Anyway to start we had to make the walk from T1 to T3 via the walkway with all the bags and especially the clubs since we couldn't check them all the way through to HKG. We arrived at T3 early enough, around 6pm to find a mostly deserted check in. We did notice a good amount of people checking in for the late flights to NYC and also some to India and Lagos. We arrived at the upper check in and were greeted by the security man asking the usual questions. There was a couple in front of us but they were almost finished and we were seen to very quickly by a nice chap and he told us everything we needed to know from where the fast track was and the clubhouse. Top marks. I also noticed on the boarding cards that we were both sequence number 1 and 2 to check in.
Anyway headed off to the slow track which was mainly due to a group that were ushered through the fast track to catch their flight to Singapore. I noticed that their boarding passes were economy but once we got through we noticed a SQ rep trying to rush them to the gate even though the group seemed more interested in the Duty Free shops.
Off to the clubhouse after that. It was the same as i had remembered it in March. The only new thing was the Jag on the roof which is a sweet motor. That being said I wouldnt like to be in the back seat of the car as it makes Ryanairs seat pitch look like first class. Went to the salon at 7.30 to get my hair cut. The woman that cut my hair remembered me from March and remembered that this was my reward ticket after winning. Once the hair was cut, which was more like a field of hay to start, I headed in for a dip in the hot tub which was very relaxing after a rough couple of weeks of golf (golfaholic here). After I had a shower, I found myself a seat and had a very good burger and chips which was followed by some ice-cream.
The flight was called shortly after that so we made our way down to the gate which was all the way down by gate 40 (can't remember exactly). Our aircraft for todays flight was an airbus a340-600 G-VGAS. Here priority boarding was kind of in use but since general boarding had begun we had to wait for a bit in the jetway. Not that long of a wait and I was settling in to seat 11A with the lamb behind in 12A. I was soon offered a pre take off drink of water. Not long after the inflight beauty therapist made her way to my seat and asked did I want a treatment. I asked for the shoulders massage but i never saw her again for the rest of the flight, not even with a priority card.
We soon pushed back and the captain announced a flying time of 12hrs35mins. We had to queue for a while before taking off in one of the longest take off rolls I've ever had, 55seconds to be exact. Soon after the seatbelt sign went out and not to soon after that v-port was switched on without the 3 day old news.
The crappy whatever you want to call it cardboard thing was already in the seat. Probably the IFBT didnt want to be embarrased by handing these out and i don't blame her. The cabin crew came around to take our meal and drink orders. I decided not to have anything at that time as i was just after eating in the clubhouse but he was good enough to keep the lamb for me. I fired up v-port and listened to a bit of Hard-Fi to start (great band) and followed that with a bit of sleep. I got a good 6 hours of sleep and then went on to watch The Wind That Shakes The Barley. What can I say about this film, absolutely brilllant. Im not just saying that cause Im Irish or that some of it was filmed 15mins away from us, but this film was so realistic and so well made that made me like it so much. I would recomend this to anyone. I can see why it won whatever in the Cannes film festival. About 2hours before landing breakfast was served even though we were landing around 6pm local time. Anyway i had 2 bacon rolls which were very good.
We started our aproach early and had to circle for a tiny bit but we landed nice and early on runway 25 right. It was a bit a treck to the gate passing the airport fire crew playing volleyball out front of the station. We pulled into the gate which i think was gate 16 and made a long enough walk to immigration. There was a bit of a queue here because an Air France 777-300er had come in before us. Got through easily enough to find our bags on the carasol, priority had actually worked. All in all we were through the airport in less than 30mins and in our hotel in less than an hour from leaving the plane.
Cant complain at all with this flight everything went bang on. No problems whats so ever. Even though the flight wasnt very special in all departments, the consistancy was defo there on all counts.
