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One World Revolutions - Around Mostly the Southern Hemisphere

One World Revolutions - Around Mostly the Southern Hemisphere

Old Dec 29, 2008, 3:00 am
  #61  
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I hope to post the next instalment shortly. This lounge only has 2 computers so I am rationed in access. I'm here for a while though. A break is a good time for a drink, hic.
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Old Dec 29, 2008, 4:06 am
  #62  
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JOHANNESBURG to LONDON HEATHROW (JNB-LHR) on British Airways 747-400 in business class

There was no call in the lounge for boarding but I headed out some 30 minutes before departure. We had a gate at the other end of the terminal. A passport check at the entrance, then a very cursory look inside my carry on half-way down and boarding pass check after that.

A pre-departure drink of water, juice or champagne. Menus were handed out.

Post departure drink and bag of nuts was followed an hour later by dinner. Given the flight scheduling I expected dinner to be served earlier in the flight to allow more sleep on this medium length longhaul flight.

Maybe the crew knew me (or they caught on quickly ) but I was very frequently asked if I wanted a top-up.

I managed a few hours of sleep. The load was not too high and the passenger next to me complained to the crew multiple times about how she wanted a window seat and could someone swap with her. I didn't feel guilty about not swapping as I'd pre-selected the rear window seat specifically so I don't have anyone stepping over me to get in or out, and no need for me to step over anyone either. If I'd been in another seat I probably would have swapped if asked. To the crew's credit I was not put in an uncomfortable position as they refused her requests to ask passengers to swap.

I awoke earlier than intended and so had breakfast which was served about 90 minutes before landing. With an arrival time before the end of curfew there are no flying circles over southern England nonsense and it was straight in to land, on time.

It was only as I was gathering my bits up that I realised there was no amenity kit. Oh well. Otherwise it was a good flight, the best I'd had on this trip so far. This surprised me as I do not like BA's business class seat - it shows what a difference service can make to impressions of the flight. Contrast this to the Qantas flight to Johannesburg with better seat and IFE but worse service.
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Old Dec 29, 2008, 5:07 am
  #63  
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British Airways
Business Class menu
Johannesburg to London
December 2008


Dinner

Starters

Grilled marinated prawns served on Thai salsa

or

Smoked aubergine roulade

Salad

Fresh seasonal salad served with vinaigrette

Main

Grilled fillet of steak with garlic butter and parsley potatoes

Chicken dhansak with cumin rice and mixed roast vegetables
Spiced chicken in lentil curry sauce, rice flavoured with cumin and roast vegetable medley

Seafood bouillabaisse with saffron potatoes

Chilled main course salad of sour cream and gremolata with grilled meats

Dessert

Lemon cheese cake

A selection of cheese

A selection of fruit

We apologise if your first choice is not available.

Drinks

Complimentary bar serving alcoholic beverages and soft drinks is available throughout the flight. See inserted wine list for today's selection.

Ground coffee, decaffeinated coffee or tea

Selection of herbal teas includes green tea with jasmine, peppermint, blackcurrant, and camomile with honey


Club Kitchen

Between meals, please help yourself to a drink or a tasty snack. Please visit the Club Kitchen and choose from the selection on display.

Snack salads, sandwiches, filled rolls and wraps

Fresh fruit salads and fruit smoothies or juices

Choice of luxury cakes

Crisps and chocolate, including organic chocolate

If seated in the upper deck, you can visit the Club Kitchen downstairs.


Breakfast

Starters

Chilled fruit juice

An energising fruit smoothie

Fresh seasonal fruit

or

Corn flakes

Fruit yoghurt

Bakery

Selection of warm breads and breakfast pastries

Main

English breakfast of scrambled eggs, grilled bacon, mushrooms, pork sausage, tomatoes and hash-brown potatoes

Herb scrambled egg in a pancake with sweetcorn fritters and grilled tomato

Roast mushrooms served in a Welsh rarebit sauce

Drinks

Ground coffee, decaffeinated coffee or tea

Selection of herbal teas includes green tea with jasmine, peppermint, blackcurrant, and camomile with honey


