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#920785 by tomthumb
03 May 2016, 19:48
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Okay, here is the return leg of my Barbados trip, where we did the journey home...

Always the worst part of any holiday is when you have to travel home and you know you have a train journey ahead of you. Enough of that though, so lets start with leaving the hotel.

This went very smoothly and Mrs D had arranged a private transfer instead of a mini bus with god knows how many other guests, so in we jumped with plenty of time spare and 20 minutes down the road we came to a traffic jam, grid lock in fact in Barbados. Turned out to be a minor ding but everyone wanted to have a look. Soon past that and one route to Grantley Adams International Airport and check in went very smoothly indeed. We were given tickets for the lounge and went through secuity with no issues for Mrs D this time round.

Quick visit to Duty Free and purchased some tobacco for a friend - gave up that habit a long time ago, and it was time to visit the lounge. What can I say about the lounge. Well it ain't a Clubhouse that is for sure but clearly used by various Airlines and the only good thing I could think of was that there was free drink (no bubbles) and Wifi, that was it. Looked all rather drab.

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Club Lounge at Barbados Airport
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However it did have one good point!!! :cool:

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Banks Beer
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So that kept me going, they did have some crisps or other bits, and the Chicken Roti didn't look that great either. Makes you appreciate what you have at home. Meet up with a fellow passenger who I had seen at our hotel and transpired that he was sitting next to me on the flight....

Mrs D made the fatal error of making us go to the boarding gate which was running a little late so there was a mass of humanity there, but our wait was nothing like the BA one which was some 6 hours late :blush:

Processed through the check and then a last bit of Barbados heat and onto Beauty Queen who was tasked to take us home back to a cold England.

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Beauty Queen
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Went to my seat and waiting for me was my Amenity Pack, bottle of water and menu card.
Well I wasn't too sure about the menu, as nothing jumped out at me, but it was

Starters:
Parsnip and Parmesan Soup
Miso Salmon
Pickled Apple and Greek Feta Salad
Warm Breads

Mains:
Beef Tenderloin
Goats Cheese and Vegetable Cannelloni
Grilled chicken Salad
Cataplana of Seafood

Pudding:
Chocolate Orange cake
Roasted Pineapple cheesecake
Cheese and Biscuits

Well- after considering my options, I decided to opt for
Pickled Apple and Greek Feta Salad
Beef Tenderloin
Cheese and Biscuits

My choice of Beef Tenderloin was rather a wild stab in the dark and, oddly enough the beef I had was lovely and tender. The Potato cakes were good as were the vegetables. Followed off with cheese and biscuits, a very nice meal indeed. Based on HWVlovers assessment of the Chicken Salad it was a good shout on my behalf.

In-flight entertainment consisted of Fantastic 4 and Star Wars, both rather enjoyable. I did pop up to the bar to pick up a bar of chocolate and was horrified to see that greens have gone - to be replaced by some meagre offering found at a coffee shop, and nowhere near as good. Usual quarter packet of crisps and also packs of Jelly Beans as well.

After Star Wars it was time for shut eye and the usual quick flip of the seat and bed made up in no time. a member of CC came over to see if she could help but I was almost done by the time she got to me.

As the cabin started to stir an hour before landing, it was time for breakfast, and I was given a breakfast card which I filled in and soon had it on my tray with a coffee and orange juice. Mrs D went to get into her long trousers and having only one toilet in use she did mutter about that it was out of order to have to queue.

So on a bright crisp morning where it was about 1c (having been used to 26c at night), we landed rather smoothly at Gatwick Airport some 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

Disembarkation was a very smooth affair, and we soon had a long walk to Immigration, and being at the front we had no wait at all. Luggage was coming off the belt onto the carrousel as we approached it and our cases were soon up next. Customs seemed disinterested in me or Mrs D, and as we had already decided we would take the Gatwick Express train running to Reading we checked our timings fully expecting to have a long wait, but we headed down to the platform with tickets in hand and it rolled up. We soon found ourselves a seat and all this took 20 minutes from seat to seat, and we avoided the dreadful rush hour of the M25.....
#920787 by marshy11
03 May 2016, 20:38
Perhaps I am in the minority but I actually quite like the lounge at BGI and I DO love the chicken roti. It isn't a CH but it's got great staff and tasty food and Banks!

Thanks for the TR. Glad you had a good flight home
#920794 by horburyflyer
03 May 2016, 20:57
Leaving Barbados is always hard to do.....I actually quite like spicy cheese sandwiches in the lounge (even if they are a little odd) but yes the fridge full of Banks beer and a constant stream of Mount Gay rum keep things going until it's time to board.

Thanks for posting your TR. A solid flight indeed.

Jon
#920795 by jfenney
03 May 2016, 21:15
Thanks for the TR we were there in Jan , since it's one of the last flights the nibbles are few and far between so agree the only saving grace is the Banks beers :-D
#920798 by LucyLu
03 May 2016, 22:24
Thanks for the TR and the heads up on the menu. We are doing this flight at the end of May. It's our first time doing UC on the return leg and I'm not expecting a CH, but at least there is Banks and Mount Gay, that's enough for me!

We fly out on Sunday and I am soooo ready for a holiday!
#920805 by oldboy
04 May 2016, 08:51
marshy11 wrote:Perhaps I am in the minority but I actually quite like the lounge at BGI and I DO love the chicken roti. It isn't a CH but it's got great staff and tasty food and Banks!

Thanks for the TR. Glad you had a good flight home




I am with you Marshy, I also find the BGI lounge to be perfectly ok, I also love the fact that it such a short distance from lounge to aircraft.
#920808 by pjh
04 May 2016, 10:09
Thanks for the TR..

tomthumb wrote:Always the worst part of any holiday is when you have to travel home and you know you have a train journey ahead of you.


I think that's a lesser evil than a rush hour journey round the M25 with you in the driver's seat. :)

tomthumb wrote: What can I say about the lounge. Well it ain't a Clubhouse that is for sure but clearly used by various Airlines and the only good thing I could think of was that there was free drink (no bubbles) and Wifi, that was it. Looked all rather drab.


Much like UVF in that respect, but as long as there's a sandwich, a local beer and rum I'm a happy camper.

tomthumb wrote:My choice of Beef Tenderloin was rather a wild stab in the dark and, oddly enough the beef I had was lovely and tender.


Given many reviews of the beef recently, you are one brave and adventurous soul. Glad it turned out well though.
#920816 by HWVlover
04 May 2016, 15:20
Good TR, thank you.

pjh wrote:Given many reviews of the beef recently, you are one brave and adventurous soul. Glad it turned out well though.


My sentiments exactly Paul. Tomthumb ate the beef and so far the cutlery and his teeth have survived.
"So far."

This was the steak on our recent VS80.

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#920817 by marshy11
04 May 2016, 15:29
HWVlover wrote:Good TR, thank you.

pjh wrote:Given many reviews of the beef recently, you are one brave and adventurous soul. Glad it turned out well though.


My sentiments exactly Paul. Tomthumb ate the beef and so far the cutlery and his teeth have survived.
"So far."

This was the steak on our recent VS80.

Scotts-Boot [vflyer size].jpg


No jus? Criminal. :cool:
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