Twice around the world in 40 days

[JohnM]

Plastic cup for the Champagne - wtf?

Ahhh, a cardigan - just the thing for a budding historian... TKWYA, hyuk, hyuk . Comfy tweed slippers too?

 

[RooFlyer]

Slippers, yes, but too small

 

[RooFlyer]

Just in the lounge at BOM waiting to fly out to CMB. Late check out at The Oberoi 5pm ( after a free top-end lunch ) , but after the peak hour drive here, and then Indian security and immigration, God, I needed a large G&T and they delivered in spades. Love a country that properly understands the occasional need for a stonkingly large G&T.

I think I'll have another.

 

[RooFlyer]

The flight arrived at 5:15am, and I was through immigration by 5:30 and bags were out not long after. I was booked into the Royal Park Hotel The Haneda, which is, not surprisingly, at the terminal. In fact just up one floor. The room wasn't ready, but showing the room after I checked in later in the day.



Small, as expected but quite OK. Of course there was also the marvel that is the Japanese loo ...



I was flying out the next morning, so had an entire day. I couldn't connect right through to Mumbai except for a long transit in Tokyo and I wanted a day at relative leisure before I did that. Here came one of the disappointments of the trip. I've had a few business and tourist trips to Japan, so had spent quite a bit of time in Tokyo and had been to Nikko and Kyoto so I decided to look at some of the better castles within a day trip via Shinkansen, such as Himeji Castle, past Kobe. I had it scoped out months before, but when I re-checked a week ago, I discovered that the Saturday I was in Tokyo was the end of 'Golden Week', which is the biggest internal holiday time in Japan. The web sites for the castles were showing, with typical Japanese efficiency, that there would be hours of waiting by the time I would get to either of my prime targets. So I didn't make any plans, and decided to take some advice when I got there.

The advice was the same "Why did you come to Japan this week?" After spending a while in the hotel lobby, as it was a lovely fine and clear day, I decided to take the Shinkansen to view Mt Fuji. A local train to the Shinawaba station soon saw me waiting for the bullet train. The cost was higher than I remember - abt A$60 to Shin-Fuji station ( ie 1 way), a bit over an hour away, from memory (reserved seat, which was probably a mistake).

Stations are well labelled and efficient, and buying a ticket from the booth helps avoid ticket-machine fright.



Leg room on board was good and the train was fairly packed.


Mt Fjui city is heavily industrialised, and I planned to take a taxi to a viewpoint, but no taxis were on offer. I managed to have a walk around and found a convenient multi-story car park. A beautiful view.



One the train back, an unreserved seat got me a window view.

 

[RooFlyer]

By the time I got back to Tokyo it was still only about 11am, so I went back to the predictable place, the Imperial Palace gardens, which was a bit disappointing, but there wasn't much point outlaying more $$ going to somewhere just for the hell of it. BTW, I had also scoped out the JAL 'explorer' fares, which I would have been eligible for, and maybe skipped up to Hokkaido but in the end more flying wasn't called for.

So the gardens it was.







Still plenty of time to kill, and it was only a warm, not hot day, so my tracks returned me to Ginza, for some shop display watching. I came across this, hard to explain but seemed like a typical Japanese craze. Several people rolled a large cone of soft-ish stuff, which trailed off into thinner ropes. Then one young lady seemed to have a little too much delight in chopping the ropes off ...


Its always a treat browsing the basement food halls of the department stores, and I bought some lunch here, and thought of an AFFer or two when I passed the shop on the right:



Finally time to head back to the hotel, via the local train from Tokyo station, which was a bit busy! RH pic shows again Japanese efficiency. 3 or 4 different trains share the platform, so lines for the various services are painted on the concrete, so people can form separate, orderly queues.

 

[Jacques Vert]

PDB was Charles Heidsieck, in rather crummy plastic cup, but one must do ...

What???? And you dare to comment on my Pisco Sour being in a plastic cup? Oh the shame......

 

[RooFlyer]

Ahem.

Aaaaanyway ...

Leaving Tokyo, a 10am JAL flight HND-HKG. Check in was a breeze (and bags were checked through on my following CX flight to BOM ), as was security (fast track - no queues). Immigration over in a few minutes. A pleasure to fly again .

Straight to the JAL lounge which appears to be a mixed J and F. There is a separate, but not roped off area for F. Not many people in the lounge, so people sat where they liked.

Good breakfast selection. I first tried the Japanese offering, but not quite for me, so I went western, and discovered that they hadn't any knives. Definitely, no knives. I waylaid one of the attendants, asking (not understood) and then making cutting motions over the egg and snags I had on my plate. Didn't appear to understand that, either, but a few minutes later I had to smile when she brought over a couple of cut-up sausages .



