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It's a Fine Line Between Pleasure & Pain: 4 wacky weeks 2 RTW C, inaugural longhaul Y

It's a Fine Line Between Pleasure & Pain: 4 wacky weeks 2 RTW C, inaugural longhaul Y

Old Oct 29, 2007, 3:00 am
  #166  
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Some more trivia.

Florida is the 16th US state I have flown to/from. But on this trip I have overflown far more states than this - can you guess how many?

Bahrain to Doha is my 400th unique route, totally some 700,000 miles of unique routes. A long way to go to catch up with Seat 2A but not bad.
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Old Oct 29, 2007, 3:14 am
  #167  
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Bahrain to London Heathrow (BAH-LHR) on British Airways 747-400 business class

Pre-departure drink is a choice of water, orange juice or champagne. After take off somehow they miss me in asking if I want supper - I most definitely was not asleep

Supper is served with cabin lights down low so that those who want to sleep (most of business class for example) can do so. Whereas for breakfast the lights are put on full an hour before landing.

We'd made up a lot of time in transit and in the air. So much so that we arrived early. The captain announced we'd be holding east of London to await 6am but we got lucky and were allowed to continue and land with only a minor detour flight path curving over central London.

Because we arrived early the airbridge wasn't ready and a 10 minute wait. Then a long walk (yes moving walkways were generally not working), for we got gate 25 at the end of Victor pier. T4 transfer security was empty (both fast track and economy) and I was soon in the lounge. For the first time ever (at London Heathrow) my one world status was recognised and I was directed to the first class lounge without having to ask for my entry rights. Only a short wait for a shower this morning. Amazing what a difference a few minutes makes.
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Old Oct 29, 2007, 7:24 pm
  #168  
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London Heathrow to Hong Kong business class menu

LUNCH

Entree

Salad of lamb and tomatoes with fresh herbs

Main Courses

Sea bass with red wine sauce, baby onions and peas*

Chicken cacciatore with grilled polenta and green beans

Sweet and sour pork with hokkien noodles and choy sum

Green leaf salad with balsamic vinaigrette

Dessert

Selection of seasonal cheese and dried fruit

Apple and blackberry pie with clotted cream

Sliced fresh fruit

Chocolates

Valrhona chocolates


EXPRESS LUNCH

To assist in providing you with a flexible dining experience, choose the following menu as an express meal after take-off or nominate your preferred time to dine later in the flight.

Prawn wonton soup with ginger and shallots

Salad of lamb and tomatoes with fresh herbs

Green leaf salad with balsamic vinaigrette


REFRESHMENT

Enjoy a range of snacks and drinks at any time throughout your flight. Your Flight Attendant will be pleased to prepare your selection or simply snack from our inflight bar.

Toasted panini with roast lamb, mature cheddar, tomato relish and seeded mustard

Toasted baguette with poached chicken, emmental, marinated artichokes and mayonnaise

or

Create your own toasted sandwich from the following selection

panini or sourdough toasted baguette with

roast lamb
tomato relish
poached chicken
marinated artichokes
mature cheddar
seeded mustard
emmental
mayonnaise

Fresh whole fruit

Organic orange shortbread

Cheese and biscuits

Chocolate bars


BREAKFAST

To assist in maximising your rest, a pre-ordered breakfast is available. Simply complete the breakfast order card for collection by your Flight Attendant.


BEVERAGES

Champagne

Aperitifs

Campari

Spirits

Bacardi white rum
Chivas Regal scotch whisky
Inner Circle (green dot) dark rum 57.2%
Tanqueray London dry gin
The Glenlivet malt whisky
Wild Turkey 86.8 bourbon
Wyborowa classic vodka

Beers

Hahn premium light (low alcohol)
Tooheys new
Victoria bitter

Non Alcoholic

Apple juice
Orange juice
Spicy tomato juice
Tomato juice
Mineral water
Soda water
Tonic water
Bundaberg ginger beer
Cola
Diet cola
Ginger ale
Lemonade
Solo - lemon squash

Hot Beverages

Grinders coffee
Bodum
Decaffeinated

Dilmah tea
Chamomile
English breakfast
Jasmine green
Peppermint

Hot chocolate

Liqueurs

Bailey's Irish cream
Cointreau

Fortified

Penfolds bluestone 10yo tawny
Rutherglen liqueur muscat

Cognac

Martell VSOP
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Old Oct 29, 2007, 7:28 pm
  #169  
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London Heathrow to Hong Kong business class menu pre-orders

To assist in providing you with a flexible dining experience, a pre-ordered menu is available for breakfast. Simply complete this card and hand to your Flight Attendant.

