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2 studs do Hawaii (via AMS, DUB, JFK, LAX and CDG for good measure on the way back!)
I used the very unimaginative title as a follow on from the previous "2 studs" TR which I wrote earlier in the year - https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip...-4-cities.html. Maybe this will form part of a whole series..... who knows?! My (fave?) travel buddy and I have another two trips planned in the first quarter of 2018.
So we both had some holiday days to use and had originally thought of heading to New Zealand on a great fare on QR (ex GOT I think?) but we missed that ship by about one day. Hawaii was next on the list and C had found a (ridiculously crazy) routing...... DUB - LHR - MAD - JFK - LAX - HNL - LAX - JFK - CDG - LHR - DUB. Hey, it sounded like fun and given that I really like the IB J product on their flights from MAD to LHR, I actually thought it would be cool to try it out on long haul. So we went for it and booked. However, a while after that, I think AA moved the time of the JFK - LAX flight to half an hour earlier than the IB flight got in from MAD. There weren't really any other options for rebooking apart from dropping the LHR - MAD - JFK flights and go direct from LHR - JFK on a BA 747 (which I didn't mind either to be honest!). I looked at positioning flights - there was either an EI (Aer Lingus for those not familiar) flight directly from ABZ - DUB for £170 or KL flights ABZ - AMS - DUB for £130. Being Aberdonian, even a small saving is a saving so I opted for the KL flights. Being Gold with Flying Blue also meant that I would get lounge access. I was told that we were just taking hand luggage (cue the :eek: emoji from me) to Hawaii so after a few months of getting my head round this (thinking that t-shirts and vests wouldn't take up much space), I had successfully manoeuvred everything into my case when C decided that he wanted to check a bag in.....AGH. I just stuck with my hand luggage sized bag (although checked it on on the AA legs). On the way back, I was certainly not checking my bag through as I only had two hours between landing in DUB and connecting to AMS. Fast forward to holiday time. I finished up at work just after 5.30pm and headed home to put the last few things into my case. I had booked myself into the new Hampton hotel out at ABZ so that I could have a chilled evening and slightly more sleep in the morning before heading down to the airport. Also, I had been status matched to Hilton Diamond status and, so long as I stayed 8 separate times before mid January, I would keep the status until 2019. So a few more trips will start off at the Hampton hotel! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4581/...626ac775_c.jpg Check-in was painless. The bar area was busy with offshore workers who were staying there before taking a chopper out to the various rigs the next morning. I made my way up to my room and was impressed with the size and the cleanliness. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4563/...eb62c455_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4556/...9c9c061c_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4557/...96573f84_c.jpg I headed down to the bar and had a few pints before heading to bed where I had a brilliant sleep. I was up around 8am and had the complimentary breakfast in the hotel bar. The spread is much better than a Holiday Inn Express (with which I would put the Hampton on the same sort of level) - cereals, yoghurts, fruits, waffle making station and full cooked breakfast along with bread and pastries. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4539/...51134f75_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4550/...7ee1dae3_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4531/...f870768d_c.jpg View from my room on a chilly morning - we had the first snow of the year overnight (although most of it had gone by this time). I do love standing outside at this time of year on a cold, crisp morning though and seeing your breath in the air. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4537/...0b5412b0_c.jpg The hotel puts on a complimentary shuttle bus down to the airport. The walk would take around ten mins so it's handy having the bus to take you down there. You should pre-book the night before to make sure you get a seat (given all the offshore workers) but thankfully, by the time I was ready to leave, they had all more or less gone so I got a private transfer to the airport! I got to ABZ and grabbed my currency before heading through security and up to the Northern Lights lounge. The lounge was very quiet at this time of morning so I managed to grab a seat by the window and see the previous KL flight being pushed back on its way to AMS. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4547/...7eef70d8_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4572/...814f1f6b_c.jpg I drank some coffee and listened to some music while our 737 pulled up by the lounge. It's a nice lounge here although I do miss the complimentary spirits which BA had in their lounge before it shut for refurbishment. You can get free gin and vodka but they are unbranded...... no thanks, not today Satan! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4578/...b2cfbb97_c.jpg KL1444, ABZ - AMS, B737, PH-BGR I headed down to the gate in enough time to catch the first call for boarding and was one of the first on the plane which was good as I could throw my carry on in the overhead locker. The crew were very cheery this morning. The flight appeared to be relatively busy but the middle seat between me and Ms 5C was free which was good. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4522/...6b2cb041_c.jpg Taxi to the runway was short and we took off, turning left on the way south. It's interesting that KL only do their safety demonstrations in English. I thought that they would have it in Dutch with a translation to follow but it doesn't appear that that happens on any KL flights. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4576/...4d7efb12_c.jpg Before long, the crew served a wee snack - a tasty pear cake and a drink from the bar. I watched Blue Planet on iPlayer (probably the best thing on the BBC at the moment and narrated by the wonderful British institution, David Attenborough) and then enjoyed the views as we crossed the North Sea and approached AMS. