious match with foie gras and pates, fresh fruit and soft white and blue cheeses. Rated at 95 points by Neal Martin for Robert Parker, 93 points by Wine Enthusiast and 96 points by Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar.
Warre’s 1992 Colheita Tawny Port
Complex, sweet, nutty flavours offer an admirable after-dinner glass.
SPIRITS, DIGETIFS AND LIQEUERS
Gonzalez Byass Sherries
Smirnoff Black Label Vodka
Tanqueray No. 10 Gin
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch Whisky
The Glenlivet 18-year-old Single Malt Whisky
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Whiskey
Drambuie 15-year old Speyside Malt Liqueur
Otard XO Cognac
SOFT DRINKS
A selection of traditional and modern drinks
The meal started with an amuse bouche consisting of a prawn on a skewer with a chilli dressing. I opted for the Le Soula Blanc white wine to start and it was quite a different wine to anything I had ever had before. It never ceases to amaze me how different wines can be; this one had a definite coconut pong and tasted like pineapple.
I was taking pictures of my amuse bouche and couldn’t work out why I couldn’t get it to focus properly. I finally realised I didn’t have my glasses on and the viewfinder was showing in focus but my aged eyes were the problem, not the camera.
My starter was the sweetcorn cakes which were very nice along with the yummy mushrooms.
I followed this up with a warming bowl of the potato and leek soup.
I am afraid I went boring again and chose the beef. Again this time it was edible but nothing special. I promise next time I fly I won’t choose the beef!
After the main I was asked if I wanted cheese and dessert. I decided to try the lemon and ginger cake as they are two of my favourite flavours.
I also asked for a glass of the dessert wine, it would be rude not to since the Constantia region is only 20 minutes or so from Cape Town by car. It was a nice wine but not quite the luscious drop that the mudpie is.
After the meal I got up to visit the loo and a crewmember asked me if I would like them to make up my bed. I said yes and by the time I was back at my seat it was ready for me to snuggle into and a bottle of water was sitting on the side.
I slept quite well through the night although there were a few bumps along the way.
Around 90 minutes out of London the crew started serving breakfast. I stayed under wraps for a while having decided I would eat in the arrivals lounge instead of on board.
Had I chosen to eat in the air I could have had the following:
BREAKFAST
STARTERS
Chilled fruit juice
An energising fruit smoothie of strawberry
A selection of yoghurts
A selection of cereals
Fresh seasonal fruit appetiser
A wide selection of breakfast pastries and rolls
MAIN
Traditional English breakfast of scrambled eggs, grilled bacon, pork sausages, sautéed mushrooms, seared tomato and potato cheesecake
Omelette with mushroom cream sauce, Lyonnaise potatoes and sautéed spinach
French toast with poached pear compote, crème fraiche, maple syrup
I eventually got up to change back into my civvies. On the way I was greeted by the sight of an older gent in his undies changing in the aisle. At the loos there was another passenger waiting and the two loos occupied. Eventually one of the doors opened and who should come out but Mr QueueJumper from Premium Econ. As he went back through the curtain another from back there attempted to come up to use the loo. One of the F crew quickly pounced and sent him packing and re-attached the velvet rope between the cabins.
After I changed one of the crew asked if I would like something to eat or drink and I asked for the smoothie and a cappuccino.
The CSD came around handing out immigrations cards and skipped me. I asked for one and said ‘Oh you need one?’ I said I did and she said ‘you were trying to trick me’. I gather this exchange was generated by the fact that my accent is pretty neutral.
After the cabin was all cleared and we flew around over London for a while we came in to land at 07:00 and taxied to the C gates at Terminal 5.
To my pleasant surprise, again, the bridge was attached to door 1 and the F passengers were able to leave the aircraft first, hah take that Mr QueueJumper.
It took 10 minutes to navigate the terminal and train to the A gates and up to immigration where IRIS was a happy lady again. I was able to walk straight on out through customs and on up to the arrivals lounge for a shower and some breakfast before heading home on the HEX and tube.
Next up some more positioning flights, this time getting me back to SYD to finally pick up the RTW. I will be back in a few weeks.
In the meantime happy trails to you all.