Wines

Champagne

Champagne Cocktails

Kir Royale Crme de Cassis gives this cocktail its distinctive taste

Bucks Fizz Crisp, dry Champagne and naturally sweet orange juice

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne
Charles Heidsieck was founded in 1851 by Charles Camille Heidsieck - the original "Champagne Charlie". Nowadays it is recognised as one of Champagne's star performers and regularly wins awards for the quality of its wines. This wine has a mid-gold colour with a fine mousse. There are classic toasty, ripe fruit aromas with a complex, mouth-filling flavour lifted by firm acidity. The finish is long and rich but also beautifully refreshing. It is made from the classic blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes. Both the Pinots are red grapes - Champagne is one of the very few white wines to be made using red grapes. Champagne is the greatest aperitif but also goes with a whole range of foods. Fish and shellfish are great companions, but it will also enhance risottos, pasta dishes and the lighter meats. Equally good with fruit desserts and cheese.

White

Fairview Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Western Cape
This crisp dry wine has intense gooseberry and fig aromas, nice mineral and lime flavours and a long finish. The Sauvignon Blanc grapes were harvested from a number of vineyard sites in the Darling, Swartland and Stellenbosch areas from mainly unirrigated vines. Some of the grapes were picked at night to keep them fresh and cool.

Pouilly-Fume Les Pierres Blanches 2007, Domaine Masson-Blondelet
The wines of the Domaine Masson-Blondelet come only from grapes from their fifty acreas of vineyards in the heart of the Pouilly-Fume appelation - the family have been growers and winemakers here for seven generations. Made entirely from the Sauvignon Blanc variety this wine is deliciously crisp and dry yet full-bodied and fruity. It has pronounced flint and mineral notes and great depth of flavour.

Red

Stellenzicht Golden Triangle Shiraz 2005
The Golden Triangle is a tract of land situated between the Helderberg and Stellenbosch Mountains. It is the jewel in the crown of the Stellenbosch wine-growing region - and at its core lies the Stellenzicht winery. This wine has a beautiful bouquet of ripe black fruits with dark chocolate and a hint of tobacco. The palate is full-bodied with mullberry and blackberry flavours and a long finish
or
Simonsig Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Stellenbosch
This lovely estate is perfectly situated on the Simonsberg Mountain with spectacular views towards both the Indian and Atlantic oceans. The exceptional attention to detail of the Malan family has made it one of the most highly reputed producers in South Africa. This wine is medium to full-bodied with the ripe blackcurrant notes so typical of good Cabernet.

Crozes-Hermitage La Petite Ruche 2007, M. Chapoutier
The northern Rhone Valley, home to Crozes-Hermitage, makes some of the heartiest and most generous red wines in the world. This wine has a deep colour and aromas of black pepper, spice and raspberries. The palate is full and rich with sweet black fruit flavours, crisp acidity and a lingering finish.



281C003-Q08
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Old Dec 29, 2008, 7:53 am
  #64  
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Transit in London

While I have transitted at London Heathrow many times and across pretty much every combination of terminals, this was my first time at T5 so I was interested to see if there were any differences.

When I booked the trip I found the airline schedules gave a long connection of some 11 hours. I toyed with the idea of a side trip, but the only "safe" options were out and back on the same aircraft (ie limited to BA and BD shorthaul). I also toyed with heading into the city for some shopping. However when packing for the trip I decided to save weight and not bring cold weather clothes just for a couple of transits in colder climes.

So I decided to stay in the airport. As I would not be able to get the onward boarding pass until a couple of hours before departure of my next flight, this also meant no going landside to use the BA arrivals lounge.

With a new terminal and early arrival time we got a real gate and not a remote stand. Yay. That is very rare for me flying BA to LHR. We had a short train ride to the main terminal. The passage to flight connections was rather twisty when I recall the advertising about T5 having straight lines for passengers to progress through. I didn't have to wait long for a bus to T3. It took the bus rather longer to reach T3 than it took the 747 to taxi in the other direction! At this early hour there was no queue at security. Despite the total lack of queues it took 40 minutes from arrival at T5B to reach airside at T3. In peak periods I guess it would be closer to 2 hours.