The LH pic is the first class section, at least. may have extended to the RH pic area, but little delineation. The lounge was pretty empty.


Absolutely coughpy coffee available (plus tea etc). Plenty of booze about, including wines. I was working on my laptop and I happened to notice one local (I think) gent, making a number of close-spaced trips to the bar and filling up. Big glasses. Whoa! Lesson: next time I intend to get loaded, do it discretely . You never know who from AFF might be watching!



JL29 HD-HKG on a B777, in J. Boarding was bang on time and super efficient. Docs checked in the rough queue, then they pointed where to stand, two-by-two. There are 2 check-in agents, and solid gates which open and close when appropriate. 2 line sof families, then 2 lines of F and status, then 2 lines of J etc etc. Every airline could do this, if they wanted, or cared.

On board, its 1-2-1 with the 1s herringboned.



This time I had selected the window single, (which makes my mis-selection last flight more puzzling). Great seat, heaps of storage space, everything well positioned. Again, non NC headphones, and a 'proper' pillow - note. Good IFE selection and easy to use.



No PDB, which was odd. Not just me - nobody in the cabin.

Menus not handed out, but in the seat pocket. I noticed that there were 5 pages of menu selections in Japanese, but only 2 in English (edit: that was a voice note I made - on reflection, out of the 5, 2 may have been Cantonese ... I didn't look closely).



Service was slow. About 30 mins after seat belt sign came off, they came around for food orders, and drinks. Took a while also for the drinks to be delivered. Crew were far less proficient (even ignoring the slowness) than the crew across from London. I don't think I saw the CSM.

But the meal again was great. As -delivered and then as revealed shots. Note the rice in a little tied packet. No drink top-ups offered (asked for, and delivered OK).



Tried the bed out afterwards - huge amount of legroom in the leg-well. I'm almost 6', and stretched out I couldn't touch the ends. Wish I had this bed (and pillow), coming across from LHR!

Overall, a good experience from check-in to landing, but the FAs decidedly either inexperienced or there is a step-down in service on this regional leg.

 

[RooFlyer]

Arrived HKG 1:20pm and I had until 8pm in HKG. I had planned to go up the cable car near the airport to the 'Big Budda' I think its called), but those peaks were in cloud, so like in Tokyo I hung around a bit wondering what to do. I've been to HKG many times and in fact the last time, I started a 'what else to do in HKG' thread, looking for new things to do!

Caught the train into Kowloon and decided to do another high tower trip - this one 100 stories very close to Kowloon station. No queues, so straight in, and up. Fortunately the day had cleared a bit, so there were good views and nice clear air.



Loved the view of Kowloon. That's the 'Mira' hotel - one of my regulars just behind the park. Kowloon Park is very nice to wander around if you are in the area.





Eventually went back to the airport, had a landside Chinese massage and went lounge exploring. Only J lounges for me, so this WAS a new experience in HKG

 

[RB]

Arrived HKG 1:20pm and I had until 8pm in HKG. I had planned to go up the cable car near the airport to the 'Big Budda' I think its called), but those peaks were in cloud, so like in Tokyo I hung around a bit wondering what to do. I've been to HKG many times and in fact the last time, I started a 'what else to do in HKG' thread, looking for new things to do!

Caught the train into Kowloon and decided to do another high tower trip - this one 100 stories very close to Kowloon station. No queues, so straight in, and up. Fortunately the day had cleared a bit, so there were good views and nice clear air.

View attachment 125885

Loved the view of Kowloon. That's the 'Mira' hotel - one of my regulars just behind the park. Kowloon Park is very nice to wander around if you are in the area.

View attachment 125886

View attachment 125887

Eventually went back to the airport, had a landside Chinese massage and went lounge exploring. Only J lounges for me, so this WAS a new experience in HKG

Don't recall ever seeing any clearer than those 2 bottom photos-did you sort out your problem with the photos on the camera memory?

 

[RooFlyer]

No. I would think its a memory corruption issue, but the menu doesn't even give me the option to select the card or the internal memory, per the on-line instructions. Hopefully the images if they are there will remain there until I can sit down and focus on it when I get back.

 

[RooFlyer]

So, through HKG security etc pretty quick and I made my customary way to the Wing First , ahem, I meant to say the Wing first of all - the business lounge, which is below the Flounge. A real fight to get there and its not worth it, I can tell you. I had a shower and then departed for hopefully greener pastures.

It might just have been the time of day, but HKG was packed - is it reaching capacity?

The Bridge told me I should go to the Pier Business lounge, as its nicer. I went, but with a pang of regret that my non WP status meant I couldn't get into the Pier First, which I think is one of the best lounges out there.

But the Pier Business - a revelation! it would be a First lounge virtually anywhere else. No a la carte dining, but that was all that was missing. bar, many different areas, generally quiet, a good buffet with tables ...







