SFO777

Once upon a time, well to be precise on a warm August Sunday BBQ evening a couple of years ago, after way too many G&Ts and/or too much wine, and no doubt attempting to elicit an entertaining reaction out of Mrs. SFO777, I mentioned that I've always been intrigued by and wanted to go to India, and that we should go... this winter. As many of you know, my Princess is fond of the good life, especially first world destinations and five star hotels. Her idea of camping is a hotel without room service.

Her reaction was exactly what I expected... after a few choice obscenities, she pronounced flat out "I'm not going to effing India. No way, No how". Well, tell me how you really feel. Ever the smart kid and sensing an opportunity to again travel in style on dad's dime, Denver son SFO777jr chimed in with "Well, I'll go". And so it began. Jr. and I had a wonderful time and I've been trying to get her interested ever since. But it wasn't until a travel agent friend raved about "5 star India" that she warmed to the idea and agreed.

But, I almost lost her at the travel health center with the list of potential diseases and pills to protect against hepatitis, yellow fever, malaria, etc... and the three treatments for diarrhea. So, armed with our visa, shots and meds, we are ready to go!

• United Airlines First Class Denver-Washington
• Etihad First & Business Class Lounge
• Etihad 787 First Class Washington-Abu Dhabi
• Etihad Premium Lounge at AUH
• Etihad 77L First Class Abu Dhabi-Delhi
• The Oberoi Delhi
• Delhi
• Air India Business Class Delhi to Jaipur
• Rambagh Palace Jaipur
• Jaipur
• Jet Airways Business Class Jaipur-Mumbai
• The Oberoi Mumbai
• Mumbai
• Lounge at BOM
• Singapore Airlines First Class Mumbai-Singapore
• The Private Room at Changi
• Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Singapore-Tokyo NRT
• ANA Suites Lounge at NRT
• Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Tokyo-LAX
• United Club at LAX
• United Airlines First Class LAX-Denver

And off we go today, back to DIA again for the first of three flights, United to Washington Dulles.











Denver to Washington Dulles
United 461
B757-200 (international configuration)
12:40p-5:55p
February 16, 2016
Seats 2AB

We lucked out today as the flight we needed today was an international configuration lie flat Business First 757. Boarding started at T-50 today.









OK, now this is a cool domestic front cabin.









Very comfy seats, almost a nice as the old AA MD-80 Mad Dog seats.



With almost as much leg room as 3F on the Mad Dog.







Indeed lie flat seats.



Outstanding service today, starting with open bar pre-departure beverages.

















Today's lunch options were the same as last week's DEN-PIT, Fiesta Chicken or Pepper salmon salad. Mrs. SFO opted for the Fiesta Chicken.



While I had the salmon salad which was OK.





The best part of the meal was the wonderful baked on board chocolate chip cookie.





On time arrival and we headed for the long, long, long walk to train for the ride to the A gates...

SFO777

At the top of the escalator, the A concourse....



Gates A14 and A16...



And the Etihad Lounge.



What a treat to be back in this wonderful lounge, with outstanding staff.





















Tonight's menu.















The Lamb Vindaloo was out of this world.






For an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com


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TOMFORD

Are those Lanvin sneakers?! Either way, good taste!

APFPilot1985

you forgot to blur the Mrs. in one of your pictures.

wrp96

So apparently hell has frozen over.

She sometimes allows him not to blur one or two.

GUWonder

Nice trip report, while with the skipped blur it becomes more interesting.

Hopefully, Indian passport control doesn't take your reported testimony about her comment about India as an insult against the nation, or there could try to match the face and make an issue of it.

AA_EXP09

In an attempt to save money going from Delhi to Jaipur, I would have also recommended to her instead of AI/9W business class, that you guys take Indian Railways 'First Class'

SFO777

Thank you TOMFORD. Actually they are Santoni.

Thanks APFPilot1985. Mrs. SFO consents to any unblurred pic. If she doesn't like the pic, it gets the blur.

Indeed it has. Thanks wrp96.

Thanks very much GUWonder. Uh-oh, hadn't thought of Indian passport control.

LOL. Thank you AA_EXP09. Tempting but Jr. and I already did the Indian "First Class" rail thing.

UAL250

Looking forward to this one. Should be excellent as always. The walk to the trams for the A/B terminal and the Main Terminal is lame. One of these days, United is going to get a new concourse above the train station. That day may be 2050. For now, those of us in the DC area are stuck with the dungeon.

Nice get on the international 757. It's a nice plane.

Interested in seeing how India goes for you two. A country that I've been considering for a while, but have held off on.

ysolde

Oh, this should be fun!

I remember, years ago, when friends of mine took a year off and traveled the world, they did 5-star India, for a variety of reasons. They had an amazing time.

Can I help you

How come we never see your picture, you cannot be that unattractive?

Madone59

I read the title and laughed out loud....and now everyone knows I'm in my cubical reading a TR

Looking forward to following along SFO777 ^^

HMPS

SFO777 Great start of your trip. Was waiting for it ......

If you liked lamb vindaloo, you will love ( as you already know from your previous visit) that you will have fantastic food. The Delhi and Rajasthan hotels are gorgeous ( people get ready for the Palace hotels) , I call them seven stars.

If you or her Ladyship desire something not on the menu, ASK the chef to make it. It will be done.

I am sorry your 24 hours in BOM will not allow us to get together
I really wanted to meet you two in person , especially listen to your Princess's opinions.
will send you my contact info just in case.

benjahman

Great start to this TR, thanks for sharing SFO777 The wife was just talking about going to India, anticipating this will give us a nice path to follow.

Culture Guru

Great start to the TR.

And by the way - Hello... Mrs SFO!