I'd already checked my lounge options. AA flagship lounge, CX first lounge, JL first lounge and Servisair (contracted by the airline I'm flying with). At this early hour only AA was open (and just barely), so I headed directly there. I was allowed in on the strength of my paper ticket and elite card.

The lounge is okay and one of the better ones for American Airlines. It has a couple of showers (key from the staff manning the kitchen), toilets, 2 computers. Breakfast "food" until mid morning and then a little real food - soup, sandwiches, fresh fruit, as well as the usual lounge junk food. A mix of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Champagne was Charles Varcy.

I had a shower first. As I had lots of time I limited my time on the computer to short bursts, and only hopped on when both computers were free, to enable all other lounge users the option of using them. In between I grabbed some drinks and later also had an early lunch (breakfast having been very early local time onboard the BA flight). There was a steady flow of passengers coming and going all morning without the lounge ever feeling crowded.

Less than 3 hours before departure I went back to transfer desks to try to check in, but it was still not open. I then went to the nearby Cathay Pacific first class lounge. The agent on reception clumsily admitted me. This was nicer, being less full and better food. Champagne was Veuve Clicquot.

Less than 2 hours before departure I went back to transfer desks. There was still no visible sign of check in being open so I walked up to their agent, Air Canada, and was able to check in. I then returned to the lounge, where the agent was happy I came back as he could now enter my details into the computer and thus register a charge for the lounge access.
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Old Dec 29, 2008, 1:50 pm
  #65  
 
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All this Veuve Clicquot. I think I may have to start flying One World again!
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Old Dec 29, 2008, 3:03 pm
  #66  
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To give myself a break from drinking and because I needed to stretch my legs, I left early and wandered over to the JL F lounge en route. This is by far the worst of the 3 OW LHR T3 lounges. Limited drinks (champagne was Moet & Chandon mini bottles) and food, no computers, no showers. It was, however, open from 1300 according to the sign on the door rather than the 1500 listed on the OW website.

I thought about also visiting the Servisair lounge, but by now it was close to boarding time so I went to the gate instead.
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Old Dec 30, 2008, 1:06 am
  #67  
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LONDON HEATHROW to AMMAN (LHR-AMM) on Royal Jordanian A310-300 A321-200 in business class

The monitors showed "gate closing" but when I reached the gate at the announced boarding time there were only about 20 passengers there.

With a light load boarding commences late. The crew are very busy pre-departure, with drinks (5 different juices), menus, headsets, amenity kit (socks eye mask and toothbrush & toothpaste), newspapers and magazines to offer.

I noticed in the magazine that there are similar numbers of business class seats on all of Royal Jordanian's shorthaul aircraft, which must make it easier to swap aircraft types to match loads.

The seats are comfy and quite good for shorthaul. There is a decent recline, but watch out there is no one behind you as in fully reclined position it will likely whack the knees (and hit the tray table + monitor if these are in use). There is a nice AVOD IFE with a funky little controller and about 100 options.

After take-off there is a nice scented hot towel, beautifully moist and just the right temperature (ie piping hot). Post departure drinks and warm nuts in a ramekin bowl are served, followed by dinner. An unusual touch is the mains are served from containers on the cart, thus you can mix and match if you wish and also have more control over the quantity.

By the time dinner was over the movie I was watching had finished and I then dozed the next little while. I awoke on descent to find a survey for me to fill out and a little gift of a mini optical mouse.

The crew were fantastic although some passengers were rather demanding - fancy asking for a coke 3 minutes before landing on most airlines and you'd get short shrift.

Our descent was over Israel and Palestine/West Bank. We landed 30 minutes late.

This was my first flight on Royal Jordanian and I was very impressed.

Time for some more useless trivia. Royal Jordanian is the 9th airline I have flown to and/or from London Heathrow airport, the 3rd most behind AKL & LAX (both on 11) and equal with SIN & SYD. Amman is I think the 200th airport I've flown to and/or from.

