matthandy

Nice updates Moomba, and it was great to see you last week.

Sorry to hear about the QF flight. Hope that you didn't make eye contact with the person that you bumped! I guess that things do go wrong sometimes.

Glad to hear that you are a 'Dan Dan' fan!

ok2uselane

Great TR. A very enjoyable read, indeed! Looking forward to more!

Jenbel

Not at all, I just needed a Sunday when I should be working to catch up

HIDDY

I hadn't forgotten you either Moomba........was just waiting in the wings till you'd posted a few more.

A mixed bag this latest lot but an interesting mix nonetheless....reported as always with great words and pictures. The W HKG non harbour view room upgrade was a bit of a slap in the face.

Fredrik74

This tripreport never ends and that's the way I like it. Great report!

Seat 2A

I enjoyed meeting you on the train to Fairbanks last week. Here's wishing you continued happy contrails. We've certainly enjoyed reading about them!

vecta

Another wonderful update Moomba, loving every minute of your adventures. Keep it up.

Moomba

Good to see you again too Matt

Thanks ok2uselane

Thanks Jenbel

Thanks HIDDY. The hotel staff did say that they would make a note that I would prefer the harbour view rooms. The Sheraton did this for me a while back and although they never give me a suite now I always get a great harbour view room when I book with them.

Thanks Fredrik74. The report will come to an end by the close of August.

Great to finally meet you too Seat 2A

Thanks vecta

Moomba

I had a fitful nights sleep during which I got up to hydrate myself with some water from the tap. OMG what horrid tasting water these guys have, do they purify it with battery acid? No wonder the Westin don’t give you any for free, one taste of the stuff from the tap and you are willing to pay for a bottle.

I had a lazy start to the day and checked out around 13:00 and caught the next shuttle back to DFW. The driver dropped me off right out the front of the terminal I needed within a few yards of the F desks.

There was no queue and I approached a waiting agent. She pulled up my PNR and said wow that is some itinerary. Hong Kong yesterday and Anchorage today, did you get any sleep? I assured her I did get some and she went on with and you will end up in Nigeria! I didn’t have the heart to tell her NBO was Nairobi in Kenya.

She printed my BP and tagged my bag including a Heavy tag this time, how’d that happen, and sent it on its way.

I then approached a fairly quiet security line and was through the hassle in next to no time.

I made my way to the Admirals Club in D terminal and was welcomed in and given 1 drinks voucher (I am crediting these flights to BA).
Inside was the usual AC delights including, Coffee, tea, biscuits, fruit, pretzel mix and water. There was a menu of food for purchase and the bar at the end of the complex serves some free wine and beer and paid for (unless you have the chit) premium, wine, beer and spirits.

I found a spot by the window that looked out over two 757s, one of which was mine.



I surfed for a while and grabbed a wine with my freebie chit. Around 40 minutes before boarding time I left the lounge and did a circuit around the shopping area in the middle of the terminal and parked myself outside my gate.

Five minutes before the announced boarding time the agents started to board First and one world elites. I made my way over and had my BP swiped and was on my way down the ramp.

Flight AA0279 DFW-ANC Seat 5A
Aircraft: 757
Departure time: 15:35

Once on board I took my seat and extracted the items I needed for the flight from my bag. It was then shoved into the overhead.

The plane was very warm and all the shades had been shut to help keep the temperature down. A bottle of water was given to each passenger and the menus for the flight were handed out.

The lead FA made her welcome announcement and declared a flight time of 6 hours and 25 minutes.
The cruddy old seats on these AA 757 are well and truly past their use by date and the sooner they finish the refit the better.



There was no pre departure beverage, apart from the bottle of water and we pushed back at 15:25 and quickly made it to the runway to take off 7 minutes later.
As usual with AA there was a full house in F with 22 F passengers on board.
After the belt sign was extinguished the crew came out asking for drinks orders.

When I asked for the usual Scotch and Dry Ginger they discovered there was none left in their cart. The FA rang the crew at the back and they had some. So a little while later the crew came back with my Dry Ginger. Of course the drinks were served with the usual delicious warm nuts



Next up a hot towel was passed out and then the lunch service began.

DINING SERVICE
To Start
Warm mixed nuts

Appetizer
Cajun-style roasted chicken breast offered on a fresh corn salad

Salad
A combination of salad featuring fresh seasonal greens offered with a pepper cream dressing or premium extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, accompanied by an artichoke, wild mushroom and pea salad

Bread Basket
Assorted gourmet breads

Main Course
Beef Fillet with Gorgonzola Mushroom Sauce
Grilled fillet of beef offered with a porcini mushroom and Gorgonzola cheese sauce, accompanied by wax beans and whipped potatoes with turnips

Stuffed Shells Pomodoro
Pasta shells filled with a four cheese blend, accompanied by a red roasted tomato sauce

Dessert
Ice Cream Sundae
Vanilla ice cream with a choice of hot fudge, butterscotch or seasonal berry toppings, whipped cream and pecans

Fruit and Cheese
A selection of seasonal fruit and fine cheeses

Light Refreshment
Freshly baked on board cookies

PRE-ARRIVAL BEVERAGE
For Your Enjoyment
Chilled sparkling or still water with a fresh citrus garnish

The crew then delivered table clothes and the meal tray was placed on top with the appetiser and salad on board.
The appetiser and salad together were quite filling and there was still the main to go.