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4547/...925974ca_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4562/...b1483bee_c.jpg We landed on the Polderbaan and had just over 15 mins to taxi to the gate. I was off the plane quickly and made my way to the KL Crown Lounge where I found a seat up at the back on a comfy seat. It was about lunchtime so I grabbed some very nice Minestrone soup and a tomato and mozzarella panini type thing. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4543/...6d3c8091_c.jpg Oh, and some fizz. Obv! The lounge was nice - I like the way that it is spaced out and that it is much quieter to the back. There's not much by the way of views as outside is a building site at the moment - not quite sure what is getting built there. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4581/...d0405fd8_c.jpg The DUB flight left from the D gates which was a wee bit of a walk from the lounge. It was a bus gate as we were heading off to the Cityhopper farm so I just took a seat until the last bus was nearly full and jumped on. Meant that I was first off of the last bus and onto the plane quickly. The lady checking passports was brilliant - obviously loved her job and managed to give every single person a compliment as she checked their documents. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4549/...663081c6_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4579/...cb06bb15_c.jpg KL937, AMS - DUB, E90, PH-EZS I was offered an upgrade for £50 to J on this flight to decided to take it. There was just me and another guy in J this afternoon on the way to DUB. There was a bit of a hold up because they were waiting for the J meals..... which the Captain told the rest of the plane. Cue some tutting coming from behind and cue me sliding down into my seat wishing the ground would swallow me up. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4553/...ea7d973a_c.jpg A great purser taking care of us today on the way across to Dublin and a lovely sunset on the way out. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4584/...a26b5627_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4525/...f84e45e1_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4582/...d86dfe8f_c.jpg A small salad was handed out which was very tasty. Now I'm not quite sure what it was because it wasn't either of the options listed on the menu. It certainly wasn't tortellini and it wasn't chilli chicken with rice. It was more like a cajun chicken salad with roasted squash but was decent nonetheless. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4563/...834a44b6_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4584/...b12b5bec_c.jpg I loved the clog shaped salt and pepper shakers! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4526/...2613cc1a_c.jpg After the purser cleared the trays, she offered top ups of drinks with nuts. Gladly accepted. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4577/...fd533e4e_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4540/...09e66ca4_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4560/...9fc27f4d_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4578/...b50420fd_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4581/...3fc66f10_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4577/...c59e89b6_c.jpg All in all, a great flight with KL - an attentive purser and a tasty meal suitable for the time of the day. I into a taxi to the Crowne Plaza which I had booked for the night. The taxi driver loved a chat and, of course, wanted to talk Brexit. "What the f*ck is happening in the UK at the moment? Does that Theresa know what she's doing? Jayyyyysus!" Check-in at the hotelwas a bit of a nightmare. The supposed priority queue for elite members wasn't being enforced. The two in front of me we were trying to check in with their Club Carlson cards and weren't members of IHG. I mentioned this when I got to the front of the other "usual" queue and the guy said "Sorry, the priority queue isn't working today" which I thought was strange but he then became slightly more amenable after he saw that I was Spire Ambassador with IHG. No upgrade - I had booked a suite already which included lounge access. I made my way upstairs and was greeted with a beautiful looking room with large bed and separate lounge area and dining table. There was a small toilet just off the lounge area and target bathroom just off the bedroom. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4532/...0625f2a5_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4540/...6f27b2d3_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4525/...b720bc7b_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4575/...5d6947e3_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4551/...276f8783_c.jpg The Club lounge was just around the corner from my room. When I arrived, it was relatively quiet. There was a member of staff there who served drinks. Unlike most lounges where it is free pour drinks, you either had to wait for her to come around the tables to offer a refill or hover around the door of the cupboard where she served the drinks. Yeah, real premium! There were minimal snacks but I didn't pay much attention as to what they were as they didn't look all that appetising. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4562/...68181720_c.jpg I grabbed a last glass of wine and headed back to the room where I had a bath before dinner. The bath had jacuzzi like nozzles in it and once I switched them on, it was great! There was also a TV on the wall with minimal channels - I ended up listening to the Top 20 Backstreet Boys hits as that was the only thing available! I'll spare you any bath pics :p After a nice dinner in the Thai restaurant, I headed to bed at a relatively early hour given the early start I was going to have tomorrow morning. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4531/...f926dbde_c.jpg Take a sneak peek at my Instagram (below) if you want some taster Hawaii pics! |
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Great start!! Will not spoil the rest for me, so will follow this TR as you post.