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Dec 30, 2008 at 8:44 am
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Old Dec 30, 2008, 1:21 am
  #68  
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Royal Jordanian Airlines
Business Class menu
London to Amman
December 2008


Dinner

Appetizers or Soup

Beef Bresaola
Smoked Trout
Baba Ganoush

Soup

Soup of the Day

Salad

Seasonal Mixed Salad

Main Course

Beef Fillet with Morels Sauce
Chicken Biryani
Seafood Medley
Pasta Ravioli with Wild Mushrooms

Buttered Garden Vegetables
New Parsley Potatoes
Basmati Rice

Cheese and Fruits

A Selection of International Cheeses

Fresh Fruit Basket

Desserts

Selection of Desserts and Ice Cream

Soft Drinks and Juices

Orange, Apple, Mango, Tomato, Guava

Pepsi Cola, Diet Pepsi, Seven-Up, Diet Seven-Up

Tonic, Soda, Bitter Lemon, Ginger Ale, Perrier, Mineral Water

Beer

Amstel
Henninger

Aperitifs

Martini Sweet and Dry
Campari
Johny Walker Black Label [sic]
Gordon's Gin
Absolut Vodka

Liqueurs

Cointreau
Drambuie
Bailey's Irish Cream
Cognac XO or VSOP
Fine Port Wine


Wine List

Served from 1st to the 15th of each month

White Wine

Machareus
A medley of chardonnay and sauvignon grapes from the vineyards of Madaba, Jordan. Crystal pale yellow in colour with an aroma of smokey ctirus fruits. This fresh, light and dry wine is a perfect partner for seafood, salads or poultry.

Laroche Chablis 2007
Brilliant yellow, crisp, fresh to the palate. This classic French chardonnay is refreshingly smooth and harmonious with a hint of pear and apple. Enjoy as an aperitif as well as with fish, poultry or salad dishes.

Champagne

Moet & Chandon
Sparkling pale yellow green shades, delicately fruity and floral nose with a nuance of brioche. Deliciously dry and crisp to the palate, makes it perfect to drink at any time or to accompany salads, seafood and white meats.

Red Wine

Vin D'Ammon
A blend of merlot and cinsault grapes grown in historical Madaba, Jordan. Dark ruby red, this wine has a fruity bouquet of blackcurrants and cherries with a hint of nuts. Smooth and refreshingly dry, it makes for a perfect accompaniment for red meats and cheeses.

Hazendal Shiraz Stellenbosch 2003
Rich ruby red, aromas of red berry, musk and oak. Delicious rich fruit flavours and allspice balanced by fine tannins. Pairs well with red meats dishes, cheeses and pasta.

Served from 16th to the end of each month

White Wine

Machareus
A medley of chardonnay and sauvignon grapes from the vineyards of Madaba, Jordan. Crystal pale yellow in colour with an aroma of smokey ctirus fruits. This fresh, light and dry wine is a perfect partner for seafood, salads or poultry.

Mapu Sauvignon Chardonnay 2005
Light yellow in colour with a nose that reveals floral and citrus aromas, mingled with apricot. Smooth to the palate with tropical fruit and a crisp finish. Enjoy as an aperitif as well as with fish, white meats and salads.

Champagne

Moet & Chandon
Sparkling pale yellow green shades, delicately fruity and floral nose with a nuance of brioche. Deliciously dry and crisp to the palate, makes it perfect to drink at any time or to accompany salads, seafood and white meats.

Red Wine

Vin D'Ammon
A blend of merlot and cinsault grapes grown in historical Madaba, Jordan. Dark ruby red, this wine has a fruity bouquet of blackcurrants and cherries with a hint of nuts. Smooth and refreshingly dry, it makes for a perfect accompaniment for red meats and cheeses.

Calvet Reserve Merlot 2005
Lovely ruby colour, strawberry, blackcurrant with aroma's of sandalwood and cedar, full bodied long finish with notes of gingerbread and black pepper. A perfect partner to red meat, game and cheese.