The crew offered the breadbasket that included a choice of pretzel rolls, cheese rolls or white rolls.
There was a choice of two red and two white wines or a sparkling to go with the meal. I chose one of the reds and it was passable.





I ordered the beef and it turned out to be quite OK, only slightly chewy. I couldn’t really taste any Gorgonzola in the sauce though.











The tray was removed but the tablecloth left on the table and I was offered cheese or the ice cream sundae. I went with the Sundae sans cream and chose the butterscotch sauce.

The ice cream was rock hard but I had the sun on my side so I strategically placed the bowl to have the desired effect.



Not long after this an announcement was made by one the crew down the back that we had just flown into Canadian airspace and could all passengers please show their passport to the crew. The two crew working up the front looked at each other and then down the back. A minute later we heard ‘just joking’ and the two up front rolled their eyes.

I spent most of the flight reading and listening to my iPod although there was some movie playing on the overhead TV screens. Also my favourite flying pastime of staring out the window.









Around 2 hours out of Anchorage that delicious smell of baking cookies wafted through the cabin. Today’s choice was either chocolate chip or cranberry.

I went with the later and was offered a glass of milk to go with it. I declined and instead asked for a coffee. The scenery starts to get quite interesting the closer you get to Anchorage but unfortunately I was on the wrong side of the plane to get the best views.

Before we started our descent the crew were out with the water and citrus charade and it seems there was a half decent take up on the offer today.
We touched down at 19:03 and as I stood up I caught sight of SeeYa who had been sitting in 6F all along. We left the plane through door 2L and the crew made no effort to prevent the economy passengers from leaving before the F cabin was emptied.

I made my way down to the carousel and waited for my bag for a few minutes. It was one of the first out and I was soon trundling it down to the other end of the terminal to put it in storage for a few days. SeeYa was also staying at the Sheraton so we took a cab together to the hotel.


Next up the No Place Like Nome Do begins with a long ride on a train.

Moomba

When I saw that Jackal had announced another Alaska DO I tried to see if I could fit it in to my schedule. At first this was a no go and I was disappointed not to be able to take part. Especially as this year it would involve the train trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks.

As it turned out schedule changes with work meant that I was able to re-jig my RTW ticket and include this DO in my agenda for the year.

The next few reports will be mostly pictorial but I will add some words to describe our activities where I can.

After a night (if you can call it that at this time of the year in these parts) at the Sheraton Anchorage I had a quick breakfast in the lounge and packed my backpack for the trip. I had arranged to meet two other FTers in the lobby and we caught a cab down to the art deco railway station.



Inside there was a bit of reunion as I was greeted by a few FTers I have become friends with over the years through numerous DOs.

I had booked my ticket for the Denali Star several months earlier on the interweb. I went to the window and provided my passport and was handed a ticket for the trip and a small star badge that indicated that I was in Gold Star class.

The train has two classes of passenger. Gold Star passengers get slightly more spacious seats and a private bar tender in each coach with free tea, coffee and soft drinks. However the main difference from normal passengers is that the Gold Star coaches have glass ceilings and offer panoramic views from the train.

We waited around until boarding was announced and I was shocked to find that there was no priority boarding for Gold Star passengers. We had to mingle with the scrum attempting to get to the train!
There were two Gold Star carriages and three normal carriages along with a further five private carriages operated by Holland America and Pacific Cruise Lines.

My ticket was checked and I was welcomed on board and went upstairs to the seating in the Gold Star car. The lower decks of the Gold Star cars were the sit down waiter service dining areas. There was also a buffet car where any passenger could purchase a variety of sandwiches, salads, snacks etc. along with drinks and alcoholic beverages.

After I and my seat mate had settled in one of the staff asked if we would mind being re-seated as a couple were getting on at Wasilla and they didn’t have a pair of seats to sit them in. We agreed to this and I was moved back 10 rows and given a $5 dining credit for my trouble.

I still had a window seat so I wasn’t too fussed about the change.



The train pulled out late and slowly made its way out of Anchorage. Not far out of town the train passes by the Elmendorf Air Force Base where we saw several F22-Raptors take off in quick succession.



We trundled on up the tracks until we reached Wasilla where we made a brief stop and everyone was asked to stay on board.