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Great start and looking forward to reading more after seeing some of your Instagram pics when you were there.
Nice pic of Girdleness in your Hampton Inn room. Where abouts is the Hampton Inn? I hadn't heard they were opening the city although every time I head out to ABZ its like a whole heap of new offices/hotels suddenly appeared! |
Originally Posted by offerendum
(Post 29132619)
Nice report! While I like the suite-layout I´, not really in love with this sofas. Can´t help myself, they look like the one my grandparents had 30 years ago......
Good start so far. I use KLM sometimes out of Humberside as it's fairly local to me and no problems with them. Was going to stay at the ABZ Hampton earlier in the year as it was dirt cheap (<£50) but plans changed. Looks good from the photos. |
Looking forward to this!!
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Originally Posted by offerendum
(Post 29132619)
Nice report! While I like the suite-layout I´, not really in love with this sofas. Can´t help myself, they look like the one my grandparents had 30 years ago......
Originally Posted by roadwarrier
(Post 29132781)
Great start!! Will not spoil the rest for me, so will follow this TR as you post.
Originally Posted by nequine
(Post 29135593)
Great start and looking forward to reading more after seeing some of your Instagram pics when you were there.
Nice pic of Girdleness in your Hampton Inn room. Where abouts is the Hampton Inn? I hadn't heard they were opening the city although every time I head out to ABZ its like a whole heap of new offices/hotels suddenly appeared!
Originally Posted by xenole
(Post 29135678)
Should see them in the CCR soon then ;)
Good start so far. I use KLM sometimes out of Humberside as it's fairly local to me and no problems with them. Was going to stay at the ABZ Hampton earlier in the year as it was dirt cheap (<£50) but plans changed. Looks good from the photos.
Originally Posted by florens
(Post 29136162)
Looking forward to this!!
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Originally Posted by xenole
(Post 29135678)
Should see them in the CCR soon then ;)
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Hawaii the long way..... DUB - LHR - JFK - LAX (zzzzzzz) - HNL
I can't even remember what time the alarm went off on Friday morning. It was early. I wiped the sleep out of my eyes and the excitement started to set in. I was off to Hawaii! After a quick shower, I grabbed a coffee in the room and got dressed. I headed down to reception and checked out around 5.30am. The free shuttle bus came to the hotel door and I jumped on. It w as packed - a lot of EI and FR crew on their way to start their shifts at the airport. I got to Terminal 1 and went to the desk to grab some boarding passes as I couldn't get them on the app. The nice lady on the desk told me the way to priority security and directions to the lounge. The woman on the desk in the lounge was a right soor face when I arrived - erm, if you want to be moody in the morning then how about you find a job that isn't customer facing!? I met up with C and we sat down and had a catch up over some tea / coffee. I like the lounge here as they actually have a proper coffee machine with a barista manning it. So if you don't fancy the self serve stuff, the guy will make you whatever you want. Bonus! The lounge was relatively quiet this morning. C had breakfast (he's a growing lad) while I just stuck to coffee. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4560/...666d2a9a_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4548/...72300286_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4537/...426ac184_c.jpg BA831, DUB - LHR, G-MIDY, A320 We headed to the gate with more than enough time to spend and were amongst the first to board. Me in 1A and C in 1F (I thought he had chosen to sit next to me but obviously not....). The in charge cabin crew member was a really nice lady. She spent some time talking to each of us after take off and asked what my plans were for holiday. She had just been invited to a wedding in Hawaii so was interested to hear what I was doing and where I was staying. Before long, we were off into the still dark sky and on our way towards London for the 1hr flight. There were some great views of central Dublin on the way out and the sunrise on the way over was just beautiful. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4549/...f7cb145f_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4551/...92862536_c.jpg I love this one! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4557/...ce08f369_c.jpg The seatbelt sign pinged off and the crew sprang into action. Even on this short flight they managed to do a drinks service before the breakfast - this is the sign of a good BA crew. It was suggested that I may like a Buck's Fizz given that I was on holiday...... who am I to disagree!? There was then the usual choice of hot English breakfast or a vegetarian alternative. Being the carnivore that I am, I just had to have some sausage (no jokes plz......) https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4555/...727f2a35_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4554/...035ef58c_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4565/...0f0e374d_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4533/...e33009f8_c.jpg It was a beautiful approach over England this morning. There was a little bit of holding and we were down in London Heathrow before we knew it. First off the plane and we were on our way to flight connections. We had a very short connection time to we went straight to Terminal 5B where we had around 30 mins in the lounge there before boarding started for the JFK flight. I grabbed a coffee and C had MORE breakfast. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4583/...3986478f_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4519/...afd32d57_c.jpg BA175, LHR - JFK, G-CIVH, B747 I managed to bag 64A when I checked in which was great - it means that you don't have to step over anyone as you go out to the bathroom. We made our way to the upper deck and were greeted by a nice lady 'P'. She was helped by another guy and I just didn't know how to take him. He seemed really off hand for the duration of the flight. After the dessert I tried to chat to him and he seemed to loosen up a bit but there was just something about him which was a bit 'meh'. I was really excited for this flight. BA have just started a new catering service on their New York flights with bedding and amenities from the White Company. As expected a thick White Company blanket was waiting on me when I got to my seat. As we settled in, P suggested that she get some drinks - champagne please! She also offered to take a pic of me and C which was very nice of her. There were lots of comings and goings on the top deck as everyone boarded and the ground staff did their paperwork with the cockpit but I wasn't bothered. I was sitting in business class (in probably the best J seat in the house) and was off to New York...... all was good with life at that moment. We pushed back - or forward given that I was sitting facing the rear of the aircraft - and the safety demo started. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4580/...736825d5_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4574/...2a2416e2_c.jpg And FYI - I LOVE those new glasses! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4586/...8909cb1c_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4531/...cb27f545_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4525/...a93ff51e_c.jpg The massive engines whirred as we entered the runway and I was pushed forward as we sped down the runway and into the air. A left turn shortly afterwards and we were firmly on the path to New York. The crew got themselves ready and came around taking drinks orders from every passengers and then went away to prepare them in the galley. The menus were handed out and they looked great! Long thin menus - much better than the old CW ones. I had pre-ordered salmon. The thing that I was most excited about was the fact that you were allowed to order a starter AND soup! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4556/...b30b63b7_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4541/...9114a256_c.jpg Right BA, let's see what this new service is all about! Kir Royale to start with served with some warm nuts. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4553/...a33f1d11_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4569/...0eccddf3_c.jpg After refills were offered on the pre-lunch drinks, trays were handed out. They looked great. Such a different from the old CW and definitely a step up on the usual offering. And I just LOVE the crystal water glasses! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4528/...210b88cd_c.jpg Lunchtime views...... https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4566/...9fd2d491_c.jpg The new starter service is great - a trolley is rolled out so that you can pick and choose what you want. Everything looked very appetising. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4536/...b4dfaa57_c.jpg Of course, purely for TR purposes, I tried both the cold starter and the soup. Everything was delicious. The only bug was that the soup was lukewarm - there's nothing I hate more than soup which isn't piping hot (it tasted great though - one thing BA do well is soup). Decent selection of bread too - three different types merged into one roll. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4548/...020a5527_c.jpg I had pre-ordered the salmon for main course. To be honest, it didn't look great when presented but the salmon just fell to pieces when you cut into it and tasted oh so fishy! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4531/...3fce309e_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4557/...37057954_c.jpg After a short rest, the dessert trolley was rolled down the aisle. Again it was nice to see what the choices were and it was great to see the crew assemble the chocolate soufflé and be artistic with the chocolate sauce *monkey face emoji* https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4569/...b116a2c6_c.jpg I really fancied the watermelon as I thought it would be fresh but I didn't want to pass up the opportunity of having the chocolate soufflé - "Sir, why don't you just have both?" https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4559/...280f5561_c.jpg And dear God, did it taste good - great job! [img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4525/25007233688_d1f2fbfce1_c.jpg[img] Teas, coffees and liqueurs were offered once the desserts had been cleared. Peppermint tea and whisky for me please! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4553/...1bd89cf3_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4572/...72d0f41b_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4557/...4817fe13_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4582/...06a47204_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4568/...94ac530e_c.jpg I whiled the time away watching movies and napping. The new bedding was SO comfy and SO cosy - loved it! After a few hours of lounging around, it was time for the afternoon tea service. This consisted of a nice cold plate - aubergine, prawn and mozzarella - along with some sweet treats and a scone with clotted cream and jam. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4520/...1df5354c_c.jpg THE CREAM GOES ON FIRST PEOPLES! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4536/...bfbbcbd6_c.jpg And maybe one last KR before we land in JFK.... https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4538/...9302be0c_c.jpg The usual "40 mins until landing announcement was made as we skimmed the east coast of the USA and headed in towards JFK. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4552/...7d4b4903_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4536/...4bfd5e13_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4518/...5608f18e_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4528/...b4f25933_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4582/...39bf1b34_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4536/...58e01346_c.jpg And we were in New York! Nice approach in! We were towed onto stand and we were off the plane within a few minutes to find our way to the AA Flagship lounge. The main thing I wanted was a shower (and some Bolly!). More soon! :) |
The food looks great! Everything seems and looks more premium now..
Do you feel that there was enough food to keep you from going hungry if you had only one of each course? And did any of the options run out? Like the mug with the BA logo on the inside too! |
The food and drink presentation definitely looks improved to me. Not perfect, but far better. Will be flying on the JFK route next month so will see for myself.
