マイク＆サム·ヘッド東！- A journey to Hong Kong & Japan - May 2014 - Day 1 - TRAVEL DAY

[soarinfan]

Day 1 - Monday 5th May 2014 - Travel Day

I'm sure that most reading this will be used to the opening paragraph being about a mad dash down to Manchester or Gatwick for their early morning flight in the bubble across the pond to Orlando, but this report starts with the complete opposite - a lay in!

Our flight wasn't until 5pm so we had plenty of time. I woke up at about 8am after going to bed about 2am the night before - the usual not being able to sleep malark and pottered around a bit at first before getting showered and dressed. I had a bit more packing to do but I also had to pop to Tesco to get some last minute bits I had forgotten about until this morning (such as shower gel and toothpaste etc). On the way there I had a brain wave...McDonalds is right next door, may as we'll start the holiday with a hearty breakfast! Ketchup breakfast wrap it was then!

After breakfast and Tesco I ended up back at home finishing the packing. I packed my hand luggage, deciding on taking a backpack for it this time as there is a lot of changing hotels and flying on this trip so for the sake of it being slightly easier...! This was the first holiday I was taking my new camera on, and was probably a little bit crazy to think bringing my huge 4kg lens was a good idea! Afterwards I slumped out in front of the TV for 2 hours before realising it was now gone 11am and I was due to pick Sam up at 12 - whoops. And then the onslaught of frantic last minute packing began. I suddenly realised the only scales I had in my new home to weigh the case on were pretty bad scales, and when the case was on them I couldn't see what the numbers said. After a while of umming and erring over whether it said 15kg or 20kg on the display I just closed the case and went with it. Unfortunately my hand luggage weighed over 10kg (big lens!) so that was the first thing to come out. I sat there saying to myself...why the hell would you need to bring that?!

Anyway it wasn't until 11.50 that I finally left the house, so didn't even get to Sam's until about 12.20. We had ages to get there so it really wasn't much of a rush, although it was at this point I remembered my watch was sitting on my desk at home - couldn't be bothered to drive all the way back and get it so worry not and on we go! It was only 25 minutes through Northwood and Uxbridge to get to Heathrow from Watford, and we got to the car park with plenty of time to spare. Being staff I claimed my free parking and we proceeded to the bus stop to head into Terminal 3. Never flown from Terminal 3 before but it doesn't look too bad inside, very Virgin Atlantic orientated inside being the main carrier from there. Today (in fact for the whole holiday) we were flying with Cathay Pacific, and todays flight, CX238 to Hong Kong. We checked in and had a nice chat with the check in agent before heading through security and into the departure lounge. I was all up for trying out YoSushi considering the region we were going to but alas we ended up eating at a very nice Italian named "Strada".

I had the ravioli with spinach which was divine, followed by the tiramisu. And of course the piece de resistance was in fact the large glass of Peroni to wash it all down with. When in Rome... The whole meal for me only came to about £20 which wasn't too bad for the UK in the scheme of things!

Apologies for the blurred photos - I took them on my camera I use for video, and I was in a hurry to eat them as I'm sure you can imagine!

We mooched around the shops for a little while - I got the obligatory plane snacks of Haribo (always regret it), a packet of Smokey Bacon crisps for just before bed time, and this being a through the night flight, a bottle of Pepsi which I refused to open despite temptation until absolutely necessary on the flight. I always find there's a point on night flights when you get so dehydrated, the lights are down and no one is at home to get you a drink, and you're stuck in a window seat with no way to get out!

Our gate info time of 1545 came... and went...other aircraft departing around us were already boarding and we had still heard nada. It soon came on the screen we would be delayed until 1730 and gate info would come at 1615. Either way I knew where the gate would be through one way or another so we headed down that way - as we arrived at the aircraft they announced the gate so we went through to the gate room where the crew were still waiting to board.

We nabbed a seat up by the boarding door so would be one of the first on board. Time passed... very slowly! Followed by an announcement that as the aircraft was late arriving we would too be late departing, in fact even later than earlier announced, now 1800! Not a good start! The crew finally boarded as did we very soon afterwards, and we were finally on our way just over an hour behind schedule. Departure today was over North London so got a good view of Wembley Stadium and later on my house (or where it should be amongst a huge group of houses - hard to distinguish at 8000ft! ).

Click the image above for the flight video!

The Cathay crew were incredibly apologetic about the delay, apologising at every given opportunity which I did actually appreciate. Most of the time you just get a half hearted sorry and then a return to the stiff upper lip but this was something else. Service was very prompt once we had got in the air and left the eastern shoreline of the UK with multiple bags of peanuts (haven't had peanuts on an aircraft for years!) and several strong G&Ts. Dinner was the next trick up Cathay's sleeve and it was delightful I thought, Sam however disagrees! The choice was pasta or chicken (the common line spun by One World it seems!) and we both chose the pasta. As the tray landed on our table we realised the lid read "Pasta with a Lemon Crumble" - a strange combination I'm sure you'll agree. I have to say although it did taste a little odd at first I thought it was really nice. It touched most senses and I'd be happy to have it again. Sam didn't like it but still went for the entire thing. The accompaniments were a bean salad, a bread roll, and a pot of vanilla ice cream for desert.