Boarding was 15 minutes late. They didn't tell us, but I think it was planned - as later events turned out.

CX663, a B777-300ER, 1-2-1 in J, scheduled departure 8:10pm.


PDB of water, OJ or Champagne. Push back announced as 20 mins late due to congestion at BOM, we eventually pushed back 40 mins late.

In the air, tried the IFE but was thwarted by multiple PAs in the 3 languages, mainly advertising for the Duty Free or something-or-other. Most of it incomprehensible (I'm talking about the English version ). Annoying, that.

CSM prowled around the cabin, selectively greeting certain (status) pax. I didn't make the cut - at all.



I've had this CX seat a number of times and its pretty good for medium haul - lots of stowage space, everything handy, a decent shelf etc.

Menus:




I had the salmon and grouper; no problems with either, but you can't compare the presentation with JL! Crew were not bad. Seemed a bit busy. CSM not seen again after the first walk-around.



BOM ATC delayed us on approach and we pulled in a bit after 1am, abt 40 mins late.

 

[RooFlyer]

Landed in BOM well after midnight. Immigration (with eVisa) pretty good, bags not a problem.

I ha arranged a transfer via my hotel, the Residency Hotel, Fort. Chosen from Trip advisor, it has a lot of very positive reviews and was much less than other hotels in the 'Fort' area, where I wanted to be - basically the old centre of town in the colonial days.

A bit of a shemozzle - I was supposed to meet the guy, with a sign, "as you exit arrivals" - but in BOM, and I think most Indian airports (I now realise), drivers can't enter the terminal and there's a scrum of them outside. before I hit the scrum I'd phoned the driver (supplied by the hotel in advance), but of course little English, so I had to phone the hotel ... blah blah. Anyway, eventually meet a guy who led me to a multi story car park and said "Wait 5 minutes". Well, I knew that wasn't true!

Driver eventually turned up and we started the drive to the hotel. It is a 1 hr journey in normal daytime traffic, so I was expecting maybe 40 mins at 1:30am. Nope. the guy was on the phone constantly and kept up a steady pace of 30-40 km/hr Also took a very circuitous route - not avoiding tolls, just back roads, which scared me a bit the first time he did it., Eventually I lost patience and made it clear that the phone should be off and we should go faster!

That did the trick and we arrived at the hotel in 1 hr 10 mins, which was he longest of 4 trips I made to/from the airport, the others all in normal traffic. I was tired and very pissed off by the time I arrived at the hotel.

The hotel itself is a funny one. Small, centrally located and relatively cheap. Scrupulously clean and friendly people, but tiny rooms and bathrooms (forgot to take pics, sorry). I'd stay there again. this trip was helped by the fact that the road was closed off for metro works, so there was no through traffic, with endless beeping etc.

That's the hotel, L pic. Its only 1 room deep!



I had 2 nights at this place, so a full day to explore Mumbai. I have been to India once before, last year, to Delhi and the Golden triangle, so I sort of knew what to expect, but Mumbai was a different town to Delhi!

I hit the streets the next morning and straight away, I liked the place. I decided that you had to just plunge into the crowds and the traffic and try not to behave like a tourist. Walk on the road, not the footpath, and dare the traffic to run over you. Adopt a sort of f-you attitude to the traffic. It worked! Except I learned that busses don't play by the rules. They WILL run you over if you are too slow. But a smile and a laugh gets you by. One taxi driver was determined to run me down as I crossed, as usual, against the lights, but I just smiled at him, and he smiled back and braked and waved me across.

The first thing I discovered was that Mumbai has a good Art Deco (with a bit or Art Nouveau ?)architecture school. Who knew?






I was vaguely heading to the 'Gateway of India' monument and the Taj Palace Hotel, but there were so many distractions. The remnant British colonial architecture was amazing. LH pic is police headquarters. I dunno who RH pic was.



After abt 40 mins I reached my first destination, unscathed, but having a ball.

The 'Gateway was built in 1911 to receive George V and Queen Mary. the Taj Palace hotel is THE place to stay in Mumbai. It was the victim of an islamic terrorist attack in 2008 from Pakistan, when many were killed and the place was set on fire. Totally renovated since.



.

 

[RooFlyer]

Next day I was off bright and early for my sightseeing around the 'Fort' area. The 'fort' in question was Fort George, built by the East India company in 1768 and demolished in 1862. My hotel marked.




There are a few remnants of the old fort remaining, but nothing worth photographing. Today it is the financial heart of the city and also contains a stunning array of British colonial buildings. Very crowded but the traffic is surprisingly well controlled y lights and traffic policemen. Pedestrians tend to ignore the lights of course , but there are gaps in the traffic to cross for the faint hearted. The traffic is overwhelmingly dominated by black-and-yellow taxis, and busses and there is a incessant tooting of horns by the taxis and all, really. never stops and can be a bit overwhelming until you get used to it. And of course every taxi that passes a white guy toots as well, asking if a ride is wanted.