Looks as though you need to really lean forward or stand up a bit to get a good look at the trolleys from a window seat. Not sure if someone in the aisle could be put out a bit more by this? |
Definitely looks an improvement to the last time I flew CW with BA.
Looking forward now to my flight back from JFK next year! |
Loved reading about the new BA service thanks
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Originally Posted by Firipu
(Post 29147325)
The food looks great! Everything seems and looks more premium now..
Do you feel that there was enough food to keep you from going hungry if you had only one of each course? And did any of the options run out? Like the mug with the BA logo on the inside too!
Originally Posted by xenole
(Post 29148504)
The food and drink presentation definitely looks improved to me. Not perfect, but far better. Will be flying on the JFK route next month so will see for myself.
Looks as though you need to really lean forward or stand up a bit to get a good look at the trolleys from a window seat. Not sure if someone in the aisle could be put out a bit more by this?
Originally Posted by nequine
(Post 29148654)
Definitely looks an improvement to the last time I flew CW with BA.
Looking forward now to my flight back from JFK next year!
Originally Posted by wtcmor
(Post 29151984)
Loved reading about the new BA service thanks
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Not sure who or what had been warming your nuts but they are not served warm in CW. :p
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Originally Posted by Can I help you
(Post 29155628)
Not sure who or what had been warming your nuts but they are not served warm in CW. :p
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We hopped on the Airtrain and changed terminals and made our way to the FlAAgship lounge. First port of call - shower. It was great being able to freshen up before the next 6 hour flight. After showering, I managed to find a seat at the back of the lounge with some good views of the tarmac.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4575/...5a726d02_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4570/...b94eec82_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4544/...fb82a2dd_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4578/...b0c22bc4_c.jpg C ate more food (where he puts it, I do not know) while I just stuck to the Bolly (darling). We weren't too far from the gate so wandered over and got there just as boarding was starting. AA117, JFK - LAX, N108NN, A321 https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4556/...d719fed5_c.jpg Walking through F on the way to J.... I love the fact that an A321 has F, J and Y seats. I had only ever gone in F on the JFK - LAX routes so was looking forward to trying out the J offering. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4578/...1901525a_c.jpg 2 x 2 configuration in J.... we opted for row 8 - right over the wing. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4523/...9f5c827d_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4568/...e2410d5b_c.jpg Great leg room! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4541/...87d48d62_c.jpg And menu presentation with the ever so classy crosses out to show what they didn't bother loading..... no desserts at all?! And no cookies? Are you kidding me!? https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4564/...0bf5442b_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4522/...94094f89_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4569/...dd1b0859_c.jpg We took off and got some great views of New York as we climbed out ready to start the long trek across the U. S of A. I've never actually been to New York. I mean, I have flown in and out of there but never stayed in the city. Thankfully that will all change next month when C and I are heading to the Big Apple for 4 nights. I had a 2-4-1 voucher to use so I burnt a load of Avios for us to fly F - can't wait! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4545/...8b12b1b0_c.jpg |
The cheesecake looked fine on your tray but there is something magical about having ice-cream on a plane, especially if served in a proper bowl with a spoon! :)
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Originally Posted by nequine
(Post 29159140)
The cheesecake looked fine on your tray but there is something magical about having ice-cream on a plane, especially if served in a proper bowl with a spoon! :)
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Seems a right cheapskate way although I suppose it got the disappointment over with early doors!
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Excellent as always, I do love your writing style!
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Aww Stu, Another amazing trip report. I loved your Instagram pics at the time, so I'm really enjoying reading the entire adventure now. seems like you lads had a fantastic trip out. The only thing we will have to agree to disagree on Scotty is that its Jam on a scone first, not cream!!! lol, really looking forward to reading more so get writing! Hey your really going to enjoy Diamond status with Hilton, so be sure to get those 8 stays complete so you can enjoy till 2019. I've been Diamond for 6 years now and have been so well looked after in some of their finest propertys with some amazing upgrades and lounge access so make the most of it. ( Ive found the benefits much more generous at Asian and European property's than US property's )
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Very studly report, sir! Great pictures and some really nice looking hotel rooms. Have fun in Hawaii!
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Originally Posted by nequine
(Post 29161293)
Seems a right cheapskate way although I suppose it got the disappointment over with early doors!
Originally Posted by stevieed
(Post 29161334)
Excellent as always, I do love your writing style!