If you want to see what Pasta with Lemon Crumble looks like...check out the flight video

Dinner was finished and collected before the crew quickly passed through the cabin with the duty free magazine (they don't even seem to bring the trolley anymore!) Soon after, in fact as the crew member left each portion of the cabin, the lights were dimmed and night time on board began. Of course the sun was well and truly still up and I was busy taking videos out the window for my YouTube channel, but soon settled down for the evening. Sam was busy watching Frozen for the first time and I was rewatching Saving Mr Banks which I think is a brilliant film. I did a bit of work stuff through the film and by the time it was over most of the cabin were asleep in total darkness. I read some of my book for a little while and had a packet of Smokey Bacon crisps (in joke) before turning the light out and trying to get some shut eye. Luckily the flight wasn't too full at all so we had the row to ourselves. Sam curled up in her seat and I stretched out.

I must have got about 4 hours of sleep which is never enough but it'll do. When I woke up I woke up to one of the most amazing sight of my life. The Gobi Dessert in the background at sunrise. What an amazing sight. I think that will stick with me forever.

The rest of the flight dragged... big time! I watched a bit of Top Gear (the one where they converted the van into a hovercraft) amongst some other bits on the tele, and an episode on The Simpsons on the iPad. It was soon cabin wake up time after that about 90 minutes out of Hong Kong and breakfast was served. I was shocked to actually get a proper breakfast! The choice was English breakfast or seafood, we both chose the English and it really was nice! Usually I fly with BA or Virgin long haul, and you always seem to get the bread roll, a yoghurt, and some form of flapjack which can only resemble a dried up dog poo (excuse the coarseness but I bet some will know what I'm on about!)

We soon made our descent and landing in to Hong Kong only approx 40 minutes delayed in the end so not too bad. I have to say anyone thinking of travelling east through Hong Kong I would certainly recommend Cathay - really good service and the IFE also was a nice mix too. The aircraft are all also fairly new which they use on the LHR-HKG route so always a plus.

So really we are already on to Day 2 now as it was gone midday in Hong Kong and the wee hours in the UK. So I'll leave it there and you can enjoy Day 2 in the next post, featuring our journey into Hong Kong itself!

Thanks for reading!

[jimmymc]

Hi Mike

Really interested to read your trip report as we are heading to Hong Kong in October. We were originally going
to fly with Cathay Pacific but got a really good deal with BA on the A380. Man - Lon - HK - Mel - Sing - Lon - Man for £850! It was in the sale and we couldn't not book it! I see that you usually fly with BA or Virgin - have you ever flown with BA to Hong Kong? Our daughter is working in Hong Kong for a year so this is why we are going and combining it with a trip to Melbourne where my sister lives, then a short visit to Singapore before flying back to Manchester via London. Really looking forward to it! and looking forward to reading the rest of your trip report.!

Maureen

[dee slack]

Originally Posted by jimmymc

Hi Mike

Really interested to read your trip report as we are heading to Hong Kong in October. We were originally going
to fly with Cathay Pacific but got a really good deal with BA on the A380. Man - Lon - HK - Mel - Sing - Lon - Man for £850! It was in the sale and we couldn't not book it! I see that you usually fly with BA or Virgin - have you ever flown with BA to Hong Kong? Our daughter is working in Hong Kong for a year so this is why we are going and combining it with a trip to Melbourne where my sister lives, then a short visit to Singapore before flying back to Manchester via London. Really looking forward to it! and looking forward to reading the rest of your trip report.!

Maureen

See more...

We flew BA to HK in M arch on the a380 and it was a good flight, then back in April from Singapore BA and again no problems at all. We pretty much use BA for all our long haul trips now as they are usually a good price and the hand luggage allowance is fab.
We also flew BA to Japan a couple of years ago and all good.

[Guest]

Really intrigued to follow this report. Having flown to Narita airport in Japan with BA (Club World) we too had a late departure arriving just after breakfast .I shall look forward to trippie with anticipation.

[Floridag1rl]

Lookin forward to this.

[MissVincent]

Great start, looking forward to reading more

[Guest]

Looking forward to reading more :-)

[EllieJoy]

Can't wait to read the rest of your trip report, we would love to go to Japan. It is on our top 5 places to go, just a matter of finding the time and money to make it happen!

[soarinfan]

Originally Posted by jimmymc

Hi Mike

Really interested to read your trip report as we are heading to Hong Kong in October. We were originally going
to fly with Cathay Pacific but got a really good deal with BA on the A380. Man - Lon - HK - Mel - Sing - Lon - Man for £850! It was in the sale and we couldn't not book it! I see that you usually fly with BA or Virgin - have you ever flown with BA to Hong Kong? Our daughter is working in Hong Kong for a year so this is why we are going and combining it with a trip to Melbourne where my sister lives, then a short visit to Singapore before flying back to Manchester via London. Really looking forward to it! and looking forward to reading the rest of your trip report.!

Maureen

See more...

I haven't flown BA to Hong Kong I'm afraid no, but their new aircraft the A380 serving it is more than capable of a relaxing flight, as with their 77W aircraft which often is on the route. BA Long Haul is generally a pretty good experience so you shouldn't have any issues

Thanks all for your kind comments so far, Day 2 coming soon!

[beck_loz]

Thanks for sharing x