Monday 15 August 2011

There's A Seven Forty Seven Coming Out of the Night - Saxson

As far as long haul is concerned my trip home was more or less without a hitch, and a great story to relate, and while not wishing to sound like a UK basher, it's only when you reach Heathrow that everything turns to 'rat sh*t'. OK, not having checked in on-line I had to run the gauntlet with the airline 'check- in clerk' who would not be moved regarding consigning my (wheely) back pack to the hold, I don't remember ever having my luggage taken from me on any flight before except in Tokyo when they wouldn't allow my tripod in the cabin. Re-jigging my bag I returned to check-in to find a different lady who was equally determined that the bag was heading for the hold, but did placate me by seating me at a window at the emergency exit. These days seats with much more leg room command an extra tariff, in this instance Aus$ 160 (£102 GB), but there was no charge on this occasion.

Boeing 747

You may find this part of the story interesting enough not to skip?

The 8 hour leg Sydney to Bangkok was a dream with exceptional service from the cabin crew, decent food, a drop of wine and no delays but most importantly no need to remove our belonging when the plane was cleaned and re-crewed in Bangkok unlike the outbound journey. That done, we re-boarded to be met by an announcement from the Captain saying there had been a fuel spill resulting in a short delay, but by this time I had switched off and simply waited to go. However, with close on 350 passengers onboard there was the inevitable mutterings, but that was when one of the male cabin crew singled me out (reason not known), crouched in front of me and simply enquire "do you drink wine sir"? Many of you will know the answer to that, as he went on to ask if I had a preference of grape variety. For easy drinking I told him that Merlot would be a choice, but in recent years I had graduated closer to Malbec due to the time I have spent in Argentina. "Unfortunately we don't have either of those, so would you like a Shiraz or a Cabinet"? Either would be fine, and he headed off towards the front of the aircraft. By this time the passengers around me were looking a little miffed, but even more so when he returned with not one but two 'proper' wine glasses announcing that as I couldn't make my mind up he had brought me both and asking my opinion of them later in the flight.

About 2 hours from London I discussed the merits of each of the wines with him, my closing remark being "I would be happy to have a case of each in my cellar (aka 'under the stairs')". He then returned to his duties but just before landing he appeared again clutching a bag containing the 2 bottles pictured above, as a parting gift. I'm certainly looking forward to my next flight, and of course sampling the above.

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Num Perc. Country Name

drill down940568.74%United KingdomUnited Kingdom
drill down11268.23%United StatesUnited States
drill down5233.82%TaiwanTaiwan
drill down4503.29%CanadaCanada
drill down2151.57%AustraliaAustralia
drill down1931.41%EstoniaEstonia
drill down1421.04%GermanyGermany
drill down1260.92%FranceFrance
drill down1100.80%New ZealandNew Zealand
drill down1030.75%NetherlandsNetherlands
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drill down820.60%JapanJapan
drill down680.50%BrazilBrazil
drill down630.46%SpainSpain
drill down550.40%IndiaIndia
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drill down480.35%PolandPoland
drill down450.33%ColombiaColombia
drill down420.31%SwedenSweden
drill down400.29%ThailandThailand
drill down310.23%BelgiumBelgium
drill down290.21%PeruPeru
drill down250.18%PhilippinesPhilippines
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drill down250.18%RomaniaRomania
drill down240.18%Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
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drill down230.17%SingaporeSingapore
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drill down220.16%SwitzerlandSwitzerland
drill down200.15%HungaryHungary
drill down190.14%IrelandIreland
drill down180.13%Korea, Republic OfKorea, Republic Of
drill down180.13%FinlandFinland
drill down160.12%MalaysiaMalaysia
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drill down130.10%Czech RepublicCzech Republic
drill down130.10%Sri LankaSri Lanka
drill down120.09%DenmarkDenmark
drill down120.09%TurkeyTurkey
drill down120.09%Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
drill down110.08%ArgentinaArgentina
drill down110.08%PortugalPortugal
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drill down100.07%GreeceGreece
drill down90.07%UkraineUkraine
drill down90.07%BulgariaBulgaria
drill down90.07%PakistanPakistan
drill down80.06%CroatiaCroatia
drill down80.06%VietnamVietnam
drill down70.05%LithuaniaLithuania
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drill down60.04%AustriaAustria
drill down60.04%BangladeshBangladesh
drill down60.04%EgyptEgypt
drill down50.04%MacedoniaMacedonia
drill down50.04%SlovakiaSlovakia
drill down50.04%CubaCuba
drill down50.04%Costa RicaCosta Rica
drill down50.04%MadagascarMadagascar
drill down50.04%EuropeEurope
drill down40.03%GrenadaGrenada
drill down40.03%EcuadorEcuador
drill down30.02%JerseyJersey
drill down30.02%United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
drill down30.02%OmanOman
drill down30.02%LesothoLesotho
drill down30.02%BelarusBelarus
drill down30.02%Satellite ProviderSatellite Provider
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drill down20.01%GuernseyGuernsey
drill down20.01%LebanonLebanon
drill down20.01%GeorgiaGeorgia
drill down20.01%VenezuelaVenezuela
drill down20.01%SenegalSenegal
drill down20.01%ArmeniaArmenia
drill down20.01%GuyanaGuyana
drill down20.01%LuxembourgLuxembourg
drill down20.01%Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
drill down20.01%ChinaChina
drill down20.01%SloveniaSlovenia
drill down20.01%MauritiusMauritius
drill down20.01%QatarQatar
drill down10.01%MalawiMalawi
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drill down10.01%MaldivesMaldives
drill down10.01%Faroe IslandsFaroe Islands
drill down10.01%BermudaBermuda
drill down10.01%LatviaLatvia
drill down10.01%Anonymous ProxyAnonymous Proxy
drill down10.01%MoroccoMorocco
drill down10.01%Trinidad And TobagoTrinidad And Tobago
drill down10.01%IcelandIceland

PS - There will be no time for 'resting on Laurals' as my Next Adventure commences TOMORROW
WATCH THIS SPACE!

2 comments:

  1. That male cabin crew member, what a perceptive individual, he has obviously been reading your blog Paul. Welcome back.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Roy, good to hear from you. Off again today, but this time driving but intend calling in at each off-licence as I pass to see if there are any 'freebie'. You know it makes sense Rodney!

    ReplyDelete