LHR HMM Cycle 4 (16-31 FEB/APR/JUN/AUG/OCT/DEC)

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Dec 30, 2008 at 8:59 am
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Old Dec 30, 2008, 10:30 am
  #69  
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Transit in Amman

This was very simple. At one side of the immigration area is a transfer desk. They were ready for me and another connecting passenger on our flight and checked me in for the next 2 flights very quickly (for which I was grateful as I did not expect the next transit to go as smoothly, which proved to be the case). Show my boarding pass and let through a door to departures. Then up the escalator to the fairly new (a couple of months old I think) Crown Lounge.

This is quite good. Some computers tucked away in a room to the left of reception. Plenty of seating. Individual tv screens complete with headsets in a kind of suite arrangement. Plenty of good food and drink. Toilets. Unfortunately the shower has a charge to use which frankly shocked me. Each flight is called in the lounge. The down escalator was broken but there is a choice of stairs or lift.

With the terminal being fairly small it is not far to reach any gate, with a security check before you reach the block of gates (1-3 or 4-6 if flying RJ). The WTMD was set to high sensitivity so everyone got a pat down.
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Old Dec 30, 2008, 10:43 am
  #70  
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AMMAN to ADEN (AMM-ADE) on Royal Jordanian Airlines A319-100 E195 in business class

When I noticed the aircraft change from Airbus to a regional jet I was worried about my carry-on, for I have a potentially difficult transit in Aden and so did not want any checked bags. I recalled reading on FT about how limited the overhead bin space is on regional jets. Given this I even brought a back up bag within my rollaboard so I could at least have the essentials onboard with me in case of needing to check bags and the resultant risk it would not get back to me for days if ever due to my complicated schedule. However, I needn't have worried. My rollaboard fitted the bins just fine, even wheels first.

Boarding must have started really early as when I arrived at the gate (with the door to airbridge shut) there were just half a dozen of us, and we turned out to be the last passengers to board. The load was relatively light. In the business class cabin, the low load, high crew to passenger ratio, and size and layout of the cabin gave the impression of flying a small private jet.

I noticed the seat was similar to the A321 but with minor differences such as in the design of the mini-tray for placing a glass on. No PTV, but personal digiplayers with 100 odd programs loaded on them were handed out.

We had the same pre-departure drinks. Post departure I had a couple of glasses of the local white wine, and then slept as much of the redeye (departed after midnight local time and arrived early morning before dawn local time) as I could.

The air vents were annoying as they fluctuated between cooling and rather hot, and also seemed to bring odd smells into the cabin from time to time.

I awoke on descent into Aden. The lights and reflections off the water were pretty. The cockpit door flew open as we touched down.
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Old Dec 30, 2008, 10:44 am
  #71  
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Royal Jordanian Airlines
Business Class menu
Amman to Aden
December 2008


Supper

Appetizers or Soup

Bresaola Beef Slices
Calamari Salad
Butterfly Shrumps
Cream Cheese with Basil

Seasonal Mixed Salad

Main Course

Grilled Beef Steak with Tarragon Sauce
Served with Asparagus Spears, Mashed Potatoes and Sun Dried Tomato

Chicken Stroganoff
Served with Plain and Wild Rice and Crushed Peas

Grilled Hamour Fish with Harra Sauce
Served with Layonnaise Potatoes, Broccoli Floret, Carrots Slices and Pine Nuts

Mushroom Risotto with Parmesan Cheese

Cheeses

Cheese

Desserts

Opera Cake

Soft Drinks and Juices

Orange, Apple, Mango, Tomato, Guava

Pepsi Cola, Diet Pepsi, Seven-Up, Diet Seven-Up

Tonic, Soda, Bitter Lemon, Ginger Ale, Perrier, Mineral Water

Beer

Amstel
Henninger

Aperitifs

Martini Sweet and Dry
Campari
Johny Walker Black Label [sic]
Gordon's Gin
Absolut Vodka

Liqueurs

Cointreau
Drambuie
Bailey's Irish Cream
Cognac XO or VSOP
Fine Port Wine


Wine List

Served from 1st to the 15th of each month

White Wine

Machareus
A medley of chardonnay and sauvignon grapes from the vineyards of Madaba, Jordan. Crystal pale yellow in colour with an aroma of smokey ctirus fruits. This fresh, light and dry wine is a perfect partner for seafood, salads or poultry.

