I took my favorite bar seat and kicked the trip of with a glass of 99 Bollinger after depositing my bags in the cloak room. Mrs. JP had headed to the Elemis spa to try and get a neck and shoulder massage as her neck was playing her up. When she returned the Spa was short staffed bla bla,but she should check back at 8.40.The attentive bar staff took her order and she settled for a glass of the Lanson Noble Cuvee Rose, which at the speed it disappeared had to have been good. We decided a bit of breakfast could well be a good idea as we both intended to get our monies/miles worth from the flight. We were seated quickly in the unusually busy CR dinning room. I opted for Scrambled eggs and smoke salmon
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with another glass of Bolly, Mrs. JP eggs Benedict and a pot of green tea. Mine was lovely and the eggs Benedict were given the thumbs up, on our first visit last August they were terrible. This time service and food were spot on .I ordered another glass and Mrs headed for the spa to see if she could snag a massage, when she didnt quickly return I assumed she had. I finished the glass and returned to the bar were upon I trashed one of the bar stools much to the amusement of the 2 ladies behind the bar and with a face like beetroot I ordered another glass of Bolly from a different stool. On her return she said her neck felt much better after a good pummeling from the masseuse and even the dreaded auto massage chair was in fact quite good.
The flight was now showing as boarding,from the gate number it was a bus transfer and it was the North transfer area. After collecting our bags we made our way to the gate transfer area about a 5 minute walk. A bus was waiting and was almost full so no long wait. I quite like the bus transfers as you get to see a bit more, but BA really should supply a separate bus for F and J pax at their flag ship terminal. Boarding was via one set of steps at 2L.We were warmly greeted at the door with a welcome back and shown to our favorite 777 seats 1 E&F, a glass of 99 Pol Roger was gratefully accepted. The new amenity kit (another rather disappointing Anya Hindmarch offering) was distributed along with sleep suits. Arabic coffee and dates were next up which is a nice touch on the Middle East flights.
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Push back was bang on time and then we waited a good 15 minutes before moving again but this no doubt goes down as an on time departure.
Must have been a very light load as we were up after a very short roll into an overcast and rather bumpy sky. Mrs.JP had changed before take off I waited until the seat belts went off then changed, clothes were taken and hung for me as I exited the toilet. There were only 4 PAX inc us in F so the crew were around quickly with menus and taking drink orders. We decided to eat at about noon London time 2 hours into the 7 hour flight this was not a problem. Canaps plus gin ( Tanqueray No 10) & tonic soon arrived and were swiftly dispatched.
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Seats reclined a little leg rests up we chatted for an hour with a couple more G&Ts and concluded we are lucky so & sos. The CSD came around for a chat ,loverly girl and very young wouldnt have put her much over 25.It was soon Lunch time, We had gone for the White asparagus starter which was very good.
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For main I had the Duck Cassoulet and Mrs JP the monk fish on samphire. [img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c315/jaguarpig/AUH%20May%202009/desk007.jpg[/img]
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The duck was fantastic and very rich., the monk fish was a little over cooked but I finished the little bit that was left, cant stand waste you understand.
We had both stuck to the 2006 Meursault throughout the meal but out of the 5 bottles loaded 3 were corked, never had this before must have been a bad case.When supplies were exhausted I had a Glass of the Chateau Talbot 99 and toasted my old man with his favorite tipple.I had some sort of sponge pud and we then finished with the cheese and a glass or 2 of sublime Warres 88 Colheita Port.
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We both put beds down and drifted off in a Haze. I woke with about an hour to go and changed back into civvies before afternoon tea and a glass of Fizz.
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The Purser said it would be a shame to waste the bottle he had opened so we polished it off before landing into a sweltering Abu Dhabi.
Fantastic experience nothing to fault at all and for 120k miles plus Tax for us both what a bargain.
Here is the new Amenity kit for GJ
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