France (and London, Briefly)

[MattA]

Went for a little wander around The Garden.






Then caught the train back to the south end.



They’ve still got some balls to flog:



And time to board. It’s the big bird taking me on to LHR:

 

[MattA]

No QSuites for this leg. We’re on the A380.





More amenities:

 

[MattA]

Menu:



Wines almost identical to above, apart from one of the champagnes and the whites:

 

[FlyingFiona]

That extremely well signed lounge entrance…

View attachment 328330

Ohh this is the new lounge, right? Are you going to visit the Giant Teddy lounge too? Be interested in your comparative thoughts.

 

[RooFlyer]

That extremely well signed lounge entrance…

Maybe you did this. I went and had a look at the Garden back in November (it looks to have grown a bit!), but not the lounge. I walked back to the Al Safwa and just couldn't find it, or the Al Morjain. Too many shops, people and bright lights and lack of signs! Eventually asked someone and found sanctuary again.

 

[MattA]

Ohh this is the new lounge, right? Are you going to visit the Giant Teddy lounge too? Be interested in your comparative thoughts.

Yep. New lounge. I didn’t go to the other one. By the time I headed back to the south end it was time to board.

 

[MattA]

Maybe you did this. I went and had a look at the Garden back in November (it looks to have grown a bit!), but not the lounge. I walked back to the Al Safwa and just couldn't find it, or the Al Morjain. Too many shops, people and bright lights and lack of signs! Eventually asked someone and found sanctuary again.

I don’t think the new Al Mourjan The Garden was open back then. I believe it’s only been open for a couple of weeks. Presumably signage is coming…

 

[MattA]

Take off:





Now, I’m not really in the mood for a third breakfast, but again thanks to “dine on demand” I can pick from the lunch menu instead for the first food service.

A few things are already out by the time my order is taken. End up with the mezze plate:



Then lamb kofta. Very tasty.



I stick to the Bordeaux I was drinking on the first leg. Seems appropriate as that’s where I’m heading soon…



After lunch, popped down the back of J briefly to check out the bar.



Then time to get as much rest as possible. There’s no time for sleeping on arrival! (Eye) mask on, bed down and off I go.

 

[MattA]

Did not pay for wifi on this flight. On the 777 there was “Super wifi” or whatever they call it. US$10 for the entire flight. Which I thought was good value.

The A380 only has OnAir wifi. US$20 for 200MB. I’ll pass.

 

[MattA]

I wake with about 1:30 to go. I hadn’t been planning to eat again but the attentive FA pops up and it doesn’t take much to twist my arm. Still don’t feel like another breakfast so I order a second lunch: veggie laksa.



Not as good as the laksa I had on SQ last year, but still nice enough.

Presented with a knife and fork for some reason. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten laksa with a knife and fork before…

More choccies before arrival:



All in all though, very impressed by my first QR experience. The crew in particular were very good on both legs. Couldn’t fault the service.

 

[RooFlyer]

How would you rate overall, QSuites etc vs non QS but with bar, on the A380? Which would you choose to do if leaving at the same time to the same place?

 

[MattA]

How would you rate overall, QSuites etc vs non QS but with bar, on the A380? Which would you choose to do if leaving at the same time to the same place?

They’re both great but I think the Qsuites edge it for me. The sense of privacy you get from the enclosed space—especially in the smaller front J section I was in on the 777–really feels like you’re in your own little world.

Much more aware of the other passengers on the A380, which feels much more open. Not that any of the other pax were problematic—no DYKWIA behaviour or anything like that—just you are more aware that there are other people around.

Also found the Qsuite bed slightly more spacious and more comfy. The foot nook thing on the A380 is quite small and I found it hard to get comfy when sleeping. Also it seemed just fractionally shorter overall than the Qsuites bed.

I didn’t really sample the bar—just went for a look—so can’t really comment. I have old friends to meet this evening and I really wanted to get as much sleep as possible in flight so I can stay awake for them!

 

[lovestotravel]

Oh how I wish I could bring myself to fly QR...

The presentation of the food puts SQ to shame

Great report so far ! Thank you

 

[MattA]

It’s a long time since I’ve flown into LHR (usually heading for MAN). They seem to be on top of arrival formalities at the moment. It’s still like walking a marathon down a series of corridors getting from gate to immigration, but there’s no queue at the egates (I’m entering on my British passport, but AUs can use them too). Baggage started appearing as I reached the carousel.

All up around 30-35 mins from deplaning to exiting customs, which is about as good as it gets.

Less good, however, is the rail strikes on Friday and Saturday. I had prebooked a Heathrow Express advance ticket ages ago for what I thought was a bargain £5.50, but which may now become a donation as they are running no services.

Lizzie Line it is then.

 

[MattA]

I’m staying at the Pullman St Pancras, as I have a Eurostar to catch on Saturday morning (yep, it really is a brief stay in London this time).

I stayed here last year also prior to catching a Eurostar, also on the day of a rail strike. It’s very conveniently located just along Euston Rd from the station.





I’m up on level 14 with views out to a hazy, grey London.

 

[MattA]

But no time to rest. Dropped the bags and dashed out to the shops to pick up some gifts for the kids.



As you can see, London is grey and a little cold.

You might ask why I’ve flown in to London for only one evening: partly this was due to award availability, but also for the chance to catch up with some old friends. The stars had aligned and three of my closest uni mates were able to be in town to catch up for dinner (despite a rail strike and the fact that they are now spread around the country).

Quick refresh back at the hotel and I wandered down through Bloomsbury to meet them.

Blue plaques aplenty on the way down:



We met at a lovely little pub in the backstreets: The Lady Ottoline.



A few other patrons downstairs but we spent the evening in the upstairs dining room, which we almost had to ourselves for the whole evening. Very friendly staff and lovely food.

I’d seen these friends separately on our trip last year, but it’s not often that all four of us are in the same room together. There’s a group photo of the four of us at one of our weddings in 2005, which we recreated at another wedding in 2018. At the end of the evening we took the opportunity to update with the 2023 version. (We haven’t changed a bit, of course…)

 

[Flashback]

You can get the ticket refunded using delay repay.

 

[ellen10]

Great start to your trip! And of course I love anything France related, so I will enjoy following along.

 

[MattA]

I love the Eurostar. That said, I do not understand why they tell you to get there 90 mins before departure as it just means the tiny waiting area is absolutely packed. It was the same last year when we caught it to Paris.

This time I once again arrived at T-90, was through security and immigration in around 10 minutes, and then had to find somewhere to wait in this zoo…




It did clear out a bit when they boarded the 8am Paris train and the 8:15 Amsterdam. I was on the 8:30.

I opted for Standard Premier this time, which was decent value booked quite far out. (No lounge access at STP, however, that’s only on the expensive full priced business fares). You do get much more space and a light meal served at seat.


I’d been bumped from my original choice of Seat 61 (if you know, you know…) but my alternative seat was fine, in a little mini cabin at the front of car 14:





We depart on time. 30 minutes or so later we are under the channel, and before you know it, Gare Du Nord.

 

[MattA]

I’ve left myself heaps of time to get down to Montparnasse for my onwards TGV, so I opted for the scenic route. RER B to Luxembourg and a gentle stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens—one of my all time favourite spots in Paris.

It’s a beautiful sunny Saturday lunchtime in Paris.