If I am sleeping, please do not wake me to dine

Name ________

Seat no. _____


BREAKFAST

Simply complete this card and hand to your Flight Attendant to pre-order breakfast

Orange juice
Apple juice
Energiser drink
Toast
Croissant
Apple muffin
Steamed chinese bun
Strawberry jam
Honey
Orange marmalade
Vegemite
Citrus fruit salad
with yoghurt
Toasted muesli
with full cream milk
with low fat milk
Scrambled eggs
Sausages
Mushrooms
Potato cakes
Tomato

Hot Beverages

Grinders coffee
Bodum
Decaffeinated

Dilmah tea
English breakfast
Jasmine green
Chamomile
Peppermint

Milk
Full cream milk
Low fat milk

Sugar
Low calorie sweetener

Hot chocolate

Hot and cold beverages are available at any time during your flight

Express Breakfast

A warmed apple muffin served with your choice of a hot beverage
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Old Oct 29, 2007, 7:34 pm
  #170  
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Hong Kong to Melbourne business class menu

LUNCH

Our extensive Rockpool designed menu allows you to enjoy a completely personalised dining experience. You can choose the full menu after take-off or our Express meal is available at any time.

Entree

Cream of broccoliu soup with parmesan

Main Courses

Sea bass with black beans, stir fried vegetables and e-fu noodles*

Drunken chicken with ginseng, bok choy and fragrant rice

Beef fillet with tomato and onion salsa and steamed greens

Green leaf salad with herb vinaigrette

Dessert

Selection of seasonal cheese and dried fruit

Chocolate espresson mousse tart with candied hazelnuts

Sliced fresh fruit

Chocolates

Valrhona chocolates


EXPRESS LUNCH

To assist in providing you with a flexible dining experience, choose the following menu as an express meal after take-off or nominate your preferred time to dine later in the flight.

Creme of broccoli soup with parmesan

Poached salmon salad with hot and sour dressing

Green leaf salad with herb vinaigrette


REFRESHMENT

Enjoy a range of snacks and drinks at any time throughout your flight. Your Flight Attendant will be pleased to prepare your selection or simply snack from our inflight bar.

Fresh whole fruit

Luken and May biscuits

Chocolate bars


LIGHT DINNER

Main Courses

Moroccan braised prawns with preserved lemon and couscous*

Roast beef and mediterranean vegetables with port jus

Fragrant duck and shiitake pot pie with xo sauce

Green leaf salad with snow peas and feta

Dessert

Selection of seasonal cheese and dried fruit

Lemon and ginger puddings with lime mascarpone

Sliced fresh fruit

Chocolates

Valrhona chocolates


BEVERAGES

Champagne

Aperitifs

Campari

Spirits

Bacardi white rum
Chivas Regal scotch whisky
Inner Circle (green dot) dark rum 57.2%
Tanqueray London dry gin
The Glenlivet malt whisky
Wild Turkey 86.8 bourbon
Wyborowa classic vodka

Beers

Hahn premium light (low alcohol)
Tooheys new
Victoria bitter

Non Alcoholic

Apple juice
Orange juice
Spicy tomato juice
Tomato juice
Mineral water
Soda water
Tonic water
Bundaberg ginger beer
Cola
Diet cola
Ginger ale
Lemonade
Solo - lemon squash

Hot Beverages

Grinders coffee
Bodum
Decaffeinated

Dilmah tea
Chamomile
English breakfast
Jasmine green
Peppermint

Hot chocolate

Liqueurs

Bailey's Irish cream
Cointreau

Fortified

Penfolds bluestone 10yo tawny
Rutherglen liqueur muscat

Cognac

Martell VSOP
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Old Oct 29, 2007, 7:53 pm
  #171  
 
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Great read and I am relieved like you that you managed to make those connections.
One thing did I just miss a few of flights. LHR-HKG-MEL?
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Old Oct 30, 2007, 5:28 am
  #172  
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Sorry. I ran out of time to post - had to board a flight (of course). This connection is slow but I'll see if I can update a bit more before boarding my next flight.

PS update - as of now I have lifetime status

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Oct 30, 2007 at 5:34 am
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Old Oct 30, 2007, 6:04 am
  #173  
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London Heathrow to Hong Kong (LHR-HKG) on Qantas 747-400 business class

I had long enough to catch up on some emails and update this trip report. On the way to the gate I am paged. I certainly am not running late (boarding hasn't even started) so I wonder if I've gotten lucky with an op-up or otherwise improved seat. No such luck - turns out they had noticed I had no Australia e-visa but didn't notice that I am not required to have one. Boarding commences soon after. There was a mass queue, since boarding was late in starting, over to the left of the podium. I quietly waited by myself on the right and sure enough the first/business line opened up and I was first through.