It wasn’t long before the elusive lady Mt McKinley showed herself. All the crew on the train were staring out the window as much as we were. There were guides on-board how were pointing out interesting sites and providing commentary along the way. They said they hadn’t seen this much of the mountain for quite some time.





We next stopped at Talkeetna, which is the gateway to Denali, and many climbers use this as their starting point.
We were able to get off the train for a few minutes here and I was able to take a look at the monsters doing all the hard work on this ride.



I also spotted some interesting mods had been done to a pick-up truck that now sported aircraft tyres.



Further along we spotted a bear cub crossing the river and apart from birds and a moose later in the trek this was the only wildlife we saw on the entire 12 hour journey.





I decided I was hungry and made my way down to the dining car where I was able to grab a window seat on the mountain side of the train. I went for a lovely pot roast with beans and mash and an Alaskan White wheat beer. It was all very lovely and with views of McKinley out my window I was in heaven.









After lunch I went back upstairs and stared out the window some more. The next stop was Denali NP. At this point more than half the train emptied out and made their way off to the various lodges and hotels in the area.



After leaving Denali NP station the train made several sweeping turns making for some great shots of the train. At the rear of the Gold Star carriages there was an open section where you could lean out to take some photos.









The terrain gradually changed from mountains to fairly flat and the scenery became less enthralling to watch. I went down the back to coach to seek out the majority of the FTers on the train and meet up with the legend that is Seat 2A. We had a good old chinwag until we all felt the need for food. We filed back up to the dining car to grab a snack/dinner. This time I decided to go with a burger.

After the meal I made my way back upstairs and had the bartender mix me up his special Bloody Mary. Delicious.



Eventually signs of civilisation started to appear and we approached Fairbanks Railway Station and it was all over.

It was a great trip and we had fantastic weather for it. We really lucked out being able to get such a spectacular viewing of the tallest mountain in North America from several vantage points along the route.

Sorry there are so many photos in this set I just didn’t know which ones to ditch. I did cull around 100 of them!

Many many many more photos

beckoa

That was an epic announcement ^

Would get old on AS fast though with as many flights as there are thru Canada

Moomba

The evening we arrived in Fairbanks we checked into our respective hotels and were collected, almost at the appointed time, by Jackal and taken to the ball park for the Midnight Sun baseball game

We arrived fairly late in proceedings and had to scatter in order to find seating. A few of us ended up sitting in the unofficial cheer leading squad for the gam. There was a sea of orange T-shirts sported by a group of children from the Alaska Great Lakes Project.

This enthusiastic group would start up cheers at various points during the match and since we were sitting amongst them were encouraged to join in. I don’t think any of us will ever forget the chant “oh sa sa sa oh sa sa sa hit em in the head with a big kielbasa”. It was my first ever live baseball game and I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the game itself. It started at 22:30 and was played without lights until it finished at around 2:00 the following morning.

The day after the game we did the Jackal tour of Fairbanks including the Alaska Museum at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, saw the hall where the founding papers of Alaska were signed and stopped to take some pictures of a wind experiment that had various aircraft on it.



We next went off to see the Alyeska Pipeline that transports oil from Prudhoe Bay in the north to Valdez where it is loaded onto tankers for shipping around the globe.







A brief stop at a natural spring for some fresh water and then we went on to Big Daddy’s BBQ for some lunch. Yep Texas BBQ in Alaska.

Next up was a real treat of visiting the North Pole. North Pole AK that is. The story goes that any mail sent to Santa Claus ends up being delivered to the post office in this town. The street lamps all sit atop candy canes as does the golden arches sign. There is a lovely kitsch Santa Village complete with enormous Santa out the front.







Following this it was a mad dash to the airport for our flight down to Anchorage.

I used the self-service check-in and made my way upstairs to the security checkpoint. The TSA agent on checking my passport said ‘Where do you live?’ I said London. He said ‘Australian living in London visiting Fairbanks. You get around a bit.’ I said I sure do.

After security it was down to the gate where boarding had already commenced and I was able to walk straight on to the plane.

Flight AS0190 FAI-ANC Seat 17F
Aircraft: 737-800
Departure time: 17:55

I made my way to my seat and made myself comfortable and a flight time of 45 minutes was announced. We pushed back at 17:53 and taxied out for a take off of 17:59.

Once in the air and the belt signs were turned off the crew came around with an abbreviated services, due to the short flight time. This service consisted of water or juice and a pretzel snack. On the longer flights AS have a buy on board scheme where you can get alcohol or food for a charge.



There were some views of Mt McKinley from the sky on this return to Anchorage and I was lucky enough to be on the right side of the plane.





We touched down at 18:43 and had a brief drink and pow-wow about the following days proceedings in the Alaska Airlines Boardroom at ANC before heading off to our hotels for the night.

After a very early start I caught the hotel shuttle back to ANC and used the self-service check-in again to get BPs for my flight. At the stupid time of 05:00 security was quick and the body radiation device picked up a false positive in my leg that required the touchy feely treatment. Great, not only do they irradiate us, they don’t even bloody work properly.