The weather was abt 33 degrees, humid, but sunny and the air was clear (nice breezes off the water). All the streets are lined with mature trees and there are some big open spaces (maidans). Plenty of monuments about, mostly of Indian figures. the guy in the middle has the right idea. RH pic is of Rajiv Ghandi, throwing a garland. he was the 6th prime minister of India, taking power in 1984 after his mother, Indira Ghandi was assassinated by Sikhs. He was assassinated in 1991.



Mumbai University, was established in 1857. Some simply gorgeous buildings; unfortunately, after the terrorist attack on the Taj Palace, all public buildings I came across are guarded, and no entry to the grounds (not even a friendly request to take a few steps inside the gate to take a pic). In this case the large trees conceal a lot of the buildings. This is the library building.



The statues represent the various castes in India.



Not sure if this is a gargoyle or not, but the representation of a dog is somewhat appropriate - there are lots of them about!


The Rajabai Clock Tower to the library was done in 1870 and is modelled on the 'Big Ben' tower in London. This view is from across the Oval Maidan



Not far from the university is the Bombay High Court (it has retained the old name), built in the 1870s, and mostly obscured by the trees (nice for those inside ).

 

[RooFlyer]

And now to the grand-daddy of Colonial architecture in Mumbai - the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, or main train station, a UNESCO World heritage site, and rightly so. It was begun in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria (and originally called the Victoria Terminus) and took 10 years to complete. In 1996 it was re-named after Chhatrapati Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire in the 1600s. A terrorist attack here in 2008 killed 58 people.

According to Wikipedia, it has Victorian Italianate Gothic Revival architecture - I'd just call it an amazing Gothic pile! Its an enormous building, so much so I needed a panorama to get it all in (but couldn't get back far enough to avoid distortion).







The details are amazing. The topping statue represents Progress.



More canine gargoyles!

 

[Milboo]

Loving the report. I never appreciate that Delhi had all that amazing architecture.

 

[RooFlyer]

Ahem. Mumbai

 

[RooFlyer]

When I arrived in the city, very early in the morning and dead tired, I recalled seeing a temple garishly lit up not far from the hotel , and I asked them what it might have been. They laughed, and said it was the railway terminus! I was a bit dubious, but set out after dark to check it out.

Oh, my goodness:









And only marginally outdone is the Mumbai municipal building right across the road:

 

[OATEK]

Very colourful, which I guess I always associate with India.

 

[Milboo]

Ahem. Mumbai

Oops sorry!

 

[RooFlyer]

As nice as Mumbai is, it wasn't the main objective of me visiting India this time. I was off to Aurangabad, abt 50 mins flight east for a tour of the Ajanta and Ellora 'caves' (actually man made excavations - think Petra on steroi_s).

Strangely enough, my Travel Agent couldn't match via the GDS either the fare type or price that I could get on Air India's web site. I wanted fully flexible and of course lowest cost, so I just booked it on-line. Air India domestic leaves from the new-ish "International" terminal, about an hours drive from where I was, so I got a 600 rupee (A$12) black-and-yellow cab out there; still abt an hours journey in reasonably heavy traffic in the middle of the day.

In the light of day, the terminal is very impressive - I was hugely impressed. Large, uncrowded (VERY uncrowded - I was thinking - this is India ... where is everyone?).

Booking was checked on entering the terminal (short queue), then bags x-rayed. Then to check-in - no queue for economy and I was given an exit row. Then through security proper; no queue and through the portal thing, then everyone gets wanded and patted down. The security is done by the army - or some part of their Force - they were saluting each other. My carry-one got pulled for secondary screening, but didn't take long.

Very thorough security.

The concourse looks like an international one - high end shops etc; I went looking for lunch but the food court was a bit of a downer.





Boarding on time IIRC and pretty orderly. The flight wasn't half full.



Exit row legroom. the windows were very dirty/abraded.


Crew handed out these snack boxes - a mango juice and a couple of snack packets, and a water. Then not seen for the rest of the flight - even during the top-of-descent cabin check!

Aurangabad I knew was going to be hot. +40 deg forecast for the couple of days I'm there. The airport terminal building is just a very big shed, with partitioning and interior floors installed. Looks cheap, but its perfectly functional.



My tour driver young Patel was waiting for me and took me to the Lemon Tree Hotel. Lemon Tree I think is a mid tier chain of hotels in India. I came across them and saw they had a big discount if you joined their loyalty club, so that was that.

This particular one had a bit of a '70s feel, but was OK for a couple of nights.



Good common areas and a very nice pool. The Kingfisher went down VERY well!