How I booked all the pieces
American Airways Flagship Eating Room DFW
Etihad First & Enterprise Class Lounge LHR
Etihad A380 First Class Residences LHR-AUH (Video)
St. Regis Abu Dhabi
Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Class Lounge DOH (Video)
Qatar A380 First Class DOH-BKK
Cathay Pacific’s The Pier First Class Lounge (Video)
Cathay Pacific 777-300ER First Class HKG-LAX
Why This Journey Needed to Finish with Cathay Pacific First Class
I made a decision to conclude my epic and sudden Around the World journey with Cathay Pacific. With the AAdvantage award chart modifications and another potential fairly large life modifications (extra information to come back…perhaps), this can be the final worldwide First Class journey I take for some time, so Cathay Pacific First Class it’s!
I like issues coming to logical conclusions with nice starting and endings. My first ever worldwide First Class journey was with Cathay Pacific on my strategy to Vietnam in 2012 so it made logical sense to wrap this era up with them as effectively. For enjoyable I made a decision to solely shoot with a unique lens for this flight. Most of my airplane photographs are with a 16-35mm broad angle, which is superb for taking photos of tight areas. The 55mm is the sharpest lens I personal and I assumed it’d be nice for some extra element photographs than I sometimes take.
I’ve lined Cathay fairly totally in different posts (right here, right here, and right here), so I gained’t retread an excessive amount of.
At this time’s Flight
I actually wished to chill out and luxuriate in this flight as an alternative of going loopy on the photographs, though it ended up being a mega-turbulent flight. Regardless of 150,000 miles within the air this 12 months I’m very a lot a nervous flyer so this specific flight was immensely traumatic for me. Credit score to Cathay and an amazing employees for ensuring my drink was by no means too empty to assist with my nervousness.
Anyway, after I left a tremendous go to to The Pier I did the lengthy stroll again in the direction of the US gates (gates 1-4). Above the US gates is The Wing, so I finished by for a glass of champagne as soon as I noticed we weren’t even going by means of the US safety Warfare On Water precheck but.
Champagne Bar, The Wing
Champagne Bar, The Wing
Ultimately I noticed them begin lining folks up for our flight to undergo the safety theater the US requires. I made it by means of with ease after which waited for boarding.
Our flight
After a slight delay we had been invited to board and I acquired to take advantage of superb of left turns as soon as once more into my favourite First Class cabin. There’s simply one thing about it that’s so easy but refined. There are solely six seats so that you get loads of consideration. Right here’s an image from a earlier publish.
Your complete seat space
This was the primary time I used to be not sitting in a window seat, however my seat was completely superb.
First Class Cabin decorations
The orchid for every passenger
Whereas my flight attendant was pouring a glass of Krug for me (sure!) I fell into dialog with a really good couple who adopted some fellow miles and factors bloggers. He had observed me taking photos of all the pieces so he requested if I blogged as effectively and he even was sort sufficient to behave like he had heard of my weblog earlier than! I worth experiences and conversations greater than posts and photos so I put the digicam down for some time and chatted with my new associates from San Diego. They had been having a blast on their journey and I hope they see this publish! It was nice speaking to you!
We finally started our taxi and had been within the air earlier than too lengthy.
Taxiing at HKG
The flight attendant got here by and knowledgeable me that the pilots warned them about some uneven air as soon as we approached Tokyo, so any scorching drinks would have to be served earlier than then, which gave us a number of hours to finish the dinner service. My coronary heart sort of sank after I heard that information, though I’m used to air being turbulent round Tokyo. Anyway, I soldiered on and targeted on making an attempt to take some nice photos of the meal service.
We began with a refill of my champagne glass.
KRUG. YES.
This was served with a caviar starter that was each acquainted and fantastic.
Caviar service
After caviar I used to be introduced with a easy salad that had a pleasant bread pairing with it.
Salad
I skipped the soup this time and ordered the steak for my foremost entree. Lengthy-time readers know I’ve a love-hate relationship with airplane steak, however Cathay has at all times accomplished a fairly good job. Properly, I’m completely happy to report they cooked it splendidly!
Take a look at that steak!
It tasted nice! I used to be so completely happy. Then, the announcement got here that we had been approaching turbulence and the flight attendants wanted to take their seats. Eek. Nonetheless, my flight attendants had been nice and snuck me my dessert on their strategy to their seats.
Bread Pudding and ice cream
The following hour or two alternated between Actually Turbulent and Worryingly Turbulent. In actuality there was nothing to fret about and at last I simply was aggravated by the turbulence as an alternative of being afraid of it (which was really a very large step for me).
Ultimately all the pieces settled down sufficient for the flight attendants to come back by and make my mattress so I might attempt to sleep.
Happy with my little digicam, it was just about utterly darkish within the cabin
The turbulence that was “over Tokyo” really ended up being over “your entire Pacific ocean” and it didn’t actually quiet down till we had been about 2 hours away from LAX. I did get some sleep although, in order that was good.
My breakfast desk was set and I began with some croissants and apple juice.
Croissants and apple juice
Cathay Pacific makes fantastic eggs, so I had a few of these as our flight wrapped up.
Eggs, bacon, and sausage
Cathay Pacific Breakfast