I entered the boardroom using my priority pass and grabbed a yoghurt and fruit for breakfast. On offer in the mornings was coffee, tea, fruit, yoghurt, pastries, bagels, boiled eggs and the famous pancake machine.









The rest of the FT gang appeared and we started to move in drips and drabs down to the gate at the end of the pier.

Boarding had already commenced and I walked straight up to the agent who scanned my BP. I went down stairs and walked out and over to the plane. Today’s aircraft was a 737-400 combi, the front half of which is for freight and seating only starts at the over-wing exit row and back. One needs to board the aircraft using steps from the rear door.

Flight AS0155 FAI-OTZ-OME Seat 17F
Aircraft: 737-400 Combi
Departure time: 06:00

A flying time of 1 hour and 15 minutes was announced to Kotzebue and we pushed back at 06:00 and we were hurtling down the runway 10 minutes later. This flight to Nome does a triangular route of Anchorage to Kotzebue then Kotzebue to Nome and finally Nome to Anchorage all with the same flight number.

The cabin is all economy and the service on board was not the abridged version mentioned above. Buy on board alcohol and food and free water, juice, sodas etc with some cinnamon bagel chips & pretzel snack.


The captain announced at 06:56 that we had just crossed over into the Arctic circle and you may have felt a small speed bump. Previously Jackal had asked the crew if they would ask the captain if he would announce when we crossed this point.







We touched down at 07:26 into Kotzebue and would be on the ground for 45 minutes or so.
On the ground the crew came around with cups and water if we wanted some.

After those that were getting off did so and those that were getting on did likewise a flight time of 34 minutes was announced and we rolled forward at 08:14 and took off just a couple of minutes later.
In the air on this short flight was the abridged water and juice service.





We landed at 08:50 into Nome Alaska the home of the DO for the next day or so.


More Photos

Moomba

Once people had settled in to the hotel it was time to find food. The FT DO had split into two groups at FAI and some came to Nome a day earlier to avoid the 06:00 flight shocker and that group was ready for breakfast.

So too were the crowd from the ANC flight and at the recommendation of one of the locals we headed out to Airport Pizza. The menu we were presented with has to be one of the most comprehensive I had seen in a long time. It just went on and on.

Some people ordered Pizza for breakfast and some had more traditional fare. I opted for a Mexican skillet that was quite nice and extremely generous in serving size. After a leisurely breakfast our hosts allowed us to pay for our meals separately which was great. Although anyone waiting to settle their bill might not have been too keen on waiting on 18 or so FTers paying individually.

As it was the Summer Solstice there had been some celebrations planned for the day. We missed the parade down the main street but were able to catch the bank robbery that took place at midday.









After this I checked into my hotel for the night. The main part of the FT gang were all staying at the Aurora Inn but it was full and I had to settle for the Nugget Inn. Lets just say it was Alaska rustic.





After I settled in it was time to meet up again for the next event in the Nome solstice calendar, the Polar Bear Swim. Quite a crowd of locals a 3 of our group decided they were insane enough to go for a dip in the Bering sea.





After they had frozen their ging gang goolie off and collected their certificate we all piled into our two 15 seat vans and took off for a scenic drive.

The chosen destination for this trip was Teller, around 70 miles from Nome along an unmade road through the tundra. The road trip was quite scenic although Teller was not that interesting. It was all about the journey. After turning the conveniences at the local store into a public loo (the less said about this facility the better), we turned around and headed back to Nome.





We had dinner reservations for 20:00 and had plenty of time so van number two decided to stop for a bit of a walk out onto the tundra and some local ice fields.

Getting out of the van and onto the ground was a revelation in itself. The tundra looks quite barren and bare when driving along but on closer inspection is filled with various small wild flowers.










After spending around 40 minutes in the fresh air we got back in the van to head back into Nome. We joked along the way that the occupants of van number one must already be having their pre-dinner drinks back in Nome.

But no, on coming over a hill we saw van number 1 parked up ahead. We pulled up past them and could see they had the rear wheel off. We got and to see what was up. It seems they had a puncture and the spare wheel didn’t fit over the hub of the wheel. We decided to try our spare but no dice, the same problem. One of the van number 1 crew had hitched a ride into Nome with the one car that passed by earlier. We decided to abandon the van and offloaded our surplus into the other van and crammed 16 people in our 15 seat van and gingerly made our way back to Nome. Around 20 miles out we were flagged down by a car coming the other way. It was the rental company representative and our other FTer who had hitched into Nome. After some deliberation we ended up leaving the rental man to go check on the van and we somehow made room for a 17th person in our van. The van now had a configuration of 3,4,3,3,4 in 5 rows.