Laroche Chablis 2007
Brilliant yellow, crisp, fresh to the palate. This classic French chardonnay is refreshingly smooth and harmonious with a hint of pear and apple. Enjoy as an aperitif as well as with fish, poultry or salad dishes.

Champagne

Moet & Chandon
Sparkling pale yellow green shades, delicately fruity and floral nose with a nuance of brioche. Deliciously dry and crisp to the palate, makes it perfect to drink at any time or to accompany salads, seafood and white meats.

Red Wine

Vin D'Ammon
A blend of merlot and cinsault grapes grown in historical Madaba, Jordan. Dark ruby red, this wine has a fruity bouquet of blackcurrants and cherries with a hint of nuts. Smooth and refreshingly dry, it makes for a perfect accompaniment for red meats and cheeses.

Hazendal Shiraz Stellenbosch 2003
Rich ruby red, aromas of red berry, musk and oak. Delicious rich fruit flavours and allspice balanced by fine tannins. Pairs well with red meats dishes, cheeses and pasta.

Served from 16th to the end of each month

White Wine

Machareus
A medley of chardonnay and sauvignon grapes from the vineyards of Madaba, Jordan. Crystal pale yellow in colour with an aroma of smokey ctirus fruits. This fresh, light and dry wine is a perfect partner for seafood, salads or poultry.

Mapu Sauvignon Chardonnay 2005
Light yellow in colour with a nose that reveals floral and citrus aromas, mingled with apricot. Smooth to the palate with tropical fruit and a crisp finish. Enjoy as an aperitif as well as with fish, white meats and salads.

Champagne

Moet & Chandon
Sparkling pale yellow green shades, delicately fruity and floral nose with a nuance of brioche. Deliciously dry and crisp to the palate, makes it perfect to drink at any time or to accompany salads, seafood and white meats.

Red Wine

Vin D'Ammon
A blend of merlot and cinsault grapes grown in historical Madaba, Jordan. Dark ruby red, this wine has a fruity bouquet of blackcurrants and cherries with a hint of nuts. Smooth and refreshingly dry, it makes for a perfect accompaniment for red meats and cheeses.

Calvet Reserve Merlot 2005
Lovely ruby colour, strawberry, blackcurrant with aroma's of sandalwood and cedar, full bodied long finish with notes of gingerbread and black pepper. A perfect partner to red meat, game and cheese.


AMM HMP 4 (16-31 FEB/APR/JUN/AUG/OCT/DEC)
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Old Dec 30, 2008, 11:21 am
  #72  
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Transit in Aden - not for the faint hearted

This transit was one I thought may have some difficulties with. One risk factor was taken care of in Amman with being checked in for the onward flight and boarding pass in hand. However other issues remained.

The original schedule had a 90 minute transit, but schedule changes had shortened this to 60 minutes.

The airport did not, according to the limited information I was able to find, appear to be set up to deal with international transits. Not surprising given how few international flights the airport gets.

The visa requirements were unclear. Potentially I would not need one just for a transit, or I may be required to get a visa on arrival.

The airport has no airbridges, so we disembarked by stairs. We were made to get into a bus to take us the 20 metres to the terminal.

Inside was chaos. The Yemenis on the flight pounced on the arrival cards on a small desk opposite the immigration desks and then proceeded through the desks labelled Yemeni. As I waited for an opportunity to grab an arrival card I looked around and was surprised to see a transit sign. Unfortunately it was affixed to a wall across an unpaved floor and appeared out of bounds and furthermore there was no functioning door to go through.

I filled in the arrival card as best I could, there being no option for transit for example as reason of visit and waited in line for immigration on the offchance I would not need a visa to transit. When I reached the desk I was told no, I needed a visa. Okay. Time is ticking by but I can't imagine it will take too long, and probably just a few minutes to get through immigration and back to departures in the tiny terminal.

There was one guy doing visas with a scrum around his desk. He appeared to have no set order to processing people, forcing some people to wait their turn while allowing others to push in. Each visa took a seeming age as details were meticulously copied out. Payment was either in local currency or 65 USD, with the latter representing a terrible exchange rate. No change given.