Received pajamas and amenity kit, plus pre-departure drink (water, orange juice or champagne). We had a 30 minute delay due to paper work not reconciling. Fortunately we didn't get a further ATC delay and after a short taxi were on our way.

After a wellbeing video the in-flight entertainment was switched on. I noticed it had been updated for November options, but the IFE booklet was still the October one as was the Australian Way QF magazine.

The cabin was full, including several QF staff. No wonder I couldn't get the exit row.

After lunch I managed to get some sleep. I've found that getting a few hours sleep each flight is working out okay and helping me to adjust to timezones and get enough in aggregate even though some flights are too short to get a decent sleep all in one go.

Breakfast is served 2 1/2 hours before arrival. Yes rather early despite the meal selection already being provided and simple service (all items are pre-plated).

We had weaker tailwinds than usual and so did not make up any time en route. As usual the gate is right below the Qantas lounge.

At the end of the airbridge I get the transit card and sticker (she just managed to stick it on me as I sprinted past) and I speed walked to transfer security and up to the lounge. As I expected the transit to be shorter than normal, I opted to use the inferior QF lounge instead of The Wing (further 5 minutes walk away and no boarding calls). So I rushed to be first to arrive (which I was despite being seated near the front of the upper deck) in order to get a shower. The first 3 or 4 passengers got showers. The next few had to wait 15 minutes, and the rest missed out altogether. With lots of first/business/elites travelling through (or connecting to other flights) there is high demand. The slow miss out.
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Old Oct 30, 2007, 6:18 am
  #174  
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Hong Kong to Melbourne (HKG-MEL) on Qantas 747-400 business class

The shower is horrible - leaks, doesn't seem to be too clean and certainly not stylish - but still refreshing. A couple of minutes to check my email and then it is time to head to the gate. With the late arrival we are late departing also. At the gate the agent wants my ticket coupon which I gave up in London because my boarding pass says "ticket coupon required". It takes a while for her to understand that I was on the same flight already and thus have no coupon any more. At the aircraft the FA takes a while to locate the seat number - probably hasn't seen to many Doha-issued boarding passes

We got another amenity kit but no pajamas. A further small delay to locate some missing passengers However reasonable tailwinds mean we will arrive in Melbourne only 20 minutes late.

Lunch is served 1 1/2 hours into the flight. Dinner 1 1/2 hours before arrival. I doze some more, and watch some "classic" movies.
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Old Oct 30, 2007, 6:41 am
  #175  
 
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You deserve multiple Skykits for that dreadful MIA-LHR flight! Oh, wrong airline.
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Old Oct 30, 2007, 3:51 pm
  #176  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wellington
Programs: QFWP (LTSG), NZ (Jade), TG ROP (Forgotten), OZ (Silver), AA (Cardboard), EK (Lowest of the Low)
Posts: 4,669
Thumbs up Congratulations "Gold Kiwi Flyer"

Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
Sorry. I ran out of time to post - had to board a flight (of course). This connection is slow but I'll see if I can update a bit more before boarding my next flight.

PS update - as of now I have lifetime status
No worries about the posting I was just worried that it was FT playing up.
Congratulations Rob on Lifetime Gold^.
Of course I will still insist that you make those trips to WLG for our airport catch ups and I am still going for WP status this membership year.
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Old Oct 30, 2007, 4:51 pm
  #177  
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Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
PS update - as of now I have lifetime status
and now some hours later the computer recognises that I have made it

Originally Posted by QFF
Status credits earned from 01 Aug 2007: 5,755

Lifetime Recognition

You have attained lifetime Gold recognition.
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Old Oct 30, 2007, 5:15 pm
  #178  
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Melbourne to Singapore first class menu

To allow you a longer period of undisturbed rest, please let us know your preference for the following meal service options:

- to be served your meal soon after take-off

OR

- to be served your meal about 2 hours before arrival

Juices

A choice of apple, tomato or freshly squeezed orange

Your choice of

Barramundi with herb crust in pesto sauce-roasted tomato sauce, baked potato fondant and green beans

Salad of mozzarella cheese with herb chicken and pesto, hot cauliflower soup served in cup

Beef udon soup
White wheat noodles in rich beef broth with sliced beef and bean sprouts

American breakfast
Yoghurt with fruit compote-granola
Freshly prepared eggs served with bacon or veal sausage, slow roasted vine ripened tomato and mushrooms
Bread selection with preserves


Continental breakfast
Assorted bread with preserves

Your meal will be served with a selection of sliced fresh fruits

Hot beverages

Freshly brewed coffee
Espresso or cappuccino
Selection of tea


BEVERAGES

Mix of the month

Tropical sparkle

Unique creations

Silver Kris sling
Alspritzer
Solitaire dreams
Sunrise breezer
Sweetness in darkness
Vodka flush
Apple bliss
Awaiting the golden dawn
Tropical fizz