Just as we approached the outskirts of Nome we saw group of musk oxen and that was it for wildlife on this leg of the trip.
We pulled up outside of the restaurant only 15 minutes late, which was some sort of miracle. It must have been quite a sight for the locals to see 17 people all pile out of the one van.

The Husky was our dinner place for this evening and had a menu of Japanese favourites along with more western tastes such as burgers and the like. I went with some Gyoza and Beef Teriyaki both of which were quite nice. I washed it down with a few Alaskan Ambers whilst chatting with the gang about our adventurous day on the tundra.




After dinner a few of use went down to the Board of Trade a local pub that had live music. On entering one was greeted with an overwhelming smell of disinfectant. I stayed for one beer and listened to a couple of songs before feeling the need for sleep.

I made my way back to my digs and had a restless night. I woke quite early and was able to use the free, dreadfully slow, wifi to find that the gang were all planning on meeting in the Aurora lobby at 08:00 for the shuttle back to the airport.

I had a shower and checked out before wandering the streets taking some pictures before landing at the Aurora.








Lots More Photos

Moomba

As we were a van shy we had to make two trips to the airport. I joined the second wave and was at the airport a few minutes before they announced boarding.

I joined the queue and in a reversal of the norm had the airline agent swipe my BP and then entered a second room where the passport and security checks were done.
Once clear of this I was able to walk straight out to the plane to board through the rear stairs.



Flight AS0151 OME-ANC Seat 17A
Aircraft: 737-400 Combi
Departure time: 09:55

I was on board just after 09:00 and took my seat.



Eventually we were all on board and the captain announced a flight time of 1 hour and 23 minutes. We rolled forward early at 09:45 and took off three minutes later.



On this flight it was the fuller flight offering and the crew even had time for a couple of drinks runs during the flight.
There were quite a few FTers on this flight.





We touched down at 11:06 and all gathered in the boardroom to plan the afternoon activities.

After rides were allocated I and a few others ended up in the capable hands of BOB W who drove us first to supermarket for some last minute items and then on to casa del Bob.
A few of us helped out BOB W with preparations for the BBQ and started an early raid on the wine stash.

Soon enough the gang arrived and our BBQ chef beckoa worked his magic at the BBQ.




















After an afternoon of feasting on meat and drinking copious amounts of red wine in the great company of some very interesting FTers it was sadly time for me to make tracks to the airport again for my long trip home.

More Photos

Moomba

After a great time in Alaska it had to come to an end and so it did as I bade my farewell from the BBQ at Bob’s and caught a cab back to ANC.

I arrived early so that I could retrieve my suitcase from the storage facility and then hike up the other end of the terminal to deposit it with AA. The AA agent wasn’t particularly friendly or forthcoming with information. She did the usual BP check, bag tag and printed my BPs for this and the next sector.

I made my way back down to security for one more go. I was able to use the fast track and was quickly at the machines. This time the scatter gun didn’t detect any false positives and I was able to make my way up to the AS Boardroom one last time this trip. Inside I used my Priority Pass to gain access and settled in. It was only at this point I noticed on the screens that my flight was delayed 45 minutes. Well thanks kindly agent for informing me of this delay at check-in.

Having already learnt AA’s penchant for boarding prior to the time announced on the BP I made my way down to the gate early. After waiting for 5 minutes or so, as sure as eggs they started to board early inviting First and elites to board first.

Of course this meant half the people seated started to approach the gate. I managed to make my up to the desk and had the BP swipe and on down to the plane.

Flight AA0278 ANC-DFW Seat 2A
Aircraft: 757
Departure time: 20:30

I was on board by 20:50 and settled into my seat whilst boarding continued.
The captain announced a flight time of 5 hours and 52 minutes. There was no pre-departure beverage although there was plenty of time as we didn’t push back until 21:25. Take off was a few minutes later and I was able to watch the wonderful mountains around Anchorage disappear below me. It was quite a cloudy evening and once above the clouds the views became less inspiring.

After the belt sign eventually went out the crew came out with the ‘refreshment’ meal. There were no menus on this flight as there was on the outbound as I gather this is a ‘get some sleep’ flight, even though that is an impossibility on the crappy 757 30 year old seats.

We started with the usual drinks round and the warm nuts, it wouldn’t be AA if there were no warm nuts would it?
For the main part of the meal the choice was a cheese platter or a beef salad. I opted for the salad (sorry no pics) and it was quite tasty and cooked quite rare and was still juicy.

After the meal a bottle of water was handed out and the lights were turned down and people attempted to sleep.

I think I finally managed to actually properly fall asleep around 30 minutes before the lights came on in preparation for landing. The AA citrus sparkling water routine was then played out before the crew secured the flight for landing. The crew on this flight were pretty rubbish and didn’t really interact with the customers nor offer refills of drinks etc., in fact I had to ask to get a glass of wine with my meal as it wasn’t offered. They also spend the whole flight in the forward galley chatting loudly.