After 20 minutes in the scrum and still not yet my turn I was beginning to get anxious as it appeared he would not process all the people before boarding of the onward flight began. I thought about what options I had. Very little. I expected the onward flight may wait a short while for me, but how long I did not know. There were no alternative flights. If I missed this one I'd be stuck for a day and throw my itinerary into utter chaos. I figured I had less than 10 minutes before I may have to offer some inducement to serve me next.

Then out of the blue what I think was the airline station manager appeared shouting something. I didn't understand what he was saying other than the word transit, but I guessed it was about me. Who else would be attempting to transit here?

What followed next was bizarre. The guy doing the visas, who was an officer in the army, was arguing with the station manager about whether I was or was not allowed to transit. The station manager argued back that I should be allowed to bypass immigration and go through to the departures area by going back out the door we'd entered and in the exit door for departures. At least that is what I think he was saying given I didn't understand the language but relied on the odd comment made to me as an aside and the gesturing of the people involved. Meanwhile, a supervisor, with higher army rank, came out, and so did several other immigration staff and joined in the debate. Much arm-waving and shouting ensued.

I felt sorry for the other passengers on my flight who had not yet gotten their visa processed while this took place. I really did not mind getting a visa but the station manager was hellbent on arguing that I did not need one. Every now and then one of the army guys would flick through my passport. It seemed they had some interest in my entry and departure stamps for Kurdistan on the same day.

After 20 minutes of an argument about me which I could not participate due to language inability and concerns I had about saying something that would get me into real trouble, finally it ended abruptly. The station manager had won and I was allowed to transit without getting a visa. By now it was time to board, and so no visit to the Alzaafran lounge.

One of the army guys ordered a bus to pick me up and take me out to the aircraft, separate from the other passengers. I assume this was to ensure I really left Aden. I was given my passport back at the foot of the aircraft stairs.

Once onboard the cabin crew naturally had lots of questions as this was something they'd never encountered before.

I've had a few slightly unnerving transits before but this one was odd. If the original schedule had been maintained I bet the station manager would not have come looking for me so soon, and I would just have been processed for a visa despite the oddness of not staying in the country. The transit would have been very different.

Oh well, I saved a page and a half in my passport.
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Old Dec 30, 2008, 11:29 am
  #73  
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ADEN to AMMAN (ADE-AMM) on Royal Jordanian Airlines A319-100 E195 in business class

During the transit dawn had broken.

The flight was similar in reverse. The cockpit door flew open on takeoff. I dozed some more. The load was again relatively light despite the zeroed availability showing the day before.

We had nice views for much of the way. The landscape was quite varied, with initial sandy plains soon giving way to rocky mountains. The shadows cast by the low sun angle accenuated some features and hid others. The high mountains gave way to lower hills. Here some broad meandering rivers marked out by the different coloured sandy bed. In other parts the rivers were smaller and cut deep twisty gashes across the land.

Mostly there was no sign of life, until we got closer to Amman. Green crop circles showed some areas of irrigation.

Our descent seemed to take the cabin crew by surprise. As we passed over the edge of the airport all were still standing with a rush to get seated in any convenient seat (whether crew or passenger seat) in the very last seconds.
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Old Dec 30, 2008, 11:30 am
  #74  
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Royal Jordanian Airlines
Business Class menu
Aden to Amman
December 2008


Breakfast

Hot Breakfast

Energizer Drink
Orange Juice

Fresh Fruit Salad

Hommus on Cucumber Slices
Cheddar and Kashkaval Cheese

Scrambled Eggs with Grated Cheese
Salmon Quiche

Grilled Beef Sausages
Chap Potatoes
Grilled Red and Green Peppers
Butter - Preserves - Natural Honey

Danish Pastries

Croissant and An Assorted Bread Basket

Soft Drinks and Juices

Orange, Apple, Mango, Tomato, Guava

Pepsi Cola, Diet Pepsi, Seven-Up, Diet Seven-Up

Tonic, Soda, Bitter Lemon, Ginger Ale, Perrier, Mineral Water

Beer

Amstel
Henninger

Aperitifs

Martini Sweet and Dry
Campari
Johny Walker Black Label [sic]
Gordon's Gin
Absolut Vodka

