Hill Forts of Rajasthan

[Major]

I'd be interested to see if you find food in the "Hills" any different to the "Cities"

 

[Scarlett]

You didn't venture in to the QC (the Qantas Closet)?

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks. Have a flight recovery day in Delhi, will probably just veg at the Pullman. Then we head towards Bikanier and Jaisalmer.

meanwhile, somewhere over the pure air of Tassie:

 

[RooFlyer]

You didn't venture in to the QC (the Qantas Closet)?

Ha, yes. I was quite early so not crowded then, but I left 30 mins prior to scheduled boarding.

 

[RooFlyer]

Arrived MEL, 40 minutes to first bag to appear ( I’m on separate tickets). 50 minutes to last bag and mines not there.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks @sjk Come and have a drink with me in the Flounge. I can guest you in.

 

[Cossie]

Arrived MEL, 40 minutes to first bag to appear ( I’m on separate tickets). 50 minutes to last bag and mines not there.

As in missing? checked through? What happens now?

 

[RooFlyer]

Nah, just Qtags strike again. Bag got sent on a tour of the MEL luggage system. I really should know better.

Bag found an hour after I arrived at the belt, but due to my ultra cautious timing with separate tickets, we’ll still have max time in the Flounge.

And @JessicaTam, don’t think I didn’t notice you sniggering.

 

[RooFlyer]

Though the notorious MEL int security - God, what a farce. Someone’s jacket got caught in the roller and shut the machine down. The unit next door had bags and trays jackknifed up in the scanner and it had to be shut down too. The eGates worked a treat .

thank goodness for the Flounge. I haven’t been to the one in MEL for years, and they still offer spa treatments at the door.

But first things first, as they say.



That’s better.

As I started the QF salt and pepper squid thread, I felt obliged to order it, even though I’m not a huge fan.

It came out a la @JohnM, whose unappealing serve sans chilli a few weeks so caused me to start the thread.


But due to the power of AFF a solution! Order of 🌶 on the side

 

[RooFlyer]

I normally don’t do spa treatments ( mainly because I’m normally through SYD and you can’t get ‘em), but the one I just had here would be one of the best ever. Hot stones back thing, apparently a new menu or operator or something. Anyway, made my day!

 

[RooFlyer]

We seem to have a surplus of pre boards over business ( still roped off at the gate), but as I’m pleasantly pickled from my new found friend, the ‘gin spritz’ in the Flounge, I don’t mind.

 

[RooFlyer]

Cabin, seat, legroom and PDB (Piper Heidsieck).

 

[RooFlyer]

Let’s get this out of the way too.

menus:

 

[RooFlyer]

Just arrived at the ‘communicative’ Pullman. Yes, same Club room on arrival and upgrade to a suite.

 

[RooFlyer]

MEL-CMB was in the A330 pictured, and it was an 'OK' flight. Better than whY of course .

Crew were a bit mechanical, and always seemed a bit stressed, even though the cabin was only about half full. Meals were good, without being excellent. They seemed to only have one bottle of the Argentinian Sav Blanc and when I and another guy finished that off, they brought be a glass of Chardonnay instead! IFE was good.

But the bed. The J cabin is 1-2-1 herringbone and I was in one of the window singles and the bed, when deployed was uncomfortable. Small footwell, not uncommon, but what I found was that it was really narrow all the way from your waist - meaning that you virtually had only one sleeping position - on your side, legs almost straight. I deployed my sleeping mattress, which worked well, but I just couldn't get comfortable. So I upped stakes and took over one of the free center seats/beds and it was better - more room round the knees. And a dopey thing in both seats was that when you are lying down, and if you face inwards, away from the aisle, your eyes are directly lined up on the permanently-lit seat adjustment thing. A card jammed in the side blocked it, but woeful design.



The starter of seafood was the best bit of the meal:



Chicken curry (no '3 rice' option, that I was looking forward to)



And the rest:

 

[rginoz]

Not a great start ... and I haven't even started! I arrive in Delhi at 4:10am on Friday, the day before the tour starts, so have booked the Pullman at the airport with a basic room for the evening prior, and the next, with a Club room for the second (matter of cost). I've stayed here before, and its a good Club and I'm not sure if i'll go into Delhi or not - weather is foggy and smoggy this time of year.

I e-mailed them 2 days ago noting my late arrival, with the flight deatils, and asking if the free airport pick-up due to the club room on the second night might be used when i arrive.

Last night, abt 10:30 i got an e-mail asking about my arrival details and if I wanted a pick-up. . Automated, no doubt. As it was late I thought I'd reply in the morning (this morning).

But the phone call I got 3 hours later, at 1am, wasn't automated - the guy was asking the same things!! The reason he got through when my mobile phone was on overnight silent is that he called once, got voice mail, so then called again, which punctures the silent mode. .

I mentioned what time it was, but he ploughed on, politely asking if I need a pick-up etc. I told him that I had e-mailed all of this, which slowed him a bit, but he went on, notwithstanding I again reminded him that it was 1am. Then I told him again, a bit more testily, I think he twigged and quickly backed off the call.

I got an e-mail this afternoon I think replying to my first, and I've got the pick-up at least, and have been told that the driver and placard will be at "the arrival lounge", whatever that is.

I'm hoping that they will put me in the Club room when I arrive, rather than me changing room; if they made a note about that early call, I'm hopeful.

Haha love it. Welcome to India

Aerocity is a nice area to stay. It's where I stay too. Nice bunch of hotels

 

[RooFlyer]

Arrival in CMB and off to the Serendip lounge, with about an hour there.



Like my previous visit, I found it gloomy and crowded:





I decided to go down to the gate early and stretch my legs. By the time I got there, they were boarding; as there is security at the gate, I joined the queue and got through to the gate lounge on Final Call. Business Class pax asked to wait back.



A nice new-ish A321 in 2-2 with recliners, half full:







We left on time at 12:30am. There was a meal service after take-off which I left, and tried to get some sleep, without much success. The crew were good and the IFE really good.

 

[RooFlyer]

We arrived at DEL a little early and I got thoroughly confused at immigration - I got told to join one queue and then a nice guy came up and told me I was in the wrong one, and pointed me to the new Foreign Passports area. Took about 30 mins to get through.

Now, back to that lift from the Pullman. I eventually got an explanation if where the pick-up man would be "Between gates 2 and 4, passenger arrival lounge, placard with your name on it". hmmm.

Turns out there is no gate 2 (within cooee, at least) and the guy was there inside gate 4, but didn't have my name out, so I walked past him twice. Anyway, found him and had a confusing call back to the hotel with his phone - which ended up the hotel guy saying "this man will take you to the hotel" 4:30am and I didn't care much.

At reception, they had their act together - yes, the same Club room both nights and an upgrade to a suite.

 

[rginoz]

The Aerocity Pullman was great when we stayed there in 2016, not very long after it had opened. As I recall, there was no Club lounge then, as the liquor licencing was still being organised. The breakfast buffet was a sight to behold - a huge range of choices, to satisfy the dietary needs of a diverse range of guests.

 

[daft009]

The Aerocity Pullman was great when we stayed there in 2016, not very long after it had opened. As I recall, there was no Club lounge then, as the liquor licencing was still being organised. The breakfast buffet was a sight to behold - a huge range of choices, to satisfy the dietary needs of a diverse range of guests.

Yeah I usually stay at the Novotel.. different rooms but shares the restaurant and breakfast iirc