Pretty dismal flight when all is said and done.

The purser reeled off what seemed like a thousand connecting gates and announced our arrival gate and we landed at 06:22.

My gate was on another terminal so I made my way up to the skytrAAin and got to the other terminal without have to leave the secured area. I found the closest Admirals Club to my gate and wandered inside. I was welcomed in and given a drink certificate. I was surprised at how many people were in the lounge at this silly time in the morning. I grabbed a mug of coffee and surfed for a bit before making my way back out and down to the gate for my next flight.

Boarding had already commenced and I was able to walk straight up to the podium and have my BP swiped. It was now 07:05 and the boarding time on the BP stated 07:15!

Flight AA1077 DFW-SFO Seat 5F
Aircraft: 737-800
Departure time: 07:40

I took my seat and extracted camera etc. from my bag. A flying time of 3 hours and 15 minutes was announced and there was no pre departure beverage again on this service. We pushed back at 07:44 and taxied for quite a while before taking off into the sunny morning at 08:00.

Once the belt sign was off the crew came around and asked for drinks orders and breakfast orders from the back first following the FEBO policy.

On offer was a cheddar cheese omelette or oatmeal.

After my juice was delivered a hot towel was handed out and then the meal service began. My omelette came on the tray with a bowl of fruit and I was asked if I wanted a bagel or a biscuit. I went with the latter as they are always good on AA. The omelette was a little rubbery but tasted fine and the spicy potato mix that accompanied this was great.



After meal I just listened to my music and watched the American landscape slide my beneath us. There was a movie playing on the overhead monitors and IIRC it was John Carter.





We touched down at 09:12 and I made my way up to the baggage claim area.

My bag was out by 09:30 and I headed out to the hotel shuttle area to grab a ride to the Westin. As usual about 3 of every other chain goes by before my ride arrives but soon I was checking in for some much needed sleep.

After 4 hours of blissful sleep it was time once again to shower and re-pack before checking out (I was on a day rate that was quite reasonable).

I grabbed a shuttle back to the international terminal and approached the BA desks to check in for my flight to London. I was attended to with no wait and the agent informed me she could only check my bags to LHR. I said that was fine. She told me where I could find the BA lounge and pointed me in the direction of the security lanes. Security was quite quick using the priority access lane and I was soon in search of the BA lounge. The agent’s directions were straightforward and I made my way inside and downstairs to the lounge. The lounge agent welcomed me inside and I made my way on in. There is a small separate lounge within the main lounge that is reserved for First passengers but it didn’t seem to be policed and anyone could walk in.

Inside there was clam chowder, sandwiches, fruit, crisps, crudités and dips and the usual other snack and cookie/biscuit type items. The champagne in the bucket was MUMM so I decided to give it a wide berth.

I grabbed some of the lovely chowder and some sandwiches and a drink and settled in for the wait.



The lounge agent came into the First room and propped the door open. He then announced pre-boarding for the occupants and said another last call would be made 15 minutes later. I picked up my gear and walked out into the main lounge at the end of which was an agent who scanned my BP and I was able to join the main ramp down to the plane.

Flight BA0278 SFO-LHR Seat 64K
Aircraft: 747-400
Departure time: 16:55

I greeted at the door and directed up the stairs to my seat. Immediately my jacket was taken from me and I stowed by gear in the handy side cupboards on the upper deck of the 747. Champagne, water or orange juice was offered as a pre-departure drink and the amenity kits and menu were passed out.

The captain made his welcome speech and announced a flight time of 9 hours and 45 minutes. We pushed back at 16:57 and after a long taxi and wait took off at 17:20.

I was able to spy some great views over San Francisco in amongst the scattered cloud.





I changed into my LX PJ trousers and T-shirt before bed and the great crew offered to hang my clothes for me!

Once in the air the meal service began with a round of drinks. One of the crew took the meal orders, bouncing around the cabin by status I presume.
Of course I went with my standard S&D with the nuts before dinner. Another was offered by the great crew before the meal was served.



The CSD dropped by with a survey form and said ‘Mr blahblah’? I said nope not me. She said oh I think I have the wrong person. Oh yes Mr Moomba, I was going to give you a survey but as you are one of our Gold card holders I will leave you be. Hmm you don’t want the opinions of your most frequent travellers?

Oh well it was time for dinner anyway.