All time favourites

Singapore sling
Screwdriver
Fruit spritzer
Orange cooler

Appetising aperitifs

Campari
Dry vermouth

Spirits

Macallan 12 years old single malt whisky
Cognac XO Hennessy
Johnnie Walker blue label
Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey
Bombay sapphire gin
Smirnoff red label vodka
Bacardi superior

Liqueurs

Cointreau
Tia maria
Baileys original irish cream

Beer

International selection

Champagnes

Dom Perignon 1999
Krug grande cuvee

White wines

Penfolds reserve bin OSA chardonnay 2005 Adelaide hills
Reichsgraf von Kesselstaff piesporter goldtropfchen riesling kabinett 2005 Mosel-saar-ruwer

Red wines

Mount langi ghiran 2003 shiraz Victoria
Chateau leoville-poyferre 1999 Saint-Julien

Port

Dow's 20 year old tawny port Portugal

Tea selection

Pure ceylon tea
Earl grey
Darjeeling
Camomile
Decaffeinated tea
Fruit tea
Japanese green tea
Chinese jasmine tea
Chinese oolong tea
Min tea

Gourmet coffees

Brazil santos bourbon
Colombian supremo
Jamaican blue mountain
Kenyan AA kilimanjaro

Specialty coffees

Brewed coffee
Cafe royal
Espresso
Cappuccino
Cafe latte
Cafe au lait
Decaffeinated coffee
Mocha

Other beverages

Chocolate
Ovaltine
Milo

Mineral water

Still
Sparkling

Fruit juices

Apple
Orange
Pineapple
Tomato

Soft drinks

Bitter lemon
Coke
Coke light
Ginger ale
7-up

Milk

Full cream
Low fat
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Old Oct 30, 2007, 5:37 pm
  #179  
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Melbourne to Singapore (MEL-SIN) on Singapore Airlines 777-200 first class

It didn't take me long to walk down the pier, up through security (again successfully dodging the "random" explosive checks) and back the length of the pier to the Singapore Airlines lounge to check in. I was invited to head inside while the agent checks me in, and I asked about checking in for the return. That can only be done at landside check in because my ticket is split into two PNRs due to the upgrade on only one flight (some computer issue ).

Some time later I get both boarding passes. Yes, despite only have one agent in the lounge SQ sent someone from landside check in to the lounge to collect my documents, back landside to check me in and back airside to return my documents along with the boarding passes ^ So many other airlines would simply say it can't be done and here is just the one boarding pass.

Amazingly this is the first time I've used this lounge, for even when Air New Zealand temporarily was using the horrid United lounge in between closing its old lounge at the base of the pier and opening the new one in the basement at the end of the pier, I was using Qantas first class lounge thanks to open doors access with my status. The lounge is small and fairly basic but has all you need and tonight is fairly empty. I could imagine at busy periods (eg for the 747 flights) it would be full. Bathroom and shower. Computer (no printer). A range of drinks including JW Blue (NM take note) and some decent light food offerings. Champagne is only Moet though.

Boarding is announced in the lounge only when nearly everyone else has boarded. So no wait at the gate or on the airbridge. Having said that boarding is rather early as they want to leave early to offset the stronger than normal headwinds.

This is my first Singapore Airlines flight in over 6 months, after flying them well over a hundred times in the previous few years, and I was wondering how it would compare. We ended up not leaving early as a couple of stragglers showed up late. Just 3 passengers in first tonight (so excellent crew to passenger ratio and extremely attentive service). Business is fairly full and economy was sold out at least a couple of weeks ago.

Before take-off a choice of water, orange juice or champagne (my choice of Dom Perignon or Krug ^ ). Meal orders are taken so as to maximise the sleep. The menu has been further downgraded since the last time I took a similar flight - only nuts for starter and a main, no dessert. Only one meal for an almost 8 hour flight. Not very good. For those choosing to eat early, which I do (figuring I would be finished much shorter time after take off than the time before landing I'd be awoken for breakfast, thus more sleep for me), the meal is served just 15 minutes after we begin take off roll!

The seats are the old regional seats - so not too comfortable. Despite the extra width on these, I find even Air NZ's old business seats to be more comfortable.

IFE is avod, but I only see the first part of a movie before drifting off to sleep. The November schedule is loaded, and the KrisWorld magazine (and Silver Kris magazine) is for November - which is normal for SQ.

As expected we lose time en route and arrive 20 minutes late to a rainy Singapore.

PS I forgot to mention that amenities were less than expected - pajamas, yes, but no amenity kit

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Oct 31, 2007 at 3:41 am
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Old Oct 30, 2007, 6:54 pm
  #180  
 
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Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
PS update - as of now I have lifetime status
So is it time to switch to AA
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