A great report so far Moomba. That new camera of yours has definitely improved your photography.

It's such a shame that the service in the CCR and onboard wasn't up to standard. I must admit, when I was there, the lady serving us in the dining area was great, but the other staff weren't exactly attentive. I don't understand why. Seriously, how difficult is it to meet expectations? Plenty of other airlines do it well, the QF F lounge for example.

I do hope that now the industrial action is over, BA will be able weed out their 'weak' crew members and start working on improving standards.

Was the steak really that bad? It looks ok to me .

I loved the photos of the Forbidden City. It looks like this is going to turn out to be a fantastic trip!