DINNER
STARTERS
Pork rillette with pickled vegetables and grilled toast
Tomato tartare with Mozzarella pearlini

SALAD
Fresh seasonal salad served with vinaigrette

MAIN
Seared beef fillet with balsamic and red piquillo pepper reduction, roasted fingerling potato mash, green beans and baby carrots

Pan-roasted Maine jumbo scallops with chanterelle mushrooms, asparagus flan and basmati rice

Black truffle tortellini with chestnut sauce and roasted morel mushrooms

Chilled main course salad of spice-crusted salmon on watercress with tangerines, baby fennel and toasted pecans with citrus dressing

DESSERT
Lemon meringue pie

Blue Stilton and Coulommiers cheese with Crema de Membrillo

A selection of fruit

Varda chocolates

WINES
CHAMPAGNE

CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS
Kir Royale
Crème de Cassis gives this cocktail its distinctive taste

Buck’s Fizz
Crisp dry champagne and naturally sweet orange juice

Taittinger Brut Reserve NV Champagne
Champagne Taittinger’s origin date back to 1734, and today it is one of the few Champagne Houses to be owned and actively managed by the family named on the label; Pierre Taittinger acquired the House in the early 1930’s. Taittinger Brut Reserve characterises the House style, which uses a high percentage of Chardonnay in the blend. Such Chardonnay dominance helps create a style of delicacy and finesse that merits the Gold Medal awarded at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2010. Its lean palate has considerable depth and elegance with a long, fresh finish making it a perfect aperitif.

WHITE
Chablis 2010, Domaine Sainte Claire, Burgundy, France
Considered an excellent vintage across Burgundy, this 2010 Chablis is ripe with exotic fruit, lemon and floral aromas. The limestone and marl soils of the region help winemaker Jean-Marc Brocard craft a timeless Chablis. It expresses all the elegance and finesse of this French classic sought after by wine enthusiasts and envied by winemakers worldwide. Classically pairs well with seafood and fish dishes.

Cline Cellars Viognier 2010, North Coast, California, USA
Viognier is a popular but tricky grape to grow and the ones selected for this blend are mainly from Mendocino where the difference between the hot days and cool nights contributes to the wine’s complexity. Triple Gold Medal winner at the latest tranche of North American wine awards the nose is wonderfully aromatic with hints of orange blossom followed by tangerine and apricot characters. It pairs perfectly with young cheeses, seafood and lightly spiced dishes.

RED
Chateau Ferrande 2009, Gaves, Bordeaux, France
A classic Gaves blend of equal measures Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, this is Bordeaux reds to be taken seriously. Robust and full bodied, it’s without doubt best savoured with food. Rich and ripe with vanilla, liquorice, bramble berry, leather and smoky characters, it has a long, earthy finish and mocca-style tannins. Aging for 12 to 14 months in oak barrels has made it the perfect partner for any of the beef dishes being served today.

Elk Cove Pinot Noir 2008, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
The 2008 vintage in Willamette Valley has gone down in history as having a combination of elements that winemakers dream of. This has made it a year for showcasing the best of what Oregon has to offer, and Elk Cove Vineyards, one of Oregon’s oldest and most respected wine producers, has done just that with its Pinot Noir. Fresh red and blue fruit aromas, crisp with sweet spice tannins, it’s ideal with steak and vegetarian dishes, especially mushrooms.

THE BAR
APERITIFS AND COCKTAILS
Campari
Martini Dry
Cointreau
Southern Comfort
Smirnoff Blue
Messenes Crème de Cassis
Tanqueray
Gordon’s Gin
Tia Maria
Baileys
Tio Pepe
Bacardi

WHISKIES
Glenlivet 15-year-old Malt
Jack Daniel’s
Johnnie Walker Black
Drambuie 15-year-old Speyside Malt Liqueur

COGNAC
Otard VSOP Cognac

BEER
Grolsch Premium
Fuller’s London Pride
Heineken

SOFT DRINKS
Coca-Cola
Diet Coca-Cola
Sprite
Sparkling Mineral Water
Tonic Water
Canada Dry
Bitter Lemon
Diet Tonic
Fanta Orange
Still Mineral Water
Soda Water

JUICES
Apple
Tomato
Orange
Cranberry

TWININGS TEA ROOM
A selection of refreshing teas and infusions including: English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Pure Green, Peppermint, Camomile and Cranberry, Raspberry and Elderflower

Ground Coffee
Decaffeinated Coffee

The starter was quite nice although I was not a fan of the Viognier wine that I chose to accompany it. When the crew returned to offer a refill I declined and said I would switch wines for the main.







For main I decided against the beef after so many bad experiences and went with the jumbo scallops. Shoulda gone with the beef. Three, count em one, two three scallops that would probably have best been used a shock absorbers for the bouncy seat. The mushrooms on the plate made me have second thoughts about how much I love mushrooms, but that was mostly due to the extremely salty nature of the preparation.

The wine I switched to was the Pinot Noir and it turned out to be quite a nice drop thank goodness.




Dessert or cheese was next on the menu and I opted for the lemon meringue pie. It was very nice indeed and I it washed down with a nice glass of single malt.




I watched Jim Who Lives At Home before hunkering down for some kip.

After a very good nights sleep I awoke around one hour out of London. The crew were already serving breakfast to the cabin and I was asked if I would care for some. I declined all but the smoothie.


