23 Feb. ICN-SEA OZ 272 777-200 Ship 700

While in the OZ lounge, I noted that departure time had slipped to 1810, some 1/2 hour late. At some point, I went to the gate where boarding has yet to start and wouldn't until nearly 6. I still had a spare UG but could find no one interesting to UG. There was some priority boarding but it was chaotic.

2 jetways are used at ICN and the FAs were perfectly willing (and offered) to show one to one's seat though strictly unnecessary. BC was only 20/35 at best today - maybe even emptier as the front row was completely empty as was the last centre row.

Pre flight drinks were offered. Can't remember about newspapers. Slippers and headphones were offered sometime later as were U.S. landing forms. Menu after takeoff was the same as the one outbound from SEA. I was brave enough to try the Korean royal meal (bil be bap?) this time. Meal service was pretty much the same. 3 canapes but no salad, appetiser or main course. One just got the tray with the meal which was a huge bowl with various vegetables and ground beef, medium sized bowls of soup with bean sprouts and rice, and smaller bowls of red pepper sauce, dried fish fry, kimchi and something that looked like toffeed tree fungus. There was a card to guide one to eating the meal which was to mix the packet of sesame oil with the pepper paste, mix this into the big bowl, add rice, and mix well. Eat with condiments.

Interestingly, the utensils were typical Korean. A pair of long metal chopsticks and a long metal spoon. A martial artist could have used the chopsticks to cause grievious bodily harm.

Meal was followed again by cheese and fruit (OZ likes to serve edam and the soft italian bel paese out of ICN), and a pumpkin tart with the usual choice of hot beverages. I only had 2 glasses of champage (Piper Heidick red) as I was fairly buzzed after having drunk all day in the lounge.

I thought I wasn't too sleepy but soon after closing my eyes after the meal, I woke up with only 2:40 left in the 8:50 flight.

Breakfast was served 2 hours prior to landing for all classes. OZ could really start it at least 1/2 hour later in the BC cabin. Juice was offered and then he FA came to take orders, of course holding onto the menu. I chose a Korean beef sitry fry with rice and veg. The other choice was omelette and sausage. Usual linen service than a tray with yoghurt and plate of fruit. 3+ choices of bread rolls/pastries (croissant) with a bowl of butter and some U.S. jam. That cleared away, the casserole breakfast was served. Tasty and garlicky, as one would expect.

A Korean breakfast which had a large bowl of soup noodles among the things was also offered.

The flight path was a bit weird again. Takeoff to the north, then a 270 degree turn to the west before heading east to avoid N. Korean airspace, then heading ESE to Japan, around Nagoya, before flying over Honshu and heading out to the Pacific and turning NE at some point. The a/c came into the U.S. right at the edge of the Olympic peninsula where native whale hunting restarted a few years back. Gave a fine view of Vancouver island (and a distant glimpse of YVR which was where I was ultimately headed) and the San Juan islands and the inland side of Puget Sound.

The flight pretty much flew directly into SEA from the north so there was a very short taxi to the S satellite getting in just after 1105 - some 25 mins behind schedule. 1st one off the a/c and to immigration where thare was no wait. My bag was tagged * priority and doorside but still took some 3 minutes after the 1st bag to come off. Had to recheck the bag to get it to the main terminal but remarkably it got there before or very soon after, I did.