Originally Posted by Flyingboy200
(Post 29161955)
Aww Stu, Another amazing trip report. I loved your Instagram pics at the time, so I'm really enjoying reading the entire adventure now. seems like you lads had a fantastic trip out. The only thing we will have to agree to disagree on Scotty is that its Jam on a scone first, not cream!!! lol, really looking forward to reading more so get writing! Hey your really going to enjoy Diamond status with Hilton, so be sure to get those 8 stays complete so you can enjoy till 2019. I've been Diamond for 6 years now and have been so well looked after in some of their finest propertys with some amazing upgrades and lounge access so make the most of it. ( Ive found the benefits much more generous at Asian and European property's than US property's )
Originally Posted by Seat 2A
(Post 29175801)
Very studly report, sir! Great pictures and some really nice looking hotel rooms. Have fun in Hawaii!
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I thought I had posted the pics of the flight from JFK to LAX but appears I didn't!
Shortly after take off, we got hot towels from the cabin crew serving J. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4545/...1c1989f6_c.jpg And a drinks round to start off with. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4527/...de59ffc4_c.jpg And then the meal. I had pre-ordered the steak a few weeks before we flew. The salmon starter was OK. The beef was surprisingly much better than I was anticipating. I forgot to take a pic of it when I cut into it but it was probably done medium which is OK for me.... I prefer it rare but I know that you'll never get that on a plane. Anyway, it was a hundred times better than any steak I have had on BA (who have a special talent in cremating each piece of meat they cook!) https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4574/...19c44089_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4543/...56d74c7f_c.jpg A quick look outside to check that the wing was still on. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4577/...f4b981c4_c.jpg And then I put the seat into bed mode and promptly dozed off for a good few hours. I was glad of the sleep - it had been a long day up until that point and we were going to go out for dinner when we got into LA. The bed was amazingly comfy - I slept like a baby! The sun was setting when I woke up. I went to the bathroom and the member of cabin crew asked if he could get me a drink. Who am I to say no? https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4517/...5acfff5b_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4520/...f502a383_c.jpg We got into LA on time and headed outside to jump on the hotel shuttle bus. Within 10 mins we were at the Crowne Plaza. Check in was painless. They had upgraded me to an "executive" room. All very nice but all I was gonna be doing in it tonight was sleeping! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4580/...8c34fcca_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4546/...82ae3fcd_c.jpg After we got settled in, I got us an Uber and we went down to Santa Monica for dinner. I had never been in LA before so it was nice to just have a wander around before we settled on a nice bar for dinner. After dinner, we got an Uber back to the hotel where I passed out on bed and had a great sleep. We checked out in the morning and got the shuttle bus back to the airport where we checked in for the HNL flight. C sped off through TSA pre-check while I had to wait around with the mere mortals who don't have that. Once I got through security, we went to the QF Lounge where we met up with another FTer who I have been chatting to for a while. It's a great community here on Flyertalk and I really do enjoy meeting people from the forum on my travels. We all had breakfast together and I was persuaded to have a Moscow Mule at 7.30am...... I was definitely being led astray! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4526/...59ca5889_c.jpg Stunning plane! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4579/...28b55e93_c.jpg I love the service in the QF lounge - the staff all seem to enjoy their job and are just politeness personified. Nothing is too much trouble and the table service is just great. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4579/...f87d1c47_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4574/...3727c37f_c.jpg I grabbed an omelette and some poached eggs. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4561/...72803c93_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4552/...c5cdcc97_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4560/...b984290f_c.jpg We all said goodbye and I headed off to the gate with C. We were about the last ones to board (which bugged C) even although the flight had just flashed to boarding as we were leaving the lounge! AA31, LAX - HNL, N129AA, A321 Some great views of the coast as we took off for the 6 hour flight across the Pacific to Hawaii. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4570/...c65b0a63_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4551/...292a54e2_c.jpg I say this every time that I fly AA - I don't get why none of the crew look similar. They all wear something completely different. It's almost as if a random group of folk have just turned up at the airport and they've been thrown on the plane to serve the passengers. I mean, don't get me wrong. The two guys serving First Class were really nice and one of the ladies down the back who would sometimes come up front was lovely. I would just have thought that AA would want some consistency in its brand. Mimosa to start please! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4525/...fde98a95_c.jpg I couldn't pre-order for this flight and there were no menus. The guy who I think was in charge came to me and said "We have crab cakes.... I think you should have those" - LOL. OK, thanks! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4560/...39a99a46_c.jpg Breakfast was over and done with pretty quickly and I grabbed a nap afterwards. I love the AA blankets - so comfy! Can anyone see a theme developing here.......? https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4518/...d0ca135d_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4560/...b38c2cf6_c.jpg It was a bit bumpy as we descended through the clouds on the approach to Hawaii but when we did, there were some nice views to be had. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4531/...dfa17d30_c.jpg Thanks for the ride! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4518/...6ee3e95f_c.jpg We had hired a car for the 4 days we were there so headed across to the car park to pick it up and before long, we were on the road on the way into Waikiki. There were a few clouds but the temperature was nice! We arrived at the Hilton hotel in Waikiki. C wanted to book it as he is a Diamond member so it was good that I managed to get the status match. My room wasn't quite ready so I left my bag with the concierge and we headed out for a wander and to grab a bite to eat. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4546/...d092fc1f_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4564/...27b685c4_c.jpg Ahhhhh to be back on a beach! *love heart face emoji* https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4575/...6fd3e935_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4546/...8a68e375_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4563/...e8c366a8_c.jpg We wandered back to the hotel and I got a key to my room. There was an issue with my room which meant that I wasn't prepared to stay in it. I went down to reception and let them know and they moved me to a different room. When I got to the new room, it was absolutely fine. The lady who I had dealt with phoned me within minutes to apologise and say that I would get $50 credit at the bar. An excellent example of service recovery and it left me very impressed even although I had to complain at the start. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4586/...81ee013d_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4569/...f9bbc0a2_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4547/...af399021_c.jpg A nice room - big comfy bed. Immaculately clean and a nice ocean view from the balcony. Perfectly acceptable for 4 nights! I'm sure we went for dinner somewhere that night but I can't remember why and didn't take any pics. Maybe it was the jet lag catching up with me...... Time to sleep! |
Loving this Stu :)
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Originally Posted by mikeyfly
(Post 29180917)
Loving this Stu :)
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Great TR so far, thanks for sharing ^
And that’s a travesty you have never been to NYC proper, glad you are rectifying it! |
Great report so far Stu! Always, always enjoy reading your TRs. Thank you for sharing.
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Nice report. ABZ Hampton looks really good, the breakfast always puts the US properties to shame. There's loads of Hiltons in Aberdeen and soon there will be a full Hilton opening that will bring an Exec Lounge to the city.
New CW food looks great. Love the starters, especially soup (shame it was cold), and the glassware. I think the salmon looks lovely but then I love wilted spinach! Real improvement. |
Originally Posted by daftboy
(Post 29193192)
Great TR so far, thanks for sharing ^
And that’s a travesty you have never been to NYC proper, glad you are rectifying it!
Originally Posted by Andriyko
(Post 29202626)
Great report so far Stu! Always, always enjoy reading your TRs. Thank you for sharing.
Originally Posted by hugolover
(Post 29203168)
Nice report. ABZ Hampton looks really good, the breakfast always puts the US properties to shame. There's loads of Hiltons in Aberdeen and soon there will be a full Hilton opening that will bring an Exec Lounge to the city.
New CW food looks great. Love the starters, especially soup (shame it was cold), and the glassware. I think the salmon looks lovely but then I love wilted spinach! Real improvement. New CW definitely an improvement - some things to work on but a step in the right direction. |
Woke up the next morning at a fairly decent time. It's amazing what some shut eye on the plane achieves. The view from the balcony was pretty good!
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4543/...256f99e2_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4565/...157b4fb8_c.jpg After grabbing a quick breakfast, we hopped into the car and drove up the centre of the island and popped out at the north of the island (North Shore area) taking in the views as we worked our way along the windy roads. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4692/...37c8c077_c.jpg I even managed a paddle in the sea which was lovely (until a massive wave came and caught me off guard and my shorts got drenched!) https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4726/...2ecacc63_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4560/...769882c4_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4565/...b173635c_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4570/...23b6b2df_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4554/...32f0ac12_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4735/...4ac2c5fc_c.jpg C said that he wanted to stop at some of the numerous shrimp trucks that are by the side of the road so we ended up stopping at Giovanni's. I mean this place didn't look like much - a few tents selling cheap tat and then a truck where some guy serves shrimps at the side of the road. Anyway, I wasn't hungry after having had a massive breakfast but C was. From joining the queue to C getting his shrimp took an hour - I'm hoping that they were the best damned shrimp he had ever had! You gotta hand it to Giovanni - he's got a simple menu - the lemon butter shrimp or the "No Refunds" shrimp (named that way because the shrimp are doused in hot sauce which you get to have a taste of before you place your order in case it is too hot for you to handle). 14 bucks for 6 shrimp - this guy must make a KILLING! I forgot to take a pic of the truck so you'll have to make do with a google image. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4592/...31df5962_c.jpg Anyway, the shrimp were decent - by the time C actually got them I was getting hungry so I tried one of each. The hot sauce was great. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4559/...5722c5f6_c.jpg It was great not having a plan as such. We just drove and stopped off at parts which looked like fun while heading down the east coast. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4633/...37c7a7a6_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4637/...5bfab6db_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4684/...3324fc26_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4588/...ca146779_c.jpg |
All that food looks so nice.
Great report. |
Great scenery there and a great place to watch the sun set.