BREAKFAST
STARTERS
Chilled fruit juice

An energising fruit smoothie of blueberry

Fresh seasonal fruit
or
Special K cereal

BAKERY
Warm bacon roll served with tomato ketchup

A selection of assorted breakfast pastries


I changed back into my civvies and got myself ready for the landing. We touched down at 10:44 and taxied to a B gate. I thanked the great crew upstairs and made my way off the plane.

After quick trip in the transit I rode the elevator up to the immigration area. It was the quietest I had seen it in quite a long time. IRIS was working though so I breezed on through and down to baggage reclaim. How I will miss my beloved IRIS when it is switched off after the Olympics.

Bags finally started to appear at around 11:10 and mine didn’t show up until nearly 15 minutes later. BA priority baggage working to perfection again I see.

I decided against a stop at the arrivals lounge and instead headed down to the HEX and a taxi home to my flat.
I unpacked and did a load of washing before, cutting it fine, I left for London City Airport and the continuation of this ticket. I am not sure I mentioned earlier but this SFO-LHR-AMS are the ‘return’ sectors of the AMS-LCY, LHR-NRT flight I did in May.

The Jubilee line on the tube was being temperamental and doors wouldn’t close and slow moving was the order of the day. Every minute delay had me looking down at my watch and getting nervous. I eventually made to the connecting station to the Docklands Light Rail service to LCY. One was due in 2 minutes and that would have me entering the airport at around the same time the boarding close time showed on my BP.

I flew down the escalators of the station and up the escalators in the airport and through the security gates. Security was pretty quick and I looked up at the monitor and it showed gate closing and gate 8. Oh feck the second farthest gate away! Another run down the halls and down the stairs to the gate lounge. The agent looks at me and says Mr Moomba? I said yes and hand over my BP and passport. I looked outside and saw they were still loading baggage onto the plane so I didn’t feel too bad. I thanked the agent profusely and she opened the door to let me out to the aircraft.

Flight BA8455 LCY-AMS Seat 2A
Aircraft: E170
Departure time: 15:30

On board I grabbed my seat and breathed.

We pushed forward at 15:26 and after a taxi to the other end of the airport were in the air at 15:41

It was quite bumpy going out but the crewmember up front did his best to serve a meal and drinks to the full house in J. The meal was a terrine pie type thing with salad and pickles. It was quite tasty and was served with the fruitcake I had seen before. I wonder how many people actually eat the fruitcake on the LCY flights.




After a quick 43 minutes in the air it was landing time again and at 17:23 we hit the decks at Amsterdam Schiphol airport.

I exited the plane and made my way up to the lounge to kill an hour or so before doing it all again on the way back to LCY.

After an hour or so I headed back down to the BA gates at the end of the D pier once again passing through one last security check.

Boarding had not commenced and the agents announced boarding would begin in 10 minutes. The screens were all saying gate closing and people were running down the corridor only to find no one had gotten on board yet. I thought this trick was an LGW specialty but it seems not.

Boarding did begin with Business class and elites who like the last time I here herded into a small area before actually being allowed on the plane. They then started to let the rest of the people in just as an agent came up the ramp and allowed us to go down.

Flight BA8458 AMS-LCY Seat 2A
Aircraft: E170
Departure time: 19:55

On board I took my seat and settled in.

When we had finished boarding there were only 4 in the business cabin. The captain announced another quick 40 minute trip and we pushed back 20:00 and took off 12 minutes later.

The crewmember working the front did a fabulous job offering us drinks and snacks first followed by the meal service. I suppose when there are so few in the cabin a full service can be offered on such a short flight.



After my dormen korma snack the meal was presented and included a plate of cheese and crackers, a potato salad with ham and a small pot of rhubarb and custard.



The flight went quickly and we touched down around 20:00 local time at LCY.

We had to wait for ground staff to let us off the plane and the captain apologised for the delay. Eventually we were let off and on to the waiting bus. Then we had to wait again as the aircraft next door was a domestic and offloaded the passengers straight across the tarmac to the terminal. Once clear the bus drove us up to the international arrivals section. Immigration queues were split into EU one side and foreign devils like me to the other. There were two agents who both proceeded to work the EU side whilst I stood at the front of the other queue wondering if I would have to wait until all EU peeps were processed before I would be let it. But another agent soon appeared and logged onto her computer. She beckoned me over and stamped me into the UK.

I then headed straight out to the DLR and caught that and a tube train home to get some sleep.


Well folks this puts an end to this latest burst of travel from your intrepid reporter. Twelve sectors, 37148 miles, four continents in 13 days. Lots of food and wine, broken seats, broken toilets, riding in the lap of luxury sipping Krug and sucking down caviar, riding with 16 others in a 15 seat van in the middle of the Alaskan tundra and a BBQ with great FT friends. Life is never boring for Mr Moomba.

Catch you next time in late August when I finally bring this RTW journey to a conclusion.


A few more photos