Liqueurs

Cointreau
Drambuie
Bailey's Irish Cream
Cognac XO or VSOP
Fine Port Wine


Wine List

Served from 1st to the 15th of each month

White Wine

Machareus
A medley of chardonnay and sauvignon grapes from the vineyards of Madaba, Jordan. Crystal pale yellow in colour with an aroma of smokey ctirus fruits. This fresh, light and dry wine is a perfect partner for seafood, salads or poultry.

Laroche Chablis 2007
Brilliant yellow, crisp, fresh to the palate. This classic French chardonnay is refreshingly smooth and harmonious with a hint of pear and apple. Enjoy as an aperitif as well as with fish, poultry or salad dishes.

Champagne

Moet & Chandon
Sparkling pale yellow green shades, delicately fruity and floral nose with a nuance of brioche. Deliciously dry and crisp to the palate, makes it perfect to drink at any time or to accompany salads, seafood and white meats.

Red Wine

Vin D'Ammon
A blend of merlot and cinsault grapes grown in historical Madaba, Jordan. Dark ruby red, this wine has a fruity bouquet of blackcurrants and cherries with a hint of nuts. Smooth and refreshingly dry, it makes for a perfect accompaniment for red meats and cheeses.

Hazendal Shiraz Stellenbosch 2003
Rich ruby red, aromas of red berry, musk and oak. Delicious rich fruit flavours and allspice balanced by fine tannins. Pairs well with red meats dishes, cheeses and pasta.

Served from 16th to the end of each month

White Wine

Machareus
A medley of chardonnay and sauvignon grapes from the vineyards of Madaba, Jordan. Crystal pale yellow in colour with an aroma of smokey ctirus fruits. This fresh, light and dry wine is a perfect partner for seafood, salads or poultry.

Mapu Sauvignon Chardonnay 2005
Light yellow in colour with a nose that reveals floral and citrus aromas, mingled with apricot. Smooth to the palate with tropical fruit and a crisp finish. Enjoy as an aperitif as well as with fish, white meats and salads.

Champagne

Moet & Chandon
Sparkling pale yellow green shades, delicately fruity and floral nose with a nuance of brioche. Deliciously dry and crisp to the palate, makes it perfect to drink at any time or to accompany salads, seafood and white meats.

Red Wine

Vin D'Ammon
A blend of merlot and cinsault grapes grown in historical Madaba, Jordan. Dark ruby red, this wine has a fruity bouquet of blackcurrants and cherries with a hint of nuts. Smooth and refreshingly dry, it makes for a perfect accompaniment for red meats and cheeses.

Calvet Reserve Merlot 2005
Lovely ruby colour, strawberry, blackcurrant with aroma's of sandalwood and cedar, full bodied long finish with notes of gingerbread and black pepper. A perfect partner to red meat, game and cheese.


AMM HBP Cycle 4 (16-31 FEB/APR/JUN/AUG/OCT/DEC)
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Old Dec 30, 2008, 11:36 am
  #75  
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Yet another epic read from the master of amazing(and enviable!) itineraries. Thanks for all the work you put into this, Kiwi. Once I finally got around to reading it all, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
Sure enough we did fly close enough to see the ice sheet and parts of coastal mountain ranges. I was pleased with the views, even though I couldn't but help think back to my flightseeing trip at much lower altitude and actually over the continent itself instead of flying near the coast. I had some champagne to mark the occasion.

After a few hours we had pulled far enough north that Antarctica was no longer visible. Most of the passengers continued to sleep, having missed out completely on the spectacle outside I'm not sure that many even appreciated just how close to Antarctica we were flying.
Be it land or interesting cloud formations, occasionally spectacular scenery is one of the best benefits of flight. The assumed interest in the view outside is the primary reason why windows are installed in commercial airliners. I'm always surprised how many people could care less and lower their shades soon after takeoff. Their loss.
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