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Originally Posted by Annalisa12
(Post 29221626)
All that food looks so nice.
Great report.
Originally Posted by nequine
(Post 29223976)
Great scenery there and a great place to watch the sun set.
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I love your writing style, very upbeat and I can tell you would be fun to travel with.
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Originally Posted by choosethedrew
(Post 29230189)
I love your writing style, very upbeat and I can tell you would be fun to travel with.
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Meh - it was a bit cloudy when I woke up the next morning although it was mild enough outside.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4633/...9a2928fe_c.jpg After another big breakfast, we decided to walk up to Diamond Head which is described as a volcanic tuff cone around 400,000 - 500,000 years old. It would take us around an hour to walk up to the top where we would be rewarded with some great views over Waikiki (like this one which I took a couple of years back.....) https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4592/...40c1c1f2_c.jpg Unfortunately today, the reality was a bit different. We got to the entrance where there was a sign up saying that Diamond Head was shut every Monday - Thursday as they were trying to sort out the stability of rocks on the volcano which had been coming loose and falling down the side. Damn! We walked around Diamond Head through a residential area and saw a wee beach and a lighthouse. It wasn't what we were expecting but the walk itself was nice. At one point, it did start pouring with rain so we hastily took shelter under a nearby tree. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4725/...8a2e1819_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4692/...7d7d8a4e_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4592/...fddefc6c_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4600/...7b0be4b6_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4692/...251f4e95_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4636/...5a3688b2_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4681/...a81d8efd_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4731/...a6577b4d_c.jpg On the way back down we came across some of the cutest houses! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4601/...3815d1a7_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4601/...ffb68d23_c.jpg After a quick stop at an ABC store for some beers and some coke, we headed back to the hotel to chill for an hour or so and decide what we wanted to do in the afternoon. Nothing better than a beer on the balcony watching the world pass by below, is there?! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4588/...107b6f0e_c.jpg Uh-oh.....some rain clouds coming in over the mountains! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4683/...318999fd_c.jpg We decided to drive along the south of the island. Once we were on the road, it looked familiar and I realised that I had taken a tour down this way when I had been there in 2015. We stopped off at the Kahauloa Cove lookout first and then headed down to the Halona Blowhole point. I could have spent hours and hours here watching the seawater come rushing into the hole and the resulting explosion of water coming up from the rocks. In fact, I think C got bored waiting for me as I took photo after photo - haha! It was great to go back because last time I was there, the sea was relatively calm and this time, it was anything but. There's a video on my Instagram of a great wave coming up from the rocks! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4729/...9536b315_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4600/...ee49c99b_c.jpg The waves and the colour of the sea against the dark rock just looked spectacular! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4641/...2cba020a_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4596/...a6f73879_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4729/...d69dd11e_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4682/...f669c4c9_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4739/...ffc01577_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4599/...40d1edd8_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4599/...a32b1f6f_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4728/...e515e0ca_c.jpg We then hopped back in the car and drove around to the Makapu'u Point Lighthouse trail. It was a decent enough hike and actually great to do while it was slightly cloudy. Once we got to the top (after maybe 30-35 mins of walking), there were some nice views to Kaupo Bay and Makapu'u Beach. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4729/...9f822491_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4686/...4bfdd9ae_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4641/...e1aa4146_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4734/...a389ea2c_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4690/...f9b4f712_c.jpg The sun was just starting to set as we were at the bottom of the hike but I was back at the hotel in enough time to get a glimpse of it from my balcony (while sipping on a cold IPA). https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4638/...744db528_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4687/...4683c561_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4729/...aa9576ea_c.jpg That night, we took a walk to some place that C had been recommended to go to for dinner - House Without a Key. It's a restaurant in the Halekulani hotel. To be honest, I was a bit underwhelmed. The hotel looked great, there was a cool band playing when we arrived, the staff were really nice but the food wasn't up to all that much. But you live and learn! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4635/...c92b5a8a_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4684/...2235da5b_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4639/...63810ab9_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4596/...f69ae294_c.jpg It was strange seeing Christmas decorations up when it was warm outside - a very different experience to back home! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4680/...ccdae6b7_c.jpg I ended up staying out myself that evening and made some new friends in my (now) favourite pub in Waikiki, the little Karaoke haunt. It never ceases to amaze me some of the really interesting people you get to meet when you just start up a conversation at a bar. Anyway, I had a great night. Lots of drinks were consumed, shots were slammed back and I managed to find my way back to the hotel (to be fair, it was just around the corner.....!). The booze was the pre-cursor to a brilliant night's sleep :) |
I'd be keeping you company watching the blowhole too! I could stand for hours watching the waves when doing the Great Ocean road in Australia.
Your detour certainly looked quite good on the photo front. |
Love your TR’s stu1985, they are the best ^
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