Well contrary to popular belief my first vacation in eighteen months has rolled around and I feel like a six year old on amphetamines at Christmas. Im off back to blighty for three weeks (well with a long weekend in Italy) for some long overdue family time, my brothers birthday (twinsso twice the expense) and two religious events that I wont bore you about as this isnt the forum for me to harp on about that sort of thing.
Im currently sat at the *ahem* lounge at ANU waiting on my Heineken with about five other travelers watching Harry Potter and the whatevers something doobery. A very sedate and dull place full of very softly spoken fellow passengers, which is fine by yours truly. Whoops here is the beerjust a sec.
As for the lounge, well if you want to chill in a library like environment then this is the place for you (and Im quite enjoying it at the moment), nice comfy furniture but it does have a somewhatwell dullvibe. I keep expecting my old headmaster to stick his head round the corner and tell me to assume the position. Saying that my beer is getting warm, the aforementioned Mr. Potter has an evil something or other to vanquish and Im a tad thirsty so lets take this TR back up in the departures lounge..Cheers.
Okay there has been a change of plan. Well skip the report from the departures lounge or the plane for that matter, Im currently at the Great Western First Class lounge at Paddington Station lots of pink glass and odd photos. Still it will do till my train leaves.
Well the flight was quite enjoyable. My first flight in BA Club in quite a few years. Boarding was bang on time which is a rarity in Antigua and we all duly marched out to the aircraft where two stairways were in use, I assumed the one closer to the pointy bit of the plane (a 777) was for the premium cabin and up I went. First impressions were of a roomy cabin which unfortunately was packed. I had tried to get 2B the night before with online check-in and had to settle for 2D which as it turns out was fine.
The seat itself is wider than BAs advertising photos portray it and was very comfortable (bear in mind I was now slightly beery). The FA came round with a tray of drinks and I availed myself of a champagne. Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve.Im no connoisseur by any means but Ill give it a miss in future, a littlewell.naff to be honest.
We taxied out to the runway and took off slightly early at 9.15 local time, this is when things start to get fuzzy, must have been the altitude. The FAs came round with the menu and the Wash Bag as it was called and took drink orders. I settled for a glass of Sancerre which was enjoyable and perused the menu.
Starter
Palm Hearts, marinated red and yellow peppers and roast garlic with balsamic olive oil dressing.
Main
Grilled fillet steak with porcini mushroom sauce, wilted spinach and baked potato.
Jerk Chicken with calypso rice and fried plantain.
Penne pasta tossed in tomato and basil sauce topped with parmesan cheese.
Goodnight Express
Warm olive oil bread filled with shaved beef, caramelized onions and cheddar cheese.
Dessert
Mandarin bavarois with raspberry coulis
Stilton and cheddar cheese.
Wine List
Champagne
Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve
White
Carmen Nativa Chardonnay 2002,Valle del Maipo
Pouilly-Fume2003, Pascal Jolivet (I dont think this one was loaded actually)
Sancerre La PorteDe Caillou 2004,Henri Bourgeous
Red
Mont Gras Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah 2003
Rioja Urbina Reserva Especial 1996
I settled for the Salad and the Jerk Chicken. Ive read enough about the steak in club on Flyer Talk and decided to pass on that.
The salad came with a spicy lemon dressing which did pack a bit of a kick, I couldnt finish the portion as I wanted to save some space for the Chicken.
The Chicken duly arrived mouth-blisteringly hot and it was a couple of minutes before it cooled sufficiently so I could dig in. I used the time constructively to ask for a glass of Chardonnay. The FA was concerned that I didnt like the Sancerre but I just felt like something a tad fruitier. All the main courses were presented in a bowl-come-plate which didnt wow the eye but Im not Egon Ronay so no worries there.
Dear God that chicken was spicy, not that I mind spicy but that was insane. I could only manage a couple of mouthfuls of chicken and I had to pause until the agony had passed and my gag reflex settled down. So consider yourselves warned people. The FA asked if I liked the dish and I mumbled something about it being insanely spiced, he may not have understood me as I think the combination of the wine and my swollen tongue made my speech somewhat slurred.
I tucked into the desert (which was served on the tray along with the salad, so it sat there through the meal until you were ready for it) and that was most acceptable. I had been planning on ordering the cheese plate as well but somehow that was changed to a Baileys on the rocks (like I said its a bit of a blur right now).
At this point I reclined the seat (very comfy I must say) and I pulled out the IFE screen and watched some comedy and then a few minutes of the Fantastic Four (It must have been the fantastic four, either that or one of the actors had a serious skin ailment)
I was then quite surprised when the FA then came up and asked me Would you care for some breakfast sir?.. Eh..whatwhen..um okay a Bacon Roll and some juice please (I was in Auto-Answer mode). Where did those last five hours goIm sure it was more of a passing out than a falling asleep but I am very pleased I got such a good sleep (even if I did have a slight headache at that point). I feel sorry for the poor buggers around me as Id lay odds I was snoring like a hippo. This is the first time in years Ive slept so soundly on a flight and boy does it make all the difference. I was quite disappointed the flight was so near the end as by now I was a happy chappy.
Well the Bacon roll was quite nice, even though a misunderstood hand signal (I had a mouth full of food at the time) caused it to be taken away before I had quite finished, but thats no big deal and my doctor told me to cut down on fatty meats anyway (HA like that will happen).
Two cups of tea later and a refreshed but now over caffeinated me heads off to the bathroom to freshen up. The Wash Bag contained the usual, toothpaste and brush, socks, eyeshades, mouthwash and two other containers that are at present a mystery. Luckily there was no lasting damage to my mouth from that bloody chicken and I went back to the seat to wait for landing.
I had a few minutes of fun trying to get the seat back into landing mode and gave my back a bit of a work out and we came into an overcast Gatwick and made a very smooth landing.
The Jetway/Airbridge had an issue so we had to deplane via stairs (again Im used to it, Jetways are a luxury).
Passport control was over in a flash and I was traveling with hand baggage only I skipped the luggage carousel and proceeded through the green channel, youre so clever Adam I thought, look at all that time youve saved I thought. But of course I got stopped by a very polite customs officer who went though all my bits and bobs and was very professional. I didnt mind as I did have plenty of time to get to Paddington and I was excited just to be home (the UK to me is as exotic as the Caribbean is to some, sounds odd I know).
A quick dash to the Gatwick Express and a taxi from Victoria to Paddington (are all London Cabbies the font of all wisdom?) and wellhere I am waiting for my train to Swansea, I booked the 11:45 as that (apparently) has a Pullman car as I knew I would fancy a decent lunch. Time will tell if it is decent though.
Right thats it for now, I will finish this TR off later.
Right then, its about 1.30 and there is an hour before I hit that bright center of the universe, yep you guessed it, Sunny Swansea.
Lunch is now over and once again a couple of white wines needed sampling. The lunch wasnt bad to be honest considering I am on a train. I eventually got a cheese plate and I would hazard a guess it was better than I would have had on the flight.
Well I should wrap things up about now, however I will go off on a tangent very quickly and I hope you good people will forgive me for this.
I am home, primarily to attend two one-day spiritual retreats, this may not be the place to say this but you are such good folk I would hate myself for not making the offer.
If any amongst you are, well, out of touch with your spiritual side, or perhaps looking for meaning in todays world I can still find tickets for either event and it is sure to bring a profound and lifelong joy to your existence.
Both events are at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, the first is on the 19th of this month when the Welsh Rugby team kick off against South Africa, the second is on the 29th (I think) against Australia.
If you are not Welsh (or even a rugby fan) please dont worry, it is possible to convert and it requires that you complete the Swansea Marathon (Eighteen pints of Guinness and a Chicken Vindaloo) and then end every sentence with Is-nit
If you cant attend then I hope you will see both of these theological events on the T.V. you cant miss me, Ill be the tipsy one dressed in Red in the crowd singing.
All the best
Adam
